Three Stone Engagement Ring Guide (Past, Present & Future)

If you’re looking for an engagement ring that symbolizes your past memories, the current moments of your relationship and a future filled with joy and laughter, then a three stone engagement ring might be perfect for you.

In this article, you will find out the meaning behind a three stone diamond ring, how it looks like, the best designs in the market and where to buy one. So, if you are still deciding on a ring design or simply doing research to find out more, you are at the right place.

Let’s dive in…

What is a 3 Stone Engagement Ring And What’s the Meaning Behind It?

trellis platinum trilogy round three diamond engagement ring
18k white gold three stone diamond ring

A 3-stone ring (aka trilogy ring) is made up of a cluster of 3 gemstones which are mounted side by side. The center stone is typically larger than the 2 flanking stones and is usually set higher to create an emphasis on it.

Traditionally, the three stones each symbolizes the past, present and future of your relationship. However, a three stone diamond ring (e.g. for an anniversary gift) can also represent the friendship, love and fidelity you have for your partner in a marriage.

Benefits of a 3 Stone Diamond Engagement Ring

The main advantage of choosing a trilogy diamond ring lies in the symbolic meaning it offers compared to other setting styles. Beyond the representation of past, present and future, these rings can also be further customized and personalized to encompass a special meaning.

For example, if your recipient loves red, you can consider using ruby sidestones for the ring. If she loves blue, consider using sapphire sidestones instead. On a similar note, you can also use birthstones to mark special occasions (wedding/birthday) or dates that are important to you.

trillion sidestone red ruby with center diamond trilogy
trillion sidestone blue sapphire with center diamond trilogy

Since three-stone rings are less commonly seen, they can make a fashion statement and allows your recipient to stand out from the crowd. Besides modern looking designs, you can also find a range of different styles (e.g. vintage) that cater to your preferences and tastes.

One other benefit of a three-stone ring is that it adds a multi dimension layer of sparkle due to the additional sidestones. ln fact, a well-crafted 3-stone ring will make heads turn and easily make her the center of attention.

3 stone ring with pave diamonds animated

The sidestones add a dimension of extra sparkle in the ring.

James Allen and White Flash are vendors that offer well made 3 stone engagement ring settings at competitive prices. Feel free to check out their beautiful designs for more ideas!

Tips to Buying Three Stone Engagement Rings

When buying a 3 stone engagement ring, there are certain details you might want to pay attention to.

First of all, the shape of the center diamond has a major impact on the ring’s appearance. The 3 stone style works best with symmetrical shapes like round or princess cut diamonds.

The 3 stone style works best with symmetrical shapes like round or princess cut diamonds.

If your center stone has an asymmetrical shape (e.g. heart, pear), you need to be careful with the ring design as it can cause a mismatch with the wrong sidestones. As a general guideline, asymmetrical center stones would go well with asymmetrical sidestones.

marquise cut diamond 3 stone ring taper baguette sidestone 18k yellow gold
oval shape diamond three stone engagement ring marquise sidestone

Ring designs with fancy shape sidestones tend to work better with asymmetrical center stones.

In a three-stone diamond ring, the size of the side stones used are relatively large compared to the center stone and their quality matters. Jewelers typically have a pre-determined set of specifications for them like their total carat weight, color and clarity.

If the average color of the sidestones are F-G, then it is perfectly OK to buy a center diamond with 1 color grade difference apart (i.e. E, F, G, H). If the average color of the sidestones are H-I, then you should ideally choose a center stone within this range: G, H, I, J.

The key here lies in the experience of the bench jeweler and the quality of workmanship.

Are You Inspired By Meghan Markle’s Royal Engagement Ring?

It’s no secret that one of the most talked about royalty rings is that belonging to Prince Harry’s fiance, Meghan Markle. The custom designed three-stone engagement ring with its whopping 4 carat cushion cut diamond in yellow gold caught the world’s attention.

meghan markle engagement ring design

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry getting engaged. Photo credits: metro.co.uk

And if you are wondering how you can recreate Meghan’s Markle’s engagement ring with a similar looking design, you are at the right place. Check out some of these replica designs that are very similar to the real ring!

the meghan markle replica yellow gold diamond ring

“The Megan” is Brian Gavin’s rendition of the famous royalty ring. You also have the option to customize the quality of the gemstones to the specifications you like and can cherry pick super ideal cut diamonds from Brian Gavin’s inventory.


imitation meghan markle lookalike ring similar design

With a unique handmade trellis basket, this yellow gold ring design adds a subtle twist to the classic design. If you want to replicate Meghan Markle’s three stone engagement ring, consider pairing this ring with a cushion shape diamond of your choice.

