Round Cut Lab Grown Diamond Split Shank Engagement Ring with Pave Rail in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A round brilliant laboratory grown diamond in four claws, on a band that separates into two rails of very different character: a broad polished one that carries the stone, and a fine pave set one running below it with a clear gap between. It gives the look of a solitaire worn with an eternity band, built as a single ring.

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 round on a split shank, one broad plain rail and one pave rail
• 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

Two rails doing different jobs

The upper rail is wide, flat and polished. It holds the diamond and gives the ring its structure. The lower rail is half its width and set end to end with small round diamonds. Because the two are so unalike, the eye reads them as a stacked pair rather than as a split band, which is exactly the intention.

Why build it as one ring

A solitaire worn against a separate pave eternity band looks the same on day one. A year later the two have been rubbing: the softer band wears a groove, they spin out of alignment, and the pave loses stones where it meets the solitaire. Making the pair as one piece removes all of that. The gap stays even, nothing rubs, and the pave is set in a rail that is supported at both ends.

The round brilliant

Fifty seven facets arranged to return as much light as possible through the top of the stone. Raised on the broad rail and clear of the pave below, it has nothing competing with it at close range.

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 and white gold are photographed here. A popular version uses a yellow gold upper rail with a white metal pave rail, so the small stones read as bright as possible against a warm band. Tell us if you want it made that way. 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 pave diamonds are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade.

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. Both rails are cut from one piece of metal, the gap between them is filed and polished by hand, and the pave is set last so the small stones sit level along a rail that is already true. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Run the brush through the gap between the rails and along both sides of the pave. 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 pave is matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the pave? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre round brilliant. The pave rail 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? The ring already includes what most people would buy a band for. If you want a third ring, a plain slim band sits against the upper rail.

Can it be resized? Yes, at the back where the rails rejoin, since the pave stops short of it. One or two sizes either way is straightforward.

Can I have the two rails in different metals? Yes. Tell us when you order and there is no extra charge.

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