The Enduring Appeal of Solitaire Engagement Rings

Solitaire rings are so named because they showcase a single diamond, allowing a spectacular diamond of your choosing to be the true center of attention.

For many couples there is only one preferred choice. The striking solitaire has long been a favorite when it comes to engagement rings and while some design trends come and go, the solitaire is here to stay. It can be subtle and understated yet instantly recognizable for its symbolism.

Unlike some fast-moving fashion trends, the solitaire's charm persists, making it a reliable and cherished choice for those looking to pop the all-important question. From a sampling of the exceptional Whiteflash solitaire engagement ring collection, to tips on choosing the perfect ring, the blog navigates the significance of solitaires and their continued popularity.

Ask anyone to draw an engagement ring from memory, and they’re likely to present you with a sketch of the classic solitaire engagement ring - such is its position today as the archetypal engagement ring. With a single diamond raised from the band to draw the eye, its simplicity enhances the beauty of the feature stone effortlessly.

It’s the kind of design that never really ages; simple, strong, and effortless. As a result, it's often chosen when the engagement ring is a surprise, since it's universally recognized and appreciated.

Often credited with shaping modern solitaire engagement rings, the ‘tiffany’ setting was introduced by Tiffany & Co. in 1886. A single diamond was set in a raised six-prong setting by Tiffany's founder, Charles Tiffany, allowing for a better view of the diamond and increasing the diamond's prominence. As a result of this setting, solitaries became a timeless, elegant choice that has become widely embraced. Many variations of the original concept have become popular including the 4 prong version.

The solitaire seamlessly complements various styles, making it a safe yet sophisticated choice for any wearer. It doesn't matter whether the recipient prefers a traditional or contemporary aesthetic, a solitaire engagement ring fits seamlessly into any setting.

It’s a setting with truly one focus - the center diamond. In order to ensure the best fire and brilliance , regardless of carat, it must meet high standards for cut, color, and clarity. A solitaire ring purchased with this thoughtful consideration serves as both a timeless symbol of love and a testament to the quality of the diamond. It's easy to see why solitaires are an evergreen classic.

A solitaire engagement ring can sound quite traditional, but there are many variations that can change the look of the simple setting. You can elevate an engagement ring to something truly stunning, even rare, by going designer.

Regardless of whether you're devotee of designer brands or not, there’s been a revival in taking classic designer settings and making them uniquely yours. Yes, even solitaires!

As a result of establishing a reputation for quality and customer care, Whiteflash represents some of the most renowned names in designer jewelry. We are authorized distributors for some of the top designer brands including Tacori, Verragio, Simon G, Ritani, Valoria, Vatche, Danhov and Benchmark.

While there’s one particular feature of a solitaire ring (the single raised stone), there are a myriad of different designs you can choose from. Here we have collected some of the most beautiful solitaire engagement rings that catch our customer’s eyes, time and time again:

With its ornate design, this ring is very different from your classic solitaire engagement ring. Additionally to the impressive center diamond, the band is embellished with intricate beaded detailing that adds to its eye-catching appeal. As well as a diamond tucked under the setting for your viewing pleasure.

From Verragio’s Parisian collection, one can imagine popping the question at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Designed to evoke Parisian romance and a lifetime of memories, it is the perfect choice for those seeking a unique and enchanting engagement ring that goes beyond the classic solitaire design.

The asymmetrical ring, which veers away from tradition, is becoming increasingly popular among contemporary engagement rings. Today, customers seek engagement rings that reflect their personality.

With their statement shapes, these rings catch the eye. The Simon G Fabled Bezel Solitaire Engagement Ring is an example of how asymmetrical engagement rings can work wonderfully when executed with exceptional craftsmanship. The result is contemporary yet fluid, soft yet bold.

An asymmetric ring can be a great way for people to express themselves in a modern, unconventional way. Adding a fresh twist to a classic never fails to capture attention.

Platinum and gold ring settings, much like solitaires, are classics as well. Yellow gold will remain a popular choice for solitaire rings, bringing a striking contrast between the buttery metal's warmth and the icy sparkle of diamonds.

