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How do you really feel about bezels?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MillieLou
  • Start date Start date
M

MillieLou

Guest
Just curious, as I'm deciding between a prong setting and bezel ring setting. I've had both before. Personally I prefer the feel of a bezel but like the look of a diamond better when in prongs.

I see lots of admiration for bezels on here but actually relatively few people seem to choose them for their "main" e-ring.

What do you personally prefer and why? Both aesthetics and practicality...
 
I don’t really like bezels. I have no idea why - I feel like they can look ‘heavy’ and crowd a stone. I only like bezel settings with halos, since it helps the bezel blend out a bit. I would much rather baby a ring or be more mindful of it and have prongs than a bezel. But I don’t mind the look on others - just on myself!
 
Though I’m not a huge fan of bezels, I think they can be beautiful when they are done well. Just like @AllAboardTheBlingTrain, I too prefer them when used in conjunction with a halo.
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I do own this bezeled ring and I’m always surprised by how much I love it. I think the detail work on & around the bezel make it more interesting and the side diamonds sure don’t hurt. :D
791350
 
I actually had my e-ring reset into a bezel setting from a prong setting a few years ago, and I wish it had been in a bezel from the beginning.

Have you seen the bezel settings from Sholdt? They definitely enhance the beauty of a great diamond!
 
I had this dilemma too. I love bezels because they are such low maintenance settings that protect the girdle of the diamond. I'm pretty rough and not very careful with my jewellery. I also like the added coverage the bezel gives but it can be overdone to look bulky.

I also love claw prongs. Something about it just highlights the diamond so well. And I especially like the double claw prongs. So with that I got a faux bezel with prongs lol.
 
I prefer the simplicity and minimal look of prongs.
 
I love bezels! So comfy and easy to wear. In addition, they can enhance the size of the stone.
 
It took me years to come around to a bezel ring because they always looked too contemporary. What worked for me was to look at a lot of examples and then incorporate floral engraving to give it more of a vintage vibe.

I love a bezel for the carefree aspect of not having to worry about individual prongs. However I do love the aesthetic of delicate prongs holding a stone especially when viewing from the side.
 
maryjane04 said:
I had this dilemma too. I love bezels because they are such low maintenance settings that protect the girdle of the diamond. I'm pretty rough and not very careful with my jewellery. I also like the added coverage the bezel gives but it can be overdone to look bulky.

I also love claw prongs. Something about it just highlights the diamond so well. And I especially like the double claw prongs. So with that I got a faux bezel with prongs lol.
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This +1. I love my faux bezel!

Also, bezels (actual or faux) can enhance the facet pattern of your diamond but will also emphasize the tint.
 
I love both, too. But I visually gravitate towards prongs, but prefer bezels for functionality. When I first selected a setting, I went with prongs first. It was a waste of money.

I’ve had claw prongs, a full bezel and semi bezel. I detested the feel of claw prongs, they just pulled little fuzzies and I was aware of them all the time. I had them rebuilt, it didn’t matter.

My semi bezel is about as low maintenance as a full bezel, although it protects the stone less.

I am about to get a sapphire ring with wide tab prongs, I’m curious to see how it feels versus my bezels. I plan to continue experimenting with tab prongs, but not for my everyday ring as I’m too sensitive to “feel” and can’t risk wasting more $$$

I am planning on resetting my current diamond that’s in a semi bezel (for appearance, not comfort), and while I’ve debated back and forth (more than I care to admit) I actually think I need to pick a bezel. I love thin bezels, and think they can look both modern or antique depending on the setting. Their comfort is so far superior it’s hard to compete. I also think my diamond looks BETTER in a bezel! For my OEC it shows off the facets more!
 
secretagentlaura said:
I actually had my e-ring reset into a bezel setting from a prong setting a few years ago, and I wish it had been in a bezel from the beginning.

Have you seen the bezel settings from Sholdt? They definitely enhance the beauty of a great diamond!
Click to expand...

I had a Sholdt setting and I can attest - it was gorgeous and very comfortable! I just ended up being allergic to the white gold alloy it was made in!
 
I love both! I wouldn’t set my engagement ring diamond in one. I prefer prongs for that. Anything other than that I love bezels. I haven’t found them to darken my stones..I have a baby M and a G baby heart diamond that are set in bezels. I also bezeled my smaller studs..They look just as bright as before setting.
 
Thank you everyone, this is super helpful! Lots of good points to consider.

For those who like bezels but wouldn't set their engagement ring in one, can I ask why?

I had a previous full bezel set e ring. I loved it but I never quite felt the (beautiful) OEC was set off to full advantage iyswim. Maybe half bezel is the way to go. I love the Sholdt but can't seem to get it in the UK!

