At Knox Jewelers, featuring halo engagement rings have been on trend for several years now, but these setting designs are anything but new. In decades past it was not uncommon for engagement rings to feature small diamonds or gemstones completely encircling, and enhancing the center stone. Halo ring were very common in the Edwardian, Victoria and even the Art Deco era. Framing your center stone in a diamond halo is a dazzling way to highlight and visually amplify the gemstone. A halo can be custom created around any size or shape diamond or sapphire. There are no rules when selecting a halo setting. It doesn’t have to be straight; the halo can be petal-shaped, square, or undulating. Most any shape halo is possible with Knox custom creation. If a colorless diamond halo is not what you had in mind, add some color with fancy hued sapphires or diamonds. If you are a devotee to both vintage inspired and halo ring settings, you are going to love how Knox has juxtaposed the two into amazing one-of-a-kind creations. Listed below are several antique engagement ring illustrating the vast number of ways a halo can be incorporated into a custom setting.
If you have any questions about antique halo engagement ring or any of the custom ring settings featured above, please be sure to let us know. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to working together with you to design a work of art that will last and be passed down throughout the ages. Get in touch with our friendly and professional staff today. We will aid you on the journey to creating your very own, one-of-a-kind piece of custom engagement ring, with or without a halo!
United States of America – In Arizona, the San Carlos Apache reservation has been a major producer of peridot for many years.
Egypt – Extremely large peridot crystals have been found on the Isle of Zabargad off Egypt’s coast.
Tanzania – Rough peridot can be found in the Mpwapwa region of Tanzania.
Pakistan – The country of Pakistan is known for producing high quality, large peridot crystals.
Myanmar – Pyaunggaung is a sizable peridot mining area close to the larger city of Mogok in Myanmar.
Vietnam – Located in southern Vietnam, the Lam Dong Province is an ample resource of large carat peridot crystals.
China – China has become a large supplier of the calibrated peridots used in jewelry today.
If you are fortunate enough to have a special tie to the month of August, let us at Knox Jewelers help you custom create a one-of-a-kind piece to showcase a beautiful vibrant green Peridot in celebration of any occasion. For centuries, rich colored Peridot has been linked to light. Ancient Egyptians even called this precious stone the “gem of the sun”. In modern times, Peridot is currently being mined within one of the sunniest states within the United States, in the deserts of Arizona. Any custom piece of jewelry could be tailored to incorporate this unusual olive-green birthstone. The possibility are endless with a mineral found in such large crystal formations, allowing nearly an shape or size finished faceted stone. A Knox Jewelers custom created piece, featuring a beautiful peridot is the perfect way to showcase this vibrant gemstone. Contact us today and let’s get started. We can always search our cutters’ inventory for your perfect gemstone, or we have a selection of incredible peridots already available just waiting to be transformed!
Although a round brilliant cut diamond remains the most popular center stone featured in our custom engagement rings, here at Knox Jewelers we have seen an influx of requests for the ever versatile cushion cut diamond. In fact, many of our cushion cut rings have been re-imagined with a cushion cut diamond taking center stage. A cushion diamond flatters any hand, with its clean lines and softened corners. However, they do carry weight in these corners, meaning a 1.00 carat cushion diamond will have a lesser millimeter spread than an equivalent 1.00 carat round brilliant. Cushion shapes can be found in a more square outline as well as a rectangular outline, depending upon the diamond’s ratio. This pillowed diamond shape will make a charming addition to any Knox custom setting.
Cushion cut is one of the oldest diamond shapes, seen through history, the modern interpretation of this diamond outline has become quite popular in our custom engagement rings. Cushion cut diamonds can trace their begin back to an early brilliant diamond cut call the “old mine cut”, that was popular in the 18th and 19th century. An old mine cut originated through the hope of retaining as much finished diamond from the rough crystal as possible. The cut’s square shape and rounded corners were an effective way to save carat weight from the most frequently occurring rough diamond shape, the octahedral. The modern cushion cut mimics its predecessor’s rounded square shape with the addition of brilliant cut kite shaped facets.
Solitaire Engagement Rings
Choose an elegant solitaire setting to showcase a beautiful, one-of-a-kind cushion cut diamond.
