Solitaire Engagement Rings

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Setting Guide

What Is a Solitaire Engagement Ring?

A solitaire is one stone, held above a plain band, with nothing else competing for attention. It's the oldest engagement ring format still in common use today, and the one style that has never gone out of fashion in over a century, since it isn't built around a trend to begin with, it's built around the stone itself.

Moissanite from R13,995 Lab Diamond from R19,495

Why a Solitaire Works

A solitaire hides nothing. There's no halo adding sparkle around the edges, no pavé drawing the eye along the band, no side stones filling space. The centre stone carries the entire ring by itself, which means cut quality matters more in a solitaire than in any other setting we offer. A poorly cut stone set in a halo still catches light from the smaller stones surrounding it, disguising some of the flaw. In a solitaire, there's nowhere for a weak cut to hide, it just looks flat.

This is precisely why a solitaire is the setting where spending on cut quality rather than carat weight pays off most visibly. A well-cut, smaller stone in a solitaire will consistently outperform a larger, poorly cut stone in the same setting.

Where the Solitaire Setting Comes From

The modern solitaire engagement ring traces back to 1886, when Tiffany & Co. introduced what became known as the Tiffany setting, a six-prong mount that raised the stone above the band and let light enter from every angle rather than being partially blocked by a bezel or heavier setting style common at the time. It was a genuine innovation in how much light a mounted stone could return, and the format has barely changed since.

Every solitaire we make today, four prong or six, follows the same underlying logic: minimal metal, maximum light, nothing between the stone and the eye. It's one of the few product categories where the 140-year-old version and the current version are functionally almost identical.

Four Prongs or Six

Four Prongs

Shows more of the stone for a cleaner, more contemporary outline.

Six Prongs

Holds the stone more securely, the historically traditional choice.

Neither is meaningfully more durable for genuinely everyday wear at typical carat sizes. If security is a real priority, a bezel setting encircles the stone in a continuous rim of metal and is the most protective option we offer.

Solitaire and Metal Choice

We set solitaires in 9ct and 18ct gold, yellow, white, or rose. Since a solitaire has minimal metalwork, just the band and the prong setting, the metal choice here is largely about colour and personal durability preference.

9ct gold is harder and more scratch-resistant, well suited to a solitaire that will see daily wear for decades. 18ct has a richer, warmer colour and is the softer, more traditionally premium choice. White gold solitaires are the most classic, since the metal essentially disappears visually and puts full attention on the stone. Read our full metal guide for the complete comparison.

Moissanite or Lab Diamond in a Solitaire

Because a solitaire puts the stone entirely on display with nothing to soften or distract from it, this is arguably the setting where the choice between moissanite and lab diamond matters most visibly. Moissanite has a higher refractive index than diamond, 2.65 against 2.42, meaning a moissanite solitaire genuinely returns more light and reads as brighter than a diamond solitaire of equal size and quality, at a fraction of the price. A lab-grown diamond solitaire is chemically and optically identical to a mined diamond, IGI or GIA certified.

Read our full moissanite vs lab diamond comparison for the complete picture.

Explore the full range by stone type:

Moissanite Engagement Rings, GRA certified, from R13,995  ·  Lab Diamond Engagement Rings, IGI or GIA certified, from R19,495

Custom Solitaire Engagement Ring Design

The solitaire's simplicity makes it one of the easiest settings to customise in small but meaningful ways, since every detail is visible rather than hidden among other design elements. Common requests include a tapered band, a cathedral setting that raises the stone on arched supports, a knife-edge band profile, and hidden details set into the gallery beneath the centre stone.

01

Share Your Vision

A reference image or an idea beyond our standard range.

02

Approve a Render

See the exact ring in 3D before anything is cast.

03

Delivered in 4-6 Weeks

Free, insured delivery anywhere in South Africa.

Read what to know before commissioning a custom ring, or see how the commissioning process actually works step by step.

Solitaire Proportions and Band Width

Band width affects how a solitaire reads on the hand more than people expect before ordering one. A narrower band, around 1.5 to 2mm, puts almost all visual weight on the stone itself and suits a more delicate, minimalist look. A wider band, 2.5mm and up, gives the ring more presence on the hand and can make a smaller centre stone feel more substantial.

This is worth discussing directly if you have a specific centre stone size in mind, since the right band width for a 0.75ct stone and a 2ct stone aren't necessarily the same, even in an otherwise identical solitaire design.

Practical Considerations: Durability and Everyday Wear

A solitaire is one of the lowest-maintenance settings we offer, since there are no small accent stones to check, loosen, or lose over the years, just the centre stone and its prongs. Prongs should be checked every couple of years regardless of setting.

The main practical consideration is prong height. Taller prongs, more common on larger stones, sit further above the band and are marginally more exposed to catching on things like clothing or hair. This is a minor consideration rather than a real durability concern, but worth mentioning if you're choosing between a four and six prong option specifically for daily practicality.

Pairing a Solitaire With a Wedding Band

A solitaire pairs more easily with a wedding band than any other setting we offer. A plain solitaire sits flush against a straight plain wedding band with no gap, since there's no raised halo or side detail for the band to work around. This is genuinely not true of halo or raised settings, which often need a curved band shaped specifically to sit alongside them.

If you want more sparkle without complicating the fit, an eternity ring also sits comfortably against a solitaire's straight profile.

How Solitaire Compares to Other Settings

Setting Best For Maintenance
Solitaire A single, undistracted focal point Lowest
Halo Making the centre stone look larger Moderate
Pavé Maximum overall sparkle on a budget Moderate
Bezel Maximum stone protection Lowest

Read our full settings guide for how every setting we offer compares.

Ordering a Solitaire Engagement Ring in South Africa

Every solitaire is made to order in our South African workshop, typically completed within four to six weeks. Delivery is free and fully insured to any address in South Africa, whether you're in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Sandton, or anywhere else in the country. See our shipping and delivery page or locations hub.

Caring for a Solitaire Engagement Ring

Clean weekly with warm water, a drop of mild soap, and a soft toothbrush, paying particular attention to the underside of the stone where the prongs meet it. Avoid chlorine, salt water, and household chemicals, and remove the ring before gym sessions or manual work. Full details on our warranty and guarantee page.

Solitaire Across Every Shape

Every shape we offer works as a solitaire. Round is the most brilliant and most requested. Oval elongates the finger visually. Emerald and radiant give long, architectural flashes of light. Pear and marquise read as more elongated and dramatic as solitaires than in any other setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

That's genuinely the point of it. A solitaire is a deliberate choice for restraint, the single most enduring engagement ring style precisely because it doesn't follow trends.
Four shows more of the stone and looks more contemporary. Six holds more securely and looks more traditional. The practical difference is negligible for everyday wear.
It shows the stone at its true size, with nothing making it appear larger. A halo setting makes the same stone read roughly 20 to 30 percent bigger.
Better than any other setting. A plain solitaire sits flush against a straight band with no gap.
Since a solitaire displays the stone entirely on its own, this is where the difference matters most. Moissanite returns more light and costs significantly less.
Yes. A tapered band, cathedral setting, or knife-edge profile all customise easily within the solitaire format.
Four to six weeks from when you confirm your design and ring size.
9ct for the most durable, lowest-maintenance option. 18ct for a richer colour. White gold is the most classic choice.
Yes, genuinely the lowest maintenance setting we offer. No small accent stones to check or lose.
All of them. Round is the most classic, emerald and radiant give architectural flashes, pear and marquise read as more dramatic.
A plain band sits completely flush with no gap. An eternity ring also pairs cleanly.
Yes, both. Moissanite from R13,995, lab-grown diamond from R19,495.