Halo engagement rings are among the trendiest rings in 2024, with many people favouring them for their bold and striking styles.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to find the right halo engagement rings.
Understand different ring setting styles
A setting style is the way a diamond or other gemstone is held in place on your ring. The setting affects the appearance of a ring, and also its durability and how much light the gemstone reflects.
Engagement rings often come in three or five-prong settings, with gemstones under 3 carats usually set with three prongs.
There are different settings widely available, including halo settings, where a central gemstone is surrounded by other smaller diamonds or gemstones, cluster settings which feature multiple smaller stones, and cathedral settings, with a gemstone sitting between arches of metal.
Choose your center stone
The center stone may be the most important part of your halo engagement ring.
A starting point is deciding how much you’re willing to spend on your ring, with its price largely affected by the choice of center stone.
When you shop for halo engagement rings from jewelers like Best Brilliance – or for any diamond or gemstone jewelry – it’s a good idea to know about the four Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat.
Stones are cut in different proportions and angles, affecting their appearance. Popular cuts include princess, oval and emerald cuts.
A diamond’s color is graded on a D to Z scale, with a D-graded diamond colorless and those towards Z having yellower or browner shades.
Gemstones’ colors can vary greatly, with some emeralds, for example, having a particularly vibrant green and featuring minimal color zoning (meaning their color is consistent throughout). Those possible blemishes bring us to the next C – clarity, and you’ll want to choose a stone that has no visible inclusions.
You’ll likely have heard of ‘carat’, which refers to the weight of a diamond, not its size.
Diamonds are particularly popular choices for halo engagement rings, with a wide variety of halo styles available, including those much-loved pear, emerald and oval cuts.
Traditionally, diamonds have symbolized love and commitment, with their rareness emphasising the meaningful gesture of giving a diamond engagement ring.
Diamonds remain a popular choice for engagement rings of all styles, including halo engagement rings. Their connection with romance and commitment, combined with their durability and longevity, makes them highly favored.
Some jewelers offer lab grown diamonds as an alternative to natural diamonds. Lab-created diamonds offer a more sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional diamonds. You may see them referred to as ‘conflict-free diamonds’ because of their more ethical sourcing.
Lab grown diamonds are man-made but have the same chemical structure as mined diamonds, and are subject to the same quality checks. They’re available in the same range of styles and carats you’ll find for traditional diamonds, and there’s no discernible difference between them.
Consider the halo size
The size of your chosen halo will be a personal decision, with some factors to consider including your budget, favoured design style, and how subtle or bold you want your engagement ring to appear.
Halo rings vary in several ways: the number of halo stones, the shape of the halo (rounder, more rectangular, pear shape, etc), and the proportion of the halo to your center stone, with larger halos sometimes helping to make a stone appear larger.
You may have your eye caught by a particular ring and consider whether it’s because of the center stone, the shape of the halo surrounding it, or the stones making up the halo, and then browse more rings accordingly. You may want the center stone to stand out more, or the halo to make a bigger impact. The shape of a ring such as a pear cut halo ring can sometimes be as important and eye-catching as the center stone.
Online jewelers are often able to provide advice and their expertise on various diamonds, gemstones, and their properties. Get in touch with them if you’ve any questions.
Match your engagement ring with your style and skin tone
Your halo engagement ring should complement your personal style and skin tone.
You may be fond of bold, bohemian style clothes and favour brighter and eye-catching gemstones, or perhaps your fashion would better suit a more sleek, minimal and modern design.
Skin tones can also affect your ring choice. Those with warm skin tones may prefer to choose a center stone with a yellow hue, which can complement those golden undertones, while cooler skin tones match well with blue gemstones.
Make sure you’re buying from a trusted jeweler
Online jewelers should provide you with information about a diamond or gemstone’s certification, as well as information about their craftsmanship and experience in jewelry.
Websites such as Trustpilot and Wedding Wire let you see others’ experience of buying from jewelers, and let you know that they’re providing trustworthy products and services.