Part of me wonders how much of an issue the safety aspect is. I have always (and would always) remove my ring for sleeping, showering, cooking, cleaning, DIY, gardening etc. But there's always dings and knocks in everyday life - door handles, drawers, scraping and bumping on things. How likely is a prong set diamond to be damaged through a lifetime of this kind of wear...?
 
I love both but I like bezels with colored stones. I think a yellow gold bezel around a green stone like an emerald or a red stone looks so pretty. Also a yellow bezel on a yellow diamond enhances the color. I also like bezels on diamonds when they are vintage style or old cut. But for a big solitaire or a modern diamond I prefer prongs.
 
I love bezels but am picky about them. I need engraving or some other visual interest. A bezel ring is on my "to buy once I find the right stone" list
 
MillieLou said:
Thank you everyone, this is super helpful! Lots of good points to consider.

For those who like bezels but wouldn't set their engagement ring in one, can I ask why?

I had a previous full bezel set e ring. I loved it but I never quite felt the (beautiful) OEC was set off to full advantage iyswim. Maybe half bezel is the way to go. I love the Sholdt but can't seem to get it in the UK!

Part of me wonders how much of an issue the safety aspect is. I have always (and would always) remove my ring for sleeping, showering, cooking, cleaning, DIY, gardening etc. But there's always dings and knocks in everyday life - door handles, drawers, scraping and bumping on things. How likely is a prong set diamond to be damaged through a lifetime of this kind of wear...?
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My ering is a prong set emerald cut and I was very rough on it. I ended up getting a tiny chip on one corner (after 15+ years of wear). When I did a reset, I got the chip buffed out and went from single prong to double claw prongs. Haven't had a problem since. But you actually sound more careful with your rings so I wouldn't worry-you can go either way.
 
Bezels are practical and very easy to wear without worry and have a nice presence to them. I also enjoy the profile of a prong set Diamond, I like to have a visual of the sides.
 
I love prongs and bezels. But bezels IMHO are usually prettier when expertly done.
 
lulu_ma said:
My ering is a prong set emerald cut and I was very rough on it. I ended up getting a tiny chip on one corner (after 15+ years of wear). When I did a reset, I got the chip buffed out and went from single prong to double claw prongs. Haven't had a problem since. But you actually sound more careful with your rings so I wouldn't worry-you can go either way.
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That's very helpful to know @lulu_ma . Do you think the double prongs are more protective? I love the look so that would be a bonus.

This thread is very useful. I have realised I like the overall look of bezel jewellery (including rings), but when I'm wanting all the focus on the centre stone (and to see as much of it as possible), a prong set solitaire may do this better.
 
I love them
they feel safe
and i like seeing a lot of gold setting not just diamond
I only have a small one i wear on my pinky but if i had an ER i would go with this style
 
I love bezels and semi bezels but I’m probably in the minority here as I don’t tend to like haloes, engraving or miligrain. I think I prefer clean lines which leads me to adoring bezels.
 
I love using bezels with colored stones. I prefer to use a partial bezel for diamonds, but only because I love the look of a diamond girdle.

I don't like any embellishment to the bezel. Just a nice burnished edge
 
Having lost the centre stone which was an Imperial jade from the ring my mum lent to me during one drunken work event back in the early 90s, I bezel set all the main stones for the rings, bracelets and a bangle that I commissioned except for one inexpensive small Spinel.

I would rather lose a bit of performance than to lose another stone.

DK :))
 
I'm a fan of bezels, faux bezels, and even prongs. I really make my decision based on the look and feel of the ring I'm going for. I haven't found that any of my bezels (which are all thin) diminish the stone and agree, that they can make a stone look a bit larger if that is something you are aiming for. That being said, if I were choosing a simple solitaire with nothing but the stone, I'd probably choose prongs.
 
I completely agree with @Lisa Loves Shiny that bezels are much harder for the average bench to pull off. My favorite bezel designer is Annette Tillander.
 
molecule said:
I completely agree with @Lisa Loves Shiny that bezels are much harder for the average bench to pull off. My favorite bezel designer is Annette Tillander.
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Wow I have never seen her work before - I love her flower petal bezels! Gorgeous!
 
One of my favorite bezels is the one DK did for @rainydaze with her POH stone. I have adored it since I saw it, and plan to use it as inspo for when I get my own bezel setting. The flower engraving on the sides is freaking TDF!
 
lovedogs said:
One of my favorite bezels is the one DK did for @rainydaze with her POH stone. I have adored it since I saw it, and plan to use it as inspo for when I get my own bezel setting. The flower engraving on the sides is freaking TDF!
Click to expand...

What is POH?

I am hunting and can’t find her ring anywhere! would you mind linking to it?
 
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