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

An oval cut laboratory grown diamond in four claws on a thin plain band. Nothing else. This is the shape most people ask for and the setting that shows it best, because there is no metal and no accent stone anywhere near the diamond to distract from it.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Oval cut 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 solitaire on an open basket
• Band: Thin plain round band, no accent stones
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

Why an oval looks bigger than its weight

An oval spreads its carat weight across the face of the stone rather than down into the pavilion, so a 2 carat oval covers noticeably more of the finger than a 2 carat round. It also elongates the hand, because the long axis follows the line of the finger. Those two things together are why the oval overtook the round as the most requested shape.

Four claws, placed at the sides

The claws sit on the long sides of the stone, not at the tips. The tips of an oval are its thinnest points and a claw pressing there is where damage starts. Placing them at the sides also leaves the ends of the stone clear, so the full length of the oval is visible from above and the shape is not shortened by metal.

The bow tie, and how we avoid it

Every oval has a faint dark band across its middle, called a bow tie, caused by the way the pavilion facets meet. On a well cut stone it is barely noticeable. On a poorly cut one it is a black stripe that never goes away, and no setting will hide it. We reject stones where the bow tie is strong, which is a slower way to buy diamonds and the single most useful thing anyone can do when choosing an oval.

A band kept thin

The shank is a plain round wire that stays slim all the way around. A thin band lets the oval overhang slightly at the sides, which makes the stone look wider, and it sits flat against a wedding band with no gap.

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 ring was photographed in both rose gold and white metal, and the photographs show both. Every metal is made to order and priced above. 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 head is built around the individual stone rather than pulled from a stock size, since ovals vary in their length to width ratio and a head made for the wrong ratio leaves the stone loose at the ends. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush, brushing up into the open basket from underneath where lotion collects. Avoid knocking the tips of the oval, and take the ring off for the gym, gardening and swimming.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity is the diamond? E colour and VVS2 clarity, on every metal and every carat weight.

What length to width ratio do you use? Between about 1.35 and 1.50, which is the range most people find balanced. Shorter than that and the oval starts to look round, longer and it starts to look narrow.

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? Yes. The band is thin and plain and the basket is narrow, so a straight band sits against it without a gap.

Can it be resized? Yes. The shank is plain all the way around, so one or two sizes either way is straightforward.

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