Get the Look: Kourtney Kardashian's Engagement Ring

Halo settings for engagement rings originated in the Georgian Era and became widely popular during the Victorian Era. All types of gemstones were used as center stones with diamonds surrounding that stone in the likeness of a flower – similar to Kate Middleton’s engagement ring. The classic halo setting we know today rose to popularity in the Art Deco Era. Small, concentric circles surrounding the center stone were the epitome of symmetry and geometric patterns – hallmarks of the era’s style.

The hidden halo has a much more recent history. Sometimes referred to as a peek-a-boo halo, it adds extra sparkle and brilliance in an unexpected area of the ring, making for a very unique look. A hidden halo brings elements of playfulness and surprise to the halo effect as it is shifted down on the basket of the ring.

There are no strict rules about the design of a hidden halo except that it is placed below the girdle of the stone and the diamonds are placed at an angle so they do not appear face-up. In a traditional halo setting, the diamond surround would be facing up to perfectly encircle the center stone. The angle of the stones in the hidden halo produces sparkle from all views of the ring.

In halo and hidden halo designs that incorporate a solitaire setting, the center of attention is the main stone. The oval cut center diamond in Kourtney Kardashian’s ring brings up important considerations to know outside of the typical 4Cs of diamonds.

Oval cut diamonds display something called a bow-tie effect where there is a visible shadow across the diamond’s center that appears to resemble a bow-tie. The severity and visibility of the bow-tie will vary across all diamonds and appear from a face-up viewing angle, so it’s important to view stones in person whenever possible. While the level of noticeable bow-tie comes down to a personal preference, more bow-tie does diminish the overall value of the stone.

Another consideration for the oval cut diamond is the length to width ratio. How this proportion varies will give you either an elongated oval, like the one in Kourtney Kardashian’s ring, or a more rounded and wider oval. Most oval diamonds you will see have a ratio between 1.34 to 1.42. Elongated ovals typically have a ratio above 1.5 while rounded ovals fall closer to a ratio of 1.3.

Oval cut diamonds will also appear about 10% bigger than other diamond shapes of a similar carat weight because their mass is distributed toward the surface of the stone. So if you are longing for a 2 carat diamond engagement ring, you can achieve the look of a 2 carat with an oval diamond in the 1.75-1.85 carat range and put more money toward a higher cut grade.

The simplicity of Kourtney Kardashian’s engagement ring really highlights all these wonderful features of the hidden halo paired with an oval cut diamond.

Our Naomi is a perfect encapsulation of this look with a 3.12 carat oval cut diamond held up as the star of the show beside a dazzling hidden halo and pavé band set in yellow gold. Pauletta is a standout with the same type of hidden halo and pavé band but set in rose gold.

To hone in on the delicate feel of Kourtney Kardashian’s ring, Madison pairs a 2 carat oval cut diamond with a thin 1.4 mm pavé band. The extra touch of a hand-engraved leaf detail on the prongs add to the unexpected hidden halo. And if you really want to feature the hidden halo, Aidy ups the wow factor and vintage appeal with a scattering of white diamonds throughout the basket, band, and hidden halo, so there’s quite literally no place on the ring that doesn’t shine.

All of the variety of options and special features of an oval cut diamond continue to make it an exceptionally popular choice. And Kourtney Kardashian’s engagement ring is a prime example of how a classic look never goes out of style and can really be made to your own personal style with some subtle touches.