Halo engagement rings feature tiny diamonds set around the center diamond to increase the sparkle factor and make the center stone look more substantial.
In short, buying a halo setting is a cost-effective way to create more sparkle without buying a bigger diamond. This tutorial is in response to the following email from a client:
"Hey Todd, my fiancé has indicated that she wants a halo style engagement ring. I like the look of this halo engagement ring from Blue Nile."
"She also likes the Round Square Halo engagement ring from Brian Gavin. While reading your blog, I found this French Halo style ring from Ritani that also looks interesting.”
"Do you have a preference between these three diamond dealers? I also need help selecting a center stone, I want something round, one carat in size."
"Do you think that H-color or better, and VS clarity is possible for around $12-13k? I can stretch to $15k if absolutely necessary. Thanks — Brian D.”
Styles of Halo Engagement Rings:
This looks like a fun project Brian, thank you for letting me be a part of it! The halo setting from Blue Nile is absolutely stunning!
So is the Round Square Halo engagement ring from Brian Gavin that is very popular with my clients. One thing to consider is that these rings feature different total weights of accent diamonds.
The setting from Brian Gavin is more substantial and that is why it costs more. It boasts a combined total weight of 0.65 carats, in F-G color, VS clarity.
The accent diamonds are Brian Gavin Signature melee cut diamonds. In that case, they will exhibit the same spectacular sparkle factor as their larger center sones.
In contrast, the French Halo engagement ring from Ritani has a combined total diamond weight of about 0.45 carats. The accent diamonds are H-color, VS-2 clarity. In that case, you can see why there is such a difference in price.
These rings vary in cost from $1,990.00 to $3,540.00 which gives us about ten thousand dollars to spend on the center stone. Here are my top choices for round brilliant ideal cut diamonds from each of the diamond vendors you are considering.
Brian Gavin Diamonds with Blue Fluorescence:
The first diamond I want to discuss is this round brilliant super ideal cut diamond from the Brian Gavin Blue collection. It exhibits medium blue fluorescence when exposed to black light.
That phenomenal effect is visible in the photograph of the blue fluorescent diamond under black light.
As with the other diamonds we’ve discussed previously via email, this diamond is graded by the AGSL. It has an overall cut grade of AGS Ideal-0 on the Proprietary Light Performance grading platform.
Under those circumstances, the diamond is going to be incredibly bright and exhibit an exceptional amount of sparkle.
Benefits of Blue Fluorescence:
I happen to love blue fluorescent diamonds! First, I like the effect of the fluorescence on the body color of the diamond. It has a tendency to lift the body color of the diamond towards the high end of the scale.
Consequently, the blue fluorescence will not be visible until the diamond is exposed to black light. In that case it will glow the beautiful neon blue pictured above.
I also really like the characteristics of this 1.016 carat, G-color, VS-2 clarity, diamond from the Brian Gavin Blue collection. It also exhibits medium blue fluorescence. Both of these diamonds are cut within the center range of the spectrum for the AGS Ideal-0 rating.
They also exhibit a higher degree of optical symmetry. That is the consistency of facet shape, size, and alignment. In that case, the volume of light return and sparkle factor will be spectacular.
Consequently, Brian Gavin is a fifth-generation diamond cutter who is a maven in the realm of light performance. In fact, he is the only diamond cutter in the world with a patent for maximizing that characteristic in round brilliant cut diamonds.
Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Cut Diamonds:
It's a well-known fact that Hearts and Arrows diamonds offer the best performance. That's because the facet structure exhibits a higher degree of optical precision.
That is the consistency of facet shape, size, and alignment from the perspective of 360-degrees. The immediate benefit is a higher volume of light return and more virtual facets within the diamond.
In other words, H&A diamonds look brighter and exhibit sparkle that is more vivid and intense.Consequently, Black by Brian Gavin diamonds exhibit the best optical precision I've ever seen.
In that case, you should buy a Black by Brian Gavin for the halo setting if you want the best performance. Their Brian Gavin Signature diamonds are my second choice.
GIA Excellent Cut Diamonds:
The majority of GIA Excellent cut diamonds lack the optical precision necessary to produce hearts and arrows. For that reason, they tend not to exhibit the same intensity of sparkle factor.
Although that is true, they can produce a good amount of light return with the right proportions. Refer to our Five Minute Diamond Buying Guide for specific guidance.
Suffice to say that both Blue Nile and Ritani offer a good selection of ideal cut diamonds with GIA grading. I sent you a list of options that meet my selection criteria via email.
Thank you for using our Diamond Concierge Service. Let me know if you have additional questions or if I can be of further assistance.