What You Need To Know About Halo Engagement Rings: A Buyers' Guide

The halo engagement ring is a reigning queen in the world of jewellery, thought be a classic design that has and will continue to stand the ultimate test of time and fashion. Captured by many famous jewellery designers back in the 1920s when the style known as Art Deco became prominent, jewellers have continued to develop the humble design, and here is why!  

History of Halo’s

Halo's have been around for a long time giving them a timeless element that many bride-to-be’s look for. They first rose in popularity during the Victorian era in a slightly different way than they currently look. In the Victorian era a coloured halo was favourable to give the overall look of a flower.

They then rose again in even more popularity during the 1920’s with the surge of art deco style. They were extremely sought after due to their geometry and symmetry. In the modern day they have stayed quite popular with royalty and celebrities likely due to their larger appearance and extra sparkle.

Benefits of Halo

One main reason that people opt for a Halo engagement ring is that it can make your ring appear to be around half a carat larger, without the same cost of going for a solitaire diamond that is half a carat larger.

Another big reason is that it adds a wow factor through the size, and the added sparkle. All those extra diamonds create a magical, eye-catching, glimmer as it catches the light from every direction.

What Are The Basic Features Of A Halo Engagement Ring?   

The halo works with a simplistic, yet impressive style, effectively grabbing the attention of all that are lucky enough to lay their eyes upon one.  

Put simply, a halo ring is one that has smaller diamonds encircling the centre stone, with the smaller versions complementing the centre stone perfectly without overpowering it. The name is influenced by the look, with the middle not dissimilar to an angel halo. Though a staple feature of this type of ring, variety won’t be a problem, with various stones, cuts and colours all within the shoppers' remit.  

Hidden Halo’s

A Hidden Halo is similar to a Halo in the fact that it is a Halo of diamonds encompassing the main stone however, a Hidden Halo is placed at the base or the side of the centre stone. This creates the illusion of a simpler solitaire ring as the Halo is hidden by the main stone from above but from the side and other angles it has the additional sparkle and glamour of more small diamonds.

With a Hidden Halo the diameter is smaller than the centre stone, unlike a regular Halo where the diameter is the same as or bigger than the centre stone. A Hidden Halo can be your secret sparkle, with the subtle addition. One example is our Roxanne ring, a stunning engagement ring with diamonds set along the shoulder and diamonds set on the side of the setting forming the Hidden Halo.

Choosing The Centre Stone

Though commonly made with colourless diamonds, the halo is a versatile design that many choose to get creative with, seeing Ruby, Yellow diamonds, Sapphire and Pink diamonds now increasingly popular stone options.  

Concerned whether you can work with a style that fits into the bride-to-be's taste and personality? Not to worry! Here at Avita, we create bespoke halo engagement rings as per client requests, finding the following cuts to reign supreme: 

• Traditional round cut 
• Princess-cut 
• Oval 
• Emerald-cut 
• Cushion-cut 
• Pear-shaped 

Flush vs Floating

An engagement ring with a halo can be set is two ways, flush or floating. Being set flush means exactly what it sounds like, the centre stone is set flush within the halo. A floating setting is essentially the opposite of this, it is set raised by the prongs to be slightly above the halo. Which setting you choose is entirely up to preference. Whether you prefer the diamond to sit at the same height as the halo or to stand above the halo.

The Metal

The band and arms that support that all-important stone is just as paramount as the stone itself, supporting and illuminating that key signifier. Here at Avita, we tend to use yellow gold, white gold, rose gold and platinum when creating halo engagement ring bands, offering a diverse set of materials at various prices and in a number of colours.   

Having blessed the fourth finger of Kate Middleton, with her beautiful sapphire halo ring hand-picked by Princess Diana for her own wedding, the halo certainly boasts princess connotations. If you would like to explore the idea of investing in a halo engagement ring then be sure to browse through our extensive range.  

Common worries

Some common aspects that cause worry having a halo or hidden halo are that the multitude of smaller stones creates more possibility of one falling out or that they may collect more dirt within the areas between gemstones. We however don’t see these worries as a problem because of our 10-year guarantee provided with every ring we make.

Included in our guarantee is free ring cleaning whether or not you’re in London you can pop in or can send your ring through the post and we’ll get it dazzling like new again. (We recommend you get it cleaned up to twice a year or clean it semi regularly yourself with some soap and warm water). Alongside offering free ring cleaning we perform a full valet service on your ring before the wedding to make sure everything is perfect on your special day.

Another service included in our 10-year guarantee is free repairs from any manufacturing faults. Although it shouldn’t ever happen if, despite all our stringent checks, a gemstone or diamond loosens or falls out we will repair it. Simple.

Why We Love A Halo Ring

If you are considering a halo ring, whether you’re after the added eye-catching size and glamour of a traditional halo or the classy secret sparkle of a hidden halo, it’s a stunning addition to any ring. There are many ways to go about putting your own unique spin on a halo ring such as opting for coloured gemstones within the halo to contrast the main diamond, help it stand out and to highlight the quality and sparkle of your centre diamond. Another technique to make your bespoke halo engagement ring more unique is to consider having a double halo, or even a triple. All this means is that surrounding your halo, is another row of diamonds.

Overall, there are many reasons to go for a halo engagement ring but the best way to decide is simply to try one on or look at some in person and decide what you like best for your dream ring.