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

An oval laboratory grown diamond ringed by a single row of small round diamonds, on a band pave set down both shoulders. It is the most requested engagement ring shape in the world, made properly: the halo follows the oval exactly rather than rounding it off, and the pave stops before the back of the shank so the ring can still be resized.

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: Claw set oval inside a matching oval halo, on a pave 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

How much bigger it looks

A single row halo adds roughly one to one and a half millimetres all the way around the stone. On an oval that translates into an outline reading perhaps half a carat to a carat larger than the centre stone alone, depending on the size you choose. It is the cheapest visual size you can buy, which is exactly why the halo has never gone out of fashion.

The halo is oval, not round

This sounds obvious and is frequently got wrong. A halo made from evenly spaced identical stones around an oval will bunch at the ends and gap at the sides. Ours is laid out with the stones graduated slightly, larger at the flanks and smaller at the tips, so the ring of diamonds is a true ellipse that traces the centre stone at a constant distance.

The pave band

Round diamonds run down both shoulders in shared claws, with almost no metal showing between them. The line of pave carries the halo down the finger so light travels from the band into the halo and then into the centre stone without interruption. The pave stops at the shoulders, leaving plain metal at the back for sizing.

Why colour matching matters on a halo

More than on any other design. A ring of accent stones sits in direct contact with the centre diamond, so if the accents are even slightly warmer the centre will read grey by comparison. Every halo and pave stone here is matched to the same E colour and VVS2 clarity as the centre.

Why an oval reads larger

An oval brilliant carries most of its weight in spread rather than depth, so at a given carat weight it covers more finger than a round, and the elongated outline lengthens the hand. A 2 carat oval measures roughly 9 by 6.5 millimetres, and a 5 carat closer to 13.5 by 9.5 millimetres, before the halo is added.

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. Both yellow and white gold are photographed here. In white gold the halo and the centre merge into one bright shape; in yellow or rose gold a warm line separates them and the centre stone stays more distinct. 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.

About the bow tie

Every oval has the potential for a bow tie, a dark band across the middle caused by the proportions of the cut rather than by colour or clarity. No certificate grades it. We check each oval by eye and reject those that show it.

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 halo is laid out around your individual stone, since ovals vary in how elongated they are, and every accent is set by hand under a microscope. 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 around the outside of the halo and underneath it. A halo has more places for lotion to collect than any other setting, so clean it more often than you think you need to.

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 halo and pave stones are matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the halo? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre oval. The halo and pave are 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? A straight band sits close. Because the halo extends past the shank, many customers choose a band with a slight curve so it meets the ring without a gap.

Can it be resized? Within about one size. The pave covers the shoulders and the back of the shank is left plain for this reason.

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