A solitaire engagement ring is built around a single diamond, with nothing else competing for attention. It's the original engagement ring design — halos, side stones and hidden accents all developed later, as variations on this one idea. Here, solitaires are available in round, princess, oval, pear, marquise, emerald, radiant, cushion, heart and Asscher cuts, in natural and laboratory-grown diamonds, with central stone weights from 0.50 to 3.00 ct and a choice of 14K or 18K yellow, white or rose gold, or platinum. Every ring comes with an IGI certificate, so you can review a diamond's characteristics before you choose.
One Stone, No Distractions
A solitaire suits anyone who'd rather the diamond speak for itself, without other stones sharing the spotlight. With only one stone to secure, it also tends to need less upkeep over time — there's no pavé to work loose or halo prongs to catch on clothing. Its plain band pairs easily with almost any wedding band shape, which gives more flexibility when choosing one later. Most solitaires are set with either four or six prongs: four expose more of the diamond and let in more light, while six give a slightly more secure hold for larger stones. And because the setting is so simple, a solitaire is easy to build on later, whether that means adding a halo, side stones, or an eternity band down the line.
A Solitaire for Every Shape
Because there's nothing else in a solitaire to draw the eye, the diamond's shape carries more weight here than in a setting with side stones or a halo. Pointed shapes such as princess, pear and marquise have more exposed corners, so a protective setting with reinforced prongs helps guard against everyday chips. Elongated shapes like oval, marquise, pear and heart can also show a "bow-tie effect" — a shadow across the centre of the stone that varies from one diamond to another, so it's worth a look before choosing.
Choosing Your Metal
Metal changes the character of a solitaire as much as the diamond does:
- Yellow gold solitaire rings carry a warm, traditional tone.
- White gold solitaire rings get a bright, cool finish from a rhodium coating, which occasional re-plating keeps looking its brightest.
- Rose gold solitaire rings have a warm pink hue from their copper content, and are naturally resistant to everyday wear.
- Platinum solitaire rings use a naturally white metal that never needs rhodium plating, with a denser, heavier feel than gold.
For yellow, white and rose gold, 14K contains more alloy metal for extra scratch resistance, while 18K contains more pure gold for a richer colour.
Related Categories: Yellow Gold Engagement Rings, White Gold Engagement Rings, Rose Gold Engagement Rings, Platinum Engagement Rings
Choosing Your Diamond
Once you've settled on a style, stone shape and metal, two more choices remain: where the diamond comes from, and its quality. Natural diamonds formed underground over billions of years, while lab-grown diamonds are created in a matter of weeks through a process that replicates those same conditions. Both are genuine diamonds, chemically and physically identical, and neither should be confused with simulants like cubic zirconia or moissanite — the choice comes down to personal preference, not quality.
Quality itself is measured by the 4Cs: carat weight (the diamond's size), colour (graded from colourless to visibly tinted), clarity (the presence of natural inclusions; ours are typically VVS/VS, meaning they're difficult to see without magnification) and cut (how well the diamond reflects light). Every engagement ring in our collection comes with an IGI certificate detailing these characteristics.
