Solitaire Engagement Rings

• Plain band: polished metal all the way up to the head, the purest take and the simplest partner for whatever band follows.
• Pavé shoulders: a fine row of accents leading toward the center, adding glints without competing.
• Twisted or split shank: the band itself becomes the detail, wrapping or forking as it reaches the stone.

Four prongs show the most of a center; six add security and round out the outline. A bezel rim encloses the stone fully, which suits active hands and gives a modern edge. Cathedral arches lift the head on sweeping supports, so the ring sits taller and lets a wedding band slide close beneath it. Vintage solitaires add milgrain and engraving along the sides.

White, yellow and rose gold come in 10K, 14K or 18K, and platinum is offered across nearly the entire range. Silvadium, a tarnish-resistant sterling silver, brings settings below $150, while most gold and platinum versions fall near $690 to $1,210 before the center is added. Skipping accents trims the price, freeing money for the stone itself.

With no halo around it, the center's girdle and prong tips meet the world directly. Check prongs by feel every few months and book a tightening if one catches on fabric. Clean beneath the stone with a soft brush; the open sides of a solitaire let light pour back in once oil is gone.