Archive for January, 2009

The Perfect Antique Engagement Ring Setting

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

You need to give the process of selecting your engagement ring some serious thought.  This decision cannot be hurried.  There are so many different types of setting available and you need to make sure you are selecting the correct style.  Just think about it, you need to chose a ring you really love, and that ring also needs to fit in with your style and your day to day life.

A fairly traditional type of ring is the antique ring setting.  A lot of people love this setting and it is still very popular today.  The antique engagement ring style does have various settings for you to chose from.  They all display a vintage, reproduction charm that make them very desirable.  Most antique setting rings are made from platinum or white gold.

Below are details of some jewelrs you may want to take a look at.  They provide a wide selection of styles to choose from and give lots of information.

Diamonds USA is one place where you can feel in safe hands when you are looking to buy an antique engagement ring setting.  They offer a wide selection of rings from which you can make your choice and these include anniversary, carved, Celtic, contemporary, designer, diamond, fancy, gemstone, hand braided, plain, two tone, unique, not to mention custom style antique engagement ring settings.  There is also a large choice of wedding bands, including diamond set wedding bands available for you to chose from.  This is a company that has a huge array of choice for both engagement and wedding rings and one that you can completely trust. As you are dealing direct with the company and there is no middle man involved, the prices are extremely affordable enabling you to purchase fantastic jewelry are very affordable prices.

Finejewelers.com Fine Jewelers is another jeweler you may wish to visit if you are looking for an antique engagement ring setting. Their aim is to help you to celebrate the decision you have made to get married and to provide you with the perfect engagement ring whatever your choice of style. There range is updated on a regular basis which enable you to return to the site and see the latest and most exciting examples they have to offer.   However, one thing dies remain constant about this company.  Without doubt the company is one of the most popular and trusted sources of engagement rings the world over and you should definately take a look at the rings they have available before making your final choice.

How Gem Cutting Has Changed Over The Years

Friday, January 30th, 2009

Gem cutting – How it has changed over the years (50% of the original rough diamond is lost during the cutting of a round brilliant gem)

How does a mass of mineral or crystal become a dazzling diamond, ruby or sapphire? It’s an amazing process called gem cutting or lapidary and makes all the difference in the final value of the stone. It was developed first in Venice in the early 1300’s and was seen in Paris and Bruges in the mid-1400s.Good cutting is a precise art that catches the light just so, and captures the beauty of the gem. Poor cutting destroys it.

Most gems start out actually being sawed with a special lapidary saw into a rough shape, such as square, round, pear or marquise. It’s then ground with a diamond-infused wheel to further refine the shape. The gem cutter uses a series of finer and finer abrasives to get closer to the clear heart of the gem. Cabochon gems are polished to a smooth overall surface, sometimes held by hand, but more often fixed or “dopped” with wax or adhesive to a dowel to hold it while the lapidarist polishes the stone.

Transparent stones are most often faceted, a process where flat planes of the stone are cut and polished over the surface in a precise, symmetrical pattern. It’s critical that the planes match up perfectly, or the beauty of how the light is captured by the facets will be lost.
If a stone is not polished, the brilliance of the gem will also be lost. When a stone is properly faceted, it captures the light so it bounces around inside the stone, giving it the sparkle we love and that helps determine the value of the gem. If the stone is cut too flat, or the facets don’t meet precisely, the light doesn’t bounce off the angles in the facets to maximum effect.

Jewelery Thailand is one of the most popular in the world as Thailand is famous for good quality jewelry and precious gem stones. IFC Jewelry in Chiang Mai Thailand produces one of the finest jewelry in the world, its customers includes many celebrities which can be viewed from their website at www.ifcjewelry.com - Jewellery Chiang Mai

 

Find The Most Beautiful Engagement Ring Settings

Thursday, January 29th, 2009

When you are picking out your engagement ring setting there are various choices open to you and it is important that you give some serious consideration and thought to the procedure of selecting the right choice of ring.  Just think about it, you need to chose a ring you really love, and that ring also needs to fit in with your style and your day to day life.

One of the most fashionable types of ring setting is the antique ring setting.  It is considered very traditional and is still a very popular choice for many brides-to-be today.  Within the antique engagement ring style there are many settings for you to choose from all of which display a passionate and charming collection of reproduction vintage style settings made of white gold and platinum.

Whether or not white gold is your choice of engagement ring setting there are quite a few jewelrs for you to look at and here are some details about them for your information.

Diamonds USA is a great place to start your process of looking for the finest antique engagement ring setting.  There is a large selection of rings available for you to make the perfect choice.  The range covers, gemstone, diamond, plain, unique, contemporary, Celtic, designer, hand braided, two tone and custom styled rings.  They also stock a large selection of wedding bands including diamond set wedding bands.  This is a company that is well established and has a very good reputation. Because there is no middle man involved, the savings are passed onto the customer.  You are able to buy beautiful engagement and wedding jewelry at great prices because you are dealing direct with the supplier.

Fine Jewelers is another jeweler you may wish to visit if you are looking for an antique engagement ring setting. Inkeeping with the happy event of your engagement, they aim to take the stress out of selecting the perfect engagement ring by proving you with a full range of settings to choose from. The selection they hold is updated on a regular basis which means you can always go back again and see the new and exciting examples they have on display.   However, one thing always remains the same about this company.  Without doubt the company is one of the most popular and trusted sources of engagement rings the world over and you should definately take a look at the rings they have available before making your final choice.

