Colored Metals and its Effect on Center Diamond Color

One question we get asked often is “how does a certain shade of gold metal color impact the look of the center diamond diamond in the finished ring?”  This is a very valid question and something everyone should consider as it is only reasonable to expect that placing a colorless stone in a backdrop of yellow or rose gold will cause it to look a little bit less colorless.  With rose gold, and even yellow gold, trending greatly in popularity of late it is good to keep the ideas we discuss below in mind when selecting your perfect ring.  Being unique with your engagement ring is all the rage now and what better way of achieving that than adding a nice touch of color. Whether or not this will have enough of an impact that it is distracting to your eye is based on several factors but we will break it down for you here by ring design:

Non-Halo Rings: Diamonds set in rose and yellow gold will take a slight hue of the metal it is set in. Even the highest color diamonds in the ‘D’ to ‘F’ range, can take on that look and appear about one or two color grades lower once set in rose or yellow gold. This is not a bad thing at all and some people actually prefer the slight hint of warmth of color displayed; it is just something to be aware of. Moreover, the color metal will create a nice frame for your diamond and the contrast will make your center-stone sparkle more defined.  Our clients love the look of the rings done completely in rose or yellow gold because it gives a very uniform and unique look.  They are mindful of the fact that the center-stone may look slightly warmer in the finished piece. Generally, the color affect is minimal so it is not something to worry about if you love the look of a completely yellow or rose gold ring. Take a look at these ring videos showcasing colored gold rings. Do you detect any of the metal color bleeding into the diamond? (Hint: It is very minimal!)

Video of oval diamond in custom rose gold three row pave engagement ring style

Video of round diamond in yellow gold solitaire four prong setting 

Video of oval diamond in rose gold halo design

We recommend seeing this in person or via video to detect what color you are comfortable with.  Also, contrary to popular belief placing a lower color diamond (K,L,M color) in a rose or white gold setting will make the center-stone look even darker.  Some say that because these diamonds already have a noticeable warmth to them, setting them in rose gold will mask it but that is not true as it will have the same impact as placing a higher color diamond in the same colored gold design.

A few other thing to be conscious of with gold settings: sometimes, if you set a white diamond in a colored gold setting the prongs can become more prominent. This is because your diamond is white, and the prongs being a color create a contrast between the two. This is also true of the band metal- because the diamonds on the band are white and the metal is pink or yellow it will show more of a contrast between them. If for example, you were to do the prongs in white gold, the prongs will blend in with the color of your center diamond and give a more blurred effect between the center stone and metal.  This model RS-260 ring to the left shows an all rose gold ring with only the prongs done in white gold.

This leads us to our next point- Two Tone Rings. This is where you would be able to get the look of rose or yellow gold on the band, but create more of a colorless look for your center diamond. For this reason, two-tone rings are more requested by our clients than single color metal rings. Not only do the white prongs blend in seamlessly with the diamond, they also keep the yellow or pink color metal from bleeding into the stone. This ring works for someone who loves colored gold but is also color sensitive and wanting their diamond to appear as white as possible. Notice how seamless the diamond flows with the prongs in these two video examples below oval diamond in white gold top atop yellow gold pave band and cushion cut center diamond in white gold rose gold two-tone pave custom design

Tip: We also find that in these types of settings, specifically lower color diamonds set into a two tone ring look amazing because the contrast of white prongs and diamond against a colored metal band create a very eye catching contrast and the illusion of a very white diamond. So if your diamond is a lower color consider customize the ring in two tone for that extra pop.

Halo rings: The same is true if you are wanting to create a halo ring in yellow or rose. If your goal is to have the diamond look larger, consider going for the halo in white gold to create the illusion of the whiter diamond being more of the focal point. If you want a generally more uniform and delicate look, go for an entirely rose or yellow gold ring.  Keep in mind that effect of the metal color on the center diamond will be more pronounced in a halo ring than one without because of the extra metal around the edge of the center diamond.

One carat cushion cut center in white gold halo with rose gold band

All yellow gold halo engagement ring with cushion center diamond

Double Halo Rings:

In general, double halo rings give a huge look. If you want the entire ring to look larger, opt for all white gold. If you want to give the look of a white center in a pink halo, we can customize the inner halo to be white, and the outer halo in rose along with the rest of the band. You will fool everyone into thinking you simple you have one large diamond in a rose gold setting.  See this ring model# VNR-14648 shown to the right