Solitaires Engagement Rings: The Whole Story

there are solitaires and then there are rings with simple accents. We'll explain...

Solitairy Refinement

So what do I need to know about basic solitaires?

​A SOLITAIRE consists of a plain band and a single gemstone. There are no tiny diamond accents in the band of a true solitaire.

Pretty simple! From there, the sky is the limit. Even though the solitaire silhouette is fairly basic, it’s basic in the way that a tailored suit is basic, or a perfect white t-shirt is basic. The devil is in the details. Here’s what to look for when browsing for your ultimate solitaire ring:

• Look for integrated designs. The setting should look like it was cast in one piece.
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• Avoid die struck heads or peg heads - this is where prongs are soldered to a band. You see these all the time and they aren’t terrible, but they are more likely to catch on your sweater. And honestly, they are less inspired from a design perspective.

• Opt for low-set center diamonds with “cathedral shoulders.” This will make the solitaire far more comfortable to wear
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• Ask if the ring will sit flush with a future wedding band! This step often gets missed.

In total, there are 7 areas where you’ll have to make careful and informed choices when building your solitaire ring: 
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1. Metal type, 2. Band style, 3. Setting type, 4. Gem shape, 5. Gem type, 6. Wearability & 7. Personalization, such as engravings or inscriptions. If you're going simple, then every part of this ring should be flawlessly selected to match your tastes. If you are feeling stuck at any of these seven areas, then feel free to reach out. We can usually iron these things out pretty quickly!

Solitaires with Diamond Accents

Now that you’ve got the solitaire down you can up level your knowledge. 

Solitaires with diamond accents present even more options. Technically a ring with accents is no longer “just a solitaire” but the silhouette of the ring will remain very similar to a solitaire in the end.  If you want little diamonds in the band of the ring then use the term: “solitaire with diamonds accents.”  This is a really great touch for those of us that want a little extra sparkle, but there are some important things to know:

• Starting with lingo: the main ways to add accents are in the style of pave, channel, or flush settings.
  
  
• The size of the diamond accents will control the width of the bands. Currently very thin pave bands are popular. We like it all.
  
  
• Rings with diamond accents are less durable than true solitaires. No matter how you slice it, tiny diamond accents need to be held in place by even tinier pieces of metal

• Remember that you're likely going to be wearing a matching wedding band with this engagement ring.
  
  
• Rings with diamond accents are more expensive. Hello, more diamonds.
  
  
• A diamond accented band does something really special for an alternative center gemstone such as a sapphire, a colored diamond, aquamarine, morganite or an emerald.

Anything still confusing? Feel to drop us a line. ​You can also head on over to the Little Bird TOOL BOX where you can peruse libraries of images curated by Little Bird engagement ring consultants in order to help bolster your visual vocabulary.

Best wishes!
- LITTLE BIRDS