A channel setting is probably the most durable of all settings… in that the diamonds are encased within the ring itself (and not just held in place by prongs)
I am an Encore Bride…
So when I got Engaged this time round… I KNEW myself and how I typically wear / would wear a Bridal Set… so this was part of the reason that I opted for a Channel Setting (I have it in BOTH my ERing and my WBand)
My first marriage was over 20 Years… I wore my Rings every.single.day… rarely taking them off ever.
When I was doing my ERing research this time round (reading up on Diamonds, Metals, Settings) it became clear pretty quick that I was going to be looking for a Channel Setting
The setting is as I said very secure and can really take a beating.
The one thing I would advise tho is look for one that has the “holes” on the underside if you can (not all rings have this feature). The underside holes provide a lot of benefits for the longterm.
Here is a copy of a reply I did for another Bee who asked about these holes recently:
== cut & paste ==
I have 2 Channel Set Rings…
Both of Good to Excellent Quality
(GIA Certified, Canadian Diamonds, Very Good Cut, F & G Colour, SI Clarity)
My Half Eternity WBand comes from Peoples Canada (Zales USA)
It has 10 Diamonds, each approx 0.055 in size (Half Carat range = 0.45 to 0.58 ctw)
The Diamonds in it are set without the holes underneath. It sparkles nicely BECAUSE of the Quality of the Diamonds (and it is fairly NEW).
My ERing is semi-custom from a Family Jewellery Store / Independent Goldsmith.
My Feature Diamond is in a Straight Prong Cathedral Setting… so the Diamond receives a lot of light from all sides.
The 46 other Diamonds (rounds & baguettes) aprox 1.05 Carats do have the holes underneath the setting.
This assortment of smaller diamonds altho the same quality as my WBand… far out sparkle my WBand…
What happens is the light shines onto the facets of the Diamond, and then is reflected downwards and back up. It is the “space” that makes this happen… in the same way as a Stained Glass Window works… or a prism. In that if the backside was shut off from reflecting light… the effect would be lost, as the light must be free to travel / bounce to obtain the desired visual effect.
As well, having holes makes it a lot easier to clean a Diamond… in so much as you can get the gunk out behind the stone… say with an ultra-sonic cleaner, or a soaking solution.
A channel set right without holes, means that the dirt & grime is going to get between the stones, and eventually into spots where it might not be able to get out of behind the Diamonds, making them appear cloudy or white vs clear.
And as others have said, it also means that each Diamond in the setting has a spot for its point to safely sit.
== end ==
Hope this helps,