Coloured gemstones · Engagement rings
Arvind and Karina’s oval diamond engagement ring with hidden sapphires
From above, Arvind and Karina’s engagement ring appears to be a refined oval diamond solitaire. Look beneath the centre stone, however, and two Australian sapphires reveal the detail that made the commission entirely their own.
- Stone
- 1.65ct IGI-certified oval lab-grown diamond with two Australian sapphires
- Metal
- 18-carat yellow gold
- Signature detail
- Hidden sapphires within the setting basket
The brief
Arvind and Karina came to Michael with reference images and ideas for the design. Their clearest request was a hidden detail: two round sapphires incorporated into the setting rather than displayed prominently beside the centre diamond. Michael’s role was to translate those ideas into a ring that felt balanced on the hand, kept the oval diamond visually clean and gave the sapphires a secure, considered place within the structure.
The decisions behind the design
The centre diamond is secured by four claws arranged north, south, east and west. This cardinal setting keeps the outline of the oval open and visible while giving the stone a strong, symmetrical frame. Michael selected a 1.65-carat centre stone to give the presence and finger coverage the couple wanted, then developed a setting basket capable of holding a sapphire on each side without allowing the additional detail to compete with the solitaire from above.
The stones and materials
At the centre is an IGI-certified, 1.65-carat oval lab-grown diamond with D colour and VVS2 clarity. The ring is handcrafted in 18-carat yellow gold. Two 2mm round Australian sapphires are set into the sides of the basket, one beneath each side of the diamond.
Craftsmanship in the details
The setting basket had to hold both sapphires securely while remaining open enough for their colour to be seen from the side. Resolving that structure required careful control of the basket, claws and proportions so the hidden detail felt integral to the ring rather than added afterwards.
The finished piece
The ring changes as it is viewed. From above, the elongated oval diamond and north–south, east–west claws create a clean, balanced solitaire. From either side, the sapphires appear within the sculpted basket — a private detail built into the architecture of the ring.
Design development
From concept to finished piece
Selected development images show how the proportions, setting and structure were resolved before the piece was made.
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