Round Cut Lab Grown Diamond Snowflake Halo Ring on a Plain Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A round brilliant laboratory grown diamond surrounded by a halo of alternating large and small round diamonds, set so the points radiate outward like a snowflake rather than forming a smooth ring. The band stays plain and slim, which keeps all the detail at the top of the ring where it belongs.

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: Four claw centre within a claw set snowflake halo
• Accent stones: Round brilliant laboratory grown diamonds in two sizes, E colour, VVS2
• Band: Plain, slim
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

What makes it a snowflake and not a halo

A standard halo uses one size of stone in an even ring, which reads as a smooth outline. Here the halo alternates larger and smaller stones and pushes the larger ones out at the compass points, so the edge of the head is scalloped instead of round. Seen on the hand it catches light unevenly, the way a real snowflake does, and it reads as a piece of jewellery rather than a setting.

Every stone is claw set

Snowflake and starburst halos are often made with the outer stones glued into a cast frame or held by shared beads, which is quicker and much less secure. Every stone in this halo has its own claws. It costs more in labour and it is why the outline stays crisp instead of softening as the ring wears.

How it wears

The head is wider than a plain halo of the same centre weight, so a 2 carat centre covers most of the width of the finger. The outer points sit slightly proud, which is part of the look, so this is a design for someone who wants the ring noticed. The slim plain shank balances it and keeps the ring from feeling heavy.

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. 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. Every stone in the snowflake halo is matched to the same E and VVS2 grade, which matters here more than on most designs because the larger halo stones are big enough to be compared directly with the centre.

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 halo is laid out stone by stone around the individual centre diamond, since the spacing of the points has to be set to its actual diameter, then each stone is claw set by hand. 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 between the halo stones from underneath as well as on top, as the gaps between the points collect more than a solid halo does. Take the ring off for the gym, gardening and swimming, and be mindful of knitwear, since claw set outer stones will catch on loose wool.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity are the diamonds? The centre stone and every diamond in the snowflake halo are E colour and VVS2 clarity, on all metals and all carat weights.

Does the carat weight include the halo? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre round brilliant. The halo diamonds are in addition.

How much bigger does it look? Substantially. The snowflake halo adds more width than a conventional halo because the outer points extend beyond where a plain halo would stop.

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? Not a straight one, because the halo points overhang the shank. A contoured band curved around the halo sits properly, and we make those to match.

Can it be resized? Yes, at the back where the band is plain. One or two sizes either way is straightforward.

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