Over the past few years, yellow gold has experienced a resurgence in engagement rings and jewelry alike. There is a robust and rich aesthetic to this classic precious metal, whether in vintage-inspired designs or contemporary ones. The Valoria Flora Twist meets somewhere in the middle of the style spectrum. A beautifully elegant twisted shank is embellished with round ideal cut diamond melee, giving this beautiful solitaire that extra spark.

Yellow gold gives you the ability to lower the diamond color of your solitaire ring by one or two grades, allowing you to focus more on the cut and setting - this can even visually increase the size. To appear white against a darker yellow metal, diamonds do not have to be colorless. Let yourself be swept up in the golden glow as you begin your journey of a lifetime.

This solitaire's high-impact look and dazzle will draw all eyes to the wearer's finger with its soft curves, twisted shanks, and intricate details. Its curving, unique shape also makes it stand out from the classic round diamonds, which are a popular choice for solitaire rings.

It's the finer detailing that really enhances the romantic and regal appeal of this solitaire engagement ring, undulating between precious metal and petite diamonds. The 18k White Gold Seasons of Love Diamond Engagement Ring from A. Jaffe, features a splendid oval diamond and a tightly twisted diamond shank that marries modern design ideas with romantic, classic sensibilities.

For those seeking a solitaire with a little more spice, this engagement ring is sure to stand out. With three rows of diamonds highlighting each braided band of the Danhov ZE185 diamond engagement ring, it features a crossing split shank design.

This design reflects light from all angles - dazzling with every toast, applaud or wave. It's a popular choice among vintage aficionados and lovers of all things fanciful. Danhov's avant garde designs, whether inspired by classic baroque or modern minimalist lines and shapes, are sure to impress. Sparkling atop a royal scepter or crown, it would not look out of place!

Lab-grown diamonds are accessible for just about any budget, and allow you to splurge on designer settings, bigger carat weight and top cut quality.

In many cases, our customers opt for larger diamonds with the cost savings. But if you wish to enhance your lab grown diamond pieces with the savings, we encourage you to invest in an exquisite designer setting.

Due to the understandably high price of natural diamonds, a beautiful designer setting may have been out of reach for some, but much more affordable lab-grown diamonds now make it possible.

Read about our designers and access their catalogs at your convenience on our designer engagement rings page. If you do not find a particular style on our site made by one of our fine designers, tell us what you are looking for and we will find it for you.

Whiteflash offers an assortment of exquisitely crafted diamond engagement rings, both natural and lab-grown, allowing betrothed and beyond to choose from classic or exquisite diamond shapes for their solitaire. From the same team that introduced A CUT ABOVE® Super Ideal Diamonds to the international market, our Precision Lab diamonds are cut to exacting standards to produce optimal light performance.

To be considered a truly high-quality treasure, a diamond must rank highly in four distinct areas - even when set in a solitaire setting.

These four key areas determine the overall appearance and the overall cost of a diamond, and will be assessed individually in order to obtain a true evaluation of the diamond in question.

Until now, diamond devotees have never had access to such a wide range of choices in fine diamonds. There is no limit to what can be done here. If the diamond can be set in a jewelry design, lab-created diamonds can also be used.

We encourage you to take a look at our in-depth 4Cs blog, below we provide a snapshot of their purpose and priorities.

Often the most misunderstood C, carat is not the purity measure of gold (Karat), but rather the weight of diamonds. Depending on your budget, you can find a diamond of pleasing size with a great cut and color/clarity combination.

If you opt for lab-grown diamonds, it is also possible to explore larger carat diamonds within your budget. With every lab-grown diamond purchased from Whiteflash, you are getting the best of the best in lab diamonds including certified Hearts and Arrows Ideal Cut at the top of the scale in terms of color and clarity (DEFG color VVS1 -VS1) untouched by post-growth treatments.

Whiteflash Precision Lab Grown Diamonds with their exceptional color, clarity, and precision cutting, exceed most natural diamonds on the market in visual quality.

