Diamond Engagement Ring Settings - Prong Setting :

The most popular choice of diamond setting styles is Prong setting, especially in a diamond solitaire ring. A four prong setting holds the diamond securely with the least amount of metal. This allows the most light to enter the diamond, which increases the brilliance, fire and scintillation that is returned to the eye of the viewer.

While some people prefer a six prong setting, most experts agree that a four prong setting is less likely to cause a diamond chip than a six prong setting. Most chips occur from the impact of a prong being hit, rather than the diamond girdle being hit directly.

In the process of prong setting, the jeweler first slides your diamond into position within the head, then uses a torch to heat the tips of the head to melting point. The melting point of gold is relatively low, and the heat will not hurt your diamond. The jeweler uses a special "cupping" tool to form the hot gold into nice round beads, and these are the prongs that hold your diamond in place. The beads can remain rounded, but most people prefer that they be slightly flattened at the top. Flattening the beads minimizes the chance that they will snag on a piece of clothing or hair.

The prongs should be uniform, perfectly round at the tips and about four times the diameter of the tip of a ball point pen. Sloppy setting can result in prongs that are large and off shape, or prongs that are too small to securely hold the diamond in place during normal wear