Month: September 2021

Choosing the style of your engagement ring is one of the most important steps when you begin ring shopping. Ilanis has a wide variety of engagement rings from classic solitaires to modern tension rings to fit your style. Whether you are looking for a modest, traditional ring or something flashier, Ilanis has the perfect ring just for you.

Solitaire Engagement Rings

A solitaire engagement ring setting features a single diamond or colored gemstone with a plain mounting (usually four or six prongs). Solitaires are one of the most popular engagement ring styles. Their appeal is in their elegance, simplicity, and timelessness. Solitaire rings come in a wide variety of sizes and styles. The most common style has a narrow band, a style that compliments small fingers and that makes a smaller diamond appear larger. Others have thicker bands allowing for more options in the way the center diamond is set. You can pair your solitaire setting with a ring guard or ring enhancer to frame the center diamond making it appear more prominent.

Pavé Engagement Rings

A pave engagement ring has lots of very small diamonds set close to each other all down the band. Because pave-set diamonds only use tiny beads or prongs to hold them in place, they have a much brighter appearance because very little metal shows. You can choose to have a full pave setting where the diamonds go all the way around the ring or half pave where they stop halfway.

Micro pave rings have a more delicate appearance and typically a thinner band. The individual diamonds are so small they create a united surface producing extraordinary fire.  Pave engagement rings look great with any center diamond shape and are usually prong set, basket set, or bezel set.  

Channel Set Engagement Rings

Channel set engagement rings feature diamonds set in an open channel groove down the sides of the ring. A thin strip of metal on each side secures the diamond in place and no prongs are used. Because the diamonds are flush with the band, channel set rings are stronger than most other designs and are less likely to snag on clothing or gloves.  

Channel settings are available in both gold and platinum, and with a variety of diamond shapes and sizes. Princess cut diamonds are a popular choice for channel set rings because their square shape ensures no gaps between the stones.  

Sidestone Engagement Rings

Sidestone engagement ring settings usually consist of a larger center diamond flanked by two or more smaller diamonds on each side. The smaller side stones enhance the center diamond making it appear larger and giving the ring more radiance. Sidestone engagement rings can hold any shape for the center diamond but round or princess cuts are the most popular picks.

Three-Stone Engagement Rings

A three-stone engagement ring has a larger center diamond flanked by two smaller diamonds. The center diamond is usually set higher and the smaller diamonds accentuate the size and brilliance of the larger stone. The tapered effect looks elegant on any size finger. In the past, round and princess cut diamonds used to be the most popular choices for center stones. Over time, three-stone ring designs have become more stylish and creative using pear, oval, emerald, and many other elongated shapes.  Most center stones are prong, basket, or bezel set as these setting styles help distinguish the center diamond from the accent stones.

Tension Set Engagement Rings

Tension engagement rings are a modern style setting that features a center diamond held in place by the pressure of the ring, without any prongs. When you look at a tension set ring from the side, the diamond appears to be floating in the air. Despite the appearance, tension set engagement rings are some of the most secure settings as the whole ring pushes against the diamond to hold it in place even tighter than a prong setting can. Because a tension set engagement ring shows off the entire diamond, clarity, cut, and color are even more important, as there is not a lot of metal obstructing the view, the brilliance is amazing. Round, princess, and emerald-cut diamonds are popular choices for tension set rings.

Halo Engagement Rings

Halo engagement ring settings feature a center diamond surrounded by smaller micro pave diamonds.  The micro pave halo gives the appearance of a larger center diamond and adds to the engagement ring’s overall sparkle.

There are many different styles of halo engagement rings. More traditional halo settings are a modern take on the classic solitaire ring. Vintage-style halo rings are a popular choice as the milgrain or beading details add a unique look to the setting. Halo engagement rings come in all shapes and sizes of center stones. Some feature round stones, asscher-cut diamonds, pear-shaped and oval diamonds. Halo rings often feature colored gemstones, like blue sapphires or red rubies for the center stone with diamonds surrounding it to add some contrast and sparkle.

