Halo Engagement Rings

What is a Halo?

In engagement ring design, the term “halo” refers to a border of small stones that surround the centre stone, adding drama and sparkle. This arrangement of stones may be made up of diamonds or coloured gemstones. This design is a popular choice for emphasising the size of the centre diamond or gemstone. It’s a great choice for those looking for a bit of extra bling in their engagement ring!

Halo rings have been around for centuries. They likely originated in Georgian era Europe (1714 – 1837). During this era, there was a shift in European society away from rationalism to more romantic and mystic points of view. This time is often seen as a time of refinement and culture, particularly for the upper classes. Fashion also began to change, with people beginning to favour glamour over practicality. The Georgians loved over the top styles, so it makes sense that they would want to upgrade the solitaire diamond ring with a halo.

During the Victorian era (1837-1901) halos became even more widespread. Many rings during this time featured nature-inspired or floral designs. Halo engagement rings were often made to resemble flowers, and coloured centre stones became a popular variation. Intricate engraving or delicate metalwork was also often added to the bands.

The design we now think of as the “classic” halo began to take shape during the Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1930s. Art Deco jewellery combined modern, eye-catching designs with fine craftsmanship. Much of the era was all about luxury and glamour, with many Art Deco style rings featuring geometric patterns. The desire for large and flashy statement rings led to halos becoming an even more popular choice for engagement rings.

Today, halo rings, vintage style and modern, remain one of the most popular and romantic styles of engagement rings.

Types of Halo Engagement Rings

There are many kinds of halo engagement rings, and like many styles, halos can be customised to suit your personal preferences. A few popular styles of halo engagement ring include:

Classic Halos

As its name suggests, this is the most well known and popular form of halo engagement ring. The classic halo usually contains a loop of white diamonds surrounding a diamond centre stone. It can also be swapped out for a coloured gemstone centre or coloured gemstone halo for a unique pop of colour. 

When the centre stone sits completely flush against the halo instead of having a gap, sometimes this is called a seamless halo. On the other hand, when the centre stone is held apart and occasionally above the halo it’s sometimes called a floating halo.

Hidden Halos

Hidden halos are set so that the diamonds are seen from the side instead of from above as with most halo styles. This means that the border of diamonds isn’t obvious at first and transforms into a sparkly extra detail.

Double Halos

A double halo is when a centre stone is bordered by not one, but two rows of diamonds. This means double the sparkle, and twice the glam! Many double halo rings are truly show-stopping and are great for adding WOW factor.

Famous Halo Engagement Rings

Halo engagement rings are so stunning, they are a favourite of many celebrities and royalty alike!

Sofia Vergara, Cardi B, Emma Roberts, Natalie Portman, Kelly Clarkson, and many others have all opted for variations of the diamond halo. 

One of the most famous halo rings is Kate Middleton’s (once Princess Diana’s) sapphire-centred engagement ring. This gorgeous ring features a 12ct deep blue sapphire, surrounded by a halo of 14 sparkling diamonds. It is the most expensive engagement ring owned by the British Royal Family. It’s also the most iconic and popular, racking up an impressive number of online searches every month.

Like her sister, Pippa Middleton also wears a halo engagement ring. Pippa’s engagement ring 3.5ct Asscher cut diamond surrounded by 1.5ct of brilliant cut diamonds. With its unique octagonal shape, this platinum piece is full of vintage-inspired character.

Eva Longoria’s stunning ruby engagement ring is another of our favourite halo rings! The ring features a huge, deep-red ruby centre stone set in white gold and surrounded by a sparkling diamond halo.

Carrie Underwood also wears a one-of-a-kind halo engagement ring. Carrie’s ring features an amazing 5ct fancy yellow diamond at its centre, surrounded by brilliant cut white diamonds. 

Is a Halo Engagement Ring Right For Me?

Halo engagement rings are beautiful, but is a halo the right choice for your engagement ring? There are several factors to consider, but the number one is whether you love this style or not. Your engagement ring will be on your finger for years to come, so choosing a design that you adore will always be the most important consideration.

Some people might be hesitant to choose a halo engagement ring due to the worry that the halo may lose its sparkle with wear. When properly set, halo diamonds are no less likely to fall out than any other stone.  With regular care and maintenance, rest assured that halo engagement rings can last for a lifetime.

We make this super simple at Larsen Jewellery, as all our halo engagement rings are covered by our lifetime guarantee. We take the hassle out of maintaining your halo ring, by providing a free annual clean and check over by an experienced jeweller. This ensures your halo will remain sparkly and gorgeous as ever for decades to come.

If you’re someone who loves glamour and bling, then a diamond halo could absolutely be the right choice for you. You could even add twice the sparkle with a double halo or diamond set shoulders, if you’re a huge fan of glitter and glam.

Halos are also excellent if you’re looking for something a bit more quirky or unique. The possibilities to add personal touches are also almost endless with a halo engagement ring. You might like to add coloured gemstone halo or centre stones or add vintage-inspired details to your halo engagement ring.

We’re all about adding your own flair to a gorgeous halo ring, but we also know that it can be difficult to know where to start. If you aren’t sure, you can ask our experts about this at any point during the design process. We can also use sketches and our computer rendering service to show you what your ring will look like once it’s finished. This means we can create a halo ring for you that is exactly as sparkly or one-of-a-kind as you’ve been dreaming of.

No matter which halo you love the look of; we can all agree that halo engagement rings are truly stunning!

Have you been wishing for a beautiful halo engagement ring? Which variation is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!