Solitaire engagement rings hold one center stone and keep everything else quiet: no halo, no second stone, at most a row of small diamonds in the band. What separates one solitaire from the next is how the stone is held, with four prongs, six prongs, a metal rim or arches under the head, and how much of the price is the stone itself. Below are five round solitaires we priced at Rare Carat on 2 October 2026, each a complete ring with a 1 carat lab diamond, from 1,210 dollars to 1,505 dollars. All five come from one jeweler, so read this as five ways to set a round stone, not a ranking of every store.
How we are paid. RingReel earns a commission from Rare Carat through the Awin network when you buy through a Rare Carat link on this page, at no cost to you. The picks come from the listings and terms below, not from who pays. Nothing here was bought or handled: it is researched, not tested.
What is on this page11 sections
Our Top Picks
- Our top pick
Best overall
Rare Carat Tradition Cathedral Solitaire Engagement Ring (1.8mm) With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
A buyer who wants the traditional raised round solitaire, finished, for the lowest complete price on this page.
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond
- $1,210
Best four-prong basket
Rare Carat Bella Solitaire Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
A buyer who wants the plain four-prong look, with a basket under the stone that gives a finished side view.
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond
- $1,305
Best bezel solitaire
Rare Carat Danika Bezel Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
A buyer who works with their hands or wears gloves and wants a round solitaire with no prongs to snag.
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond
- $1,295
Best textured band
Rare Carat Leena Solitaire Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
A buyer who wants a single stone with detail in the band, without adding any more diamonds.
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond
- $1,305
Best pavé-band solitaire
Rare Carat Riley Classic Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
A buyer who wants one center stone but more sparkle along the band than a plain solitaire gives.
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond with pavé diamonds on the band
- $1,505
What is on this page11 sections
Key Takeaways
- GIA defines the style as a single center gemstone “with little or no additional decoration”: a pavé band is the gray zone, and a halo is a different style altogether.
- With the same 1 carat lab diamond at 395 dollars, the stone was 26% to 33% of the complete price of each of the five rings on 2 October 2026; the setting was the bigger part.
- Swap that for the natural diamond Rare Carat pairs by default, 1.03 carats, D color, at 3,505 dollars, and the stone becomes three quarters or more of the total.
- Every setting is also sold on its own, so the same stone can go into any of the five, and the price gap between the picks is the setting alone.
- Round is still the most bought shape: The Knot’s 2026 study, as reported by Rapaport, put it at 26% of rings, just ahead of oval.
Solitaire Engagement Rings Compared
The price column is what each listing showed on 2 October 2026 in 14K white gold with a 1 carat round lab diamond, H color, VS1 clarity. All five are complete rings, and each setting is also sold alone.
| Ring | Price range | Style | Stones | Complete ring or setting | Returns and resizing, per Rare Carat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,210 | Six-prong cathedral solitaire: metal arches lift the head above a tapered band | One 1 carat round lab-grown diamond, H color, VS1 clarity, Rare Carat Ideal cut; no side stones | Complete ring as priced; the setting is also sold alone | 30 days from shipment for a full refund; one free resize in the first year, and a resized ring cannot be returned | |
Rare Carat Bella Solitaire Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab DiamondBest four-prong basket | $1,305 | Four-prong solitaire raised on a gallery basket, plain polished band | One 1 carat round lab-grown diamond, H color, VS1 clarity, Rare Carat Ideal cut; no side stones | Complete ring as priced; the setting is also sold alone | 30 days from shipment for a full refund; one free resize in the first year, and a resized ring cannot be returned |
Rare Carat Danika Bezel Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab DiamondBest bezel solitaire | $1,295 | Bezel solitaire: a polished metal rim instead of prongs | One 1 carat round lab-grown diamond, H color, VS1 clarity, Rare Carat Ideal cut; no side stones | Complete ring as priced; the setting is also sold alone | 30 days from shipment for a full refund; one free resize in the first year, and a resized ring cannot be returned |
| $1,305 | Four-prong solitaire on a braided band of metal beadwork | One 1 carat round lab-grown diamond, H color, VS1 clarity, Rare Carat Ideal cut; no side stones in the listing data | Complete ring as priced; the setting is also sold alone | 30 days from shipment for a full refund; one free resize in the first year, and a resized ring cannot be returned | |
Rare Carat Riley Classic Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab DiamondBest pavé-band solitaire | $1,505 | Pavé-band solitaire: one center stone, small diamonds along the band | One 1 carat round lab-grown diamond, H color, VS1 clarity, plus 16 side diamonds of 0.32 carat in total, G-H, SI1 in the listing data | Complete ring as priced; the setting is also sold alone | 30 days from shipment for a full refund; one free resize in the first year, and a resized ring cannot be returned |
Price ranges from the makers' sites, checked 2 October 2026. Prices change; the maker's site has the current one.
