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Dainty Engagement
Rings: The
Ultimate Guide

design your own ring

When people think of diamond engagement rings, they tend to imagine a large centre gemstone set upon a sparkling band, glamorous and eye-catching. But for the modern bride sometimes a large diamond just simply isn’t their style. A larger stone can feel flashy and might not suit the daintier, minimalist look that many people are opting for these days.

Not just a style preference, dainty engagement rings can be a good lifestyle choice for someone who works with their hands or doesn’t want to be wearing something cumbersome each day. A dainty engagement ring can be both beautiful and practical. If you are considering a smaller, minimal engagement ring, read through our guide to help you choose the perfect style.

Dainty engagement rings

Below are our most popular styles for dainty engagement rings, including some of our bespoke dainty engagement rings that we’ve made over the years. From small elegant sapphires to petite heart diamonds, our delicate rings are minimal but full of character. Amongst our most popular dainty engagement ring styles are a solitaire and a cluster of tiny diamonds or gemstones.

East west emerald cut diamond set in rose gold with pavé
Emerald cut diamond set in platinum with a twisted band of emeralds and diamond pavé
East west marquise diamond engagement ring set in rose gold
Asscher cut diamond set in a platinum band with engraving
Rose gold dainty engagement ring with a round diamond and engraving
Round brilliant diamond set in yellow gold with engraving
Round brilliant diamond set in platinum with ruby accent stones
Pear shaped teal sapphire set in platinum with black diamond pavé
Marquise diamond set in yellow gold thin band

Characteristics of dainty engagement rings

Dainty engagement rings usually begin with a thin band on which to set gemstones, diamonds, and other design features. A thin band usually ranges from 1.6mm to 2mm in order to achieve a slender, minimal look. Thin bands can be made in either yellow gold, rose gold, white gold or platinum. A delicate engagement ring can also feature a pavé band set with tiny sparkling diamonds. When made with high quality metal, even the slimmest band will be robust and will be able to hold gemstones securely. Another advantage of a thin band is that it allows your centre stone to appear larger, thereby drawing more attention to the diamond.

Although some are made with slim bands, dainty engagement rings can be made with normal band widths as well and with smaller centre gemstones.You can also choose to set a minimal amount of stones on the band to give the ring a delicate appearance without a smaller band size. A dainty diamond ring can feature a centre stone size of about 0.25-0.60ct, or a cluster of smaller gemstones that sit in an intricate pattern or shape on the ring. Diamonds come in an array of shapes, a small pear or marquise diamond would look beautiful set upon a thin band.

comparing diamond sizes and carat weights

Because of the slimmer bands and smaller centre stone sizes, a dainty engagement ring is typically a more budget friendly option compared to a more classic engagement ring design. The Demure, one of our most popular solitaire engagement rings, starts at £570 excluding the price of the centre diamond. The Dulcet, our thin band engagement ring with pavé, starts at £1,170 excluding the price of the centre diamond. The final price of your engagement ring will depend on the exact size and shape of your centre diamond or gemstone, but a smaller centre stone will make your ring more affordable.

Metals for dainty engagement rings

Dainty engagement rings usually feature thin bands between 1.6mm and 2mm wide. The result is an elegant and subtle look as the glint of the precious metal holding your centre gemstone or cluster catches the light. We cast our delicate bands in strong metals such as 18ct yellow gold, white gold, or rose gold. 18ct gold is a durable metal made up of an alloy of 75% pure gold, and 25% other metals, with the blend of metal alloys depending on the colour of the gold. This is because pure gold is too soft to make into jewellery, so gold is always mixed with other precious metals such as silver or copper to strengthen the metal. The result is a metal durable enough for everyday use and hard enough to be made into a thin band gold ring.

Platinum is also an excellent choice for a dainty engagement ring as it’s a very robust metal that can withstand wear and tear. Crafted from 95% pure platinum and 5% other metals, platinum is dense and malleable making it perfect for a delicate engagement ring or a dainty wedding band.

Advantages of a thin band

There are many benefits to thin bands. The simple design makes it perfect for those who are a minimalist at heart and love all things understated. A dainty ring or wedding band has a soft and subtle feel that can easily match with other jewellery. Thin bands tend to stack well with wedding or anniversary bands, making a thin band a perfect addition to your jewellery collection. A thin band allows the centre stone to appear larger, which is a big advantage. Thin bands are also less expensive, as they require a smaller amount of gold or platinum.

Disadvantages of a thin band

There are however a few disadvantages of a thin band. Firstly, they can potentially be susceptible to bending and losing their shape due to the slim structure of the ring’s shank. This is usually preventable if your band is over 1.6mm, however it’s best to avoid wearing your ring when using your hands for anything too strenuous, rough, or repetitive.

Diamonds and gemstones for dainty engagement rings

For a dainty minimal engagement ring there are a wide range of centre diamonds and gemstones you can choose for your design. Diamonds can be cut into a number of unique and interesting shapes, so if you’re already looking for something alternative with a dainty engagement ring, take the time to browse through all the diamond shapes we offer in our diamond search tool on our website. We recommend either a cluster of small diamonds or gemstones, or a centre stone of about 0.25-0.60ct.

A dainty diamond engagement ring would be perfect for a minimalist bride. An advantage of a delicate engagement ring is that you can pair a few accent stones to make a cluster ring, such as two trillion cut diamonds or multiple baguette diamonds. Diamonds come in a range of beautiful colours, with either yellow or black diamonds being the most popular choice for differently coloured diamonds. Black diamonds are typically used as accent stones, but would make a beguiling centre gemstone.

For a contrasting look, pair a larger diamond centre stone with a thin band. Cuts such as an emerald cut diamond, oval cut, or round brilliant cut would look beautiful on a dainty band as the diamonds will appear to be of a larger size due to the smaller band size.

Coloured gemstones also come in all shapes and sizes, working well to offer a burst of colour that makes any engagement ring more dynamic. A sapphire can be found in a range of colours, not just blue. Sapphires can be yellow, orange, pink, or purple. A small emerald would be a stunning centre gemstone, the intensity of the green would contrast beautifully on a rose gold or platinum band.

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