Before delving into the world of pave setting, let’s first find out how to spot it on a ring.
Ever wondered what are those eensy metal beads around the smaller diamonds on your ring? Those small prongs constitute a pave setting and it has been around for hundreds of years! Most of the times, this aspect of the jewelry goes unnoticed as the center stone usually takes away all the attention. But you’ll be amazed to know that there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.
The name of this setting itself has an interesting origin, here’s what it means…
Pave is the French word for ‘pavement’ or ‘to pave’ and is pronounced as ‘pah-vay’. This setting is inspired by the ancient cobblestone streets, paved with closely-set stones. In jewelry, it literally means ‘paved with diamonds’.
Pave setting requires great precision by the stone-setter. Diamond accents can take the form of a continuous line or any fluid shape with the help of a pave setting.
Coming back to our question about the different types of pave settings, let’s explore this in detail…
Micro Pave
It involves extremely tiny diamonds that are secured by an intricate pave setting, often arranged in multiple rows to fill up a shank. One of the most delicate settings used in diamond jewelry and also expensive, micro-pave requires detailed craftsmanship. A band covered with micro-pave diamonds is by itself, a work of art.
Petite Pave
Not to be confused with micro-pave, petite pave puts the emphasis on smaller prongs to amplify the sparkle of the diamond accents. With a barely-there petite-pave setting, the gems on the band gain maximum visibility and prominence. If you desire an all-sparkling look for your diamond ring, then this is the ideal setting.
U-Cut Pave
Turn a diamond-accented ring sideways, if the shank shows a consistently wavy pattern, you are looking at a U-cut or a U-pave setting. The scalloped cut-outs are not only a design element, but also help increase the diamond’s visibility. The purpose of implementing this setting is to allow light to reflect from the sides of the gemstone as well and let it shine from every angle.
Fishtail Pave
The view from the side appears like the zigzag edges of a fishtail. With this intricate V-shaped metal work on the shank, the setting still manages to hold the diamond accents very close to each other to give a continuous line of brilliance. Also called a French pave setting, the V-shaped grooves add a beautiful textured look to an otherwise simple ring, without much frills. Who knew a pave setting could be so chic?
Bright-Cut Pave
In short, a union of pave and the channel setting. You’d choose this style if you think your ring requires that extra safety and durability factor. The metal walls or channels offer added security to the metal beads and will protect them from accidental impacts. Also, they leave enough scope for adding intricate details on the shank, such as the filigree or milgrain. On the flip side, this setting has a higher metal to diamond ratio that results in diminished sparkle as compared to other types of pave settings.
To Conclude
Pave diamonds, on the shank or around the main stone, are an absolute game changer. After all, adding that extra bit of sparkle to your solitaire is not a bad idea at all. What do you think?
