Martin Flyer’s ‘Classifications of Bridal’ offers a simple way to categorize the types of bridal styles in the marketplace by organizing and breaking it all down to 8 classic and popular settings. It was created for you to shop more informed and less overwhelmed on your journey to find the perfect engagement ring.

Solitaire
The notable feature of the Solitaire engagement ring style is the single center stone. Solitaires convey a sense of timeless elegance but also offer a way to show off your own distinct personality with your choice of center stone, whether it be a classic round diamond, a different shape, or a color stone.

Channel
The Channel engagement ring style is named for the ‘channel’ the diamonds are set in with no metal separating the stones. The stones flow together in one continuous row and present a clean, elegant, and contemporary appearance. This pressure setting is great for an active lifestyle or the women who prefer a modern look.

Shared Prong
The notable features of the Shared Prong engagement ring style are that the diamonds in the setting share prongs so less metal is seen which allows for more diamond visibility. This design also allows the maximum amount of light to enter from all angles to maximize brilliance.

Three Stone
The Three Stone engagement style is designed with one center stone and two side stones. Traditionally the side stones are smaller than and meant to accentuate the center. Often consumers choose to mix and match the stones with personal meaning, such as birthstones or heirloom diamonds. This style of ring can be worn as a right-hand ring or as an engagement ring.

MICROPAVÉ HALO
A bestselling design, the micropavé halo surrounds the center stone with tiny, precision-set diamonds that expand the appearance of the diamond. The history of the halo engagement ring is actually relatively recent. It was a chic solution to give the appearance of a larger center at an affordable cost. While a more contemporary trend, the micorpavé halo lends more vintage elegance to a glamorous style.

Did you know? 60% of micropavé are halos! The word micropavé is like Kleenex – anything with little diamonds around it seems to be considered micropavé. There are actually three unique styles of micropavé and they are all very important in today’s bridal business:

BEAD SET – this is defined as one separate row and the diamond setter pushes on the metal to raise a bead and set the stone. Bead set designs are traditionally finished with a miligrained edge, but some do come without. You can consider this a similar look to the channel.

CUTDOWN – the most popular micropavé style of first-time bridal currently. This is the opposite of a bead set and the diamond setter cuts down the metal and raises prongs to hold the stone. This gives a big diamond little metal look that is similar to a shared prong without the scalloped sides offering a “cleaner” look. Another term for cutdown is French-cut micropavé.

PAVÉ – defined as multiple rows, all handset and usually in a three-row pattern. This is exquisite labor-intensive and therefore more costly than the other two types of micropavé.

MICROPAVÉ
The notable feature of the Micropavé engagement ring style is the overall antique technique with a highly precise setting of the very small diamonds and tiny beads of metal surrounding each hand-selected diamond. Though the look of Micropavé may be considered traditional, it makes a very fashion-forward statement, combining contemporary style with an antique look.

The word micropavé is like Kleenex – anything with little diamonds around it seems to be considered micropavé. There are actually three unique styles of micropavé and they are all very important in today’s bridal business:

BEAD SET – this is defined as one separate row and the diamond setter pushes on the metal to raise a bead and set the stone. Bead set designs are traditionally finished with a miligrained edge, but some do come without. You can consider this a similar look to the channel.

CUTDOWN – the most popular micropavé style of first-time bridal currently. This is the opposite of a bead set and the diamond setter cuts down the metal and raises prongs to hold the stone. This gives a big diamond little metal look that is similar to a shared prong without the scalloped sides offering a “cleaner” look. Another term for cutdown is French-cut micropavé.

PAVÉ – defined as multiple rows, all handset and usually in a three-row pattern. This is exquisite labor-intensive and therefore more costly than the other two types of micropavé.

Encore (Remount)
We named this style Éncore because this type of setting is usually for a 2nd-time shopper. The Encore or Remount engagement ring style is the setting you upgrade to from your original bridal set. Often this means a bigger or more modern setting, with new personal touches as a tribute to the past year(s) you are celebrating. An Encore shopper is usually celebrating a 5 or 10 year anniversary, but we believe it’s never too early to celebrate love!

Split Shank
The split shank engagement ring style updates the more traditional streamlined bands with an eye-catching construction that directs and emphasizes your attention towards the center stone. This setting design can come in a variety of splits as well as twists. A double or even triple split shank can create a dynamic movement to your otherwise straight band. The silhouette is a sleek upgrade to vintage estate-style designs.

Vintage
The Vintage style is all about the detailing. This style features intricate hand engraving. The delicate touch lends an element of old-world charm and a dash of glamour to this engagement ring design.

For all diamonds that go into our engagement ring settings and wedding bands, we offer a GOOD, BETTER, BEST diamond quality to allow the consumer to find the perfect Martin Flyer ring that also fits within their budget.