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Your Marquise Puzzle Ring Style and Weave

Our number one selling engagement puzzle ring is the marquise – whether set with a diamond or a colored gemstone, this ring is sophisticated and exquisitely beautiful, and this was the stone that this puzzle ring was originally designed to hold. The marquise setting is not without its issues, and I will describe them elsewhere on this page, but this is a ring towards which many women, including me, take the attitude, “I must have it! I will deal with the issues.”

We use the same basic four band puzzle ring for almost all of our engagement rings. The four band, medium weight, puzzle rings that hold up to a 0.72CT diamond or colored gemstone – a heavier weight ring will hold a heavier diamond or gemstone – is the same basic puzzle ring.

Each ring is named for the setting that holds the stone. Of course, in the case of the marquise, it just so happens that it also refers to the shape of the stone. Please note that other jewelers call the entire ring without the diamond or gemstone a “setting.” We do not. We call the ring a puzzle ring. And we call the head that holds the stone “the setting.” What makes our puzzle rings unique is that each one is individually hand-woven for the very shape and size of the stone and setting you select as well as with the weave that you choose.

You may choose from a tight, standard, or open weave for your puzzle ring. There are a few things to consider, and I’ll walk you through them. Your choice of weave will be made in part by the type of wedding ring that you may ultimately select to go with the engagement puzzle ring.

Open Weave Marquise Puzzle Ring
Some people wear an open weave puzzle ring by itself, an engagement ring and wedding band in one. Still others pair an open weave puzzle ring with a wedding band with a uniform width all the way around. But many of our clients seek a wedding band that is custom made to fit perfectly with the puzzle ring. For these clients, we suggest an open weave puzzle ring and a custom-fit shadow band. We can make your shadow band in any of several styles, all of which look fabulous with an open weave puzzle ring. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At left is an open weave marquise royale puzzle ring with a Celtic knotwork shadow band.

The royale version of a puzzle ring (pronounced roy-Al, with the emphasis on the second syllable) has side stones, generally five-point diamonds or colored gemstones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our most popular shadow band is a simple 2mm plain shadow band. Shown at left is a marquise Tsavorite garnet puzzle ring with open weave and a 1.7mm wide shadow band, all in palladium. We can make your shadow band in virtually any design you desire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marquise Setting – The Pros and Cons
The marquise setting that we use is the most secure of all the marquise settings we have found. Notice the “v-shaped” prongs on either end. These are quite unusual in the jewelry industry, and these are what make our marquise setting more sturdy than most. But . . . full disclosure: About twice a year, we have a client who reports a bent prong (of course, we fix it for them). Occasionally, there is even a lost stone. Then it helps a lot if the ring was insured (our diamonds of 3/8ths carat or greater do include one free year of loss protection for the diamond only, and by the time the year is up, we recommend having the ring fully insured – more about that later.)

Compare the “v-prongs” on the ends of the setting shown above with the more prongs on a marquise setting more typically offered by the jewelry industry, shown below. With the setting below, one tap to the side of the stone will dislodge it from the prongs on the ends. This is why we are fanatical about using the sturdiest settings on our rings. However, in the interest of full disclosure, there are other things to consider when you wish to choose the marquise setting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, enough digression! Back to the marquise puzzle ring with standard weave.
The marquise puzzle ring with a standard weave is often paired with a wedding band with a uniform width. This includes contemporary and traditional posy rings, custom posy rings, and Irish Celtic rings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bridal set shown immediately below is a standard weave puzzle ring with an Irish Celtic eternal knot band.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although it has a bit of a gap between the wedding band and the shoulders and sides of the puzzle ring, it creates a more eclectic look. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, this is the style of bridal set I wear, though my puzzle ring has an open weave and thus has a bigger gap (see images below, Mandira).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Modified Shadow Band Option
On the other hand, a custom option for a tightly woven puzzle ring is a tapered wedding band that is custom fit to the puzzle ring, without matching up to every nook and cranny of the front of the puzzle ring. The trinity band puzzle ring shown at left has only one “nook” in the front, and this modified shadow band ignores it, as you’ll see in the image, below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/4CT marquise sapphire on medium heavy weight puzzle ring
in a standard weave.

