Halo diamond rings
 

They are the hottest sale in 2009 and the first half of 2010. According to leading US retailers more than 80% of the engagement rings leaving the shelves are based on this design. So what is a “halo” ring and why it is so attractive to today’s jewellery buyer.

The design is not actually new but rather updated. It is based on the good old cluster ring which is at least a vintage if not an antique design. The difference comes from the ratio between the main stone and the surrounding diamonds and from their interaction in the design as a whole. In the cluster ring the surrounding diamonds are of substantial size, related to the centre stone and form part of the main design concept (e.g. blossom with its petals) while in the halo ring the surrounding stones are only a frame to the main stone, often slightly overlapped by the centre stone and have the purpose to enhance its appearance and size. A good hallo design blends the frame with the main stone adding to its glitter and diameter. The halo designs have glamorous and delicate look. They often utilise shared prong setting which significantly minimises the visible metal and makes the overall appearance diamond rich. The side stones are usually very small, in the region of 1 to 1.7mm and the studded part is normally extended over the shank. Halo style can fit any diamond shape, but the most popular are round, princess or radiant and cushion.

The popularity of the hallo design is based on a simple formula: High visual impact over relatively low cost. A diamond set in a classic 4 prong solitaire have far inferior “wow” effect than the same diamond in a halo ring. There is obviously an additional cost for the small diamonds and design complications but the visual boost is far greater. To put it another way: To get the same visual impact with solitaire diamond ring one has to absorb much higher cost. This does not mean giving a hallo ring amounts to cheating. Appearance is the most important attribute of all diamond rings except the ones with investment size and quality diamond. Since 99% of the diamond rings sold in South Africa does not fall under this category, getting better appearance for our budget is only an advantage.