Engagement and promise rings

Choosing the cut

A solitaire puts one stone on a plain band and lets it do the work. Ours carry moissanite from half a carat up to three, cut round, oval, pear, cushion, marquise or emerald. The marquise runs along the finger and makes the hand look longer, and the oval and the pear do the same with softer lines. The emerald cut shows long step facets rather than points of light, and one of our rings lays it east-west, across the finger.

Halo, pavé and three stones

Some want more light around the center stone. A halo rings it with small moissanite, and on the hidden halo ring that circle sits under the stone, visible only from the side. A pavé band lines the shank with tiny stones. The three-stone ring, read by many as past, present and future, flanks an emerald cut with two side stones. The stackable ring comes as a solitaire, a half eternity band, or both worn together.

Why moissanite, and when to pick color

Moissanite is hard enough to be worn every day for decades and throws more fire than diamond, for a small fraction of the price. That is how an engagement ring can leave room in the budget for the wedding. If white feels too classic, there is a lab-created pink sapphire on rose gold plating, a blue iolite with a pavé band, and a yellow citrine cut as a pear.

Promise rings, and getting the size right

A promise ring comes before the engagement, or takes its place. It tends to be lighter. Think of a heart-shaped stone, a crossover band, or the pavé knot ring, whose twisted band stands for two lives tied together. Buying as a surprise? Borrow a ring your partner already wears on that finger and measure its inside diameter. Keep the ring away from perfume and wipe it with a soft cloth.