$7,230 A Floating Halo Engagement Ring by Blue Nile

This was my the first post when I started this blog, and this floating halo setting from Blue Nile is still one of the most popular engagement ring looks around. Before we go into the stats on this timeless style, let’s answer the question everyone is wondering…

What is a Floating Halo Setting?

A floating halo is a halo setting where the center diamond is set slightly above the surrounding halo, creating an “airline” between the center stone and pave circle. This gives the appearance that your center stone is “floating” and because the center diamond is set up high, it makes it appear larger.

The opposite of a floating halo is a flush halo where the center stone is set low in either prongs or a bezel. In this setting, there is no airline or gap between the center stone and the halo. Since there’s less light getting around the center stone in a flush halo, you may see less sparkle from your center diamond. This definitely makes the floating halo an attractive option for anyone looking for maximum sparkle.

Blue Nile Floating Halo vs Tiffany Soleste Setting

The Blue Nile Floating Halo setting has become a popular stand-in for the Tiffany Soleste – for anyone who wants to avoid the hefty price tag (right now this ring STARTS at $57,500.

The Iconic Tiffany Soleste setting and the Blue Nile Floating Halo share many characteristics. Both feature a raised halo setting with an airline in a 4-prong mount. Both rings feature partial pave shanks and a very similar side profile. In fact, almost any Tiffany setting has replica options available out there, and in the case of the B

So what is that special “something” that sets Tiffany & Co. rings apart? It’s simple. If you’re buying an engagement ring from this iconic luxury retailer, they keep very tight parameters on what grade of diamond you can set it with. They offer only Excellent Cut diamonds with a color rating of D or better, with a clarity rating from IF – internally flawless – to VVS2.

Lucky for the rest of us, it is easy to find a similarly rated diamond from the 1000s available at Blue Nile, and capture that signature sparkle for yourself and your special someone.

See below for how one Blue Nile shopper did it:

This classic setting by Blue Nile was customized with a nearly colorless “D” color stone from Blue Nile with an “Ideal” cut. An ideal cut and near colorless stone will give this ring sparkle that rivals a Tiffany engagement ring. And the whole ring was put together for only $7,230.

See below for another more recent example of the Blue Nile Floating Halo set with a 0.9ct round diamond, Ideal cut, F color and VS1 clarity. 

Ideal Cut, Astor Diamonds or any other Excellent cut diamonds exhibit the same characteristics of a Tiffany “Excellent” cut diamond for a fraction of the price and with a GIA certification.