Each small diamond sits in its own seat, and tiny raised beads around its edge hold it in place. The stones sit almost edge to edge, so very little metal shows from above. That is where the name comes from: the surface looks paved with diamonds rather than dotted with them.
Coverage varies from band to band. Some carry diamonds across the top only and leave smooth metal underneath; others run diamonds all the way round. The half version is easier for a jeweler to size, because a full eternity band is hard or impossible to resize, while the full version shows diamonds whichever way your hand turns.
Lots of small diamonds return light from lots of small facets, so pave gives a lively, glittering effect rather than the bigger flashes of a single large stone. Beside a center diamond it works like a frame. Because each stone is tiny, the overall look depends more on how evenly they are matched and set than on any one grade.
Metal color changes the effect. White gold and platinum show any warmth in a diamond more readily, so pick stones with little tint for a white band; yellow and rose gold are more forgiving of a warmer stone.
Pave is secure for daily wear, and the right build makes it more so. If your hands are busy, look for a band a little wider than the slimmest options, with diamonds across the top only, so the underside stays plain metal that takes the knocks and can be sized. A thin, fully set band looks the most delicate and suits gentler wear. If you want sparkle with a smoother edge, channel set stones are the sturdier alternative.
Rings from Rare Carat come with a lifetime manufacturing warranty on the setting, so a defect in how the band was made is covered.
Match the stones and the metal first. A pave engagement ring and a band of the same width read as a set, and if your ring is a plain solitaire, a sparkling band adds life without crowding the center stone. For the brightest white look, consider platinum pave settings, which keep the whole hand cool in tone.
If you want diamonds the whole way round, compare the eternity bands as well, and settle your size before you order with the ring sizer Rare Carat sends free of charge.