Hey, it’s Jenessa.

In today’s issue:

• The rise of oval center hidden halo engagement rings—why they’re stealing the spotlight

• Celebrity influencers and designers driving the trend

• Tips to master production and incorporate this design into your work

• …plus a little extra inspiration along the way!

First time reading? Sign up here.

DEEP DIVE

The Unstoppable Oval Hidden Halo Engagement Ring

It's a classic and elegant design with a touch of personality—a hidden under bezel of diamonds visible only from the side view.

It's sexy, like showing a little thigh.

I can pinpoint the start date when the hidden halo oval engagement ring started trending.

It's 2012. Barack Obama is president, and fashion-forward actress and business founder Blake Lively was just proposed to by the ever-so-charming actor and master marketer Ryan Reynolds. 

Pop culture tabloids followed their relationship, and the paparazzi desperately tried to get a snap of the engagement ring.

Once the image hit, jewelry stores nationwide started receiving requests for similar rings, and it quickly became THE style to reproduce.

Let's break down the design…

New York-based celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz collaborated with Ryan Reynolds on Blake Lively's two-toned engagement ring, sourcing a rare, flawless 12-carat light pink oval diamond.

Since the 2020 closure of the Argyle Mine in Western Australia—which supplied 90% of the world's pink diamonds—these gems have become even rarer and more valuable.

The ring features a pink 4-prong crown, likely cast in 14k rose gold to compliment the pink diamond, with a hidden halo of white diamonds supporting the stone.

The ring's shank, or band, is crafted from a white metal—most likely platinum—and is encrusted with a three-sided pavé of white diamonds.

The design's timeless appeal resurfaced in 2018 when musician Justin Bieber proposed to model and Rhode Skin founder Hailey Baldwin, now known as Hailey Bieber.

Justin collaborated with NYC-based jeweler Jack Solow of Solow & Co. to create a ring that matched Hailey's minimalist aesthetic, opting for a sleek, polished 18k yellow gold band…

WITH?!….

A hidden halo with white diamonds!

This design remains incredibly popular, so let's walk through how to set up the computer model, allowing you to introduce your unique version of the hidden halo to your clients.

PRODUCTION TIP

How to Layout the Hidden Halo Design in Your Work

1. Hidden Halo Placement

The hidden halo is also referred to as an under bezel. This design element is usually the same diameter as the center stone or slightly smaller.

2. Stone Layout and Color Coded Guide:

0.80mm (Blue): This hidden halo design features ultra-petite diamonds with a recommended size of 0.80mm. It works best with diamonds ranging from 0.80mm to 1.10mm.

1.10mm (Chartreuse): Calculate the hidden halo's width by adding the stone's diameter plus 0.15mm of extra material on each side.

For example:

0.15mm + 0.80mm (stone diameter) + 0.15mm = 1.10mm total hidden halo width.

0.10mm (Teal): In this setting style, tolerances are typically very tight, with the distance between stones ranging from 0.1mm to 0.15mm.

3. Final Model

Here's how your model should look for casting: the small dots (a Boolean difference of ~0.40mm) guide the stone layout. Including these guides in the casting process reduces jeweler labor.

Traditionally, the hidden halo features diamonds set in a castle-cut style setting.

THAT’S A WRAP

Before you go please tell me 👇🏼

See you next Sunday,

-Jenessa Dee

The Jewelry Obsessed, is a supportive network for jewelry professionals. I'm Jenessa, a jewelry designer and fine jeweler with over 20 years of experience working with studios nationwide. Here, we talk design trends, embrace technology and share production techniques and time-saving insights to help you create jewelry people can't live without.