The purpose of side stones in a diamond ring is to enhance the attractiveness of the central stone. Today, many people are choosing engagement rings with side stones, since they add a much-needed elegance to diamond rings. For most people, diamonds are not necessary for side stones, they even choose diamond alternatives like cubic zirconia and moissanite. Some people even prefer using lab-grown diamonds as side stones.
Since most people these days buy diamonds online, they are getting high-quality diamond rings with side stones. Even if you are buying your rings from online diamond stores, you need to consider several factors when it comes to choosing the side stones.
Here are some pointers to consider while selecting side stones for your engagement ring.
The Number
The first thing that should be considered when choosing a ring design is the number of side stones you desire. The 3-stone setting, which consists of one central stone and two side stones, is one of the most popular alternatives.
Size
Assess how symmetrical the final design will be when determining the size of your side stones. The center diamond is usually the largest and most noticeable, with the side stones serving to emphasize it. As a result, they shouldn’t be as large as the center stone. If you only have a couple of side stones next to the center stone, however, they shouldn’t be much smaller than it, or the total design will appear out of scale.
Clarity
It’s ideal if the side stones in your engagement ring are eye clean, that is, free of imperfections discernible to the human eye. However, this does not imply that you should aim for the greatest clarity grade possible; these diamonds are extremely expensive. In fact, you may buy moderately priced stones in these grading categories as low as VS or SI diamonds. Even a stone with a few apparent defects can be useful if the flaws are hidden by the setting.
Color
It’s better if the side stones have the same color grade as the primary stone when selecting a color grade. The color discrepancy would otherwise be noticeable and unappealing: Your side stones will appear yellowish next to the center diamond if their hue is many grades lower than the central diamond’s. The side stones’ colors and the center stone’s color should not differ by more than one grade in general.