In the world of engagement ring settings, many are made with the explicit reason for spicing your ring up and adding more brilliance and sparkle to it.
There’s one setting, however, which looks the other way and focuses entirely on the protection and security of your ring’s centerpiece diamond or gemstone – the bezel setting.
What is the bezel setting?
A bezel setting is any setting in which the center diamond or gemstone of a ring is surrounded partly or completely by a metal frame. The half-bezel, like this 14k white gold half bezel ring, only partially surrounds the center stone while the full bezel, like this platinum solitaire ring, surrounds the entire circumference of the stone.
The main goal which this setting successfully achieves is that it gives your centerpiece stone extra security and stability compared to the standard prong setting where the diamond/gemstone is secured held in place only by metal prongs. The bezel setting is the best choice in terms of durability in that the main stone of your ring will be both harder to dislodge and safer from knocks and hard impacts.
This makes the bezel setting ideal for people with active lifestyles that use their hands a lot for work– such as teachers, nurses, administrative personnel, and others. Of course, if you engage in manual labor or sports, taking off your ring is always recommended, but in general, the bezel setting offers the most protection for your diamond or gemstone compared to any other.
A side benefit to the bezel setting and another big reason why it’s so popular these days is that it also has a rather fresh and contemporary look. A lot of people tend to like the feel of the extra metal around their diamond instead of the sparkling spectacle that something like the halo setting offers. Instead of that, the bezel setting looks modest to some and simply modern to others, making them an attractive option.
Of course, this extra bit of metal has its drawbacks too, namely the fact that it restricts the amount of light that can reflect from your ring’s diamond. Simply put, a diamond in a bezel setting won’t have as much brilliance and sparkle as it’d have in a prong setting. It’s still beautiful, of course – it’s a diamond – but if maximizing the brilliance of your diamond is your main priority, the bezel shouldn’t be your first pick.
What’s the Right Diamond Shape for A Bezel Setting?
There is no “wrong” shape for a bezel setting – every type, shape, and size diamond or gemstone can be “bezelled”. Round cut diamonds are the most popular choice for engagement rings so most of the bezel settings you’ll see are also going to be round, but you can go with any other shape as well. For example, take a look at this stunning pear-shaped diamond with both a bezel and a halo setting on top of it.
How to Clean A Bezel Setting
Fortunately, the bezel setting is much easier to clean and maintain that most other settings. Because it doesn’t have any prongs that need to be routinely checked and that can gather dirt around and under the stone, the bezel setting will accumulate much less dirt and dust than most other settings.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need to clean your bezel set ring – regular cleaning with warm water, a mild soap, and a soft piece of cloth are strongly recommended since the ring will still have some dirt buildup overtime that’s best dealt with regular, light washes.
Pros and Cons of the bezel setting
With all that being said, let’s conclude with the pros and cons of the bezel setting.
Pros:
· The bezel setting keeps the ring secure and stable in its place which is great for people with active lifestyles.
· It also offers extra protection from direct physical damage.
· The bezel will also keep your diamond from snagging onto clothes and other materials.
· The bezel is easier to clean and maintain as it doesn’t have grooves, channels or prongs in which dirt can accumulate.
· Many people find the bezel setting to have a nice, modern look that’s more appealing to them than the “richness” of other settings.
· If you’ve bought a medium-quality diamond with some inclusion noticeable to the naked eye, a well-made bezel setting can minimize their impact and make sure your stone looks as good as possible.
· The bezel hides more of the diamond/gemstone than other settings which feels counterproductive to a lot of people – after all, if you’ve bought a nice diamond, you want it to be visible.
· This setting also reduces the light reflection and thus – the brilliance of the diamond.
Cons:
· The bezel hides more of the diamond/gemstone than other settings which feels counterproductive to a lot of people – after all, if you’ve bought a nice diamond, you want it to be visible.
· This setting also reduces the light reflection and thus – the brilliance of the diamond.
Post time: Jun-14-2023