What are Pavé Diamond Settings?

Meaning ‘pavement’ in French, the term Pavé refers to a setting style rather than an actual type or cut of stone. Within this style, there are different settings that fall under the pavé umbrella. Pavé diamonds are held in place by metal beads that are barely visible in order to create a seamless effect. Most pavé diamonds are actually called melee (pronounced like belly); melee is a collection of diamonds that weigh than ⅕ carat, or 0.2ct.

Unlike Solitaire Rings, rings that only feature a center stone and no other diamonds on the band, Pavé Rings add that extra sparkle to any shape or band. Since pavé diamonds are considered accent diamonds, their color and clarity are not as high and therefore don’t cost as much.

If you want to add some extra shine to your ring without a hike in the price, consider a pavé band or halo setting!

Different Types of Pavé Settings

While there are different types of diamond settings in general, there are also different types of pavé settings. Most popular are micropavé, multi-row pavé, fishtail pavé, and bright cut pavé. While all similar, the key, minute differences make each setting style so unique and special.

Micro-Pavé Settings

Smaller than regular pavé, micro-pavé shanks usually measure 2 millimeters or less. At Lauren B, we also have our Super Slim pavé band for the most delicate of appearances at 1.5mm wide. Our Super Slim bands are made by hand and feature full-cut, round brilliant diamonds.

In addition to engagement rings, we also offer a Super Slim Pavé Wedding Band with a total weight of 0.20 carats and measures 1.5mm wide. For something a little bigger, but still considered a micropavé band, our Delicate Pavé Diamond Eternity Band. This band has a total carat weight of 0.35 and measures 1.7-1.8mm.

Multi-Row Pavé Settings

Why settle for a single row of pavé when you can have multiple! Whether it’s your engagement ring, wedding band, or simply your everyday staple piece, add that extra layer (or two!) of diamonds.

If you are someone who wants your ring to shine from every angle, consider a three-row pave band for your engagement ring as seen on our Instagram. Or if you want to save all that shine for your wedding band, try pairing a solitaire ring with a 3-Row Eternity Band.

More interested in embellishing your center stone but you’re on a budget? Halo settings are the perfect answer! Halo settings are a row, or multiple rows, of small, round pavé diamonds that surround a center stone. A halo setting can accentuate a gorgeous center stone or make a smaller size stone seem bigger.

The two rings below are similar in carat size. The first ring is a 0.96ct Oval Diamond Ring. This ring features a double-edged halo, meaning there is one row of pavé diamonds surrounding the stone, and another row facing outwards. With these added rows of pavé diamonds, the ring appears larger.

The second ring is a 1.00 Carat Round Diamond Knife-Edge Solitaire Ring. Even though this ring is 4 points bigger than the first ring, it still appears smaller without the halo.

Interested in something even bigger? Consider multi-row pavé halo rings! With a smaller center stone, this kind of halo setting is guaranteed to make that ring stand out and look enormous! The ring below features a 1.00ct Fancy Intense Yellow Oval center stone but looks to be 4x the size!

If you aren’t in the market for an engagement ring or a wedding band but you just want a lovely piece of jewelry that shines from every angle, multi-row pave rings will do just that! Our perfectly stackable Crescent Ring is perfectly elegant for everyday wear featuring multiple rows of pavé diamonds.

Fishtail Pavé Settings

Also known as French Pavé, another gorgeous pavé style is a Fishtail Pavé setting. Instead of miniature beads holding the melee together, V-shaped cuts are made in metal to hold the diamonds in place thus giving the band the appearance of a fish’s tail and adding an extra bit of sparkle to the metal itself.

Check out our YouTube video showing some of our different “Fishtail” Pavé Wedding Bands.

Bright Cut Pavé Settings

The oldest and most traditional type of pavé is Bright Cut Pavé. Often confused with “channel-set pavé,” this pavé setting style holds the diamond melee against two walls with tiny prongs to keep them in place.   Channel set pavé on the other hand has no prongs only the two walls of metal holding each stone in place

Pavé vs. Prong

At first glance, pavé settings and prong settings look very similar. However, the main difference between the two is that the latter is more noticeable. Prong settings feature prongs, or small spikes, that wrap around the stone’s (or stones’) crown and hold it/them in place.

Pavé

Prong

It is even possible to pavé the prongs holding the center stone on your engagement ring! Pavé prongs are a gorgeous way to add shine to your center stone in the most subtle way.

To Pavé or Not to Pavé

It is always a good idea to have an outline of your budget before shopping for any kind of jewelry. Most importantly, have a budget in mind for engagement rings and wedding bands. At Lauren B, we can customize any ring to fit that budget.

As mentioned previously, pavé settings are a great way to maximize your budget! As accent diamonds, pavé stones are too small to be graded for clarity and color by the GIA but we usually use high-quality diamonds in the colorless and VS clarity range for our engagement ring designs. Therefore, pavé diamonds can enhance your ring without exponentially raising the price. Embellishing everything from the prongs, to the band, to the center stone, pavé settings are the most perfect way to add that extra sparkle!

Still not sure if a pavé setting is right for you? Email [email protected] to narrow down your ideal ring.

Ready to start the design process? Schedule an appointment with one of our design consultants to customize your perfect ring!