The Best Solitaire Engagement Rings, Reviewed
Best overall
Rare Carat Tradition Cathedral Solitaire Engagement Ring (1.8mm) With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
by Rare Carat
Best for: A buyer who wants the traditional raised round solitaire, finished, for the lowest complete price on this page.
"A classic cathedral arch raises the center stone for more light", says the listing, on a band that tapers to 1.8mm; the photo shows six prongs.
What we like
- The lowest complete price of the five, with the center diamond's grades stated
- Six prongs in the listing photo, the count GIA says holds the stone better if one prong breaks
- The arches give the head more support, per GIA's description of cathedral settings
Keep in mind
- The text says "graceful prongs" without giving a number, so the six is from the photo, not the specs
- A raised head is more likely to catch on clothing, which GIA says of cathedral settings
- The band suggested with it is an eternity ring, and Rare Carat's policy says eternity bands cannot be resized after 30 days
- Price range
- $1,210 complete: $815 for the setting and $395 for the 1 ct lab diamond, 14K white gold (checked 2026-10-02)
- Material
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond
- Widths
- 1.8mm, tapered
- Sizes
- 3.0 to 10.0
- Guarantee
- Returns within 30 days of shipment; one free resize in year one, per Rare Carat
- Made in
- Handcrafted in the USA, per Rare Carat
Best four-prong basket
Rare Carat Bella Solitaire Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
by Rare Carat
Best for: A buyer who wants the plain four-prong look, with a basket under the stone that gives a finished side view.
"The center diamond is elevated in a sculpted gallery basket atop a sleek polished band", and the listing photo shows four prongs.
What we like
- The widest size range of the five, up to size 12
- Nothing competes with the center stone, which leaves the wedding band choice open
- A matching Bella Pavé Contoured Band is offered, at 945 dollars on the day
Keep in mind
- The listing does not state the prong count; four is what the photo shows
- Rare Carat says the stone "sits raised", so it is not a low-set design
- 95 dollars more than the cathedral pick as a complete ring, for a plainer outline
- Price range
- $1,305 complete: $910 for the setting and $395 for the 1 ct lab diamond, 14K white gold (checked 2026-10-02)
- Material
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond
- Widths
- 1.5mm to 1.6mm
- Sizes
- 3.0 to 12.0
- Guarantee
- Returns within 30 days of shipment; one free resize in year one, per Rare Carat
- Made in
- Handcrafted in the USA, per Rare Carat
Best bezel solitaire
Rare Carat Danika Bezel Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
by Rare Carat
Best for: A buyer who works with their hands or wears gloves and wants a round solitaire with no prongs to snag.
"A smooth bezel wraps the center stone for a sleek, snag-free silhouette", and Rare Carat says the bezel "sits raised above the band".
What we like
- No prongs: the rim covers the edge of the stone, which GIA says resists chips
- A matching Danika Curved Band is offered, at 575 dollars on the day
- Still a single-stone ring, so it reads as a solitaire from across a room
Keep in mind
- GIA says a bezel lets slightly less light into the stone than prongs
- A slim band, 1.3mm to 1.5mm, under a 1 carat stone
- Rare Carat says the bezel sits raised, so it is not a low-set design
- Price range
- $1,295 complete: $900 for the setting and $395 for the 1 ct lab diamond, 14K white gold (checked 2026-10-02)
- Material
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond
- Widths
- 1.3mm to 1.5mm
- Sizes
- 3.0 to 10.0
- Guarantee
- Returns within 30 days of shipment; one free resize in year one, per Rare Carat
- Made in
- Handcrafted in the USA, per Rare Carat
Best textured band
Rare Carat Leena Solitaire Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
by Rare Carat
Best for: A buyer who wants a single stone with detail in the band, without adding any more diamonds.