We don’t have to go that heavy for a puzzle ring holding a 1CT stone. This bridal set is shown with a 1CT Mozambique garnet on a just-over-medium-weight puzzle ring. This weight lends itself very well to the open weave, though the medium heavy can also be made with an open weave.

 

 

 

 

 

We make every single puzzle ring individually to order. No taking rings off a shelf to send to you! We hand-weave the puzzle ring, we hand-select the stone, and we hand-set the stone so that you will have the most uniquely beautiful engagement ring you could possibly imagine.

Choose a half carat round diamond, as shown below, in the Athena style, which features a sturdy, six-prong diamond setting on a four band 14K yellow gold puzzle ring.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or choose a diamond or moissanite as large as you wish. Shown here is a 1.8CT round moissanite also in the Athena style. 
It’s an 8mm stone. You may select a colored gemstone, if you prefer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there is the Avalon style, which features a medium-low, chunky setting, also on a four band or a six band puzzle ring – your choice!

Our puzzle rings are named for the very setting that holds the stone. By setting, I mean what is sometimes referred to as a “head.” The Avalon setting can hold a princess-cut or a round stone. Notice how the setting looks a bit like a lotus flower when set with a round stone. So a medium-weight puzzle ring may be a Guinevere, an Athena, or an Avalon – the puzzle ring is the same, but the head that holds the stone determines the name of the ring. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the Avalon puzzle ring with a princess-cut stone. Did you know that colored gemstones are calibrated? This means that each one is cut to a specific size, such as 4mm square, 5mm square, 6mm square. Depending upon the depth of the stone, the carat weight may differ for two stones that have the same length and width. Our medium-weight puzzle rings, shown below, can hold up to a 0.72CT stone. Beyond that, we make the puzzle ring a little or a lot heavier, depending on the carat weight of the stone and your taste.

Guinevere Puzzle Ring Style and Weave

What makes this ring a Guinevere? Each of the four band engagement puzzle rings we offer on our site (Athena, Avalon, Avon, Guinevere, Marquise) has the same puzzle ring for its foundation. Each one holding a stone of up to 0.72CT is a medium weight puzzle ring. Heavier weight rings hold heavier stones. What distinguishes each style is the setting that holds the center stone (please note that while other jewelers call the entire ring and head holding the stone “the setting,” we call the ring “the puzzle ring” and the head that holds the stone, “the setting.”) The Guinevere has a square, illusion setting holding the center stone. It’s called an illusion setting, because when it holds a diamond, it is hard to see where the diamond edges are, because both the diamond and the setting sparkle so much. This makes a diamond appear larger than it might otherwise. 

The Guinevere engagement puzzle ring has the lowest profile (thickness or depth), ranging from approximately 3.9mm to 4.95mm at top center, depending on the size of the stone. This makes it the lowest engagement ring in terms of how far above the finger it rises. 

The Guinevere puzzle ring can hold either of two stone shapes: a square or a round stone.

Plus, for women who prefer a ring with a very shallow profile, this ring is perfect! Nurses, teachers, moms with young ones, outdoorswomen, and athletes love this ring. If you don’t want to have to turn your diamond in towards your palm everytime you put a sweater on, then this is the ring for you.

Although we select all of our settings for their trouble-free nature, the Guinevere is a setting that has never even had a bent prong, let alone a more serious event. It is the epitome of strength and sturdiness in a diamond or gemstone setting.

An engagement puzzle ring in a Guinevere style is beautiful with an open, standard, or tight weave. The weave refers to how tightly or loosely the puzzle ring is woven. Each ring is individually woven by hand for the very stone it will bear. The width of an engagement puzzle ring will vary depending upon your stone size and shape and the weave that you choose. We will customize your puzzle ring exactly to your taste: the stone, the stone shape and size, the optional accent stones, the metal color or type, and the weave. Please read on to understand this style of puzzle ring and the weaves we offer. 