Vintage Engagement Rings

Vintage and antique-style engagement rings possess all the beauty and intricate details of an older ring with the benefit of modern manufacturing and newer design techniques. Many vintage-style engagement rings draw inspiration from the Art Deco period but are set with modern cut diamonds, which are cut to maximize their brilliance, fire, light reflection, and beauty.  Most vintage-style rings are set in either white gold or platinum and nearly any shape diamond can be used as a center stone. Prong, basket, or bezel settings are most commonly used in vintage-style engagement rings.

If you love the look of bright white precious metal you are probably familiar with traditional white gold and platinum. Most chain and small jewelry stores will have a wide selection of traditional white gold jewelry and a smaller selection of platinum options. But did you know there is a relatively newer option of white gold on the market that doesn’t demand the level of maintenance that traditional white gold does? 

Palladium white gold jewelry is emerging as a better, brighter option to the traditional white gold choice. Because of palladium’s naturally white color and durability, this high-end new metal is becoming increasingly popular and a sought-after precious metal in its own right. Palladium white gold is an excellent choice as it requires far less maintenance than traditional White Gold to keep your jewelry looking beautiful as the day you first laid your eyes on it.

What are the differences between Palladium White Gold and Traditional White Gold?

The difference between palladium white gold and traditional white gold might not be apparent when viewing them side by side. You will begin to notice differences in color over time as you wear your jewelry. Traditional white gold tends to turn yellow as you wear it, whereas palladium white gold keeps its white color. 

Traditional White Gold

Gold has a naturally warm, yellow color. Traditional white gold jewelry you purchase has other metals alloyed or mixed with it to improve durability and achieve its sheen white finish. For instance, if you purchase a 14kt gold item, 58.5% is pure gold and a mixture of other metals.

Traditional white gold is alloyed with nickel to give it a whiter appearance. Nickel is a hard and inexpensive metal which made it a popular choice amongst manufacturers. Unfortunately, nickel allergies are quite common and can cause irritation or rashes on your skin.

Traditional white gold has a dull, gray appearance with a yellow undertone. To achieve a bright white look, traditional white gold jewelry is plated with rhodium. Plating a thin layer of rhodium helps combat tarnishing and creates a buffer for allergic reactions. This is why you may be able to wear your ring for some time before you notice any allergic skin issues.

Freshly plated traditional white gold jewelry has a sparkling, white color, but it doesn’t last. When the rhodium begins to wear off, you will notice a much duller appearance and the yellowing of the metal. Once this occurs, you will need to head to the jeweler to have your jewelry re-plated or dipped. Traditional white gold will cost you more money over time because you have to keep re-plating your jewelry to keep it looking great.

Palladium White Gold

Palladium white gold is alloyed with palladium to achieve its white color. Because it belongs to the platinum family of metals, palladium shares the unique characteristics of being invulnerable to scratches and tarnish.  As palladium white gold doesn’t require rhodium plating, it requires less maintenance so fewer expenses. Palladium white gold is harder than traditional white gold so you will have better protection from damaging your special jewelry pieces.  Because palladium white gold jewelry does not contain nickel, it doesn’t need to be rhodium plated (which wears off over time).  Palladium white gold‘s appearance will never diminish. In simple words, palladium white gold can be professionally polished to bring out that natural white shine without worrying about your jewelry yellowing over time.  

If you suffer from allergies, palladium white gold is an affordable and safe option. Being part of the platinum family, palladium is a hypoallergenic metal. You are far less likely to suffer a reaction to this metal.  

Why Palladium White Gold May Be the Best Choice for You

If you experience an allergic reaction to nickel, palladium white gold should be the ultimate alternative option for you. Also, you won’t have the disappointing experience of having your jewelry turn yellow and dull as you would with traditional white gold as palladium white gold does not change color over time and doesn’t require any form of plating.

Because palladium white gold is harder than traditional white gold you are far less likely to damage your jewelry. Accidents do happen but palladium is a malleable metal to work with so it makes repairs a breeze and less expensive than traditional white gold or platinum. Because of this alloy’s density and strength, palladium white gold is the ideal metal choice for prong or cat claws setting of diamonds and gemstones in solitaire designs and engagement rings. Palladium white gold is less prone to stress cracking, so your diamond will be more secure. 

Palladium white gold is a wonderful option as you build your jewelry collection. Its beauty, strength, and durability make it the perfect choice for heirloom jewelry that will be enjoyed for generations.