"Flowing rows of delicate beadwork twist along the band for a romantic, woven look", while the head stays a plain four-prong solitaire in the photo.
What we like
- The texture comes from the metal, so it stays a true one-stone ring
- A matching Leena Band is offered, at 705 dollars on the day
- Priced the same as the plain Bella as a complete ring
Keep in mind
- GIA says settings with many small details can collect dirt more easily, and beadwork is exactly that
- The listing does not state the prong count; four is what the photo shows
- No setting height is published, so how close it sits to the finger is not stated
- Price range
- $1,305 complete: $910 for the setting and $395 for the 1 ct lab diamond, 14K white gold (checked 2026-10-02)
- Material
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond
- Widths
- 1.5mm to 1.77mm
- Sizes
- 3.0 to 10.0
- Guarantee
- Returns within 30 days of shipment; one free resize in year one, per Rare Carat
- Made in
- Handcrafted in the USA, per Rare Carat
Best pavé-band solitaire
Rare Carat Riley Classic Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond
by Rare Carat
Best for: A buyer who wants one center stone but more sparkle along the band than a plain solitaire gives.
"Diamonds extend past halfway along the band", and the back half is left plain, which Rare Carat says keeps it "easier to resize".
What we like
- Still one center stone, with the accents kept in the band rather than around the head
- The accent stones can be switched on the page to emerald, ruby or sapphire
- A plain back half leaves metal to cut and resize, unlike an eternity band
Keep in mind
- Strictly a pavé-band solitaire, not a plain one: Rare Carat files it under side-stone designs
- The most expensive complete ring of the five
- GIA says pavé bands can be harder to resize and may need occasional maintenance
- Price range
- $1,505 complete: $1,110 for the setting and $395 for the 1 ct lab diamond, 14K white gold (checked 2026-10-02)
- Material
- 14K white gold; 1 ct round lab-grown diamond with pavé diamonds on the band
- Widths
- 1.8mm
- Sizes
- 3.0 to 10.0
- Guarantee
- Returns within 30 days of shipment; one free resize in year one, per Rare Carat
- Made in
- Handcrafted in the USA, per Rare Carat
How We Chose
- Round center, one stone. Every pick holds a single round diamond. Halos and three-stone rings are out; the one ring with diamonds in the band is labeled as a pavé-band solitaire.
- A different way of holding the stone in each. Six prongs on cathedral arches, four prongs on a gallery basket, a bezel, four prongs on a braided band, and a pavé band.
- Same stone in every price. Each listing opened on 2 October 2026 with the same 1 carat lab diamond, so the difference between the five totals is the setting.
- One jeweler, and we say so. Rare Carat is the only jeweler whose affiliate program has accepted RingReel so far. Other stores sell solitaires too; they are not ranked below it, they are simply not listed yet.
- Terms from Rare Carat’s own policy pages, read the same day.
What Makes a Ring a Solitaire
The word describes the arrangement of stones, not the way any one stone is held. GIA’s guide to ring settings separates the two: a setting is how a gem is secured, and a style such as solitaire, halo or three-stone is “the overall arrangement of the stones in a ring”. That is why a four-prong ring and a bezel ring can both be solitaires.
One Center Stone, Little Else
GIA’s older definition is the simplest: “A diamond solitaire refers to any piece of jewelry with a single diamond.” Its 2026 guide adds the qualifier that matters when you shop, a single center gemstone “with little or no additional decoration”. Small diamonds along the band are the gray zone. Under the second definition they still fit, because the band decoration is small and the center stone stays alone at the top.
What Listings Call Solitaire
Shop pages draw the line in their own place. Rare Carat’s solitaire settings category held 142 designs on 2 October 2026. The first 20 were all single-stone rings, but far from all plain: twisted bands, a hand-engraved band, a bezel, a vintage-inspired design and a trellis cathedral sat beside the classic four-prong rings. Rings with diamonds in the band go the other way: Rare Carat’s own listing data files the Riley under side-stone designs, even though GIA’s wording would let it in. If you want one stone and plain metal, check the photo and the stone list, not the category name.
Setting Price vs Complete Ring Price
A solitaire is two purchases sold as one: the setting, which is the metal mounting, and the center stone. Rare Carat prices them separately on every complete ring page, which makes it easy to see where the money goes.