Open Weave Guinevere Puzzle Rings
Below is an open weave, half-carat, Swiss blue topaz Guinevere Royale puzzle ring with accent diamonds. The term “Royale”, which is pronounced roy-AL, with the accent on the second syllable, rather than royal, means that this ring has side stones; the accent side stones are five-point diamonds which tend to look right no matter the size of the center stone.

This four band puzzle ring has been hand woven with an open weave. Look at the center loops that stick out above and below the stone. You can see a teensy bit of air between the setting and the loops (visible only on the top loop, because of the angle of the photograph). That little bit of air between the stone setting on a Guinevere puzzle ring and the top and bottom center loops is what tells you this puzzle ring has an open weave.

Guinevere puzzle ring with square step-cut blue topaz and
accent diamonds.

We often pair an open weave puzzle ring with a shadow band, which is a handmade ring that is custom fit to the very puzzle ring with which it mates. The engagement puzzle ring shown below is paired with a handmade, Celtic knotwork shadow band.

Guinevere puzzle ring with 4mm rhodolite garnet in 14K yellow
gold with Celtic shadow wedding band.

We prefer to make shadow bands to go with rings with open weaves, because there is more shape there to hold the rings together on the hand. We will make your puzzle ring or bridal set with the stone(s) of your choice and the precious metal or metal combination of your choice.

For example, you may have this exact set with a colored gemstone or a diamond up to 0.72CT, in 14K yellow or rose gold, palladium, or platinum or a combination or colors or metals. Why not 14K white gold? We prefer that your rings match in color, and since white gold puzzle rings are not rhodium plated (like most white gold) to turn them bright white, we can’t rhodium plate your wedding band either, and all white gold that is unplated is not necessarily the exact same shade of white. 

Rhodolite garnet in a princess-cut on a four band Guinevere
puzzle ring with a Celtic wedding ring.

You can see how a shadow band fits perfectly with the puzzle ring all the way around. Each shadow band is made from a hand-carved wax; this wax is made to fit the puzzle ring, it’s every “nook and cranny.”

Please be aware that when you order a puzzle ring and a shadow band set, we prefer to deliver the puzzle ring first. This way, you can propose, find out if she loves her ring, and make sure it fits, before we pick it up to make the shadow band. We must retain the puzzle ring for the six to eight week duration of creating the shadow band, so that we can ensure the two rings fit together correctly. 

Under special circumstances, we may deliver both together, but in that case, we need to send a trial puzzle ring first, in order to make sure the ring size is correct. This doesn’t work so well if you are planning a surprise proposal.

In any case, please allow plenty of time for the creation of a puzzle ring/shadow band set: the minimum is 12 weeks for everyone’s comfort and mental health (and no nail biting), but we can sometimes deliver sooner. 

And here to show the low profile of this ring is a side view of this bridal set: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standard Weave Guinevere Puzzle Rings
Below is a Guinevere Royale (meaning it has side accent stones) with a standard weave. The center loops just show, and you can’t see air between them and the setting or head holding the diamond. Many prefer this ring with a wedding band that has a uniform width all the way around. This diamond ring, by the way, is holding a 0.70CT round brilliant diamond with 5-point accent sapphires. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four band puzzle ring with half carat princess cut blue diamond and Irish Celtic claddagh wedding ring.

Below is a one-half carat, princess-cut blue diamond Guinevere puzzle ring with a standard weave paired with a 4.2mm wide, Irish claddagh band. This ring has a uniform width all the way around. 

The standard weave is the most popular weave for this puzzle ring when our clients wish to order a Celtic wedding band or a posy ring.  Full disclosure: There will be a gap between the puzzle ring and the wedding band which is noticeable at the shoulder and on the sides of the shanks. I’ll illustrate this below.

