Oval Cut Lab Grown Diamond Hidden Halo Engagement Ring with Station Set Accent Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An oval laboratory grown diamond on a hidden halo, above a band so fine it reads as a wire, with single round diamonds set at intervals along it. Each accent sits alone in its own bead setting with clear polished metal on either side, so the shoulders read as a line of separate points of light rather than a continuous row of pave.

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: Four claw oval with a hidden halo on a fine station set accent 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

Station set, not pave

Pave packs stones shoulder to shoulder. Station setting places them one at a time with a deliberate gap between each. It uses fewer diamonds, it is far easier to keep clean because there are no tight seams to trap dust, and it suits a delicate band that could not structurally carry a full row. It also means the eye travels along the band rather than reading it as a solid strip.

The hidden halo

Set into the vertical wall of the basket rather than around the top of the oval, the halo is invisible from above and unmistakable from the side. It lifts the centre stone clear of the finger and lets light reach the pavilion from underneath, which is why the diamond looks brighter than the same stone in a closed setting.

Why the band is so thin

Less metal beside the stone makes the stone look bigger. The eye has nothing to measure the oval against except the finger. At 4 and 5 carat the band nearly disappears and the diamond appears to float, which is the whole point of this design.

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. On a band this fine we would gently steer you towards 10K or 14K, which are harder alloys and hold a thin shank better over years of daily wear. Yellow gold, as photographed, reads as a warm thread against a very white stone. 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. Each station is drilled and beaded individually, and the hidden halo goes in before the centre stone does. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. The spaced stations rinse clean in seconds, but do turn the ring over and brush the hidden halo. 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 station accents and halo stones are matched to the same grade.

Is a thin band strong enough for a 5 carat stone? Yes, but choose 10K or 14K rather than 18K if you want the most rigid shank, and have it checked every couple of years like any fine band.

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? Almost. The hidden halo lifts the centre slightly, so a straight band sits close and a gently curved band sits perfectly.

Can it be resized? Yes, within a size or two. The stations stop well before the back of the band.

• All payments are processed securely through PayPal, one of the world's most trusted payment gateways
• Pay with your PayPal balance, or with any major credit or debit card through PayPal's secure checkout
• No PayPal account required — guest checkout available
• PayPal Purchase Protection applies to eligible orders