Antique Engagement Rings
Take a cue from generations past and feature a cushion cut diamond in your hand finished antique inspired engagement ring.
Classic Engagement Rings
A classic ring silhouette with clean lines and a cushion cut diamond make a perfect combination.
Halo Engagement Rings
Emphasize a cushion cut’s unique outline with a glittering diamond halo setting.
Three Stone Engagement Rings
Choose the best of both world’s with a custom three-stone setting displaying a cushion cut in its center and finished with round brilliant diamonds on either side.
Wide Band Engagement Rings
A cushion cut diamond offers the ideal outline for a dramatic wide band ring.
Split Band Engagement Rings
A custom split band setting would be an outstanding way to display a cushion cut center with a longer, rectangular outline.
Sapphire Engagement Rings
A rounded square outline is not reserved only for diamonds. Many sapphires are available in cushion cuts as well. This shape is actually one of the best ways to intensify saturation in a colored gemstone.
Two Tone Engagement Rings
Take part in the newest engagement ring trend and surround your cushion cut diamond with two contrasting hues of gold or platinum.
Contact Knox Jewelers today and let us help you put the finishing touch on your custom engagement ring with the addition of a cushion cut center diamond! The cushion cut has a long history filled with elegance and splendor. What better way to craft your own heirloom then with a setting built around a beautiful pillow-shaped diamond. Our custom settings, no matter the style, can be tailored to featured your perfect cushion center stone. Nearly anything is possible with Knox Jewelers custom creation. Make your custom engagement ring a truly one-of-a-kind creation with the addition of an extraordinary cushion cut diamond center stone.
When carbon is exposed to extreme amounts of heat and pressure deep within the earth, the end result is the creation of a natural diamond. This strenuous process can leave a variety of characteristics upon a diamond crystal. Those features enclosed within the gemstone are referred to as inclusions and those left on the exterior are called blemishes. The Clarity Grade of a given diamond, one of the 4Cs, is determined by the presence or absence of these features.
Inclusions, or internal characteristics, will appear during the diamond’s formation. Inclusions will be unique for every single gemstones, essentially giving your diamond a fingerprint that allows you to recognize it apart from all others. There is a variety of inclusions, but the most common types we come across are clouds, feathers or mineral crystals enclosed within a gemstone.
Blemishes are characteristics confined to the exterior of a diamond. Blemishes can occur naturally, or be man-made resulting from the cutting process a faceted gemstone endures.
The severity of a stone’s inclusions and blemishes with determine its clarity grade. The number, size, relief, nature, and position of characteristics are taken into consideration when formulating a diamond’s clarity as it is recorded on its certification. No diamond will be perfectly pure, each gemstone will have some residue from its creations. However, the closer a diamond is to pure, the more rare and valuable it will become.
The GIA Diamond Clarity Scale has six categories, divided into a total of eleven specific grades.
Flawless (FL) – No inclusions and no blemished viable under 10x magnification.
Internally Flawless (IF) – No inclusions viable under 10x magnification.
Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2) – Inclusions so slight they are difficult for skilled grader to see under 10x magnification.
Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2) – Inclusions are observed with effort under 10x magnification, but can be characterized as minor.
Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) – Inclusions are noticeable under 10x magnification.
Included (I1, I2, and I3) – Inclusions are obvious under 10x magnification which may affect transparency and brilliant.
Married to a Clarity Grade on a diamond grading report is a Plotting Diagram. This diagram displays important diamond characteristic information that was seen during the grading process. It is essential a map that tells a deeper story about your center stone. All of a diamond’s important inclusions and blemishes are documented and plotted. Since no two diamonds will have exactly the same diagram, this map will be important in identifying your gemstone if ever need be.
The plotting diagram will roughly resemble the shape and faceting pattern of your diamond. This helps you to understand where the marked characteristics are located on your gemstone. There will be two views shows of the diamond. Its crown view, or top, and pavilion view, or bottom.
In a plotting diagram, a certain color will correspond to each category of clarity characteristics. The colors and symbols used will help you understand the nature of each feature.
Red – Inclusions
Red and Green Combined – Inclusions that reach the surface of the diamond like; cavities, indented naturals, knots or laser drill holes.
