Vol. I · May 2026
put a ring on it
An editorial on the small, circular things we keep
Archive · Page 13
No. 122

What is the difference between a cathedral and a solitaire setting?

A solitaire is one stone. A cathedral is a structural detail where the shank rises up to meet the center stone, shoulders arching like the name suggests....

No. 123

How do I take care of an engagement ring with a pave setting?

The first thing to understand about an engagement ring with a pavé setting is that those tiny stones are not decorations. A pavé band can hold anywhere...

No. 124

What is moissanite and how does it compare to diamond?

Moissanite is a beautiful stone. It is not a diamond, and I tell every client that before we go any further. The stone is silicon carbide, grown in a lab,...

No. 125

What is an open engagement ring style?

I've built open engagement ring styles for exactly four clients in the last seven years, and two of them came back within a year for tightening. That's not...

No. 126

How do I propose if she's shy about public attention?

Last October, a client I'll call Daniel sat in my studio for forty minutes asking about ring sizing. He didn't want to talk about the diamond, the setting,...

No. 127

How do I choose a ring that will be comfortable for daily wear?

Last February a client named Marcus came in with a 2.4mm platinum band he’d ordered online. The stone was set low, the finish was clean, and it looked right...

No. 128

Can I stack multiple bands with an engagement ring?

Last spring Nicole came in with her grandmother's engagement ring, a 0.9 carat old European cut in a worn 14k yellow gold setting, and a box of five bands...

No. 129

How do I find out her ring preferences through her social media?

Likes are almost meaningless. Saves are where people park things they actually want. If you’re trying to figure out her ring preferences through her social...

No. 130

How do I handle it if her family offers a heirloom ring I don't want to use?

Last spring a client named Daniel sat in my studio with a ring box he hadn't opened. Inside was an heirloom ring, a 1980s marquise cluster in 14k yellow...

No. 131

How do I pick a ring that will age well as her style evolves?

Most rings don't age badly because of the stone. They age badly because they were built as a snapshot of a moment, not as a piece of jewelry meant to live...

A letter, every other Sunday.

One essay, one object, one quiet recommendation — delivered slowly, the way these things ought to be.