Help me choose: four or six prong solitaire?

[mcnyc]

I am upgrading for my anniversary and already have the diamond (1.71, J, VVS2), but I am still working on the setting. Before I went in to the store, I had my heart set on the Vatche Royal Crown. But now I tried on a really beautiful four-prong setting and I'm not sure anymore.

Which one should I choose?

Here is the four prong I tried on yesterday (think it's the Cartier 1895):




And here is the royal crown I like:
(from Jax172's post)

I like that they are both set low, which is a must for me because I plan to wear it all the time. And I was thinking I wanted six prongs to avoid making the diamond look square and for added protection. But the diamond is insured so I'm not as worried about losing it, and if the prongs are delicate enough it doesn't look square. Plus the four prong lets in more light. So now I'm really not sure!

HELP! Which one should I choose?

Ladies who have four or six prongs, can you post a picture and say why you picked the one you did?

 

[mcnyc]

UPDATE: Now that I'm looking at four prongs, I also really like the classic four prong solitaire from Harry Winston. I think maybe I like the delicate double prongs better than the Cartier, and I think the band may match my wedding band better.

Here's an old picture of the HW on my hand (pardon the blurry photo and atrocious manicure):


Thoughts?

Also, I know my local jeweler (very high end) carries the Cartier and even gets them custom made. But does HW do custom settings or send rings to other jewelers?

 

[msop04]

For a round diamond, I prefer a 6 prong setting... 6 prongs make the diamond appear larger.

 

[mcnyc]

Really? The lady at the store told me six prongs makes the diamond look smaller.

 

[Bonfire]

An argument can be made for both styles. It comes down to personal preference. Choose the one YOU like better, your own sense of style not someone elses, yanno?

 

[msop04]

Really? The lady at the store told me six prongs makes the diamond look smaller.

Let me guess... she was trying to sell you a 4 prong??


A 6 prong would indeed make a diamond look smaller, if the stone is very small (think < 0.75 ct). This is true due to the fact that a smaller stone simply has less area . Since there would be less space in between the 6 prongs, they would look too crowded and cover up a good portion of the smaller stone as opposed to 4 prongs. (hope that made sense!)

It's a personal preference, but this is why I prefer 6 prongs on a round stone...

When you get into > 1.0 ct stones, the 6 prong settings can make the diamond appear larger because it forces the eye to see all the way around the stone (not just the four corners like in a 4 prong). Six prong settings also showcase/enhance the "roundness" of the stone.

Another plus to a six prong is added security. If one prong gets bent, you still have 5 that will keep you from possibly losing your stone. In four pronged settings, if one prong gets bent out of place, you have a much higher chance of the stone falling out.

EDITED for typos -- please excuse them if I missed any!!

 

[cflutist]

Ah, the 4-prong vs. 6-prong decision.

For a diamond of your size, I prefer 6-prongs, it is just safer imo.
Most losses are from 4-prong mountings. Yes, you should have your jeweler inspect it periodically, etc.

I had a 4-prong mounting on my 2.05 ct. D-VS2 when a person slammed a door on my hand and the diamond
fell out of the mounting onto the floor. I sat through 3 hours of orchestra rehearsal with a diamond in my pants pocket.
After that incident, only 6-prongs for me now. I also like how it makes the diamond look more rounded instead of square.

 

[LLJsmom]

I had a four prong for 15 years, tried a 6-prong for a couple of years, and am going back to 4.

I do think only you know what you love best.

I thought I would love the six prong with a 2.5 carat stone, but what ended up bugging me was the 12 o'clock prong on the 6 prong. Totally weird!! I know! But I never would have found out that in particular the 12 and 6 o'clock prongs to some extent, were REALLY an eye sore to me. I'm super anal about my prongs now. I am waiting for my new setting which is a four prong. My stone is insured, so I am not going to worry about durability (although some PSers probably think I should ), and will just go with it.

It took testing it out to find out what I didn't like to figure out what I do. Good luck!

Btw, there are lots of vendors that PSers recommend that could execute beautiful prongs. I love my super delicate prongs on my sutds done by Whiteflash. I am not kidding. They are tiny and sharp!

 

[Bonfire]

May I also add that I think you have to consider the aesthetic of a piece in its entirety. Not just one element. If you love the look of a particular setting, it's the entire package. I don't think you should make the decision just based on whether it's 4 or 6 prong. Choose the over all look that you love.

 

[msop04]

May I also add that I think you have to consider the aesthetic of a piece in its entirety. Not just one element. If you love the look of a particular setting, it's the entire package. I don't think you should make the decision just based on whether it's 4 or 6 prong. Choose the over all look that you love.

This is so true... Although I prefer 6 prongs on a solitaire, my ering has 4 prongs bc it's a cushion shaped halo -- that's part of the package, but I love the overall look.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

UPDATE: Now that I'm looking at four prongs, I also really like the classic four prong solitaire from Harry Winston. I think maybe I like the delicate double prongs better than the Cartier, and I think the band may match my wedding band better.

