I have halos both because I like the style and to make the stone look bigger, although this doesn't apply to gemstones. I have a .98 CT. Purple cushion spinel in a double halo! The stone doesn't look bigger, but the halos give the ring more presence. I actually unhaloed my AV oval. It looks way better now IMO!
I just love halos. The extra ring of diamonds makes everything better! The only time I don't halo is when I am trying something like a 3 stone style or when I am being cheap but otherwise I will halo anything and everything!
Before my 2.31 Q-VVS2 CBI, I was never a halo gal. I wanted all of my diamonds to speak for themselves. With Queen Pari, it was a fun piece, RHR where the stylized halo provided contrast from my first warm diamond (not counting my FY and FIY jewelry).
I like a halo for different reasons depending on the ring.
A halo like the one I have for my OEC feels romantic and feminine. The OEC is separate and distinct from the halo vs being one big sparkle factor. The halo is also helping to define the OEC facets more dramatically and I enjoy that look.
I think my OEC would look amazing in a solitaire too and one day we will try that for Bubbalah. Right now though she is enjoying her halo. A lot.
My Cartier Black Opal halo makes the black opal pop even more due to the contrast of the white diamonds with the crazy glowy ethereal colors of the black opal.
Different rings, different halos and different feeling with both. Oh and the extra oomph in size does not hurt.
I just don’t like a traditional solitaire personally for myself- it looks strange on me. It’s not my preference. I have some stones set with a decorative metal halo/frame like in my profile picture. I’m fine with a traditional three stone, but I don’t like how a single prong set stone looks on me.
I have a diamond in a halo and one not in a halo, I like both for different reasons. I halo just about everything I can in coloured stones because it makes coloured stones pop in colour!!!
For a quality center stone, halo is icing on the cake. I hate it when small stones are grouped in a cluster and then haloed to simulate the appearance of a bigger center stone.
I am not a halo lover on me. I like my stone to be the only thing seen by me. But I do have a very very small aquamarine somewhere in my jewlery box that is a haloed (with one very small diamond missing) that I own, when I was separated from my first husband I went to a jeweler and bought a teeny aquarmarine and had it set with teeny diamonds, I was 34 and livin' the life as a newly free woman! . As a matter of fact I would double halo this little aquamarine after PS viewing!
I like some halos and others I don't. I love a pear in a halo because I thnk it accentuates the stone, marquise too. Not a fan of a cushion halo on a round stone, THAT IS JUST ME except for a few rings over the last 6 years I've been hanging out here at PS, I would say there only maybe 2 rings that I thought were nothing I could remotely wear or like, but to each his own and we all love our bling I respect that.
I'm starting to take an interest in the halos that are floral looking, seen some beautiful ones here on PS.
For me, it depends on the type of halo. I'm actually in the process of un-haloing my cushion right now because my aesthetic had started to lean away from the Harry Winston-style halos. I still like halos, but I now prefer Edwardian or Art Deco styles with the metalwork milgrain/details. If I were ever to halo another diamond, I'd go for something like Carbonfan's incredible Victor Canera design: https://www.pricescope.com/blog/victor-canera-antique-cushion-for-carbonfan-jotw
I know for my original ER I really wanted it to enhance the Asscher shape AND protect the stone (I'm hard on my rings). My upgrade does NOT have a halo but it still has a protective bezel (it's a 3 stone so I def do have a thing for "finger coverage"
I think that some halos are very pretty and I LOVE a big cluster but I am too self conscious to wear them. They are a bit blingy for me. I am truly a solitaire girl.
I'm not a halo girl for diamonds, or even a solitaire girl for that matter. I think I don't like halos BECAUSE it looks bigger and makes it look like you are trying too hard? I think an amazing stone should be able to speak for itself... Exception is @missy 's Bubbalah, the halo is very distinct, and @cflutist 's halo. These aren't conventional halos.
I’m with @mellowyellowgirl in that I will happily halo anything and everything. I love the way it looks. I’m more of a CS person and I just adore the look of diamonds next to that pop of color.
I have a beautiful mahenge spinel from CvB in a solitaire style setting and sometimes I wish I had just haloed it because it would look even more amazing.
I don't have a halo but I want one, to make the diamond look bigger. My reason is that even my large-ish diamond (2.75 ct) looks tiny on me because I have manhands.
All depends on the stone for me.
1. colored stone - yes, halo (full cut) or bezel
2. old euro cut - bezel
3. old cushion cut - bezel or halo, single cuts
4. MRB - nothing. Maybe add side stones.
5. Fancy cut - bezel
IMO, halos add size but generally they detract from the center diamond. I agree some halos don't take away from the center diamond - like Missy's - but I'd rather have my diamond be the star of my ring than part of a diamond cluster.
I love the look of halo rings partly because I like intricate, feminine details. BUT, for myself, I don't like the extra size, I usually like delicate, dainty jewellery on my small fingers. I also feel like halos look pretentious, like I'm asking for attention or want to make my stone look bigger. That said, I've never had a halo ring, my first e-ring was a solitaire. I think next time around I will go for a solitaire again (with a pretty gallery), because it's more classic, and for the other reasons above. But, never say never!