Why We Love Princess Cut Channel Set Engagement Rings

"Channel" set engagement rings have been around for years. They are a very classic style, one that you could easily find at any jeweler. But what makes this style of ring so unique and practical at the same time?

Well what if I told you that there was a ring setting that protects your accent diamonds better than any other ring available? Or that the same ring has accent diamonds that give you the best possible value for your money? It almost sounds too good to be true, but I assure you it's not.

The ring that I am talking about is a princess cut channel set engagement ring. If you aren't familiar with this design, the ring features two parallel metal rails that are used to mount accent diamonds down the side of the ring. As you can guess from the name, the accent diamonds are princess cut which provides many benefits to the ring. Read on to learn about some of the benefits of the princess cut channel set engagement rings and see our favorite pieces:

Channel settings protect the diamonds

As you can see in the diagram above, the channel setting holds your diamonds in place by using grooves in the channel walls that are cut to fit the girdle of your diamond. Since the girdle is the most vulnerable part of your stone, protecting it makes the channel setting more safe than other common accent diamond settings, such as a prong or pave.

Another advantage that the channel setting has over other accent diamond settings is that the channel's thick walls are very difficult to break. This ensures that your diamonds stay set in the ring, which could save you big time in the long run.

Princess diamonds don't have gaps in the channel setting

The most popular diamond on the market is the round brilliant diamond, so it's no surprise that most channel settings are set with round brilliant diamonds. The only problem with this is that the circular shape of the round brilliant leaves triangular gaps in between stones when placed in a channel setting.

Princess cut diamonds, on the other hand, have a square shape that is a much better fit for a channel setting. Your accent diamonds will sit flush next to each other in the channel, leaving no gaps and a smooth polished look.

Princess diamonds are a great value

If you don't recognize the stone in the photo to the left, that's what a diamond looks like before it's been cut and polished. When a diamond cutter cuts this rough diamond, they will generally slice the stone down the middle and be left with two pyramid shaped halves that can be cut into two diamonds.

Since the princess diamond has a square shape, it is very similar to the pyramid shape of the rough diamond's two halves. This allows the princess cut to maintain more of the rough diamond than any other cut, resulting in less waste and more carat weight for you the consumer.

Since the princess cut contains more of the rough diamond than other cuts, its price per carat weight is more affordable than others. This meas if you're looking to squeeze some extra carats into your ring, princess cuts are the best value on the market.

Our favorite princess channel set engagement rings:

Classic Princess Channel Set Engagement Ring by A. Jaffe

This ring by A. Jaffe is the perfect example of a classic princess channel setting. What I like the most about this ring is that even though the princess diamonds have a square shape, they look like one continuous line of diamonds that draws you in and then directs your attention to the round brilliant center stone.

With .49 carats of accent diamonds, this ring is perfect for someone who wants a dazzling but clean looking ring. It has a starting price of $2,970 in 18K white gold, but it is also available in other precious metals.

Solitaire Channel Set Diamond Band by Ritani

This channel set ring by Ritani takes a different approach with the princess diamond channel, using just .18 carats of accent diamonds down the shank and a princess cut diamond center stone. What I like most about this ring is the clearly defined square shapes of the princess cut diamonds. In the first ring we showed you, the thick channel walls helped to define the diamonds as a continuous row, as opposed to a grouping of square shaped stones. In this ring on the other hand, the princess center stone and rectangular grouping of diamonds on the shank let everyone know that you're proud of your princess cuts!

This ring starts at $1,990 in gold, but is also available in platinum.

Three Stone Emerald Cut Ring by A. Jaffe

A. Jaffe combines channel set princess diamonds with an emerald three stone ring design for a truly unique look on this stunning ring. As an added bonus, there is also a round brilliant surprise diamond tucked in the center stone's mounting. So if you're looking for a truly unique ring, I think you've found the one!

Between the two emerald cut diamonds, the surprise diamond, and the channel of princess cut diamonds there is a total of .77 carats of accent stones in the ring. The starting price of this ring is $4,500 in 18K white gold.

Two-Tone Channel Set Ring by JB Star

JB Star is well known for their exquisite hand crafted jewelry, and this beautiful two tone ring is a perfect example of their impressive work. What I like most about this ring is how it incorporates multiple diamonds and two different metals but doesn't have an overwhelming appearance.

The ring is made primarily out of platinum the but features an 18K yellow gold setting. If you weren't looking closely at the picture, you may not have noticed that this ring also features four different types of diamonds: the radiant cut center stone, princess cut diamonds channel set along the top of the shank, round brilliant diamonds pave set along the side of the shank, and fancy yellow diamonds that almost blend into the gold setting.

At $5,990 this unique and charming engagement ring is well worth the price. Just think of how beautiful the light will look when it reflects out of four different types of diamonds!