Oval Cut Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Ring with Spaced Marquise Station Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An oval laboratory grown diamond in fine claws, on a band set with small marquise diamonds spaced at intervals all the way round the finger, each one lying lengthwise with clear metal between it and the next. The stones are stations rather than a row, and the gaps are as much a part of the design as the diamonds.

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 on a thin band with spaced marquise stations
• Accent stones: Marquise cut 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

Stations rather than pave

Pave fills a shoulder with as many small stones as will fit and hides the metal behind them. This does the opposite. Each marquise sits alone in its own claws with polished metal either side, so you read individual diamonds travelling round the finger rather than a continuous band of glitter. It is a quieter effect and it does not date.

Why the accents are marquise

A marquise laid lengthwise follows the direction of the band, so each station sits along the finger rather than across it. Round accents in the same positions would read as dots. The tapered shape gives every station a direction, and all of them point the same way, which draws the eye round the ring and back to the oval.

All the way round

The stations continue past the shoulders and around the back of the shank, so the ring looks the same from any angle and there is no plain underside. It is closer to an eternity band carrying a centre stone than to a conventional solitaire.

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. A 2 carat oval here measures roughly 9 by 6.5 millimetres, and a 5 carat closer to 13.5 by 9.5 millimetres. Against a band of very small spaced stones, that difference in scale is the whole composition.

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. White gold is photographed here, which lets the stations float almost free of the band. In yellow or rose gold the spacing becomes far more visible and the ring reads as a deliberate rhythm of stone and 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. Every marquise station is matched to the same E and VVS2 grade.

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. Because the stations run the full circumference, the spacing is calculated from your finger size so the pattern comes out even rather than leaving an awkward gap at the back. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. The open spacing makes this an easy ring to keep clean, but work the brush around each station and underneath the centre stone. 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. Every marquise station is matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the stations? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre oval. The marquise stations 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 stations stand slightly proud of the shank, some customers prefer to wear this ring on its own or with a band on the other hand.

Can it be resized? Not easily, because the stones continue round the back. We build to your size instead, so please send us your size when you order and measure carefully.

• 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