Oval Cut Lab Grown Diamond Half Bezel Solitaire Engagement Ring on a Curved Chevron Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An oval laboratory grown diamond caught between two sweeps of metal. The band drops into a soft chevron at the front, then lifts on either side into a half bezel that grips the top and bottom of the oval and leaves the long sides completely open. There is no basket underneath and no claws on the face of the stone, so the diamond sits in the ring like a stone set into a river bend.

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: Half bezel oval on a curved chevron shank
• Accent stones: None, this is a true solitaire
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

Half bezel, and why it matters

A full bezel wraps the entire girdle. A half bezel covers only two opposing ends and leaves the rest of the stone exposed. You get most of the protection of a bezel, because the vulnerable ends of the oval are the parts that get knocked, while still letting light enter through the open sides. The diamond therefore stays brighter than it would in a full bezel, and the outline stays slim.

The chevron shank

The band does not run straight into the setting. It dips to a shallow point at the front of the finger, which lengthens the hand and makes the oval sit slightly forward. It also means the ring has a natural front and back, so it always rights itself when you put it on.

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. This design is mostly metal, so the alloy colour is doing real work. Yellow gold, as shown, gives the warm sculptural reading. White gold or silver makes the same ring look colder and more architectural. 10K is the hardest alloy, 14K is the everyday balance, and 18K is the richest colour but the softest metal. 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.

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 two bezel ends are shaped to the exact curve of your individual oval and then burnished down onto it, which is slow work and cannot be rushed. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. The open sides make this one of the easier settings to rinse clean. 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.

Is a half bezel as secure as a full bezel? Close to it. The ends of an oval are where impacts land, and those are exactly the parts a half bezel covers.

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? Not a straight one. The chevron dips at the front, so a matching V shaped or curved band is the right partner.

Can it be resized? Yes, though a shaped band takes a little longer than a plain one because the curve has to be re-trued afterwards.

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