Here's an old picture of the HW on my hand (pardon the blurry photo and atrocious manicure):


Thoughts?

Also, I know my local jeweler (very high end) carries the Cartier and even gets them custom made. But does HW do custom settings or send rings to other jewelers?

Cartier does not allow other jewelers to sell their empty settings, so your jeweler is apparently making a repro of the Cartier solitaire. I would guess he can do a copy of the HW as well.

I think the first 4 prong ring you posted is set a little too low. I had a high end version of the Cartier myself, and it was too low and I eventually changed it. I really like the Vatche U-113 which is a repro of the Tiffany solitaire and it has 6 prongs. In addition, the Vatche Caroline is a lot like the Cartier except it has tiny diamonds on the basket. It has great proportions, 4 prongs, and is not too high.

http://www.dvatche.com/index.php?page=collection&catID=2,18&startRow=54&id=53

The Royal Crown is just a bit heavy looking to me, and I think the shank is wider as well.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

One more note. Victor Canera makes some of the most beautiful hand forged solitaires.

http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/classic-solitaire-with-double-wire-prongs

http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/the-gabriella-six-prong-solitaire-215

http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/platinum-solitaire

 

[mcnyc]

Thanks so much for the advice! I really appreciate it.

I was just wondering, because I'm new to this, why you think the one I posted is too low. What counts as too low? What factors are you looking at?

 

[artdecolover71]

I am a four prong gal myself but I also love the look of a cushion and I had a big ol clunky OMC set in a four prong platinum ring and loved it in that! All depends on the look YOU love!! Have fun!

 

[Dancing Fire]

[quote="mcnyc|

Ladies who have four or six prongs, can you post a picture and say why you picked the one you did?[/quote]


My wife have one of each. The 4 prong look more squarish and the 6 prong look more rounded. I'm planning on resetting her 4 prong into a Vatche Royal Crown.

 

[mcnyc]

My wife have one of each. The 4 prong look more squarish and the 6 prong look more rounded. I'm planning on resetting her 4 prong into a Vatche Royal Crown.

Thanks Dancing Fire! Would you mind saying the size of those two stones?

 

[ame]

RC. I actually think a well done 6 prong makes a stone look larger, keeps the round look and is safer all around. Vatche can do really nice "slightly clawed prongs." Find the pics from mine RC on here and say you want them shaped like mine.

 

[ame]

Here's a couple threads that show my prongs. I don't have the RC anymore, but this will help anyway. My stone is a 1.15:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-macro-bling.170321/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-macro-bling.170321/[/URL]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/some-pics-of-my-set-i-took-today.167573/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/some-pics-of-my-set-i-took-today.167573/[/URL]

 

[Dancing Fire]

My wife have one of each. The 4 prong look more squarish and the 6 prong look more rounded. I'm planning on resetting her 4 prong into a Vatche Royal Crown.

Thanks Dancing Fire! Would you mind saying the size of those two stones?

The bottom one is 6.8mm (1.15 ct)
The top one is 9.7mm (3.34 ct)

 

[cflutist]

My wife have one of each. The 4 prong look more squarish and the 6 prong look more rounded. I'm planning on resetting her 4 prong into a Vatche Royal Crown.

Thanks Dancing Fire! Would you mind saying the size of those two stones?

The bottom one is 6.8mm (1.15 ct)
The top one is 9.7mm (3.34 ct)

The 3.34 is a monster ... so jealous

 

[LLJsmom]

Which rules, heart or head? I thought you wanted the Harry Winston like double claw four prong. If you are a very careful person maybe you can do he four prong taking everyone's warning into consideration, if you could not be at peace without the four prong. If you can live with Ho-hum feelings about a six prong and prioritize it being more secure, then go with six. I am willing to take the risk of a four prong. It matters more to me that I love how it looks. That is how I decided.

 

[mcnyc]

Which rules, heart or head? I thought you wanted the Harry Winston like double claw four prong. If you are a very careful person maybe you can do he four prong taking everyone's warning into consideration, if you could not be at peace without the four prong. If you can live with Ho-hum feelings about a six prong and prioritize it being more secure, then go with six. I am willing to take the risk of a four prong. It matters more to me that I love how it looks. That is how I decided.

I love this, LLSsmom! What a perfect way of summing up your decision process.

I totally agree, and decided just today to go ahead with the HW double claw four prong. Of all the rings I tried on - in the three years I've been wanting to do this upgrade - it's the one I loved most overall. Sure I liked some elements of other settings, but the HW is really the only one I tried on that made me think, "this is perfect, I wouldn't change a thing." So that's the one I'm getting!

And as far as security is concerned, that's what insurance is for! I would be sad if my stone fell out, but not devastated because I could replace it.