After knowing the 4Cs of a diamond, you will want to decide on how you want your diamond(s) set on your ring. In fact, these settings are also applicable to other type of stones such as sapphire, ruby and so on.

Book recommendations:
How to Buy a Diamond, 6th Edition: Insider Secrets for Getting Your Money’s Worth by Fred Cuellar
With This Ring: The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Jewelry by Penny Proddow, Marion Fasel, Darrin Haddad, and Suk Hee Ko

I will share the characteristics of each setting with you:

• Prongs(claws): 4 or 6 metal prongs bend over the stone and secure it in place. Very popular way to show off a diamond.
• Bezel: A thin band of metal that surrounds the stone. This will make it appears larger.
• Channel: Stones set side by side without dividers all the way around the ring. This will reduce the sparkle.
• Bar: Similar to channel but with dividers. This setting will maximizes the sparkle.
• Flush: A prominent cneter stone with smaller diamonds embedded into the band oneither side.
• Cluster(three-stone): Large center stone with smaller side stones. It’s to embellish a smaller diamond or emphasize the large one.
• Pave: Many small diamonds are placed very closely in a honeycomb pattern that no metal can be seen.