Oval Cut Lab Grown Diamond Hidden Halo Engagement Ring on a Thin Plain Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An oval laboratory grown diamond in four claws, lifted on a slender cathedral rise, with a row of small round diamonds set into the basket underneath where only the wearer sees them. The band is plain and narrow from front to back. Nothing else is added, because nothing else is needed.

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 under the basket, on a thin plain shank
• Accent stones: Round laboratory grown diamonds in the hidden halo, E colour, VVS2
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

The most requested engagement ring shape there is

The oval solitaire on a plain band has been the single most searched for engagement ring style for several years running, and the reason is not fashion. An oval spreads its weight along the finger rather than down into the stone, so at the same carat weight it covers more of the hand than a round brilliant and lengthens the finger while it does it. A 2 carat oval here measures roughly 9 by 6.5 millimetres, and a 5 carat closer to 13.5 by 9.5 millimetres.

What the hidden halo changes

The halo sits in the gallery, below the girdle, facing outward instead of upward. It adds no width to the outline, so from above this is still a clean oval solitaire. From the side, the shadow under the basket becomes a bright line and the stone reads as floating. It is the one piece of decoration on this ring and it is deliberately the piece nobody else notices.

Why a plain band

Pave shoulders make a band look wider and a centre stone look smaller. Leaving the shank plain does the opposite: the narrow polished metal gives the eye nothing to measure against except the diamond. It is also the most practical choice, since a plain band can be resized freely, never needs stones checked, and will not wear a groove into a wedding ring sitting next to it.

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. Rose gold is photographed here, and a warm thin band against a colourless oval is one of the most popular combinations we make. 10K is the hardest alloy, 14K the everyday balance, 18K the richest colour but the softest 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. The hidden halo diamonds are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade.

About the bow tie

Every oval can show a bow tie, a dark band across the middle of the stone caused by the proportions of the cut rather than by colour or clarity. No certificate grades it, and on a plain solitaire there is no pave to distract from it. We check every oval by eye and reject the ones 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 hidden halo is set from underneath before the centre stone goes in, and the four claws are drawn down onto the oval by hand so they sit at even points around the curve. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Brush up into the gallery from below, because the hidden halo collects what the rest of the ring does not. 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 hidden halo stones are matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the hidden halo? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre oval. The halo is 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? Yes. The shank is straight and narrow, so a matching plain band sits neatly beside it with no gap on either side.

Can it be resized? Yes, freely. The whole band is plain metal, which makes this one of the easiest rings we make to resize.

Can I see the hidden halo when I am wearing it? You catch it when you turn your hand, and other people mostly do not. That is the appeal.

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