prong setting preferences?

[NY SPARKLE]

Hi everyone!!!
Just wondering what kind of prong settings you like best. Which are hard to clean, easy? What are the pros and cons of a basket setting?

 

[maggiepie11]

A lot of jewelers will probably disagree with me here, but I'm not a big fan of the basket settings. The main reason is I think it looks kind of clunky and less delicate. I like a feminine looking setting, and the baskets I've seen are just too much metal and take away from the viewing area of the diamond from the sides.

What is the shape of the stone? I guess I haven't considered a basket setting for anything other than a princess cut, and I decided against it because I like being to see the side of the stone without that bar across the middle.

HOWEVER, the basket setting is supposed to be a lot sturdier, so I guess that should be a major consideration especially for larger stones. I dont' know...it's one of those things. You know you SHOULD buy the comfortable, more practical shoes, and you KNOW you should, but there's just something about those cute strappy numbers!

 

[Mara]

I actually like the basket settings I have seen (mostly antique style though with pave or some sort of filigree on them), but they are a little harder to clean and get to the stone than say a 4 prong. My stone is a 4 prong tulip head and the baby toothbrush I have fits right inbetween the prong and the side angle of the pavilion of the stone to let me scrub that pavilion, which does get soap scum and the like very frequently. My basket set diamond earrings are much harder to clean, its harder for me to fit the brush in there to reach the pavilion of the stone, and then sometimes the brush gets stuck and I have to yank on it to pull it out. I don't clean my earrings nearly as much as my ring, as I don't them as often, but it would be a pain for me to clean a basket setting every other day or similar.

I like delicate looking rings...or rings with less noticeable prongs. I don't mind the 4 or 6 prong settings but I personally am not a fan of huge chunky prongs or prongs that are very visible against the stone itself (Tacori has some very chunky prongs). I like almost invisible, thinner prongs, but then again, you speak to safety....thicker prongs are more safe, as platinum is harder than wg etc.

In the end I definitely feel it's a preference thing.

Good luck!!