Solitaire
engagement rings.
A single stone, raised up and left to speak for itself. The solitaire is the most enduring of all engagement rings, and the one we are asked for most often. Each solitaire engagement ring below is made and finished by hand at our workshop in Diss, on the Norfolk–Suffolk border. Choose a piece as it is, or use one as the starting point for a bespoke engagement ring made entirely for you.
Solitaire rings, ready to wear
What a solitaire asks of the stone
Solitaire describes an arrangement rather than an outline: one stone, raised on its own, with nothing set beside it. The word covers a round brilliant, an oval, an emerald cut and a pear equally well, because what they share is the setting.
With nothing else to look at, the stone has to carry the ring by itself. On a cluster or a halo, small stones lend scale and give the eye somewhere else to go. A solitaire has no such help. Cut matters more here than carat, and often more than colour, because cut decides how much light comes back.
The claws are the other half of the design. Four show more of the stone and give it squarer shoulders; six cover a little more and hold a little better. Set high, the stone catches more light and more doorframes. Set low, it lives more easily under gloves and gardening. Try both on before you decide.
Common questions about solitaire engagement rings
How many claws should a solitaire have?
Four or six. Four show more of the stone and read squarer; six cover a little more but hold a little better, which counts on a ring you never take off. We would rather talk it through with you than push you towards one.
What carat should I be looking at?
There is no right answer, and we would rather you spent on cut than on weight. A well cut half carat outperforms a dull three quarters in most light. Tell us the budget at the first sitting and we will design to it.
Will a solitaire show up a flaw in the stone?
More than a busier setting would, yes. With nothing beside it, an inclusion near the table or a tint of colour has nowhere to hide. So we go through the stone with you at the bench before we set it.
Can I have a solitaire made to my own design?
Yes. Any ring here can be the starting point, or we can begin with a drawing. Our senior goldsmith works with you through the whole bespoke engagement ring process, at our workshop in Diss.