Prong, channel and bezel
- Prong setting
- Metal shaped into claws grips the diamond, showing its brilliance from every angle. Classic styles are named by the number of prongs: three, four or six.
- Channel setting
- Small diamonds sit between two parallel strips of metal. It is mostly used for pieces whose main stones are small, or that have no center stone.
- Bezel setting
- A rim of precious metal encloses the diamond below the girdle in a metal mount. The base can be closed with metal or left fully open, and a bezel-set diamond is very secure.
Tension, bar and pavé
- Tension setting
- Also called a clamp or pressure setting. The metal presses inward on the diamond's girdle and holds it by tension, so the stone seems to float in the metal.
- Bar setting
- Also called a shared-prong setting. Fine metal bars hold each diamond separately, or two neighboring diamonds share a pair of bars, for a look that is rich yet delicate.
- Pavé setting
- Also called a bead setting. Small beads are raised with a tool from the metal at the edge of each seat to hold the diamonds, and the setting also adds sparkle to the center stone.
