Today, we’ll talk about the Bezel Setting and all you need to know about it. The Bezel setting is recognized and popular among diamond and jewelry lovers all around the world.
What we might say at the outset is that if you want a piece of jewelry that is well-known throughout history and will endure the test of time while also improving your aesthetic, you should definitely pick a bezel-set design.
To further clarify the features of Bezel settings, we must go through many chapters such as: What is a Bezel Setting Ring, Bezel Settings vs. Other Settings, Advantages and Disadvantages, and much more.
Let’s look at Bezel Settings and learn everything there is about them!
Basic’s About Bezel Settings
A bezel setting is a type of jewelry setting that encircles a diamond or gemstone. The bezel settings are simple and elegant. They are made of a metal ring that wraps around a gemstone to fasten it.
Because bezel settings are the oldest style of setting, you’ll encounter them frequently in antique and antique-inspired jewelry. Bezel settings are one of the simplest types of settings to make, which is presumably why jewelers invented them in ancient times.
While bezel settings were popular in ancient times and may look great with historical designs, many of the bezel settings used now have a more contemporary look.
Modern technologies for producing bezel settings can give them an exceptionally slim, contemporary appearance.
While a whole bezel setting (one that entirely encircles a gemstone) is the most frequent form of the bezel setting, partial bezels are also available.
A partial bezel setting is a bezel setting that does not entirely encircle a gemstone; They frequently retain a gem in place by surrounding it just on its edges.
These partial bezel configurations are sometimes known as half bezels, open bezels, or semi-bezels.
Aside from the various forms of the bezel setting, there are also bezel settings with multiple styles. Don’t worry; We will elaborate on all the types of bezel settings in the next chapter!
Bezel settings can be smooth and unadorned for a modern design or highly detailed with engravings for a romantic, vintage, or antique appeal.
Because the bezel setting is essential, you may use it with any diamond cut. The bezel design follows the stone’s outside border.
A bezel setting is a great choice for:
- Diamonds in round brilliant cut
- Diamond in a marquise shape
- Diamond in pear shape
- Diamonds in oval shapes
…as well as others.
Even though it might reduce sparkle, the bezel provides exceptional protection.
Furthermore, the additional metal produces a streamlined form that looks well in modern, classic, or luxurious styles.
Bezel settings are especially ideal for colorful gemstones and trendy jewelry; They can even preserve delicate jewels.
The Origins of Bezel Set Jewelry
Bezel settings are possibly the earliest style of jewelry setting, as we already mentioned. This setting has been worn by rich and famous ladies for thousands of years.
Perhaps the endurance of this sort of environment is due to its agelessness.
Even if it is 100 years old, a woman’s bezel set jewelry may seem stylish, current, and contemporary. It is ideal for heritage jewelry that has been or will be passed down from generation to generation.
Best of all, bezel settings are adaptable since they may be thick or thin metal rings that totally or partially encircle the stone and are produced from various metals.
You can also combine bezel settings with other settings to create eye-catching jewelry pieces.
We may say that the bezel setting has existed since humans began wearing jewelry.
According to experts, it is the earliest setting method and was most likely utilized in the early days of jewelry production and stone setting.
As a result, bezel settings may be found in antique jewelry and ring styles.
From those early designs, the bezel setting has come a long way. Modern interpretations feature distinct gemstone forms and hues in minimalist and streamlined aesthetics.
Let’s compare the bezel settings with other popular settings out there!
Channel vs. Bezel Settings
Both settings are snag-free and ultra-secure for quality colored stones and diamonds.
Channel setting is the most popular way of accentuating a ring’s shank and embellishing wedding rings.It produces a continuous and linear design, unlike a bezel setting, which divides each gem with a bezel frame.
The Channel setting is ideal for smaller gemstones because it creates a lovely straight row between the channel walls. On the other hand, we can also use bezel settings with larger gemstones.
