Four-prong setting
JewelryWiki Editorial·1 source·Reviewed 2026-08-04
Less metal on the stone, and a squarer look that suits square shapes. Also the configuration where a single broken prong can lose the stone.
Properties
| Property | Value | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| How it holds the stone | Four claws gripping from beneath, welded to the band. [1] | — |
| Security | Does not hold a diamond as securely as six prongs, and offers less protection to the girdle. If a prong is accidentally sheared off, the centre stone can easily fall out and be lost. [1] | — |
| Light access | Less metal on the diamond, letting the centre stone be the star of the show — but GIA states that this does NOT translate into more sparkle. [1] | — |
| What to watch for | Two myths, both named as such by GIA. First, that four prongs let in more light and so give more sparkle — sparkle is determined by the quality of the cut, not the number of prongs. Second, that slender prongs make a stone look bigger: technically true, but not advisable, because prongs exist to hold the stone and too little metal risks losing it. Where four prongs genuinely help is shape and scale — a squarer look for princess and cushion cuts, and less crowding on stones under half a carat, which six prongs can dwarf. [1] | — |
Sources
- GIA — How to Decide: Four Prongs versus Six Prongs for Your Engagement Ring — Gemological Institute of America (GIA 4Cs, Four Prongs versus Six Prongs)