Channel Setting

In a channel setting, diamonds are suspended between two vertical metal walls that run along the band, sitting side by side within the channel and held by the pressure of the walls and a small lip at the top of each one, with no prongs or beads anywhere. The result is a smooth, continuous surface where the diamonds sit flush with the surrounding metal, and the setting is most often used for accent diamonds along the band of an engagement ring, or for a full eternity band.

The jeweller creates the channel by cutting a groove into the band, or by building two parallel walls, then places the diamonds in one by one, with a small ledge on each wall holding them at the right height before the walls are tightened to lock the stones in. The diamonds have to be closely matched in size so they sit cleanly within the channel with no gaps.

Round brilliant accent diamonds are the most common, because the circular shape leaves minimal gaps between stones, while princess cut accents fit together with almost no metal showing between them for a continuous run of sparkle. Baguette diamonds in a channel give a more Art Deco look. The channel is designed for accent stones, so the centre stone always sits in a separate head.

A full channel covers the entire visible band with diamonds, while a half channel sets stones along the top half only and leaves the underside as plain metal for comfort and easier sizing. A tapered channel narrows as it approaches the centre stone, which creates an elegant visual flow, and a bar channel uses small metal bars between each diamond rather than continuous walls, which lets more light in.

A channel setting is one of the best choices for an active lifestyle, since the flush profile means nothing catches on clothing, gloves or equipment, and it is popular with healthcare workers, fitness enthusiasts and anyone who works with their hands. The one thing to weigh up is sizing, because if your finger size changes a lot, resizing a channel-set band is more involved than resizing a plain one.

A channel setting is moderately priced, because the precision needed to cut the channel and match the diamonds adds cost, though there are no individual prongs to fabricate. The accent diamonds are usually small, around 0.01 to 0.05 carats each, and relatively inexpensive, so a channel-set band typically adds a few hundred dollars to the ring price depending on the stone count and quality, and lab-grown accent diamonds keep that down.