There’s something about a collet-set ring that feels instantly familiar, even if you don’t know the name for it.
A collet is essentially a collar of metal that surrounds and holds a gemstone, creating a clean frame around the stone. If that sounds a little like a bezel setting, that’s because the two are closely related. Both use metal around the edge of a gemstone to hold it securely, rather than relying on individual prongs. The difference is largely in the construction: a traditional bezel forms a continuous rim around the stone, while a collet can be more open, using sections of metal or claws to hold the stone in place and leaving more of it exposed.
The word collet comes from the French collet, meaning “little collar,” which is a pretty good description of the setting itself. Collet settings have been used in jewellery for centuries, particularly in antique jewellery from the Renaissance and Georgian periods, when gemstones were often set into closed-back mounts and sometimes backed with foil to enhance their colour and reflect light.
As gemstone cutting developed and techniques changed, jewellery settings began to allow more of the stone to be exposed. This gave light greater access to the gemstone and created new possibilities for how stones could be secured. Alongside traditional bezel settings, more open collet designs and claw settings became popular, offering different ways to balance security, light, and the appearance of the stone.
It’s this history that makes the collet such an interesting choice for an engagement ring today. Like a bezel, a collet gives the centre stone a defined metal frame and a strong sense of presence. But because the setting can be more open, it can also have a lighter appearance and show more of the gemstone.
Our own take is the Colette, a contemporary interpretation of the traditional collet engagement ring. The centre stone sits within a substantial circular setting, surrounded by six claws that give the ring its character. The claws have an almost botanical quality, wrapping around the stone like petals while keeping the overall design clean and focused on the centre diamond.
There’s also something particularly appealing about the profile of a collet ring. From the side, you get a strong sense of the setting and the way the stone is held, rather than seeing only a collection of prongs beneath the diamond. From above, the metal forms a defined frame around the stone, giving the centre a little more visual presence.
It’s a style with plenty of history behind it, but it doesn’t have to look antique. Like a bezel, a collet can be adapted in countless ways depending on the shape of the stone and the design of the surrounding metal. It can be pared back, made more architectural, or given a softer, more organic feel.
That’s what we like about it. The collet is an old idea, but there’s still plenty of room to make it your own.