How Much of the Total Is the Stone
All five picks opened with the same 1 carat round lab diamond, H color, VS1 clarity, at 395 dollars. The settings ran from 815 dollars for the Tradition Cathedral to 1,110 dollars for the Riley, so the setting was two thirds or more of every complete price. Two of the same settings with the natural diamond Rare Carat pairs by default tell the opposite story:
| Ring | Center stone | Stone price | Complete ring | Stone as share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bella, lab diamond | 1.00 ct round, H, VS1, lab-grown | 395 dollars | 1,305 dollars | 30% |
| Bella, natural diamond | 1.03 ct round, D, VS1, natural | 3,505 dollars | 4,415 dollars | 79% |
| Riley, lab diamond | 1.00 ct round, H, VS1, lab-grown | 395 dollars | 1,505 dollars | 26% |
| Riley, natural diamond | 1.03 ct round, D, VS1, natural | 3,505 dollars | 4,615 dollars | 76% |
The two stones are not graded the same: the natural one is a little heavier and four color grades higher, so this is not a like-for-like comparison. We could not price a natural 1 carat H, VS1 on the same pages. What the table does show is that with a lab stone the setting is where the money goes, while with a natural one the setting is a rounding error. Our guide to lab-grown vs natural diamonds covers what else separates the two.
The “Comp. Value” Beside Every Price
Each listing showed a second, higher figure labeled “Comp. value” next to the price, and an Anniversary Sale banner. On the Tradition Cathedral it read 1,717 dollars against the 1,210 dollars asked. We used the price the listing asked, because that is what the ring costs on the day. Rare Carat publishes a “Diamond price matching” service in its site footer; our Rare Carat review covers its terms.
Round Solitaire Settings: Prongs, Bezel and Cathedral
A round brilliant is the easiest stone to set, which is why the choice comes down to how much metal you want to see.
Four Prongs or Six
GIA’s settings guide says “Most round brilliant diamond rings use four or six prongs”, and that the count changes the look: “On a round diamond, four prongs may make the stone appear slightly squarer, while six prongs tend to emphasize and enhance the stone’s round shape.” It also gives six prongs a safety edge. In its 2025 guide to protecting a ring, GIA writes: “In the event a prong breaks, a six-prong setting is more likely to hold the diamond in place.” The Bella and the Leena show four prongs in their photos; the Tradition Cathedral shows six. None of the three states the count in its text.
Bezel
A bezel replaces prongs with a thin rim of metal around the stone’s edge. GIA credits it with “excellent resistance to chips and everyday wear”, but notes it lets “slightly less light” into the stone than prongs. The Danika is the bezel pick here. Our bezel setting guide compares full and partial bezels, and our bezel set engagement rings page prices six more.
Cathedral or Low-Set
A cathedral setting lifts the head on metal arches that rise from the band. GIA puts both sides of that in one sentence: “the elevated structure may also be more likely to catch on clothing or objects, although the arched supports can provide additional stability for the center setting.” Our guide to the cathedral setting explains why it does not make the stone look bigger. If you would rather the stone sat close to the finger, none of these five listings publishes a setting height, so our page on low-profile engagement rings is the better place to start.
Pavé Band
A pavé band keeps one center stone and adds small diamonds along the shank. GIA warns that “Pave-set bands can also be more difficult to resize, since adjusting the ring may disturb the small stones.” The Riley answers that in part by stopping the pavé past the halfway point, leaving the back of the band plain. For every other mount, see our guide to engagement ring settings.
A Wedding Band for a Solitaire
A solitaire is the easiest engagement ring to match. GIA says the style’s “simple design pairs easily with a wide range of wedding bands”. Each of the five listings suggests a band, and only some are made for the ring:
- The Tradition Cathedral suggests a diamond eternity ring at 600 dollars. Rare Carat’s resizing policy says “Eternity bands and bracelets can’t be resized after 30 days”, so settle the size first.
- The Bella suggests a pavé contoured band at 945 dollars, more than the Bella setting itself.
- The Danika suggests a curved band made for it, at 575 dollars.
- The Leena suggests a matching Leena Band at 705 dollars.
- The Riley suggests a matching Riley Band at 1,080 dollars.
