Emerald Cut Moissanite Classic Four Prong Solitaire Engagement Ring

Emerald Cut Moissanite Classic Four Prong Solitaire Engagement Ring

One emerald cut moissanite, four claw prongs, one smooth round band. Nothing else. This is the reference design that every other emerald cut ring is a variation of, and it is still the one most people come back to after looking at everything else. The only ornament is a small scrolled gallery under the basket, visible when you turn the ring over, which is the traditional way a bench jeweller signs a plain setting.

Why this ring works

An emerald cut has no brilliant faceting to hide behind. What it has instead is clarity, symmetry and a very long unbroken table, and a plain solitaire is the only setting that lets all three be seen at once. Four prongs, one at each corner, hold the stone without covering any part of the outline, and a plain round shank keeps the metal below the stone rather than beside it. If the centre stone is good, this is the setting that proves it.

Centre stone details

• Stone type: Moissanite
• Shape: Emerald cut, elongated rectangular step cut
• Colour: Colorless
• Clarity: VVS
• Cut and polish: Excellent
• Symmetry: Excellent
• Refractive index: 2.65, higher than diamond, which is why moissanite throws more coloured fire
• Hardness: 9.25 on the Mohs scale, hard enough for daily wear
• Carat options: 2 carat, 3 carat, 4 carat and 5 carat centre stone

Setting and band

Four claw prongs grip the corners of the emerald cut above an open basket, with a scrolled gallery underneath for support and a little visual interest from below. The shank is a plain round band of approximately one point eight millimetres, unbroken from the head all the way around. Metal is solid throughout, never plated over brass, with a polished comfort interior.

Metal options

Choose from recycled 925 sterling silver, or solid 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white. Yellow gold, as photographed, gives the warm traditional look. White gold and sterling silver make the centre stone read as white as possible, which is the usual choice when the stone is the whole point. Rose gold sits between the two. White gold is rhodium finished.

Ring sizing

Every ring is made to order in your size. Sizes run from 3 to 13, including half sizes. A plain shank like this is also the easiest of all designs to resize later in life, since there are no stones anywhere on the band.

Care

Clean with warm water, mild dish soap and a soft toothbrush, brushing under the basket where lotion collects and dulls the stone from below. Rinse and dry with a lint free cloth. Have the prongs checked every year or two. Remove the ring before swimming, gardening or lifting weights.

Questions people ask

Why do emerald cuts look bigger than round stones of the same weight? Because they are shallower and longer. More of the stone weight is spread across the top surface instead of down into the pavilion, so a 2 carat emerald cut covers noticeably more finger than a 2 carat round.

Do four prongs hold an emerald cut safely? Yes. Four claws at the corners is the standard for step cuts, because the corners of an emerald cut are already bevelled and are the strongest points on the stone.

Will a plain solitaire look too simple with a large stone? The opposite. The larger the centre stone, the more a plain setting works, because there is nothing beside it to compete for attention.

Which metal should I choose? For maximum whiteness choose white gold or sterling silver. For warmth choose yellow or rose gold. For daily wear over decades, 14K balances colour and durability best.

About Mapple Gems

Mapple Gems is a made to order fine jewellery workshop. Every ring is cut, set and finished by hand after you order, which is why we can offer ten metals and four carat weights on one design. Orders ship worldwide free of charge and every ring carries a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.

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