Princess Cut Lab-Grown Diamond Wedding Bands, grown in light.

The holding method shapes these squares more than any other detail.

• Channel set: twin rails of polished metal frame the row, so it reads like one unbroken ribbon of light.
• Shared corner prongs: small claws pin each corner and leave more of every lab-grown diamond exposed, giving livelier flashes and a lacier edge.

Some bands carry five larger squares, and one design steps them down in size from the middle outward.

A princess cut engagement band repeats the squared outline of a princess solitaire, so ring and band look drawn by one hand. Lay them together before deciding: channel rows tuck flush against most settings, while prong rows show extra sparkle at the meeting point. Keeping both shanks in one metal color lets the pair blend into a single line on the finger.

Each weight listed sums all the stones in one band. At 0.5 or 0.75 carats total weight the row stays slender and understated; from 2 carats upward each square grows and the band holds its own beside any ring. Gold is offered as 10K, 14K or 18K, next to platinum and Silvadium, a tarnish-resistant sterling silver.

Pointed corners are the princess cut's weak spot, which is why prongs or rails cover them here. Slip the band off for weight training, moving furniture or digging in soil. Five minutes in lukewarm water with a drop of dish liquid, followed by a baby toothbrush run along the rails or between claws, lifts the film that dulls square facets.