Solitaire Engagement Rings for Women
A solitaire puts one diamond on a plain band and leaves everything else out. That is the whole design, and it is why the ring suits so many hands and so many styles. This collection covers eight diamond shapes in natural, lab-grown and fancy color stones, set in 10K, 14K or 18K gold. If you want to compare other settings first, start with our full range of women's engagement rings.
Why Choose a Solitaire Engagement Ring
With only one stone, the diamond gets all the attention. There are no side stones to match, no halo to clean, and very little hardware between the diamond and your finger. That makes a solitaire easy to wear every day and easy to pair with a wedding band later.
The simplicity also makes the diamond's quality matter more. Cut, color and clarity have nowhere to hide, so it is worth spending a little time on the shape and the grade before you pick a setting. If you are still deciding between styles, our comparison of solitaire vs halo engagement rings lays out the trade-offs, and the solitaire engagement rings buying guide covers settings, prongs and sizing in more detail.
Pick Your Diamond Shape
The shape changes the look of a solitaire more than any other choice. Here is how the main ones differ.
Round
The round brilliant has 58 facets arranged to send light back through the top of the stone, which is why it looks so bright. It sits evenly in a four- or six-prong setting and works with nearly any band. Browse our round diamond engagement rings, or read the round cut guide if you want the details on proportions.
Oval
An oval has the same brilliant faceting as a round but an elongated outline. Because the length runs along the finger, it tends to look larger than a round of the same carat weight and can make the hand look longer. Shop oval cut engagement rings or see the oval cut buying guide.
Cushion
A cushion cut has rounded corners and soft sides, closer to a pillow than a square. It has a warmer, slightly vintage feel and holds up well in everyday wear because there are no sharp corners to catch. Our cushion cut engagement rings include one-carat natural and three-carat lab-grown options.
Emerald
The emerald cut is a rectangle with long, stepped facets. Instead of sparkle you get flashes of light and a clear look into the stone, which also means inclusions are easier to see. If you choose this shape, go a grade higher on clarity than you might for a round. Explore emerald cut engagement rings.
Princess
The princess cut is a square brilliant with sharp corners. It gives you the sparkle of a round in a modern, geometric outline. A prong on each corner protects the points. See our princess cut engagement rings.
Radiant
A radiant is a rectangle or square with trimmed corners and brilliant faceting. It looks more lively than an emerald cut and more structured than an oval. The selection is smaller than the other shapes, so browse the radiant cut engagement rings early if this is the one you want.
Pear and Marquise
Both shapes have a point and an elongated line, and both look bigger than their carat weight suggests. Pear is a rounded teardrop. Marquise is a pointed oval, and it is one of the strongest choices if you want a solitaire that looks different from the usual round. We carry pear shape engagement rings and marquise diamond engagement rings in the same solitaire settings.
Natural, Lab-Grown or Fancy Color
You can build a solitaire around any of three diamond types.
Natural diamonds are mined. Many buyers choose them for their origin and rarity. See our natural diamond engagement rings.
Lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical makeup and look as natural ones, and they usually cost less per carat, so the same budget often buys a larger or higher-grade stone. Browse lab-grown diamond engagement rings, or read our lab diamond vs natural diamond guide before you decide.
Fancy color diamonds come in pink, yellow, blue and green. A single colored stone on a plain band makes a quiet statement. Our colored lab diamond engagement rings are the place to start.
On certification, our listings note that lab-grown diamonds of one carat and above are IGI certified, and that orders over $500 include a third-party jewelry certificate. Check the product page for the stone you choose.
Choosing the Metal
Our solitaires are made in solid gold, in 10K, 14K or 18K, and in yellow, white or rose. Yellow gold has a warm, traditional look and tends to make a white diamond look brighter by contrast. White gold looks closest to platinum and is coated in rhodium, which may need refreshing over the years. Rose gold has a soft pink tone and is a little tougher than the others because of its copper content.
Higher karat means more gold and a richer color. Lower karat is harder and costs less. Our 14K vs 18K gold guide walks through the choice, and the engagement ring metals guide compares every option side by side. If platinum is on your list, the platinum vs gold guide explains how it compares.
Classic, Vintage-Inspired and Modern Solitaires
Most of our solitaires use a plain band and a four-prong head. That is the classic version, and our classic engagement rings guide shows how far you can vary it with prong count and band width.
For a vintage feel, look at cushion and emerald shapes, then read our vintage engagement rings guide for Victorian and Art Deco details. If you want something less expected, bezel settings, curved bands and east-west stones all keep the single-stone idea. The unique engagement rings guide has more ideas. And if none of these match what you have in mind, you can ask about a custom design.
Pairing a Solitaire With a Wedding Band
A solitaire is easy to match. A plain gold band keeps the look clean. A diamond band adds shine along the finger. A curved band or ring enhancer fits snugly against the diamond and removes the gap that a straight band can leave under some shapes.
Start with our women's wedding bands. For a closer fit, see curved wedding bands and ring enhancers. To add more stones, there are eternity bands and half eternity rings. Our guide on how to choose a wedding band for your engagement ring covers metal match, width and shape.
How to Choose Your Solitaire
Work through it in this order.
- Shape. This has the biggest effect on how the ring looks, so settle it first.
- Diamond type. Natural, lab-grown or fancy color. This mostly decides the budget.
- Metal. Pick one that matches the jewelry you already wear.
- Size. Know the ring size before you order. Our size guide helps, and our returns and exchange policy explains what happens if the fit is off.
If you are working to a number, read how to decide an engagement ring budget first. Prices on our solitaire collection start at a few hundred dollars for one-carat natural diamond rings, and you can see each price on the product page.
Find Your Solitaire at Diagaa
If you already know the shape you want, go straight to it from the list above. If you are still deciding, begin with the engagement ring buying guide, then come back and filter this collection by shape, diamond type and metal. Questions about a specific ring are welcome through our contact page.