Best Designer 3-Stone Diamond Engagement Rings

If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind design, you may want to consider designer rings. Here are some of my favorite designs that are intricately made and simply breathtaking.

simon g halo encrusted melee three stone engagement ring
branded designer 3 stone diamond anniversary ring verragio

The Simon G ring on the left has halos encircling each of the stones to create a blooming effect like a bouquet of flowers. The appearance is simply amazing and the ring has a multi dimensional sparkle to it.

The Verragio ring on the right has a profile that is super intricate and full of craftsmanship details. It is a grand sight to behold for the casual observer.

Want to see more? Visit WhiteFlash.com to browse through 3 stone engagement ring designs that are meticulously crafted for perfection and sparkle.

Vintage Inspired Styles for 3 Stone Rings

Vintage style rings are popular choices for people who want a blast from the past. These 2 rings from James Allen are very popular for their stylish and exquisite detailing. To see more details, make sure you click on the images and interact with the video listing!

hand crafted ring vintage 3 stone diamond engagement ring
taper baguette sidestone ring diamond platinum

Summary – Let’s Wrap Things Up With 3-Stone Rings

Three stone rings are very meaningful and there are amazing designs that fit different budgets. And really, there is no fixed rules or narratives to buying them as you have to freedom to decide on shape, size, style and even the feelings you want to convey.

In this write up, we had revealed useful tips to buying 3-stone rings and also showcased some amazing designs that are available in the market. This can be a big help further down the line, so make sure you bookmark this page for reference.

Armed with this knowledge and information, you should be able to make better decisions. But if you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below. With that, I wish you all the best with your three-stone engagement ring buying adventure!

If you are looking for high quality three stone engagement rings, I recommend checking out James Allen, White Flash and Brian Gavin for superb craftsmanship and diamond selection choices.

Related Articles

Share This Page on Social Media!

8 Comments

  1. Marjorie-
    June 9, 2017 at 4:50 pm

    Where would you recommend 3 stone engagement ring settings with matching wedding bands to be custom made? I am looking for the trilogy ring to sit flush with the plain band.

  2. Paul Gian-
    June 19, 2017 at 6:01 pm

    If you are looking for 3 stone engagement ring settings with matching wedding bands, I won’t advice the route of customizing unless there is something that cannot be done by existing settings. What kind of setting design are you looking at? Most vendors I know of actually provide links to matching bands as a convenience to shoppers.

  3. jon lee-
    September 14, 2017 at 10:08 pm

    my fiancée is considering kay jewelers 3 stone diamond rings as she liked it when she viewed it in store. the salesperson says the primary carat weight is 5/8 and is white in color with I2 clarity. the pear shape cut stones have i1 clarity and 1/5 ct. the manager offered us at a sale price of $3,000. Is this a good buy?

  4. Paul Gian-
    September 15, 2017 at 6:23 am

    No, it isn’t. Just to be clear. The diamonds used in the ring are garbage quality. I2 clarity is almost as bad as it can get and the inclusions cause durability/performance problems. The Kay Jewelers 3 stone diamond rings are usually not certified as well and this makes the quality questionable too.

    For reference, you can read this page on clarity: https://beyond4cs.com/clarity/i2/

  5. Jason-
    January 21, 2018 at 2:14 pm

    Is there any special meaning to three diamond engagement rings and how the orientation of the stones come into play?

  6. Paul Gian-
    January 23, 2018 at 10:31 pm

    I’m not sure what you mean by three diamond engagement rings. Is this a brand or trademarked item? If I would guess and assume, I think you just mistyped. The orientation of the stones and the “story” behind it is really what you want the narrative to be.

  7. Beverly Dean-
    May 18, 2018 at 4:53 pm

    Is there any guideline on how big the carat weight of the center gemstone should be in relation to the stones on the side? Would the trilogy engagement ring meaning be changed based on the relative carat size of the 3 diamonds?

    1) Flanking diamonds are of the same size as the center stone.
    2) Side diamonds are smaller than the center stone.
    3) Flanking diamonds that are larger than the main diamond. Is this weird?

  8. Paul Gian-
    May 19, 2018 at 3:21 am

    Design wise, there may be but they don’t really matter. I suppose the meaning of trilogy rings can be whatever you want it to represent. What matters most is what you like and want. As a guideline, the traditional graduation has a center stone that is twice the weight of the side stones. That is to say, if you buy a 1ct diamond, then you want to use 0.5ct sidestones.

    For equally sized diamond rings, they tend to work well with symmetrical shapes like rounds or princess cut diamonds. But the degree of graduation can vary from one design to another depending on details and features of the ring.

    I personally find it to be very awkward if the trilogy ring’s main diamond is smaller than the flanking sidestones.

Leave A Comment