Green – Natural Blemishes
Black – Extra Facets
The diagram below lists common characteristics as they would appear on a GIA plotting diagram. When characteristics are listed on a cert they will appear in order of importance to the clarity grade. If a large, centrally located feather is present in your stone, with few other impediments, it will be seen first in the list of inclusions. This feather most likely determined the final clarity grade of your diamond.
Some clarity characteristics in a diamond may not be plotted on their certification if they are faint or are not important in determining the clarity grade of a gemstone. Featured that are not diagrammed will often be listed in the Comments section of the certification.
A GIA Plotting Diagram is an important tool in understanding the one-of-a-kind characteristics present in your perfect diamond. Keep in mind, that many characteristics are too small to be seen by anyone apart from a trained diamond grader. To your naked eye, two diamonds may look similar even though they drastically differ in grades. What is important is to choose a center stone that speaks to you with the quality standards you desire.
Here at Knox Jewelers, we want to assist you in finding your perfect center stone to feature in one of our custom created settings. You may not desire that gemstone to be a diamond, but if you do, we will walk you through the important features present in the diamond you choose. Contact us today to start the hunt for your perfect diamond, no matter the shape, size or color.
Rubies have been a favored selection in jewelry for centuries. That tradition continues here at Knox Jewelers, were our patrons select this gemstone to embody love and passion in their custom creations. Ruby’s intense red color is desired for its beauty, rarity and the emotions it stirs. In ancient Sanskrit, ruby is referred to as ratnaraj, or “king of precious stones.” This title has endured throughout the ages, as rubies have come to represent wealth, power and passion; hence their wide use in royal jewelry.
Apart from their chromatic allure, ruby is also a practical choice for jewelry worn on a daily basis, like an engagement ring or wedding band. Corundum, the mineral name for ruby and other shades of sapphire, is ranked 9 on the Mohs Scale, and is hard enough to withstand everyday wear and tear. This being said, it is not indestructible.
With our custom created engagement rings and wedding bands the possibilities are endless when considering incorporating a colored gemstone. Customizing your engagement ring with the inclusion of a romantic ruby will make it a truly personalize, one-of-a-kind piece. Listed below are just some of the ways this crimson gemstone could be featured in your favorite ring settings and bands.
Solitaire Engagement rings
Choose a rich hued ruby in your preferred size and shape as the central focus in any of our custom solitaire rings. This intense center stone can stand alone and offer a bold, classic look.
Antique Engagement Rings
Select a vintage inspired setting with the addition of a ruby center stone to create a romantic engagement ring with ties to the past.
Halo Engagement Rings
Add vintage character with a diamond halo design featuring a contrasting colored ruby center. The juxtaposition of diamonds and a scarlet center stone creates a dynamic engagement ring.
Three Stone Engagement Rings
Get the best of both worlds with a custom engagement ring featuring a diamond center stone framed by saturated ruby accents. A three stone ring setting is the perfect way to incorporate gemstones while still selecting your perfect center diamond.
Wide Bands
Our truly unique wide band rings offer the room to experiment with the addition of colored stones. Rubies with definitely stand out in a wide band design no matter where you decide to incorporate them. Their intense color plays well with any shade of gold and the gemstone comes to life when placed against dazzling diamonds.
Wide Band Engagement Rings
One of the most creative ways to include hints of rubies is their inclusion in a wide band engagement ring. Small colored stones could be scattered within any wide design. The combination of a brilliant center stone, side diamond and side rubies would create a true work of art.
Ladies Wedding Bands
If a traditional diamond engagement ring is more your style, use the addition of your wedding band as the way to display colored rubies. Any of our custom wedding band style can be modified to feature rubies or other colored sapphires. Wedding bands are a great medium to display birthstones, anniversary stone or any colored stone with sentimental value.
Gents Wedding Bands
Men’s bands should not be forgotten when considering the addition of colored gemstones. A dynamic ruby could make your custom gent’s band a one-of-a-kind creation. Rubies bring to mind love and passion, the perfect addition to a wedding band.
Contact Knox Jewelers today and let us help you select the perfect ruby to complete the ring or band of your dreams. Every ruby is unique, and we can search for any shape, size or saturation you have in mind. Make your custom engagement ring a truly one-of-a-kind creation with the addition of special colored gemstones.