Four band puzzle ring with half carat princess cut blue diamond
and Irish Celtic claddagh wedding ring.

An Illustration Using a Marquise Royale Style Bridal Set
Below is a very beautiful set that we sent to a client in Toronto. She was “Over The Moon” about her set, absolutely loves it, and sent a photograph shown below. 
We show this here, because in the interest of full disclosure, we want to show one aspect that most people don’t find to be an issue, but a few people do, so that can be one motivator for opting for a shadow band. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please see the image below. Notice a gap at the shoulders and sides of the engagement ring. 

Celtic engagement puzzle ring with sapphire center,
accent diamonds, and recessed eternal knot band.

 

This set is shown above to illustrate that the puzzle ring with a wedding band with a uniform width results in a more eclectic style. I wear this style of bridal set myself (Mandira), as I love the look of two rings selected to go together that may not have originally been made to go together. I let the center loop of my puzzle ring float under the wedding band at will, and then they can fit more tightly together. But then they may float apart.

Tight Weave Guinevere Puzzle Rings
Shown below is a Guinevere puzzle ring with a tight weave. You can barely see the tips of the center loops, and sometimes they don’t show at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The side view below gives you a good look at how a tightly woven puzzle ring differs from the standard weave and the open weave. 
This ring is often chosen when a client wishes to wear a wedding band with a uniform width, as shown below.

Amethyst tightly woven birthstone or engagement puzzle ring.

Here’s a look at a genuine Alexandrite Guinevere puzzle ring with a tight weave paired with a 4mm Celtic eternal knot band.  The Alexandrite shown is about 1/4 CT; we have great prices on Alexandrite (both genuine and lab-created), and we can make this ring with many larger sizes of stone. But the larger point is that we can make your ring with almost any stone you want!

Celtic bridal set with four band Guinevere puzzle ring with
genuine alexandrite and a recessed Celtic eternal knot wedding band.

Guinevere puzzle ring with larger stone and heavier weight
This 3/4CT princess cut diamond Guinevere puzzle ring is made with just-over-medium-weight stock. It’s just a little heavier than the medium weight, and it is strong enough to hold this heavier stone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This just in! A round moissanite center stone of 8/10ths carat is flanked by two five-point accent diamonds on a six-band puzzle ring shown in platinum. We will happily make this ring with a genuine diamond center, colored side stones, or any gemstone of your choosing for the center stone – not to mention the precious metal or metals of your choice. Yes, this is a working puzzle ring, and you can learn to assemble it using our easy instructions. A puzzle ring is a unique engagement ring, and each of our puzzle engagement rings is hand-woven specifically for the very stone, shape, and stone size that you choose. We don’t just take a puzzle ring off the shelf and stick stones on it, as it won’t look right. We hand-weave your puzzle ring for you and your gemstones alone!

 

The Athena puzzle ring features a six-prong setting for the center stone. Why six? We believe that four prong settings, commonly used for round stones, are not sturdy enough. When a diamond or gemstone sits up off the ring, you can bump it into things, and we think you should be able to wear your puzzle ring worry-free, knowing that you have a sturdy setting that will protect your investment.

We offer hand-woven puzzle rings, which are unique in the market, as most puzzle rings are cast from molds. Our puzzle ring maker supplies Crystal Realm exclusively, and we are very proud to showcase his skill in every ring. We offer video instructions, so you can learn to put your puzzle ring together. Then you can amaze your friends with one of the most unique wedding or engagement rings in the world! Then we pair your puzzle engagement ring, if you wish, with a custom fit shadow band or an Irish claddagh band or a Renaissance reproduction poesy ring. 

We offer puzzle rings from 3 to 12 bands (or more if you really want to challenge yourself!) in every metal or combination of metals:
Sterling silver; 14K yellow, rose, or white gold; four colors of 14K gold: white, yellow, rose, green; palladium, and platinum.

