Hello, people of the internet! Glad to be with you chatting about diamonds on this beautiful day! Ironically enough, I have recently become obsessed with diamond bands (like any respectable diamond lover should be)⊠and I mean really - how could you not swoon??! Drool worthy diamonds that wrap around the entirety of the finger⊠uh yes please! Iâll take two. Okay kidding (kind of) but I do love a good diamond-studded ring. I will lay out some of the top band options we have, aesthetically, and since weâre buying diamonds, I want to give you the rundown on basic diamond quality (because being an informed consumer is always a good idea). Whether youâre looking for a diamond wedding ring, a gift, or just a new life accessory, I promise a diamond band could never disappoint!
Diamond Band Design Options
Also known as an infinity ring or an eternity band, the basic diamond band is essentially a line of identically cut gemstones. The diamonds can be big or small, round, square, etc., but they are the same uniformed size and shape throughout the entire band. This is intentional because eternity or infinity rings are supposed to represent a never ending love - which is why they are such a poetic choice as a wedding band and/ or an anniversary gift. As a non-wedding band though, it just creates this aesthetically pleasing visual of perfectly lined up diamonds, matching in all of their stunning brilliance.
My very favorite style of diamond band currently wouldnât be considered an infinity band because it showcases different cuts of diamond⊠like, Iâm talking all the cuts. I recently looked at a ring like this during a trade show and it was so beautiful that I still think about it. Often, for mixed cut diamond bands, we might see the same shape in different sizes, or a mix of two shapes repeating (like pear and marquise)⊠but the beaut that I looked at had at least one of each of the common diamond shapes we know and love, lined up, side by side, around the entirety of the ring. Something about this band showcasing the diversity of the diamond shape in one sparkly ring was just a fun switch up in design for me.
Diamond Shapes
Speaking of diamond shapes, weâve got a few: round, oval, cushion, princess, emerald, asscher, marquise, radiant, pear, and heart. Pretty much any of these would be fine to use for our diamond band⊠but most commonly we will see the round brilliant cut- which is actually true of all diamond jewelry in general but typical here as well.
Past the standard round shaped stone, the oval, marquise, and baguette shapes have become extremely popular within diamond band designs recently. Having elongated diamond shapes like these will nicely accent the length of the finger so Iâm a big fan (and maybe subconsciously other people are picking up on that too). But really you guys there is no wrong shape, literally all of them look so good!
Diamond Settings
Prong Setting
An important design factor, besides the shape of the diamond, is how the diamonds are held in place. The most common setting used is the prong, which is recognizable by the little metal prong tips that come up and over the diamond it holds. This classic option is very secure and not a bad choice if you are going to have larger diamonds set.
Bezel Setting
The bezel setting is another popular setting we see. Each individual diamond will be surrounded by a thin strip of metal, giving this style a distinctive look to it. The bezel setting is super safe, great for active people (because there are no prongs to catch on anything), and it allows each gemstone to be seen individually.
Channel Setting
Channel setting is another really good option we have for diamond bands as well. It is appropriately named the âchannelâ setting since two strips of metal enclose a row of diamonds, like a bougie river channel. These are great for stacking because of the flush sides that the metal strips create. If you are planning on accumulating bands throughout life, this style is definitely for you!
Pave Setting
The last setting Iâd like to mention is the pavĂ©, or micropavĂ©. This design is where diamonds are set by tiny prongs very close together, creating a continuous line of gemstones- like a paved walkway of elegance. It is very pretty, very dainty, and can be used with much smaller sized gems (like the melee sized diamonds).
Metal Options
The last design choice youâll have, or could be the first decision you make, is the metal material. I feel like after talking about the diamond shape and the setting type, the metal choice seems mundane⊠but it is actually huge since it dictates the color of the band itself, which is basically the overall essence of the ring!
The most common metals used are platinum, and gold - which includes yellow, white, and rose gold. Here is the basic breakdown: platinum is the hardest metal of all the options, white metals are best for showcasing colorless diamonds, and gold is great for enhancing the warm tone of yellow tinted diamonds. But really this one will mostly just come down to a personal color preference of yellow, white, or rosey pink.
Diamond Quality
Okay so what kind of guru would I be if I left you to buy a diamond ring, literally comprised of multiple diamonds, without at least some basic diamond quality knowledge first?! Luckily, we have a set of grading standards called the 4Câs that are an easy guideline for diamond quality. These categories are cut, color, clarity, and carat weight, and understanding the basics is exactly how you will know what quality of diamond you are paying for.
Cut
The cut grade is based on how well overall the finished diamond was cut from the rough (not the actual shape it was cut into). It ranges from excellent to poor, but really- we are just looking for the diamond to sparkle brightly and for the symmetry to not be wonky or off. Because we have several diamonds wrapping around a diamond band, that are all potentially of the same size and shape, it is important that they be pretty much visually similar in their cut (especially when lined up next to each other). When diamonds match perfectly it not only means someone did a good job of sourcing the stones, but it will usually indicate a high level of quality work throughout the band.
Color
Most diamonds have some kind of yellow or brownish tint to them, even if the color isnât very noticeable. Our standard color scale is for our âcolorlessâ diamonds, ranging from D-Z, or colorless to lightly colored. Most of us wonât be able to see the subtle color until the J-K range so anything above that will probably appear colorless to our eyes (unless youâre a color jedi or something).
Because truly colorless diamonds are rare, they will always be the most expensive. As you move down the scale, diamonds will become more affordable. This can be a helpful tip when adjusting for budget if truly colorless diamonds arenât necessarily a priority (lower on the color scale= more money for carat weight or clarity perhaps??).
Clarity
Clarity is always important for a diamond, and especially for us buying the diamond, because it is a big part of how a diamond is priced. Similar to a true colorless diamond, a flawless diamond is extremely rare, and hence- very expensive. The clarity scale ranges from flawless to I3, with most diamonds purchased falling somewhere in between.
Realistically, most of us wonât be opting for flawless or internally flawless diamonds for a ring with this many stones (or in general for anything)⊠but if you are, thatâs amazing and I love you. I actually think the majority of diamonds used for a diamond band would be somewhere in between the VS to SI range. And if you are really curious- the best value to be had are in SI1 diamonds that look eye clean, which is what we are going for (not all do though so be aware). Ultimately, in the grand scheme of things, looking at the diamonds yourself will really help determine what you can see and what you canât see because we are talking about small stones (and even smaller inclusions).
Carat Weight
There isnât a whole lot to say about carat weight⊠it is just the weight of the diamond, or in this case, the added weight of all of the diamonds. The good news here is a band of diamonds that adds up to 2 carats total weight is much more affordable than a solid 2 carat solitaire diamond ring simply because the bigger the diamond, the rarer it is- and the price will naturally reflect that.
Diamond bands, otherwise known as diamond wedding rings, infinity bands, or eternity rings, whatever you want to call them - are simply amazing! Truly, how could you not love the idea of lining up diamonds around your entire finger. The style is simple enough, the design choices few and uncomplicated, but the overall aesthetic is quite literally dazzling. If you have ever needed reassurance that youâre doing the right thing in life, I am here to say (in my own humble diamond loving option) that I personally believe if you are interested in owning diamond band, for whatever the occasion- you are most definitely doing the right thing in life.
