Anyone have opinions on this kind of pave verses ucut? Is one more durable than the other? Does one show more of the stones (I.e more brilliance, sparkle)?
From the side alone, I'd agree with @ringo865. It can be difficult to be certain without also seeing the top.
From a durability perspective, the details of how the pave is executed matter. But, shared-prong and fish-tail are present on many vintage rings that have stood the test of time and abuse. The form of pave that is more popular down (U and V cuts) is not all that common on every-day pieces from the past, so its hard to say by looking back in time. . Part of the durability is if the girdle of the diamond extends beyond the metal holding it or not, the metal you use, hand-forged or cast, fineness of the workmanship, etc.. On vintage rings, usually you see damage to girdles more than anything else.