We also offer almost any gemstone you may want: genuine diamonds, lab-created diamonds, and genuine and
lab-created colored gemstones from amethyst to zircon. For shapes, we only offer marquise, princess cut (square) or round stones, though, because we like to use “bullet-proof” settings. We don’t want your stone falling out. Our Guinevere, Avalon, and Athena rings bear stone settings that do not tend to get bent prongs or lose stones. At right is a Guinevere puzzle ring with a one-half carat blue diamond.

 

 

Our marquise setting is a tad trickier, because it has pointed ends, and it holds the stone up off the ring. This means, it can get caught on things. So once in a long while, a customer will have a bent prong. Or even more occasionally, a stone will be lost. We recommend always insuring your puzzle ring, and we also recommend that you select one of our more bullet-proof settings. But if you are like me (Mandira), you will insist that the marquise is the only one for you, and you will be as careful as possible when you wear it. Why do I give you this information? Because we are into full disclosure and transparency, and we want you to be able to make the most educated decision possible when you choose an engagement ring. 

 

 

Guinevere royale four band puzzle ring is
set with a half-carat princess cut diamond
and side emeralds. It’s paired with a
genuine Irish claddagh wedding ring.

 

Now for some colored metals.  We have 14k gold puzzle rings in white, yellow, and rose gold; combinations of two colors, and even some in four colors of 14k gold. You can select gold and palladium, gold and platinum, or any combination of gold colors you love.

Madison four band puzzle ring in four colors 14k
gold, medium weight, and a tight weave

In October of 2015, Crystal Ream suddenly and unexpectedly lost the very talented wax carver who did the hand-waxes for our shadow wedding rings that we pair with Celtic-knotwork inspired puzzle engagement rings. Fortunately, at the time, he had been able to finish all but one of the orders we had in house. We auditioned several wax carvers around the country, and one of them was able to produce the one in-house claddagh band order for our customer. It took us over a year to find her and get the ring made, and our customer was the soul of patience during that year. But sadly, she took a job with a jewelry store that required her to sign a non-compete agreement, and she was not able to do any more work for us. 

Since then, we found wax carvers who were able to do our simple 2mm shadow bands and our diamond shadow bands, but we have continued to search for a talent capable of doing the claddagh bands that our clients love so much. Today is a happy day! Tom and I met with an artist right here in our home town of Albuquerque, NM, who showed us an audition piece he had done in which he replicated one of our claddagh shadow bands. Wow! It was fabulous. 

Here are some of the Celtic wedding rings that we have done. The good news is that, as of today, these Celtic bridal sets are all available, so please contact us, if you see one you wish to order. Please note that we can make any of our puzzle engagement rings with a shadow band, so if you love the Guinevere, the Athena, or the Avalon, or the marquise as shown below, do not hesitate to ask for exactly what you want.  If you want a shadow band with your puzzle engagement ring of any style, we will weave the engagement ring with an open weave, so that it will fit best with your wedding ring. You may also choose a colored gemstone or a diamond for the engagement ring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our hand-made, pewter purple champagne glasses are striking! Each glass is hand-made in a small foundry in Northern California. The foundry artists have been making these beautiful pieces since 1978. The master artisan creates an original hand-sculpture for each piece. He makes a mold from the sculpture, and then he casts each subsequent pewter piece. He then brings each piece alive with colored glass. Most pieces have sparkling Austrian crystal accents, too.

Take a tour of our beautiful purple toasting glasses. Click on an image or its caption to go to the product page. 

 

A friend recently suggested this ring, and we think it turned out lovely. A round pink tourmaline is set with 14k white gold against a four band puzzle ring in four colors of 14k gold: rose, white, yellow, green. It has a tight weave and is in a medium weight that works well in sizes 3 to 9.5. 

This ring, like all of our puzzle rings, is hand-woven – meaning that every twist and turn of the ring is created by hand. The stone is hand-selected for the ring, ensuring it’s beauty and quality. It is a genuine working puzzle ring that comes apart and goes back together easily with our four band puzzle ring instructions.