What Are the Different Types of Engagement Ring Settings?

Many people get confused when it comes to selecting the setting for their engagement ring. It can be an overwhelming process if you do not have a clear idea of what you're looking for. With so many design variations to choose from, we created this handy cheatsheet to show you the differences between the most common types of settings to help you make the right choice for your engagement ring. Here are two very common types of setting and their differences. Four Prong Engagement Ring Setting vs Six Prong Engagement Ring Setting There is a very simple explanation to describe the differences between these two types of common settings. Quite simply, one setting has four prongs and the other has six. Six prongs are not commonly used on diamond shapes other than rounds. There is no structural difference between the two - six prongs are not stronger than four prongs. Deciding between the two should be a matter of preference, however, if your diamond has many inclusions on the side of the table, your jeweler might recommend a six prong setting to hide visible inclusions that are what we call "prongable inclusions." Head-On Shank versus Built-In Shank Engagement Ring Settings The Head On Shank setting looks exactly as it is described. The head of the diamond is set on top of the shank. For people who work in the medical profession and must wear latex gloves, a built-in setting might be more practical because the diamond is lower in the setting and less likely to snag on latex gloves. The built-in setting has the diamond set lower in the shank, hence the terminology "Built-In Setting". Contact us at info@conciergediamonds.com to learn more or have us work as your diamond concierge.