Have you ever heard of pave diamond? There are different names for diamonds and sometimes, the cut of a diamond becomes its name. So what is a pave diamond?
There are so many facets to using a diamond and many more will surface as time goes on. Everybody wants something unique and because of this, will keep coming up with ways to create beauty.
Pave Diamond: What Does It Mean?
Pave diamond is not a type of diamond or a type of cut. Pave diamond is simply a type of ring setting for a diamond. And it is usually used for engagement rings.
Because it is unique, it has its own popular name. And this has led to the setting being called pave diamond.
Pave is a french word for pavement or to pave. If you look at the ring setting, it looks like a road or pavement lined with diamond. So you may call it a pavement of diamonds.
The ring looks such that you cannot see the prongs that hold the gemstones in place. The rings completely obscure them. And it goes in a continuous circle around the band.
This what a pave diamond looks like…
Pave Ring Setting: Types and Uniqueness
There are different types of this ring setting. But here, I am going to talk about the 3 most common ones and what makes them unique.
French Pave
This type of setting is such that the metal band that is the ring is barely visible. The spaces for the tiny gemstones are cut to look like a V. This is why it easy for the stones to hide the band.
When you look at a ring with a French pave setting, it looks like it is made only of diamonds, with no metal holding them in place.
In the end, such a ring is all fire and sparkle. There is hardly anything to dull their shine. It is truly beautiful.
But you will find a French pave diamond setting with larger stones. This depends on your preference.
Micro Pave
In this type of setting, you will very tiny stones on a band. The stones are smaller than those used in a French pave setting. On a ring with a Micro pave setting, it is possible to have up to 100 stones; yes, they are that tiny.
Each stone my be as little as 0.01carat. But that is where the difference lies. Much like the French pave setting, this setup gives the ring a look of continuous diamonds, no metal. The number of diamonds almost completely hide the metal band.
Petite Pave
You see a glint of metal with this type of pave setting. This is because the stones used are not so small. Yes, they also continue in a row but they don’t completely hide the metal prongs that hold them in place.
However, instead of reducing the sparkle of the stones, the visible metal adds to it. So if you lean more towards allowing some metal show between the stones, this setting is for you.
Why Go for Pave Diamond?
There are a number of great reasons to go for pave diamond. Here are some of them:
Center Stone Sparkles More
Do you know that with a pave setting, the center stone shines even brighter? It also gets more attention this way than if it is the only stone on the ring.
The large number of smaller stones sparkle and draw attention to it. So even if the center stone is not as sparkly, it would end up looking more fiery because of the other stones and the way they surround it.
Different Designs Are Available
You are not stuck with just the modern style. If you are more of the vintage-style type, there are pave designs like that.
All you have to do is choose what you want, as long as it accommodates the stones available.
Additionally, you get a choice of tiny or not-so-tiny stones. And you can choose to opt out of having a center stone. Yet the ring won’t look overburdened.
Works with Split Shank Bands
Pave diamond is not restricted to just a single band. Have you noticed that some wedding or engagement rings are stacked? That is there is more than one band but they are adjoined.
It is called a split shank. And it is great if you like bold or wide bands. The good part of this is that you can have as much diamonds on it as it can take. The wider or bolder the band, the more pave diamonds it can incorporate.
Different Gemstones Work, Too!
You don’t have to use only diamonds for a pave diamond setting. And you are not restricted to just one color. In fact, doing this makes it unique and more beautiful.
So, you can choose to go colorless and pink, black and pin, colorless and blue, colorless and black…there are so many options, it is almost mind boggling.
Fits a Budget
Because it is pave diamond does not mean it has to coat an arm and a leg. You can find something for almost every budget.
Smaller or tiny stones won’t cost so much and will fit right into a budget. And mixing other less-expensive gemstones into the setting will help reduce the price.
If the stones are small, the cut, clarity and color wouldn’t matter so much. And as these are factors that affect the price, you can get a good deal.
But this does not apply if the stones are bigger or if the center stone is being considered. Clarity and color will play a much bigger role here, as well as the carat and cut.
Important Note
I would like to point out here that sizing a pave diamond ring can be a tad difficult. The same is true about re-sizing.
If the ring has pave diamond all around it, the jeweler changing the size may mean having to remove the tiny stones and put them back. Depending on the jeweler, this could cost more as it means more work.
Pave Diamond Setting: How Secure Is It?
It wouldn’t be a surprise to me if you are wondering how secure this type of setting is. Since some have so many stones set together, with little or no metal separating them, how do they hold?
A pave setting does not incorporate metal rims around the stones to hold them. Rather, each stone, no matter how tiny, is mounted on the band with tiny prongs or beads. This is part of what helps hide to hide the metal.
So the stones are quite secure, as secure as these settings can hold them. They are not more prone to falling out than other settings.
However, sometimes they do fall out but the same is true for other types of ring settings.
Fortunately, they can easily be replaced if you keep the stones. Even if you lose the stones, the cost of replacement is not high. Remember the stones don’t have to be top-notch due to the size?
But before you buy replacement stones, have a chat with a jeweler. A jeweler is in the best position to tell you about policies on gem replacements and where to get the best deals.
What Cut Works Best for Pave Diamond?
The round brilliant cut works best for the pave diamond. This cut is the traditional type used for pave setting.
The reason for this is that the round cut shows the most brilliance and fire. So the size or color of the diamond does not matter anymore; so many round-cut diamonds put together in the setting will take care of brilliance.
Besides, the size of the stones means it will take more time and costs to try to cut fancier shapes. So you will find that most pave diamonds are cut similarly.
Tips for Getting Pave Diamond
Bear in mind that diamonds in a pave ring setting may be the easiest to lose. This is compared to other ring settings. But they are pretty affordable and beautiful, especially for wedding and engagement rings.
So if you are going to get a pave diamond, the following tips will help you get a good deal:
1. Inspect the Ring
It is important you pay close attention to the setting to be sure is even and uniform. A poorly done pave setting may destroy the look of your ring and even cost you some stones.
2. Check for Looseness
Test each tiny stone to be sure it is set tightly and none is loose. Otherwise, you may find yourself loosing the stones easily and in no time. The setting already makes it easy for stones to fall out. Looseness only makes it worse.
3. Take a Loupe
Pave diamonds are too small to be properly inspected with your naked eye. But with the help of a loupe, you will be able to see how clean and unbroken the diamonds are.
4. Size Correctly
Proper sizing from the word go is important. This is because of how difficult it is to resize pave diamond. If you want to put the diamonds all around the band, then this is especially necessary. But consider going only halfway in the event of wanting to resize.
Conclusion
Pave diamond is nothing new; you probably have one but just didn’t know what it is called.
But if you are new to it, pave diamond is not a diamond but a type of ring setting for diamonds.
There are:
- French pave
- Micro pave
- Petite pave
Each type of pave is unique so fits different styles.
This type of ring setting has quite a few good advantages so you may want to consider it for your next ring.
I hope I answered your pave diamond question. Do you have more questions? Feel free to ask them in the comments section.