For modern brides-to-be who love vintage styles with a modern twist the round cut diamond halo ring has to be the perfect choice of engagement ring. Halo round diamond rings and engagement rings with double halo have been a popular choice for engagement rings since the 1920’s. It is easy to see why the geometrical look and the simplicity of the halo setting round diamond ring has made it popular for those who choose an engagement ring that offers a blend of timeless elegance and luxurious opulence.
What is a round cut diamond halo ring?
A round diamond halo ring is a setting that encircles a centre diamond gemstone in a collection of round pavé or micro-pavé diamonds. What makes the round cut diamond halo ring truly unique is that within a halo setting even a smaller carat diamond can look fabulous giving the illusion of looking a lot bigger. In fact it has been estimated that the diamond can look as much as a half a carat larger when present in a halo round diamond as the brilliant accent stones add a dazzling, diamond-encrusted look that is like a glittering, unbroken expanse of light and sparkle and can be said to be unrivalled in terms of the brilliance and sparkle that it emits.
Some halo setting round diamond engagement rings are also referred to as ‘cluster’ engagement rings, due to the fact that the ring is in effect a group of stones set closely together. However this is not in fact a correct reference to the round cut diamond halo ring as it is a different style due to the fact that it has a round diamond at the centre with smaller round stones surrounding it, giving it a halo look.
What are micro-pavé diamonds?
The term micro pavé diamonds originates from the French word Pavé (pronounced "Par-vay") which is translated as meaning paved, and is a very accurate description of this technique of setting very small diamonds (melee) in multiple rows over the surface of an engagement ring or other piece of jewellery.
These melee diamonds are uniform in size and as small as 0.01-0.02 carat.They are laid out in close proximity so that the tiny flat claws holding the diamonds are less visible that in other settings so creating an illusion of shimmering pavement of diamonds.
The history of the halo setting round diamond engagement ring
The round cut diamond halo ring has a very interesting history and in fact preliminary designs date back to early Georgian times of the 1700s and 1800s. This first design of halo ring saw slightly smaller diamonds or pearls surrounding a central diamond stone. In the Victorian a popular style of Halo ring was the imitation of a flower shape where coloured jewels such as sapphires were used as the centre stone, surrounded by triangle cut diamonds.
However, the design of halo round diamond rings as we know them in modern times holds more similarities to engagement rings from the Art Deco era of the 1920's focussing more on geometrical shapes. During this period jewellers started utilising variations of diamonds and other gemstones that they had at their disposal for the show stopping centre stone. In addition they also began to use various kinds of patterns such as milgrain and filigree, which are still used in modern day designs.
As with many fashion trends socio-economic tides can influence popularity, and during the Great Depression the halo round diamond ring fell from favour. With the emergence of the era of Hollywood Glamour during the 1930s and 1940s period, engagement rings with double halo were once again a popular choice for brides-to-be. However, as World War II began and times of austerity hit, as with many styles of engagement ring, the round cut diamond halo ring once again became less chosen. A small resurgence in its popularity occurred in the 1950s when the style of halo setting round diamond rings became much more luxurious, and Art Deco made a comeback in popular fashion. As jewellery designs progressed into the 1960s and 1970s, these unique stand out styles continued to develop. During the 1980's and early 1990s the classic halo round diamond ring fell out of style and started to decline in popularity. However as with all fashion trends during the late 1990s the resurgence in interest and demand for vintage items has seen seeing a surge in popularity for the classical design of the halo setting round diamond ring and double halo engagement rings, and these designs are now at the top of many engagement ring wish lists.
Famous Celebrities wearing a round cut diamond halo ring
Halo round diamond rings have recently become the most sought after style among celebrity engagement rings, they are proving to be a timeless style that is still very much on trend with red carpet ‘A-listers’.
Actress and film producer Katherine Heigl was given a truly stunning diamond halo engagement ring by her now husband singer, songwriter and actor Josh Kelley.
American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson got engaged to David Otunga and was presented with a gorgeous double halo engagement ring with split pave band.
Oscar winning actress Natalie Portman was proposed to by the choreographer Benjamin Millepied with a double halo engagement ring the design of which was antique art deco to reflect her feminine yet quirky style.
What setting is best to choose for a round cut diamond halo ring?
The key in choosing a halo setting round diamond engagement ring is to opt for a setting that will ensure that you are not going to lose any the precious diamonds contained within the ring. The most popular settings for a round cut diamond halo ring are 4 to 6 shared prongs. Bezels are not a popular choice as this setting will only allow the minimum amount of light to enter into the diamonds which will undoubtedly have effect of reducing the overall sparkle and brilliance of the halo round diamond ring. We also advise against choosing a floating effect on this design due to its stability which can affect the settings of the diamonds.
There a few pros and cons that it is wise to be aware of when deciding upon whether or not to choose a round cut diamond halo ring.
One of the main pros that adds to the attractiveness of the round cut diamond halo ring is that the surrounding halo of diamonds can frame the middle diamond in such a way to make it appear bigger and improve the brilliance of the stone. This can make the halo round diamond ring appear more impressive and therefore more valuable by adding to the initial “wow” factor when first viewed. However it should be borne in mind that it is very difficult to create a halo round diamond ring without decreasing the natural brilliance of the diamonds due to the fact that there are so many diamonds of different sizes. This factor makes it difficult to arrange the diamonds to allow the light through at the preferred angle which can mean that some of the visual impact can be lost by a misaligned diamond. From a technical angle, setting the micro pavé diamonds around the large centre diamond stone requires very precise cutting, shaping and placing of the diamonds. Therefore, any small mistake or imperfection here can have a big impact on the visual impact of the ring.
It is not just the shape of the diamonds that can cause problems because as with any gem stone, diamonds are totally unique. Each one has a slightly different brilliance, clarity and colour. Therefore when arranging a halo setting round diamond engagement ring the colours off every diamond need to be carefully and precisely matched as closely as possible to give the desired appearance and effect. If there is one diamond that isn’t matched correctly it can ruin the overall effect of the round cut diamond halo ring.