However, unlike a bezel setting, it does not necessarily showcase the main gemstone. The bezel and channel settings are secure and will not catch on clothing.
Prong vs. Bezel Settings
A metal rim, or bezel, holds the diamond in place and offers further security for the central stone.
In a prong setting, three, four, or six tiny metal prongs hold the diamond in place, providing minimal protection for the central stone.
Because of its design, a bezel setting can’t catch on clothing, purse handles, or other objects.
It will not be readily damaged if the bezel is accidentally brushed against a surface. Each prong has a tiny, sharp edge that might catch your clothes.
If the prongs come into contact with a door or another surface, they may be damaged.
Bezel settings reduce the quantity of light that may penetrate the diamond, giving it a less dazzling appearance.
The prong setting, on the other hand, allows as much light as possible to penetrate the diamond, resulting in maximum light reflection and brightness.
Bezel settings hide the diamond’s sides and edges, perhaps hiding imperfections, blemishes, and other faults.
Most of the diamond is visible, yet the prongs may be big enough to conceal minor imperfections. It can make the diamond appear significantly smaller by 10 to 20%.
The prong setting displays the diamond’s actual size without making it look bigger or smaller than its carat weight.
Prong settings are typically advised for persons with an active lifestyle or working in a hands-on setting. Most individuals choose prong settings, which are less robust than bezel settings.
Flush vs. Bezel Settings
The main difference between a bezel and a flush setting is that the flush setting does not emphasize the central gemstone as much as the bezel setting does.
Because the flush-set stones are fixed into the metal band, you can’t remove them.
On the other hand, a bezel setting allows the stones to stand out since you may elevate them slightly lower or higher on the band.
Furthermore, the bezel setting is more popular since people can incorporate it into many styles.
The light and brightness of the stone are restricted in both settings. However, bezel and flush settings stand well in a busy, hands-on workplace.
What Are the Different Kinds of Bezel Settings?
Bezel settings are classified into two main types:
- Full bezel settings: A thin metal ring surrounds the center stone, firmly holding it to the band. This design is especially suitable for people who lead hectic lives.
- Partial-bezel settings: Also known as half-bezel settings, the central stone is encircled by metal on two sides of the rock, leaving some of the stone visible (the “top” and “bottom” of the stone’s edge).
Partial-bezel settings allow more of the stone to be seen. Despite their different appearance, partial bezels provide the same level of protection as full bezels.
In addition to the main ones, we have several other types of bezel settings, namely:
- Split-bezel settings: The stone is placed in a nearly complete bezel with section splits in a split-bezel setting.
- High-set bezel setting: The stone in the bezel setting is placed high against the band to draw attention to it.
- Low-profile bezel setting: The stone is flush with the engagement ring’s band. It is also set with the tip of the stone within the ring and the edges of the stone encompassed by the band.
- Plain bezel setting: A basic bezel setting is a ring with an unadorned metal rim enclosing the central stone.
- Fancy bezel setting: Jewelers can add micropavé, a halo, milgrain design, or side stones to highlight the bezel-set center stone on Bezel engagement rings.
Advantages of Bezel Settings
When we talk about pros or advantages, we think it is essential that before we list them, we say that the bezel setting counts a large number of pros and a minimal number of cons.
- Bezel settings secure the diamond more securely than prong settings.
One of the most significant advantages of a bezel setting is that it secures the diamond more firmly than a prong setting or any other form.
A bezel setting’s custom-fit metal rim tightly secures the central diamond, making it significantly less likely for the diamond to break free or fall out.
Because of its tight, tailored fit, the bezel setting is one of the most secure engagement ring settings.
- Provides a sleek, modern appearance
Bezel settings give a sleek, modern appearance that is distinct from conventional engagement ring settings.
If you and your fiancé-to-be prefer contemporary jewelry, a bezel setting may appeal to you more than other setting designs.
- It Is an excellent option for active careers and lifestyles.
