Round Cut Lab Grown Diamond Cluster Halo Engagement Ring with Shoulder Accents in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A round brilliant laboratory grown diamond ringed by a cluster of round stones large enough to be read individually, with a single accent diamond set on each shoulder where the band meets the head. The whole thing sits close to the finger and looks less like a modern halo than like a cluster ring made eighty years ago.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Round brilliant laboratory grown diamond
• Carat options: 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat
• Colour and clarity: E colour, VVS2 clarity
• Certificate: IGI, included free
• Setting: Round centre in a cluster halo, with a single accent on each shoulder
• 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

Cluster, not micro halo

A modern halo uses stones small enough to disappear into a single glittering rim. A cluster uses larger ones, each in its own claws, each throwing its own flash. The difference shows most when the ring moves: a micro halo shimmers evenly, a cluster sparks in separate points. This design belongs to the second tradition, which is the older of the two.

The shoulder accents

Where the band meets the head, one further diamond is set on each side in its own claws. They are a deliberate full stop: they stop the cluster from floating unsupported on a plain shank, and they balance the ring when it is seen from above, giving it a slight east to west spread across the finger.

Why a round centre

A round brilliant is cut with fifty seven facets arranged to return as much light as possible through the top of the stone. Surrounded by other rounds, it stays the brightest thing on the ring simply because it is the largest, which is exactly what a cluster needs: a clear centre, not a crowd of equals.

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. Yellow gold is photographed here, and warm metal between the cluster stones is what gives this ring its antique character. In white gold the same design reads considerably more modern. 10K is the hardest alloy, 14K the everyday balance, 18K the richest colour. 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 cluster and shoulder stones are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade, which matters here because the accents are large enough that a mismatch in colour would be visible at arm's length.

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. Every stone in the cluster is set in its own claws rather than shared beads, which is slow work and the reason the ring keeps its definition instead of blurring into a single mass. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Work the brush right around and underneath the cluster, where the claws create a lot of small pockets. 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 cluster and shoulder stones are matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the cluster? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre round brilliant. The surrounding stones are in addition and are scaled to keep the cluster in proportion.

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 cluster overhangs the shoulders a little, so a straight band sits close but not perfectly flat. A gently curved band fits better.

Can it be resized? Yes. The band itself is plain behind the shoulder accents, so one or two sizes either way is straightforward.

Does it look bigger than a solitaire? Considerably. A cluster of this kind reads as roughly double the face up size of the centre stone alone, which is the whole reason the design exists.

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