Behind the Design

The FLOAT™ Ring began with a simple question.

What if a bezel setting could reveal more, rather than conceal? 

Traditionally, bezel settings surround and protect a gemstone with metal wrapped tightly around its edges. They might be timeless and secure, but they also hide much of the stone itself. The Float bezel reimagines this idea entirely, transforming the traditional bezel into something elevated and architectural. 

The FLOAT bezel system has been engineered to create the illusion that a gemstone is suspended above the band. Light moves freely beneath the stone, the side profile becomes visible, and the stone appears almost weightless. 

The result? A solitaire that feels bold yet minimal. Familiar, but entirely transformed. 

A New Language for the Solitaire

The FLOAT™ Ring was designed to honour the timelessness of diamond jewellery while responding to a new era of accessibility and individuality.

As larger lab-grown diamonds become more widely embraced, the conversation shifts away from size alone and towards how a stone is truly experienced. Rather than adding excess detail, the FLOAT™ design works with space itself.

Negative space becomes part of the design language. Light becomes structure. Elevation becomes architecture.

The FLOAT™ system exposes the side profile of the gemstone, something rarely celebrated in traditional bezel settings. The depth and silhouette of the stone become visible from every angle, creating a sculptural presence that feels both contemporary and enduring.

The First FLOAT™

The very first FLOAT™ design started boldly, because subtlety was never the point.

It featured a 5.00 carat lab-grown cushion-cut diamond set in solid 9ct yellow gold, establishing the defining proportions and structural language of the FLOAT™ collection. Beneath the stone, metal was strategically removed to maximise light interaction while maintaining complete structural integrity.

The diamond appeared suspended above the band, elevated within a sculptural gold form that felt architectural yet effortless. This first piece became the foundation for what would evolve into an entire design language.

A Refined Evolution 

Today, the FLOAT™ system has evolved across multiple gemstone shapes, scales, and materials while maintaining its core identity: elevation, suspension, visibility, and sculptural clarity.

From cushion cuts and pear shapes to marquise diamonds, coloured gemstones, silver editions, and large-scale bespoke creations, each iteration continues to reinterpret the floating illusion in a new way.

The collection reflects a broader shift in contemporary jewellery. Clients increasingly want timeless materials, but they no longer want traditional sameness. They want pieces that feel personal, architectural, and unlike anything else in the room.

The FLOAT™ collection responds to that desire by rethinking one of jewellery’s oldest settings through modern form and engineering.

FLOAT™ in Silver

The FLOAT™ design also evolved into one of our most-loved ready-to-wear collections through the introduction of sterling silver and gemstone editions.

Launched in the softer pear-cut silhouette, the collection featured three signature gemstone colours: Paraiba Nano Quartz, Rosie Corundum, and White Sapphire. The FLOAT™ setting was adapted across rings, pendants, and stud earrings, preserving the sculptural essence and luminosity of the original high jewellery concept while creating a more accessible expression of the design.

The intention was never to dilute the idea, but rather to prove that strong design language can exist across both fine jewellery and everyday pieces.

Engineering Lightness

Although the FLOAT™ Ring appears effortless, the engineering behind it is highly precise.

Every bezel is individually calibrated to suit the dimensions, proportions, and structural requirements of its specific gemstone. The tolerances required to create the illusion of suspension while ensuring complete security are incredibly refined.

Each piece begins through precision CAD modelling before being hand-finished and meticulously polished. The craftsmanship lies not only in what is visible, but also in what is strategically removed.

The FLOAT™ system has also allowed us to reimagine heirloom gemstones from older pieces of jewellery, transforming them into entirely new contemporary heirlooms while preserving their history and meaning.

The Design Process

Every FLOAT™ Ring begins with proportion and balance.

The process starts with sketching ways to elevate the gemstone while maintaining security, comfort, and longevity. Particular attention is given to the side profile of the piece, where the floating illusion becomes most visible.

From there, the design moves into CAD development, where exact tolerances and structural requirements are refined for each individual stone. Every bezel is custom-built around its specific gemstone, ensuring the floating effect feels resolved from every angle.

The final stages involve meticulous hand-finishing, polishing, and stone setting to create the seamless sculptural finish that defines the FLOAT™ collection.

The result feels effortless, but every detail is technically rigorous beneath the surface.

Create Your Own FLOAT™

Reimagine your heirloom gemstones or create something entirely new through the FLOAT™ bezel system.

Explore our ready-designed FLOAT™ pieces online, or work with our team to create a bespoke piece tailored to your story. Whether you are redesigning sentimental gemstones or beginning with a new diamond, the FLOAT™ collection offers a contemporary approach to timeless jewellery.

Book a bespoke consultation with our team or contact us at admin@ubykate.com to begin your design journey.