Bezel settings are a fantastic alternative for persons with busy lives who want a long-lasting engagement ring due to their resilience.
The custom-fit rim of this style of setting securely holds any diamond in place, ensuring that it does not come loose when jogging, hiking, or participating in sports.
Bezel settings are also an excellent option for folks who have active, demanding jobs.
A bezel setting is a safe, long-lasting option if your future wife is a medical professional, an athlete, or works in an area where you may damage a prong engagement ring.
- Less challenging to maintain and clean
Maintenance is straightforward due to the relatively basic design of most bezel settings.
There are no prongs to examine or clean regularly, which makes caring for the diamond and setting much more effortless.
- Does not catch on clothing or other materials
Bezel settings are less prone to grab and snag on clothes due to their design.
There’s also no danger of the prongs getting deformed or broken if they come into contact with a door, table, or another hard surface, which might concern different prong setups.
- Guards the diamond against damage
The metal rim of a bezel setting holds the diamond more firmly but also protects the diamond from harm.
A bezel setting’s rim surrounds the diamond’s edges, which helps to prevent them from chipping and shattering.
This is especially good for diamonds prone to chippings, such as princess cut, marquise cut, and pear shape diamonds.
- You may hide a diamond’s visual flaws.
The bezel setting covers more of the surface area of a diamond than the prong setting, allowing it to conceal some frequent defects in a diamond’s look.
For example, many diamonds with a low clarity grade will have apparent inclusions.
When these imperfections are at the diamond’s borders, they may be hidden by the metal lip of a bezel setting, making them less visible to the human eye.
It is important to note that choosing a bezel setting does not imply that you may purchase a diamond with a poor clarity grade and expect it to appear flawless.
If a diamond has visible inclusions towards the center, it’s doubtful that a bezel setting would conceal them.
Disadvantages of Bezel Settings
As we have already said, there are only a few disadvantages of bezel settings, and we must present them to you.
- Less glimmer
If you want a lot of bling, a bezel set diamond is probably not for you. The bezel setting can occasionally detract from the radiance of the stone.
- Cost
They are also not the most affordable alternative on the market.
Because of the weight of the metal and the difficulty in creating the setting, bezel rings can be more costly than other settings.
When you purchase a bezel ring, you must pay a premium for the metal and its quality.
- The illusion of Stone Size
Bezel settings are frequently more significant than others, making the center stone look minor or less dazzling.
- Reduces light reflection
Because the bezel setting wraps around the borders of the central diamond, light from the sides is prevented from entering the diamond.
This limits the light the diamond can reflect, potentially reducing its brilliance.
The Average Price Of Bezel Settings
Even though they are a more straightforward ring design, the price of an engagement ring with a bezel ring setting can vary greatly.
They often range in price from $500 to several thousand dollars.
Factors that mainly determine bezel setting price:
A setting featuring halo, pavé, or side-stone diamonds will be much more expensive than one without. Similarly, the type of metal utilized in a bezel setting significantly impacts the price (e.g., 18-karat gold vs. 14-karat gold).
Bezel settings, like other engagement rings, can vary in price depending on the metal chosen for the ring. Expect to pay substantially more for an 18K gold or platinum bezel ring than you would for a 14K gold band.
Despite their hardness rating, diamonds can still shatter.
The Mohs scale measures a mineral’s scratch resistance. Airborne dust and debris damage softer gemstones, causing them to seem hazy. Any gemstone can chip, shatter, or break when struck hard enough.
The majority of faceted gemstones feature cleavage planes. The resistance of a stone to being hit is determined by its cleavage.
Consider a jeweler attempting to hammer a thin metal border around softer diamonds. The jeweler must be concerned with scratching and shattering it and avoiding messing up the metal rim.
So, it would help if you also considered future repairs. If you break the metal surrounding the diamond, it will be considerably more challenging to repair and cost more than a basic prong setting.
Bezel Settings – FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why Should You Get a Bezel Engagement Ring?
