There are so many different types of wedding bands to get. All of these have different gems, amounts of gems, bands, styles, colors, etc.
If you are sure about one thing and that is you want a solitaire band (only one gem) then you have come to the right place.
This article judges these top 10 wedding bands based on thickness, band design, number of bands, gem holding shape, prong count, and engravings, as well as focusing on minimalist and maximalist designs.
To make it on this list the solitaire ring should emphasize the gem, hold it securely in place no matter the size, and create no gaps or awkward space.
It can also have designs on the band, can be any color, and can hold any gem.
The rings on this list were found after looking at various brands and most (if not all) of their solitaire styles.
1. Platinum Split Shank Double Claw Solitaire
This ring has a double claw. This means that there are the basic four prongs, but then there are four more prongs in the same area.
It secures the gem and doesn’t cover it in too many prongs.
A rectangular gem with six prongs can look bulky and cover up the gem too much, this would work great with any type of gem to keep it secure and not cover it up too much.
One thing you’ll probably notice is these prongs leave a lot of empty space around the gem as the band molds to latch onto the gem.
This adds a bit of flair to the gem and doesn’t really leave awkward space.
Although there is some space behind the gem where the band has a gap before it becomes more claws, it can’t be seen under most circumstances.
Because of this, I can forgive the unused space!
2. Platinum Ribbon Bypass Solitaire
This ring is way different from what we have looked at so far and the difference is in the band.
This brand doesn’t really have prongs perse (although it technically has two, one at the top and one at the bottom).
However, it is still secured by the band as it folds a bit around the gem at the top left corner and the bottom right corner.
It also has a secure ring in the back that holds the gem in place.
The band has a medium thickness that becomes a thicker sheet when it folds around the gem.
It also splits off on either side to create two little branches that help frame the gem.
The spacing looks a little awkward at first because these branches don’t touch the gem and just hang behind the gem.
However, this creates a big emphasis on the gem because the branches help frame it.
On your hand, the gem is the star of the show with every part of the band leading up to it. It also is a more unique design that is bound to attract some compliments.
3. Solitaire Ring Setting
This ring has a very minimalist design. It is a plain band that you can choose the color of and has a big spot to show off the gem.
The four prongs that hold the gem in place can be changed to a different color in any version you find on Jared’s website.
This helps to add a hit of color and to blend in with the gem because diamonds are often the main choice for solitaire rings.
When it comes to solitaire rings, the smaller the band, the more the gem will stick out.
People usually get solitaire rings for two reasons: simplicity and/or to emphasize the gem and this ring does both.
4. Zac Posen Triple Band Solitaire Diamond
This ring has four prongs with a thicker band. The band divides from the back into three thin bands that connect back together at the gem.
The middle band is a different color from the various colors this band comes in.
This thicker band does still offer the same effect as the smaller band in emphasizing the gem because the middle band changes color.
For those who like bigger bands, this is a great ring that is simple with a bit more style and isn’t too overwhelming in the design.
The spacing with the split in the bands isn’t too much because the gaps are even and the bands connect back together.
5. Diamond Solitaire Ring Setting
This ring like the first one has different color prongs than the band that blends in with the gem really well.
It has four prongs and a medium thickness band, not too thick and not too thin.
This thickness is great for the twisted design they incorporate into the band so it has room to be seen.
It is also kept thin enough for the band to leave a lot of emphasis on the gem. This ring style can be found in various other colors of bands as well.
6. Petite Nouveau 6-Prong Solitaire
This ring has six prongs instead of the usual four. Four pronged rings are very common for keeping the gem secure and it does the trick.
However, if you worry too much about losing that precious diamond a six-prong ring would be a lot better fit for you.
A four-pronged ring with a rectangle-shaped gem looks a lot less stable since it holds the corners as opposed to a six-prong which would hold all the corners and sides.
There aren’t as many rings with six prongs.
Usually, they have simpler designs and only one or two optional features.
This ring follows that theme with a plain band with a medium thickness. This ring also comes in a variety of colors for the band.
7. Solitaire Diamond Knife Edge
This ring has five prongs and can hold a heart-shaped gem.
This is perfect for a romantic! Heart-shaped gems are fairly unusual for wedding bands, so they need a different mechanism to hold them in place.