More information can be found about lab-grown diamonds on our natural vs lab-grown diamonds page. Most commercial quality natural diamonds are not well cut and have much lower color or clarity than Precision Lab diamonds from Whiteflash.

Natural diamonds or lab diamonds, whichever you prefer, are both available for your selection. Please see our detailed Carat Guides on the following sizes:

Another vitally important aspect of diamond grading is its clarity. As the name implies, this refers to the visibility of inclusions in a diamond.

It is difficult to see inclusions in diamonds with the naked eye, even when amplified in a solitaire setting - but there are some types of inclusions that can be problematic. Inclusions and blemishes in diamonds are not necessarily bad, but their impact on durability and beauty is what you should consider.

The type, size, and location of inclusions are all factors that have to be considered by a trained diamond grader when determining clarity.

Diamond color and clarity grading scales were developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in the 1950s. Almost all laboratories today follow the same framework.

Diamonds range from flawless (no internal or external features visible under 10x magnification) to imperfect (so heavily included that they may lack transparency and pose durability issues).

While it’s true that most commercial jewelry uses imperfect diamonds, a large percentage of laboratory-certified diamonds can be found in the middle and upper ranges. At Whiteflash, we provide high-res diamond light performance imaging and 360-degree videos to allow you to inspect the clarity of our in-house diamonds yourself. By doing this, you can ensure that your solitaire is as spectacular as you imagined it would be.

Both the appearance and the value of a diamond are influenced by its color (particularly in natural diamonds). Determining the best diamond color range to stay in is a very individual matter; people vary widely in their color acuity and preference.

Some people can immediately detect a diamond color that is outside the colorless range (DEF). Yet, even in controlled conditions some people cannot distinguish between colors several grades apart.

In most cases for solitaires, you will most likely be concerned with making sure the diamond doesn't appear yellow to casual observers. A near-colorless diamond (GHIJ) generally meets this criteria. In addition, near-colorless natural diamonds cost significantly less than colorless diamonds, so many people find this range to be the best value.

While we have extensive high-quality imagery online for you to peruse, we also encourage you to visit our showroom in Houston if you’re local to see how the 4Cs are presented in diamonds in natural light. Due to the nuanced nature of color, our experts will be happy to show you the seemingly minute differences between grades - this way, you will be best informed regarding your decision for your dream solitaire engagement ring, and most importantly, your budget.

Diamond cut quality is most certainly the most important of the Diamond 4 C’s. The diamond's brilliance, fire, and sparkle is dependent on this aspect, which most diamond buying guides do not explain in enough detail.

When cut precisely, diamonds with mediocre color and clarity can appear far more beautiful than those with perfect color and clarity that are poorly cut. This is truly something you need to keep in mind when shopping for a diamond fit for a solitaire setting.

To bring out a polished diamond's full potential beauty, the facets must all work together, each one functioning like a mirror. Regardless of size, color, or clarity, compromising on cut quality will waste the diamonds potential, resulting in a lackluster center showpiece.

Since lab-grown diamonds are available in various shapes such as; round cuts, princess cuts, cushion cuts, radiants, hearts, ovals, emeralds, and pear-shaped diamonds. You can experiment with more unique designs and styles for your solitaire, going beyond the typical round cut we all know and love.

Characterized by its singular focus on a central diamond, the solitaire design allows for a breathtaking gem of your choice to take center stage. In spite of changing trends in jewelry, couples remain steadfast in their love for the stunning solitaire - and it’s easy to see why. While the design seems fairly simple, there is much to consider.

In the same way that solitaires remain a popular and timeless choice for engagement rings, Whiteflash has become a leading destination for engagement rings and fine jewelry.

With a commitment to unmatched quality, craftsmanship and customer care, Whiteflash offers a personalized and stress-free shopping experience. We turn special moments into lifelong memories, cherished like the sparkle of a high-quality solitaire.

It’s the perfect place for a personal experience with experts, ready to assist with the emotional and financial decision you’re about to make. Our unparalleled experience and friendly service await you when you contact Whiteflash today.