Choosing a ring should be fun, but it can be confusing if you're suddenly confronted with term upon term that describes jewelry in ways you're not sure about. Some terms can also seem so similar that it's difficult to know what they truly refer to. It helps if you can figure out which terms in a description refer to a setting or a gem-cut style, but if you aren't familiar with the terms to begin with, don't worry. A quick review of some names for what look like similar settings should clear things up.

Eternity Band: Around and Around

The term "eternity" refers to a setting that takes up a whole ring band, with the design looping around the entire exterior of the band. Eternity bands are commonly formed with a single row of stones, often diamonds, although any design can qualify. You can have an eternity band made with moonstones, for example, or made with a repeating floral etching in the metal of the band. The stones can be of any cut, as long as they run along the entire band.

The two issues to be aware of when buying an eternity band are the profile of the designs or stones, the stability of the stones, and the adhesive or prongs used to hold them in. Because the design runs all the way around the ring, that design will rub against the skin on adjacent fingers. You want to be sure that the design is smooth enough and low enough (such as stones set in the band with their crown, or top faceted portion, level with the metal of the band) that your skin won't be irritated and the stones won't fall out.

Pavé Setting: Paving a Path

Pavé is a setting that looks like a path paved with stones that are held in by prongs, beads, or adhesive. Pavé usually involves two or more adjacent rows of stones running along a portion of the jewelry's surface, although you may see one row given the name "pavé," especially if the stones run down the sides of a ring shank around a central design. Don't confuse pavé with channel settings, in which a lip on either side of the stones holds them in, forming what looks like a channel. The stones used in pavé are small, often tiny. They're usually round, but there's nothing stopping you from getting, say, emerald-cut micro-diamonds put in a pavé setting.

Calibré Cut: Close and Cozy

Calibré is an interesting type of cut in which stones are cut in an emerald-like form and then wedged together so closely that it looks like nothing is in between the stones. Because this is a type of cut, it's suitable for many settings including eternity bands. You can have multiple rows of calibré-cut stones, too, for a pavé-like setting.

One of the joys of rings and jewelry is that there are so many options available. You can customize an eternity band with emerald-cut diamonds, for example, or come up with another design. It's really a matter of what you can afford, what the jeweler's skill will let them do, and the laws of physics.

For more information, contact a local company, like Mike Nekta New York.