Because of its contemporary appearance and adaptability to an active lifestyle, the bezel is a popular ring setting.
Also, because its custom-fit metal tightly keeps the diamond in place, the bezel is one of the most secure placements.
What Is A Bezel Set Engagement Ring?
The bezel setting is a common choice for engagement ring settings.
The diamond in this engagement ring type is kept in place by a thin tailored metal rim rather than prongs as in other engagement ring settings. The precious metal rim protects the stone by encircling it.
Is This Ring Setting Common In Diamond Engagement Rings?
This flexible arrangement is quite popular. It consistently ranks in the top five or six most popular engagement ring settings.
It is, however, significantly less common than a more classic diamond engagement ring setting, such as the solitaire or other prong settings.
What Stone Shapes Look Best In A Bezel Setting?
Though it may accommodate a variety of stone cuts, many blogs say that a brilliant round cut works particularly well in a bezel setting.
When Did Bezel Settings First Appear?
According to experts, it is the earliest setting method and was most likely used in the early days of jewelry creation and stone setting.
Bezel settings can therefore be seen in antique jewelry and ring designs.
What Are The Pros of Bezel Settings?
- Unlike prong settings, bezel rings do not snag on textiles.
- Bezel-set rings have fewer crevices than other settings, making cleaning the area surrounding your diamond easy.
- A diamond in a bezel ring can’t be knocked free.
- Because the metal wraps around the entire ring, a diamond in a full bezel setting can’t fall out.
- Bezel engagement rings, instead of prong settings, are ideal for people who lead a busy lifestyle.
What Are The Cons of Bezel Settings?
- If you go to an actual jewelry store, your selections for bezel engagement ring styles are severely limited.
- Bezels with diamonds let in less light than conventional settings. You may have to forgo light reflection to provide more excellent protection for your stone.
How Do Bezel Settings Get Made?
Bezel settings are created by gently hammering the metal rim of the bezel, smoothing it down and over the diamond’s edge.
This craft necessitates competence. A heavy-handed setter’s form is unstable and twisted. The bezel’s form should be sharp and almost totally devoid of all but the slightest hammer wobbling.
While diamonds are the most popular, bezels are also an excellent alternative for softer gemstones that require more protection from day-to-day wear and tear, such as emeralds or morganite.
Do Diamonds In Bezel Settings Sparkle?
The answer is yes, diamonds sparkle in bezel settings. Even the toughest of hearts will be dazzled by an outstanding or perfect-cut stone set in a well-designed bezel.
When framed in a broad ring of metal that eclipses the top surface of the stone, a poorly cut stone may seem dull or black. Choose your stone and bezel carefully.
Final Thoughts
The topic of today’s piece was Bezel Settings: Everything You Need to Know, which described a specific setting style that is frequently used in engagement rings.
We stated in the opening that it is important to reiterate in the end that a bezel-set design is an excellent choice for various reasons. The bezel setting is best if you want a jewelry piece that will protect your gemstone from any type of damage.
Furthermore, in this article we attempted to compare bezel settings to others on the market, such as prong and channel settings.
We have also done our best to explain its benefits and warn you about its drawbacks, among other essential things such as its cleaning methods, price and many more. We also hope that the FAQ answered all your queries and cleared any confusion you may have.
We hope you liked learning more about this intriguing subject of one-of-a-kind, gorgeous bezel setting rings!
FAQs
What diamond is best for the bezel setting? ›
While bezel engagement rings can be created for any diamond shape, the round cut is certainly the most popular for this setting.
Does a bezel setting make your diamond look bigger? ›Like a halo setting, bezel settings can enhance how large the center stone looks. It's a trick of the eye that has the added layer of metal wrapping around the stone appearing to expand the stone's visual appearance. This feature works particularly well when the color of the metal is matched to the color of the stone.
