What Are Melee Diamonds?
Melee diamonds are tiny diamonds commonly used in diamond jewelry to accentuate a single center stone, especially in engagement rings. The small diamonds used in settings like halo, pavé, or channel settings are almost always melee diamonds. According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), melee diamonds are defined as diamonds that are less than 0.2 carats. While this is the maximum size for melee diamonds, they can be as small as 0.001 carats. Individually, a melee diamond is very small and may not make much impact on its own. However, when grouped together, melee diamonds can add a stunning sparkle to an otherwise plain ring, enhancing its presence and giving it a significantly more impressive appearance. Melee Diamond Cuts Melee diamonds are often cut in the same way as larger brilliant-cut diamonds. Many melee diamonds look like scaled-down versions of the round brilliant diamonds typically used as center stones. Single Cut vs...