0.30 ct Cathedral Pavé Ring, E VS2

0.30 carats, GIA certified E colour and VS2 clarity, set on cathedral shoulders carrying a further 0.19 carat of D–F pavé, in 18K white gold.

A cathedral shank is named for what it looks like from the side: the shoulders sweep upward to meet the setting the way arches meet a vault, so the head is supported from beneath rather than perched on top of a flat band. That does two things. The stone sits higher without the ring becoming top-heavy, and the arches shield the setting from side impact — the direction from which claws are usually knocked.

The pavé here runs 0.19 carat, which is the heaviest of the three cathedral rings we build. That matters more than the number suggests: pavé weight translates almost directly into how far up the shoulders the diamonds travel, and a longer run makes the whole shank read as light rather than as metal with decoration on it.

E VS2 keeps the centre stone at the second colourless grade and beyond eye-clean.

The same architecture in yellow gold: 0.30 ct cathedral pavé. With an oval centre: 0.30 ct oval E VS1.