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

An oval cut laboratory grown diamond on a plain band. Nothing else. No halo, no pave, no hidden detail under the stone, just a well cut oval held in four claws and a shank that gets out of its way. It is the most requested engagement ring shape in the world, made the plainest way we know how.

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
• 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

Why the oval wears bigger than it weighs

An oval is a brilliant cut stretched along one axis. Because the weight is spread over a longer outline rather than packed into a deep round, an oval shows more surface area from above than a round of the same carat. The usual figure is around ten percent more spread, and on the finger the difference reads as more than that, because the length runs with the finger instead of across it.

The same elongation flatters the hand. A long stone draws the eye down the finger rather than across the knuckle, which is why ovals are so often recommended to people who think their fingers are short. It is one of the few pieces of jewellery folklore that is actually true.

A plain band is a deliberate choice

It would be easy to put pave down the shoulders of this ring and charge more for it. We have not, because a plain band does two things a set one cannot. It resizes freely, up or down, for the rest of the ring's life, with no heat going near any small stones. And it sits flush against any wedding band you eventually choose, straight or curved, without a gap.

There is an aesthetic reason as well. With nothing on the shank, the only thing your eye has to look at is the diamond. On a 2 carat oval that is already plenty.

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 stone pulled out of the ground. The only difference is where it grew. Ours are produced by chemical vapour deposition and high pressure high temperature growth, then cut and polished by hand. This is not moissanite, not cubic zirconia and not a simulant of any kind. 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 plain solitaire the metal is most of what you see besides the stone, so the choice matters. White metal keeps everything cool and lets the diamond read as the only colour in the ring. Yellow gold warms the whole thing and is the traditional choice. Rose gold is the softest looking of the three. 10K is the hardest of the gold alloys and the most resistant to knocks, 14K is the balance most people choose for daily wear, and 18K is the richest colour but the softest metal. White gold is rhodium plated and will want replating every one to two years to stay bright.

Every centre stone arrives IGI certified

The centre diamond in this ring is graded by IGI, the International Gemological Institute, and the certificate travels with the ring at no extra charge. The report states the carat weight, the E colour grade, the VVS2 clarity grade, the measurements and the laser inscription on the girdle, and it confirms in writing that the stone is laboratory grown. You are not asked to take our word for any of it. Every certificate is included free with every metal and every carat weight, and it is the same document an independent appraiser or an insurer will ask to see.

Made to order in our own workshop

Mapple Gems is a family run workshop in Surat, India, the city where the majority of the world's diamonds are cut and polished. Nothing here is pulled off a shelf. When your order arrives we cut the seat for your centre stone, build the head to its exact outline, then file, set and polish it by hand for your carat weight and your finger size. That is how we can offer twenty one ring sizes across ten metals and four carat weights without holding a warehouse of stock. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, a drop of mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush will keep it bright. Pay attention underneath the stone, because that is where hand cream and soap collect and dull the light coming back through the pavilion. An oval shows this faster than most shapes because so much of its brightness comes from below. Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth. Take it off for the gym, for gardening and before swimming, and keep it away from bleach and chlorine, which attack the alloys in gold rather than the diamond itself.

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. It is not a range and it is not an upgrade you pay extra for. The IGI report in the box states both grades.

What is the bow tie, and does this stone have one? A bow tie is the dark band some ovals show across the middle when light is blocked by the cut. It is a function of proportions, not of colour or clarity, and it is the single thing to look at when choosing an oval. We reject stones with a pronounced one.

Will a wedding band sit flush? Yes. The shank is plain and straight, so a straight band sits flat against it. Many people still choose a curved band to follow the point of the oval.

Is a four claw setting secure on an oval? Yes, for daily wear. The claws sit at the widest points and at the ends, which is where the stone needs holding. If you want the ends covered completely, a bezel is the alternative.

Can it be resized? Yes, freely. There is nothing set into the shank, which is exactly why we left it plain.

Which carat should I choose? An oval spreads, so it looks larger than its weight. 2 carat is a confident everyday size, 3 carat reads clearly as a statement, and 4 and 5 carat cover a good part of the finger between the knuckles.

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