1.5 Carat Princess Hidden Halo Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Ring
A 1.5ct princess cut Lab-Grown Diamond, D–F color, VS+ clarity, IGI certified, held in four prongs, one over each corner above a hidden halo of pavé diamonds, on a slim tapered band in solid 14K gold. Made to order in 7 to 10 business days on my bench in Woodside, Queens.
What is a hidden halo?
A ring of small diamonds set around the outside of the basket, below the center stone, facing outward rather than up. From directly above you do not see it — the ring reads as a clean solitaire. From the side, and every time her hand moves, a band of light appears underneath the stone. It is a detail for the wearer rather than something announced across a room.
How does a square basket change the halo?
It has corners, and corners are where a hidden halo is either done properly or fudged. The accent stones have to turn ninety degrees four times, and at each turn the spacing wants to open up. A careless build rounds the halo off into a soft square that no longer echoes the stone above it. Mine is set square, with the corner stones tightened so the halo reads as the same outline as the diamond it sits under — which is the only reason to put a halo beneath a princess in the first place.
Does it make the diamond look bigger?
No. A traditional halo surrounds the stone face-up and enlarges the outline. A hidden halo sits underneath, so face-up you see exactly what this princess gives you — about 6.5mm square. What it adds is depth in the side profile.
How many diamonds are in the halo?
Eighteen to twenty-two round accents depending on basket size, each matched to the center for color. Bead-set by hand rather than channel-set, so each sits individually and catches light on its own.
Does it sit higher than a solitaire?
Slightly. The halo needs room beneath the stone, so the head sits a touch taller than the plain princess solitaire. On most hands the difference is not noticeable in wear. If she works with her hands or has asked for a low profile, the plain solitaire is the better ring.
What color and clarity is the center diamond?
D through F, the colorless range, and VS+ clarity, eye-clean at any angle. Color matching matters more here than on a solitaire because the halo sits directly against the center. A warm halo under a colorless stone is the most common tell of a cheaply built hidden halo, and it shows from the side where the halo is meant to be seen. The IGI report for the center stone ships with the ring.
Which wedding band fits it?
A contoured band. There is a second gallery under the head — an extra rail of gold beneath the basket that carries the stone’s weight and stops the prongs flexing over years of wear — and the hidden halo sits on top of it. A straight band meets the gallery rather than the shank and stands off. A curved band dips at the center, clears both and nests flush. I make both to order — or start with the plain contour band or the pavé contour.
How long does it take, and can it be resized?
Made to order in 7 to 10 business days, sizes 4 through 9 including halves. Resizing is complimentary within 60 days of delivery, craftsmanship carries a lifetime warranty, and you have 14 days to return it if it is not right and you have not had it engraved. It ships fully insured in our signature suede pouch with the IGI report.
Want a different weight or shape?
The same hidden halo runs at 2ct, 2.5ct, and in every shape I cut. To compare shapes, start with the diamond shape guide. Anything not on the site, I build custom.
Who makes it?
I do. One bench, one pair of hands, in a workshop in Woodside, Queens. Nothing here sits in a case waiting for a buyer — yours is cast, set and finished after you order it.