Whether a straight band sits flush depends largely on how high the head sits, and none of these five listings publishes a height. Our guide to wedding bands for a round solitaire compares the band styles that work with one, and covers soldering the two rings together.
Which Solitaire Engagement Ring Fits You?
| Your situation | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You want the traditional raised solitaire for the lowest complete price | Tradition Cathedral | Six prongs in the photo, on arches, 1,210 dollars complete |
| You want the plain four-prong look | Bella Solitaire | Four prongs on a gallery basket, sizes up to 12 |
| You wear gloves or work with your hands | Danika Bezel | A metal rim and no prongs to snag |
| You want detail in the band but no more diamonds | Leena Solitaire | A braided band of metal beadwork |
| You want one stone but more sparkle | Riley Classic Pavé | Pavé past the halfway point of the band |
| You want the stone to sit close to the finger | A low-set design | Our low-profile engagement rings page compares them |
Whichever you choose, measure first with our printable ring sizer: Rare Carat resizes once for free in the first year, but its policy says “Items sent in for resizing aren’t eligible for return”, so the free resize and the 30-day return are one or the other. If you have not settled on the shape, our guide to engagement ring shapes compares round with the rest, our round engagement rings page prices round centers in halo and three-stone settings too, and our unique engagement rings page covers designs that move furthest from the classic solitaire.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Difference Between Diamond and Solitaire?
A diamond is the stone; a solitaire is a design with one main stone. The two overlap but are not the same thing: a diamond can sit in a halo or three-stone ring, and a solitaire can hold a sapphire or moissanite, since GIA’s 2026 guide speaks of a single center gemstone rather than a single diamond.
Is a Solitaire Diamond More Expensive?
Not because it is a solitaire. The stone costs the same whatever surrounds it; what changes is the setting. At Rare Carat on 2 October 2026 the four settings on this page with no side stones cost between 815 and 910 dollars, while the pavé-band Riley setting cost 1,110 dollars before its stone.
What Does a Solitaire Diamond Ring Mean?
In jewelry terms it means one diamond as the ring’s only main stone, which is how GIA’s 2012 definition puts it. Any symbolic meaning, such as one person or one commitment, comes from how jewelers market the style; no gemological authority we read assigns it one.
What Is the Best Ring for Everyday Wear?
For a solitaire, the setting matters more than the stone. A bezel covers the stone’s edge and leaves no prongs to snag, while GIA notes that a raised cathedral head is more likely to catch on clothing. GIA also says the skill of the jeweler and the store’s quality standards weigh as much as the design in how well a ring lasts.
Can You Buy a Solitaire Ring Setting Without a Stone?
Yes. Rare Carat sells every setting on this page on its own, and its solitaire category lists settings with no stone included, from 610 dollars on the day we looked. You then choose a diamond, lab or natural, and the ring is set to order. Check that the setting accepts your stone’s shape and size first.
Sources
- Rare Carat, Tradition Cathedral Solitaire Engagement Ring (1.8mm) With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond, 14K white gold, accessed 02/10/2026.
- Rare Carat, Bella Solitaire Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond, 14K white gold, accessed 02/10/2026.
- Rare Carat, Bella Solitaire Engagement Ring With 1.03 Carat Round Diamond, 14K white gold, natural diamond, accessed 02/10/2026.
- Rare Carat, Danika Bezel Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond, 14K white gold, accessed 02/10/2026.
- Rare Carat, Leena Solitaire Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond, 14K white gold, accessed 02/10/2026.
- Rare Carat, Riley Classic Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring With 1 Carat Round Lab Diamond, 14K white gold, accessed 02/10/2026.
- Rare Carat, Riley Classic Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring With 1.03 Carat Round Diamond, 14K white gold, natural diamond, accessed 02/10/2026.
- Rare Carat, Solitaire Engagement Ring Settings, category page, accessed 02/10/2026.
- Rare Carat, 30-Day Returns and Ring Resizing Policy, undated, accessed 02/10/2026.
- GIA 4Cs, Complete Guide to Engagement Ring Settings: Types vs. Styles, 2026.
- GIA 4Cs, What is a Solitaire Setting?, 2012.
- GIA 4Cs, How to Protect Your Diamond Engagement Ring, 2025.
- Rapaport News, Leah Meirovich, Lab-Grown “Taking Over” Engagement-Ring Spending: The Knot, 2026.