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Diamond settings explained: the pavé ring setting

Choosing the right setting is fundamental when choosing a ring or other jewellery. It does not only determine the style of your jewellery, but also how it is worn and the amount of looking after it needs. Do you have an elegant style, and are you looking for jewellery with several diamonds next to one other? Then the pavé setting, with small stones set next to one another, is right for you. It also matches well with other settings. BAUNAT explains why you should choose a pavé setting for your engagement ring. 

 

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What makes the pavé setting a popular choice for diamond rings?

The pavé setting features small diamonds placed closely together, secured by tiny, nearly invisible prongs that resemble beads. This arrangement creates the illusion of one continuous diamond surface, as the French name suggests—like a "paved" street. The setting maximizes brilliance by allowing diamonds to catch light from all angles, creating exceptional sparkle no matter how the ring is viewed.

This setting offers practical advantages too: it's more cost-effective than a single large diamond while providing impressive brilliance. Versatile by nature, pavé can be combined with other settings to enhance a solitaire diamond or create a halo effect that makes the center stone appear larger.

For elegance with minimal visible metal (especially in white gold), the pavé setting delivers a seamless, floating diamond appearance that adds sophistication to any jewelry piece.

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What exactly is the pavé setting?

Ring with pavé setting - stunning white gold eternity ring adorned with diamonds in pavé setting
In a pavé setting (pronounced pah-vay), smaller diamonds are placed closely together and secured by tiny prongs that resemble beads. These prongs are designed to be barely noticeable, allowing the brilliance of the diamonds to take centre stage. Typically, our clients opt for a white gold band to minimise the visibility of the metal, ensuring a seamless look where the diamonds appear to float. This type of setting can also be called a "bead" setting, and when the stones are particularly small—usually less than .01 carats—it’s referred to as a micro-pavé setting. The stones may cover either part of the ring or wrap around it entirely, as seen in eternity rings, which feature diamonds all around, fully integrated into the design. 

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“A diamond ring with pavé setting guarantees an amazing look”
With a pavé setting, the precious metal used in the ring for the setting is hardly visible. This makes the ring look like one big diamond. No matter which way you turn it, the ring will always sparkle. The term comes from the French "pavé", meaning "paved". The whole is indeed reminiscent of a paved street, hence the name.
BAUNAT-A ring with pavé setting provides a beautiful appearance - a sparkling diamond ring with a pink rose in the background, set in a pavé setting.

Benefits of choosing pavé engagement rings

Choosing a pavé setting for your diamond engagement ring offers numerous benefits that enhance both aesthetic appeal and practical considerations. 

  • Enhanced sparkle: the closely set small diamonds in a pavé setting are strategically placed to reflect light from all angles, resulting in a dazzling sparkle that catches attention. 
     

  • Cost-effective brilliance: thanks to its composition, a row of very small diamonds close together, the price of a diamond ring with a pavé setting is much less than that of a ring having just one large diamond. 
     

  • Versatilestyles: rings with pavé settings also come in different styles, both contemporary and traditional. You should realise there is a huge variety of possible ways to mix and match with other settings. For greater individuality, you could, for example, mix the pavé setting with the prong setting. This means your solitaire diamond can be enhanced with diamonds along the side in a pavé setting, for extra sparkle. You can also have your central diamond surrounded by diamonds in a halo ring. This makes the central diamond look bigger, which often adds value to an engagement ring. 

Browse the BAUNAT engagement rings

What other settings does Baunat offer?

The pavé ring setting can be effortlessly combined with other diamond settings for the central diamond. Wondering what other settings BAUNAT offers? Find out more below.








Our experts are always ready to give advice and help you choose the right setting. The diamond setting will define the style of your jewellery, as well how careful you need to be with your ring. So don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions.

Of course, BAUNAT can also offer other types of settings in her tailor-made jewellery. Please contact info@baunat.com in case you are interested in a tailor-made jewel with a different diamond setting. ​

Frequently asked Questions

Pavé

Pave stands for a style of jewellery setting in which numerous small diamonds are mounted close together to create a glistening diamond crust that covers the whole piece of jewellery and obscures the metal under it. This can either be a single row, as a plurality of rows side by side. In this way, this looks like a continuous surface of sparkling diamonds. Because these diamonds are placed close together, it looks like the ring is totally made out of diamonds. Putting small diamonds in pave requires meticulous handiwork. A gem can exist of either entirely tiny pave diamonds, or is also often used in the binder of a solitaire ring.

What is a pavé setting?

The pavé setting positions the gemstones very closely together, so barely any precious metal is visible on the ring and is mostly used with small diamonds in a row. The row of diamonds and the tiny precious metal prongs that keep them in place result in a brilliant shine.

Learn more about the diamond ring settings or instantly choose the right setting for your diamond from BAUNAT.

What is the difference between pave and prong setting?

The main difference between pavé settings and prong settings is visibility; prong settings are more noticeable. Prong settings use small spikes, called prongs, that wrap around the crown of the stone(s) to hold them in place, while pavé settings create a more seamless appearance. 

What is a French pave?

French pave is a style of setting small diamonds into a ring that features small, V-shaped cutouts underneath each diamond. This design allows more light to reach the stones while minimizing the visibility of the metal, creating the appearance of a solid diamond ring. The diamond setter hand cuts these V or U shapes into the metal to achieve this look. 

  • Kim Wouters

  • BAUNAT Antwerp

  • Kim, BAUNAT-certified is quite the Jill of all trades. After being submerged into all aspects of the brand, and being responsible for customer success, order & sales, office management, product management, she has become an expert in everything diamond and jewellery related. Apart from this product expertise, Kim’s master’s degree in communications makes her an excellent Diamond Jewellery Advisor to help you discover your personal taste and make sure all your expectations are exceeded.

Kim, BAUNAT-certified is quite the Jill of all trades. After being submerged into all aspects of the brand, and being responsible for customer success, order & sales, office management, product management, she has become an expert in everything diamond and jewellery related. Apart from this product expertise, Kim’s master’s degree in communications makes her an excellent Diamond Jewellery Advisor to help you discover your personal taste and make sure all your expectations are exceeded.