Marquise Cut Lab Grown Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring with Pave Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A marquise laboratory grown diamond set lengthwise in fine claws, on a band closely set with small round diamonds. The stone is the only large thing on the ring, and the pave exists to give it a bright line to sit on.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Marquise cut laboratory grown diamond
• Carat options: 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat
• Colour and clarity: E colour, VVS2 clarity
• Certificate: IGI, included free
• Setting: Claw set marquise with v claws at both points, on a pave set band
• Accent stones: Round laboratory grown diamonds, E colour, VVS2
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

The pave band

Round diamonds run down both shoulders and continue round the shank, held in shared claws with very little metal showing between them. From a normal distance the band reads as one continuous line of light. It is the most straightforward way to make a ring brighter without putting anything near the centre stone.

Why pave rather than a halo on a marquise

A marquise is chosen for its outline: long, pointed, the largest face up area of any common cut. A halo would ring that outline with small stones and blur it. Pave on the shank leaves the silhouette completely clean and puts the extra sparkle where it cannot compete.

Both points guarded

A marquise has two tips, the thinnest and most vulnerable part of the stone. Each sits inside a v claw that wraps around the edges either side of the point rather than pressing down on it. The remaining claws are kept narrow so they interrupt the long curve of the girdle as little as possible.

The largest spread of any cut

Very little of a marquise's weight sits in depth, so almost all of it is visible from above. That gives it the largest face up area of any common cut at a given carat weight. Set lengthwise, as here, it stretches the finger further than any other shape.

What laboratory grown means here

A laboratory grown diamond is a diamond. It is crystallised carbon with the same cubic structure, the same 10 on the Mohs scale, the same refractive index of 2.42 and the same dispersion as a mined stone. Ours are grown by chemical vapour deposition and high pressure high temperature methods, then cut and polished by hand. This is not moissanite, not cubic zirconia and not a simulant. A gemmologist testing it will read diamond, because it is diamond.

Metals

Choose 925 sterling silver, or 10K, 14K or 18K gold in yellow, rose or white. White gold is photographed here, which lets the pave read as light rather than as metal and keeps the whole ring in one colour. In yellow or rose gold the individual accents separate more. White gold is rhodium plated and will want replating every one to two years.

Every centre stone arrives IGI certified

The centre diamond is graded by IGI, the International Gemological Institute, and the certificate comes with the ring at no extra charge. It states the carat weight, the E colour grade, the VVS2 clarity grade, the measurements and the girdle inscription, and confirms in writing that the stone is laboratory grown. The pave diamonds are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade.

Made to order in our own workshop

Mapple Gems is a family run workshop in Surat, India, where most of the world's diamonds are cut and polished. Every pave stone is set by hand under a microscope, and the two v claws are formed to the exact angle of the points on your individual stone. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Work the brush along the pave on both sides and underneath the centre stone. Check the v claws at both points now and then, since the tips take the knocks.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity is the diamond? Every centre stone is E colour and VVS2 clarity, on every metal and every carat weight. The pave stones are matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the pave? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre marquise. The pave is in addition.

Is the certificate really free? Yes. The IGI report for the centre stone is included in the price on every variant.

Will a wedding band sit flush against it? Yes. The stone runs along the finger rather than across it, so a straight band meets the shank cleanly on both sides.

Can it be resized? Within about one size. The pave covers much of the shank, so there is limited plain metal to work with.

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