What are the different types of bezel settings? ›Types of bezel settings
In a full bezel setting, a center stone is set flush within a thin metal rim. Metal completely surrounds the stone, creating a secure hold. With a partial bezel setting, the center diamond is only partly covered on the sides by metal. This makes more of the stone visible.
A full bezel wraps entirely around the diamond's girdle, or waist, creating a continuous rim of metal. A half bezel will only wrap some of the diamond's girdle, leaving it exposed in some areas. A partial bezel is also very secure, and offers many of the same benefits of a full bezel, but, has a different look.
Which setting makes diamond look bigger? ›Pavé setting: To achieve this popular technique, many diamonds 0.20 ct or smaller are set into tapered holes in a metal surface, nestled close to the melee stones next to them. Pavé creates an appearance of uninterrupted diamonds in the band, which can make the center stone look larger.
Do bezel set diamonds look smaller? ›Bezel settings conceal a tiny bit of the diamond's edges, so they can make a diamond appear smaller. With a white gold or platinum bezel setting, you may not notice much of a difference in size since it will blend in with the diamond, but yellow gold or rose gold can especially make the diamond look smaller.
Does bezel setting reduce sparkle? ›A diamond in a bezel setting may have less sparkle
Because the diamond is enclosed in the setting, light can only enter into the gem from the front or crown.
Ideally, the bezel should grip the stone tightly enough that you can pick it up, and it holds the stone in place. Mark the point where the edges of the bezel overlap, and cut. Check that the bezel fits snugly around the stone. Using a flat (or pillar) needle file, file the edges of the bezel so they fit perfectly.
What are the pros and cons of the bezel setting? ›Full Bezel Setting
This setting protects the edges the most, making them less at risk of chipping. The downside is that the full version of the diamond is hidden. This makes the diamond look smaller because you can't see the full brilliance of the diamond.
To sort out a bezel that's too big you have to cut it open at the solder join, re-file the ends to create a tightly fitting join, solder, file again. You get the idea - it's possible but it means repeating your hard work, and sometimes it's just easier to see if you've got a smaller stone to fit in there instead!
What is the best thickness for a bezel? ›
If you are newer to bezel setting, consider 28-30g because it's easier to push over, especially if you're doing it all by hand using a bezel rocker tool and a burnisher. If you're hammer setting, either with a hammer handpiece or manually, you can use a thicker gauge bezel wire.
What is a gypsy setting vs bezel? ›The difference between a bezel setting and the gypsy setting is that in a gypsy setting the stone is sunk into the metal and sits flush or just below the surface whereas in a bezel setting a protruding rim of metal wraps around the stone.
What are the disadvantages of a bezel setting? ›One of the significant disadvantages of bezel settings is that they do not permit enough light to enter the stone. If less light enters a diamond, only so much can exit, making the same diamond look less glistening in a bezel setting than in a prong setting.
What is the safest setting for a diamond? ›Bezel Settings
The whole diamond is essentially encased in the precious metal in a way that keeps it locked up tight. Unlike prong settings, bezel settings won't get snagged on clothing. While they aren't the most popular ring setting, bezel settings are definitely more secure.
Bezel settings can be more expensive than other styles because more metal is used around the jewel. However, the price difference is slight, and with the extra layer of protection, you'll save on damage and maintenance costs in the long run.
Can you put diamonds on a bezel? ›A bezel setting is popular for engagement rings as it offers a modern, clean look. Bezel settings securely hold the diamond or gemstone in place and can provide some protection from everyday wear and tear.
How thick should a bezel setting be? ›If you are just using the strength in you fingers, then 0.3mm is about right. Anything thicker and you will probably need a setting punch and a hammer, or a hammer handpiece. If you prefer the look of thicker bezels you could also use a finer alloy, but the colour match would be off.
What grade diamonds used in Rolex watches? ›In terms of color, Rolex only uses the four highest color categories, D, E, F, and G. In reality; this implies that Rolex's diamonds must be classified as 'exceptional white +,' 'exceptional white,' 'rare white +,' or 'rare white. '