DIAMOND RING ANATOMY

TERMINOLOGY EXPLAINED

Diamond ring anatomy - Pobjoy Diamonds
Diamond ring styles explained. Trilogy, split shoulders, diamond halo and more

Head

Rings are comprised of two main parts; the shank and the head. The head is the primary object that securely holds in place the main centre stone. It is made up of 3, 4, 5 or 6 prongs and/or a halo, which connects to the shank.

Prongs

Centre stone prongs are part of the head. Essentially they wrap around the outside of the centre stone so it will not fall out. They can be shaped in various ways such as round balls or claws. Also, they can be single prongs or double prongs on each corner.

Shoulder

The shoulder consists of the top two sides of the shank. It’s generally where the top of the shank meets the head. Diamond set shoulders typically feature a row of much smaller ("melee") diamonds.

Shank

The shank, also known as the band, is the part of the ring that wraps around your finger on the bottom. It also the area of the ring that gets hallmarked and engraved on the inside rim.

Base Of Shank

The lower aspect of the ring band. This is usually slightly narrower than the middle and shoulder area of the ring.

Centre Stone

This simply refers to the diamond set in the middle of the ring. For a solitaire ring it is the only diamond.

Side Stones

Where a diamond ring features three diamonds, also known as a trilogy ring, the stones to either side of the centre stone are called the side stones. They are usually of lesser carat weight than the centre stone.

Bridge

The bridge of the ring is situated below the centre (and side) diamond connecting the setting and the precious metal.

Gallery Rail

The gallery rail is essentially a bar that sits about halfway between the top of the diamond and the ring rail or bridge. It helps keep the centre and side stone prongs secure.

Sizing Area

This is the area which will be adjusted should the ring need to be altered to a different size. It is best to avoid engraving or hallmarking this area as these "marks" will be lost if the ring does need to be sized in the future.

Jewellery Diamond Care

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