Compass Set Diamond Ring

Most four-prong rings place their prongs on the corners of the stone. A compass set diamond ring rotates that placement 90 degrees, so the prongs sit at true north, south, east, and west instead.

It's a subtle change with a real effect. We recommend the compass setting on two types of shapes: a cushion cut like the Northstar, and a radiant cut. Those are our favourite shapes for a compass setting. We wouldn’t recommend it on a round or an oval for design purposes.

Northstar takes its name from the idea built into this exact setting: four points, always oriented, always finding home.

It's easy to mix up a compass setting with an east-west setting, since both play with rotation. They're not the same thing.

An east-west setting turns the diamond itself onto its side, so an elongated stone lies horizontally across the finger. A compass setting doesn't move the stone at all, it just rotates where the prongs sit around it, from the diagonal corners to the four cardinal points.

Northstar's cushion-cut diamond sits the traditional way, upright, with the compass setting doing all the work. It's a quieter kind of different: you might not immediately clock why the ring looks unusual, only that it does.

Browse the Compass Set Diamond Ring collection above. Northstar is Ready to Wear: a one-of-a-kind piece, currently a US size 6, available for immediate shipping or local pick-up at our studio in downtown Vancouver.

If you love this setting but want a different stone shape, size, or carat weight, we can create a Made to Order version built specifically for you. Book a consultation or email hello@mafoliegems.com to start that conversation.

If you're picturing a compass setting on a shape we don't currently have, we'd love to help you design it. Contact hello@mafoliegems.com for more information.