The halo engagement ring: you’ve heard of it, you’ve seen it around—it’s the hottest engagement ring style on the market today…but why? The answer to this is simple—the halo engagement ring brings everything to the table; it’s modern and timeless, adaptable yet iconic. Though the halo setting has been criticized as yet another trend or fad within the jewelry industry, unsuitable for jewelry as enduring as engagement rings, but this could not be farther from the truth.
The so-called halo craze is here to stay. How is that possible? Let’s find the answer, along with a few other surprising truths about the halo craze.
1. Halos Offer the Perfect Setting.
Halo engagement rings are designed with the security of a prong setting and the allure of an impressive number of brilliant diamonds, making it an impressive design with a serious wow factor. It’s no wonder the halo engagement ring has quickly become the most popular choice!
2. Surprisingly, the Halo Isn’t the Entire Ring.
Contrary to common belief, the halo is not the entire engagement ring! The halo is actually the band around the center stone—adorned with diamonds and encircling the center stone like a halo as you can see above. This halo plays an important role, as it holds the base of the center stone securely below the halo’s rim.
3. Halos Protect the Center Diamond.
The halo protects the center diamond (to an extent) from everyday wear and tear, like knocking or scratching against surfaces.
4. You Could Say Halos are Old News.
Though the halo engagement ring has been an emerging jewelry trend over the past few years, the setting originated in the 1920’s, so it’s considered a vintage setting. Though halo engagement rings are old news, they are today’s hottest trend!
5. You Don’t Have to be Set on a Round-Cut Ring.
Halo engagement rings look stunning when set with center diamonds in a variety of traditional cuts, however the most popular are round, princess and cushion cuts. Above, you can see two stunning examples from Hearts On Fire—the round-cut Transcend Premier HOF Halo, and the cushion or square-cut Transcend Premier Dream Halo.
6. Halos Come in All Shapes and Sizes.
The halo itself can be round or four sided in a soft-edged square shape, as you can see above. The halo’s shape is typically determined by the cut of the center diamond, as certain shapes complement certain cuts better than others.
7. Halos Work With Many Ring Styles.
Halo engagement rings come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles—you could choose from traditional halo shapes to split-shanks like the Lorelei Split Shank, three-stones like the Integrity Three Stone, or even more unique shapes like the Optima Halo or Atlantico Wave!
8. It’s All an Illusion.
A halo engagement ring, by design, makes any center diamond appear larger than it would in other engagement ring styles. Many think that bigger is better when it comes to diamond engagement rings, and while that isn’t necessarily the case it certainly doesn’t hurt!
9. It’s Really a Team Effort.
The smaller diamonds set in the ring’s halo maximize the brilliance of the center diamond, magnifying what many refer to as a diamond’s sparkle.
10. Hey, Halo Diamonds Have Settings Too.
The stones set in a ring’s diamond-encrusted halo can be pave, channel-set or invisible-set.
11. The Craze is Spreading.
Today, the halo setting can be spotted in more than just rings. This stunning yet versatile setting has been incorporated into stunning statement necklaces (like the Inspiration Chandelier Necklace), elegant bracelets (like the Inspiration Alternating Halo Bracelet), and iconic earrings (like the Atlantico Pave Studs and Inspiration Sing Halo Drop Earrings)! Halo-set jewelry can be spotted on the red carpet and found in jewelry stores across the globe in all shapes and sizes!
This style is so popular in fact, that many designers like Hearts On Fire have started designing double halo jewelry, like the Inspiration Double Halo Pendant!
12. Maybe the Halo Craze Isn’t a Craze At All!
Though many believe halo engagement ring settings are just a jewelry trend or short-lived fad, this could not be farther from the truth! The halo setting’s design is vintage yet fashion forward—modern yet classic. It offers the perfect balance of elegance and high fashion with sophisticated simplicity, allowing it to it to be incorporated into a variety of types of engagement ring styles.
The halo engagement ring setting is bigger, bolder and many consider it better than the classic solitaire engagement ring. For these reasons and many more, this timeless classic is here to stay!
Check out Charles Schwartz & Son’s unique collection of halo jewelry today!
