Help! Which setting to make the stone look bigger?

[catski]

Can anyone give me some advice on a setting which will make the stone look as big as possible? The stone is a 1.04 solitaire princess cut. The band will need to match my wedding band which is very thin - I think it''s about 2mm. At the moment I have a .5 round cut stone which is set very high up with a knife edge that sort of tapers up to the stone. I don''t particularly like it so high, but is that the best setting to maximise the size of a stone?

Thanks in advance of any tips.....

 

[kcoursolle]

Thin shanks and slightly higher settings seem to make a stone look larger. In addition, diamonds around the center stone (like a halo) tend to really add the size factor to almost any stone. Ritani has some great thin pave settings, thin solitaires, and delicate halos.

 

[sklingem]

It also depends on your ring size. I am always amazed that women who have (fairly) large fingers choose very narrow bands with the idea that it will make the stone look bigger. Not to sound mean here (and I am not saying that this issue applies to you either) but it will make the finger look like a tied up sausage and draw attention to that. Like wearing super tight pants when you have big legs. Not a good idea. I totally concur that a halo will definitely make the stone pop out more, independent of band width.

 

[Kelli]

Mine''s not a princess, but I have a round solitaire in a high-set cathedral setting. I don''t know how big the shank is, probably between two and three mm, but the high setting really does make it pop out and look huge. Mine is a 1.44 and people ask me all the time "WOW is that a full two carats?" But if you don''t like the look of a high setting, a nice low halo would make it look even bigger than that.

 

[han001]

A lovely halo would definitely help maximize the size of your stone. This might not be your style, but here''s an Alex Soldier setting as an example: http://store.pearlmansjewelers.com/jewelry/view/3183/1016/

 

[jstarfireb]

Like Kcoursolle mentioned, check out the Ritani endless love line (with a halo). Pearlman's is a trusted PS vendor that carries the line. They're set in a low bezel halo and have thin bands (to match your wedding band). This one is for an Asscher rather than a princess, but it would look very similar.

 

[claireabelle]

this thread has some GORGEOUS halo settings for princess cuts. Enjoy!

 

[MomHelpingSon]

A halo would be lovely and make the center stone loog bigger and appear to sparkle even more.

 

[catski]

Thanks for all your replies. Have been trying to reply all day but my pc is so slow and keeps crashing - grrrr!

The halo links you posted to are very beautiful, but I don''t think they''re really me - I was hoping for something quite plain - you know, just a plain old-fashioned big old rock

LOL at the ''tied-up sausage'' comment! I''m not sure what my ring size is (will find out tomorrow) - but I don''t think my fingers are particularly fat. Probably a bit slimmer than average I guess, although my hands are not particularly small.

The dimensions of the stone my husband has sourced are 5.6mm by 5.7mm, but I''ll see the full spec tomorrow. The other alternative he had was a 1.55 carat stone, which I think I''d feel self-conscious wearing (I think we tend to wear smaller rings in europe in general). The original stone he had picked out was 1.22 carat which I think I would feel most comfortable with, but it''s been double booked