There are so many reasons to love oval engagement rings. Apart from their sophisticated timeless vibe that appeals to women who love traditional elegance, they offer that extra unique factor. They are brilliantly sparkly, look larger due to their elongated shape, and star in a range of designer settings. Oval engagement rings celebrate creativity; their oval shape symbolises the promise of children and family or new love and a life together. Find your forever oval engagement ring in our designer collections.

• Oval engagement ring styles
• Oval diamond engagement rings
• Gold oval engagement rings

Five oval engagement ring styles you will love

An oval engagement ring includes any oval-cut gemstone, such as a diamond, sapphire or ruby. An oval-cut stone may be incorporated into any setting to make beautiful and meaningful engagement rings.

Solitaire: Forever in vogue, the solitaire ring features a single gemstone on a usually simple band, offsetting the beauty and brilliance of the stone perfectly.

Halo: Another classic style, this one has smaller stones encircling a larger one creating a halo effect around the sparkle of the central stone. The halo works beautifully not just with diamonds but also with coloured gemstones like the ruby or sapphire in the centre, surrounded by glittering diamonds. Oval halos make the ring appear bigger while keeping it classy.

Three-stone: The trilogy of stones in this captivating style bears a special significance. They point to the past, present and future of the engaged couple. Play with this style by choosing a coloured gemstone for the oval central stone flanked by diamonds or vice versa to add flair to this vintage design.

Pavé: This style has the shank literally paved with tiny diamonds to create a river of fire exuding pure elegance and offsetting an oval central stone to perfection.

East-west setting: To create further interest, jewellery designers opt for an east-west setting so that the oval of the gemstone lies sideways instead of perpendicular to the band for a sleek minimalist look.

Oval diamond engagement rings

Introduced by diamond cutter, Lazare Kaplan, in 1957, modern oval-cut diamonds provide excellent brilliance, durability and style. They appeal to brides with classic taste, but who are looking for something a bit unique.

The oval diamond cut is

Brilliant
Round and oval diamonds both fall into the category of brilliant cut diamonds, which are so-called because they are cut in such a way as to maximize the diamond’s brilliance. With 58 facets, round diamonds deliver fantastic white light reflection. Oval diamonds are typically cut with 57-58 facets, so have the potential to deliver just as much sparkle.

Fancy
A unique alternative to the classic round brilliant diamond, the oval shape is fresh and feminine, it nevertheless has a timeless appeal, more so than other fancy cuts such as marquise or pear.

Appears bigger
An oval cut diamond of equal carat weight will appear larger than a round cut diamond because of the oblong design. When set perpendicular to the ring band, the elongated oval shape can also make the finger seem longer.

Functional and glamorous
Because it doesn't have sharp angles or corners, an oval gemstone is less prone to chipping compared to other fancy shapes, making it the perfect pairing of functional and glamorous

Your "oval" engagement ring questions answered

What is the best setting for an oval diamond?
The prong is one of the best settings for oval diamonds. Being the most common and classic setting type, it leaves most of the stone visible and allows more light to enter the diamond, increasing its brilliance. Most prong settings feature either four or six prongs.

Are all oval-cut diamonds the same shape?
No. Some oval-cut diamonds are short and wide, while other oval-shaped diamonds are long and slim. As you shop for oval-cut centre diamonds, consider the length-to-width ratio. A ratio of 1:2 will appear more round, while a ratio of 1:5 will appear thinner and longer.

Are oval-cut engagement rings more expensive than round engagement rings?
No, while oval cuts are rarer than round and princess-cut diamonds, they are also in less demand.

Will an oval engagement ring go out of style?
Much loved by the sophisticated woman, the oval engagement ring is not only a trending choice, but it also has a timeless vintage feel that never goes out of style.

Oval engagement rings in gold

Gold in all its varieties of hues – feminine rose, contemporary white or warm yellow – is still the most popular choice of the precious metal as a setting for oval engagement rings. When you buy a gold engagement ring it is important to understand hallmarking standards for solid gold jewellery.

Pure gold is hallmarked 24 karats (k) gold. Solid gold jewellery is crafted in gold mixed with other metals to make it stronger or to make colour variations. Gold hallmarking like 916 (22k), 750 (18k), and 585 (14k) indicate the ratio of pure gold in the ring you buy.

We recommend that you buy solid gold oval engagement rings in 18k or 14k as these make a more durable and stronger setting for oval-cut diamonds and gemstones.

Our beautifully curated designer engagement ring collections offers you a stunning choice of engagement rings. We invite you to browse our selection of oval designs, among many other shapes and styles, to help you find the engagement ring of your dreams.