A 5-pronged band is great and keeps the more difficult shape of a heart in place so you won’t lose that thousand-dollar gem.
The band itself has a medium thickness but then thins out on the edges like a knife.
Though luckily, it is not as sharp as a knife and won’t hurt you if you wear it unless you keep your hand in a tight fist all day.
In that case, it might leave a dent in the skin, but that’s true of any ring.
This band style gives the illusion of a thinner band because it is quite thick upon first glance before thinning out.
And since it is made for a heart-shaped gem, the bottom of the gem sticks out. This balances out the band’s thicker edge and leaves more emphasis on the gem.
Another style that didn’t quite make the list is this three-pronged ring, which holds a pear-shaped gem. It has a good band with a medium thickness.
This thickness works with this ring because the pear top shape sticks out a lot more on top.
However, it didn’t make the list because if you look at a side view of this ring there is some awkward space at the top where the top prong meets the gem.
And this gem looks to be a little more unstable because there are only three prongs.
8. Matte Two-Tone Solitaire Diamond
This ring has a very thick band. It also doesn’t have much of a design to it.
But the inside of the band is a different color, which doesn’t make much sense at first. Who is going to see the inside of the band but you?
If you look at the hand modeling photos of the band you can see a hint of the color on the edges of the band.
It also blends the ring a bit into your skin because rose gold can match a couple of different skin tones.
The thickness of the band also makes it great for bigger gems. Smaller gems will look even smaller compared to the band, but a bigger gem will stand out.
Here is one example where the band, even at a medium thickness, is way too big for the tiny gem they picked out.
The gem is about the same size as the band.
When picking a gem for your band, make sure that it will be bigger than the band. Otherwise, the band overtakes the attention from the gem and it looks even smaller.
9. Hand-Engraved Solitaire
This ring has a lot more detail on the band. On the outside of the band, it has a seashell-type pattern that is framed with little dots.
These dots continue along all the edges, except for where the gem is.
On the top and bottom of the band, it has a pattern that kind resembles the edges of a maple leave; or feathers pushing something outwards.
This band’s thickness is great to hold the intricate pattern and give enough emphasis to the gem.
I will say that the patter has an awkward stop at the very back of the ring. It just pauses around where it says the brand.
I am not the biggest fan of that awkward stop, but it won’t be seen as much by anyone who looks at the ring or the wearer because it will be on the inside of the hand most of the time.
10. Vesper Solitaire
This ring has a very thick and plain band like some of the others we have seen before.
With the thicker band, we know that this ring is a better fit for bigger gems too.
The gem is not held on by prongs. Instead, it is held on the ring by a case the wraps around the whole gem, except for the top.
This ring has the option for various shapes such as circles, ovals, pears, squares, etc.
Heart-shaped gems aren’t currently an option for most rings, but maybe someday that will be possible!
The only downside to this type of holder for the gem is that it hides a lot of the sparkle.
With prongs, you can still see the shiny gem from the side. This one only lets you see a sparkly top if you are looking right at it from an aerial angle.
On the other hand, this shape does keep the gem cleaner and you won’t have to worry as much about cleaning in-between prongs.
Along with this shape comes the idea that it could just drop right out. Prongs usually curl over the top to keep it from falling out, while this one doesn’t really do that.
Despite the case that wraps about the gem, it still shows it off enough to let it sparkle. Unlike this ring which completely swallowed the gem, how on earth are you supposed to see it?!
Shopping tip: if you go to the third picture on any of the rings on Brilliant Earth’s website it lets you change the skin ton of the model to match yours.
You can just slide a dot between lighter and darker so you can see how the ring would look with your skin tone.
Honorable Mention
I don’t know about you, but the first time I heard the term “Solitaire ring” I imagined the card game. So if you like the fun turn of phrase, or just love to play solitaire, you can follow this link for a literal solitaire-themed solitaire ring!
There is no need for a gem on this ring because its only gem is an Ace of Spades in the center.
It also has two spades on the sides that point at the Ace, giving it a lot of emphasis. Its band starts out with a medium thickness then becomes thicker.
This thickness gives plenty of room for the spade design and enough space to add the ace on top.
This may not be a great choice for an engagement ring (unless your partner is a card dealer) but it’s definitely a fun idea!