Oval Cut Lab Grown Diamond Floral Cluster Engagement Ring on a Plain Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An oval laboratory grown diamond at the centre of a ring of marquise and pear cut stones arranged as petals, so the whole head reads as a single flower rather than as a stone with a halo. The band is thin and plain, which lets the cluster sit on the finger like something growing rather than something mounted.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Oval brilliant laboratory grown diamond
• Carat options: 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat
• Colour and clarity: E colour, VVS2 clarity
• Certificate: IGI, included free
• Setting: Floral cluster, oval centre with marquise and pear petals, on a thin plain shank
• Accent stones: Marquise and pear cut 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

A cluster, not a halo

A halo is a ring of small identical stones set tight against the centre to make it look larger. A cluster is something else: the surrounding stones are large enough and shaped enough to be part of the design in their own right. Here they are marquises and pears, set point outward at even intervals, so the outline of the ring is scalloped rather than smooth and the whole head reads as a flower in bloom.

Where the shape comes from

Cluster rings of this kind were common in the Georgian and Victorian periods, when large single stones were rare and expensive and jewellers made impact by grouping smaller ones. The form came back through the 1960s and 1970s, and it has returned again with people who want something that looks nothing like a modern solitaire.

The petals

Each marquise and pear is set in its own claws rather than shared beads, with the points angled outward from the centre. Setting them individually is slower but it keeps the spacing even and lets each stone sit at a slight tilt, which is what stops the cluster from looking flat and makes it catch light from several directions at once.

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. Yellow gold is photographed here, and a warm metal is the traditional choice for a floral cluster because it reads as the stem and calyx holding the flower together. 10K is the hardest alloy, 14K the everyday balance, 18K the richest colour. 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. Every petal stone is matched to the same E and VVS2 grade, which matters here because the accents are large enough to be judged individually.

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. The petals are laid out around your particular centre stone so the flower stays symmetrical at whatever carat weight you choose, and each pointed tip is set inside a claw rather than left exposed. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. A cluster has more crevices than almost any other setting, so work the brush right round between the petals and up into the head from underneath. Take it off for the gym, gardening and swimming.

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 marquise and pear petals are matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the petals? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre oval. The surrounding stones are in addition and are scaled to keep the flower in proportion.

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? The cluster overhangs the shank, so a straight band leaves a gap beneath the petals. A curved or contoured band follows the outline much better.

Can it be resized? Yes, easily. The whole band is plain metal, so one or two sizes either way is straightforward.

Do the pointed stones chip? Not when they are set properly. Every marquise and pear tip on this ring sits inside metal rather than standing exposed at the edge of the cluster.

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