How to Shop for Fashion Imitation Jewelry

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

Designer Imitation Jewelry

If you are shopping for fashion imitation jewelry, there are literally thousands of different stores that you could go through but a few in particular that are really going to be worth checking out. When you are buying designer imitation jewelry you want to get exquisite pieces, but not have to pay an arm and a leg for it at the same time. 

Fortunately there are a few fashion imitation jewelry stores that have fashion imitation jewelry and other wonderful pieces that you may be interested in.

 Amazon

This is one of the first designer imitation jewelry stores that you are going to want to visit. There are pieces of fashion imitation jewelry here that you cannot find anywhere else, so if you really want to be a spectacle at your next social gathering or costume party, in a good way, this is where you want to go.

Here they specialize in unique and one-of-a-kind jewelry creations that have been created by leading contemporary American and French designers, and they offer highlights of their latest collections on their website in full color for you to check out. This way you can examine what they have to offer at any given time.

The designer imitation jewelry they offer is renowned around the world and often even worn by celebrities at red carpet events. No matter what style of designer imitation jewelry you may be looking for, you will find a huge selection of it here.

 Buy.com Jewelry

There is also the Buy.com Jewelry store, offering fabulous fashion imitation jewelry that you are sure to love. You can complement any holiday or party outfit with their imitation jewelry, and for prices that you can actually afford. Everyone loves a gift of fashion imitation jewelry, so if it is someone on your holiday or birthday list that you are shopping for, you can buy it here and find just the perfect piece.

They have hundreds of brands and products to choose from, so if you are interested in seeing what they have to offer, you will definitely want to visit them to find if they have just what you are looking for to accessorize your outfit or as a gift to that special person in your life.

Designer imitation jewelry is truly fantastic, and the pieces are unlike any jewelry you have seen before. Just make sure that you educate yourself more on designer imitation jewelry and what it is all about before going out to do your shopping so you can have the best results and find the pieces that you are looking for.

For more information about fashion imitation jewelry, please visit the home of that Unique Costume.

She Deserves Something Very Special: Personalized Mothers Jewelry

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Mother’s jewelry is a popular gift item for a variety of different occasions. Christmas, anniversaries, births and certainly for Mother’s Day, personalized jewelry that provides Mothers and Grandmothers with a keepsake of their family is always a memorable and much appreciated gift. Mothers jewelry usually finds its way into Mom’s and Grandmother’s hearts, making them a high treasured item that is passed down from generation to generation through the women in the family.

The overwhelming favorite piece of jewelry for mothers are personalized mothers rings. One of the most favored and cherished of the mother’s jewelry selections, these personalized rings use birthstones, names, or birth dates to signify the members of the family. One style of ring includes the birthstones of the husband and wife as the center setting, then the birthstones of all the children and grandchild either as chips or full stones around the center setting or around the band. Other styles include the mother and father symbolized by the top and bottom band of the ring, then the stones in the center of the bands as the representations for the children and grandchildren. Either style can range from very elegant and stylized to more modern or even antique in appearance.

Thin rings that can be stacked have become an increasingly popular mother’s jewelry choice. Wear these delicate bands all on one finger or on several fingers. Each of the bands will typically have the birth stone, name, or birth date of each child or family member. Slender stackable rings have become a very popular mothers jewelry design and come in a great number of design styles and precious metal choices.

Pendants and lockets are a wonderful choice for mothers and grandmothers alike. Lockets and necklaces can be in silver or gold, with or without engraving and gems or semi-precious stones. Pendants, typically in the shape of hearts, can also be used as a base to add a gem for each child or grandchild, with the husband and wife’s birthstones forming the center. Necklaces and bracelets that allow Mom’s to continue to add pendants or charms as their family increases are also a great gift idea and one that can be added to for years to come. With these many design options, you can create a truly personal piece for your mother.

Find The Most Beautiful Engagement Ring Settings

Monday, January 26th, 2009

When you are picking out your engagement ring setting there are different alternatives open to you and it is important that you give some serious consideration and thought to the process of making the right choice of ring.  Just think about it, you need to chose a ring you really love, and that ring also needs to fit in with your style and your day to day life.

A fairly traditional type of ring is the antique ring setting.  A lot of people love this setting and it is still very popular today.  As the name would suggest the antique ring style does display an old world charm with various vintage settings to choose from.  Rings are usually made from either platinum or white gold.

Below are details of some jewelrs you may want to take a look at.  They provide a wide selection of styles to choose from and give lots of information.

Diamonds USA is one place where you can feel in safe hands when you are looking to buy an antique engagement ring setting.  A wide selection of rings are available for you to chose from, they include contemporary, designer, gemstone, diamond, plain, fancy, two tone, unique and custome made rings.  They also stock a large selection of wedding bands including diamond set wedding bands.  This is a company that is well established and has a very good reputation. As you are dealing direct with the company and there is no middle man involved, the prices are extremely affordable enabling you to purchase fantastic jewelry are very affordable prices.

Finejewelers.com Fine Jewelers is a jewelr you may also want to take a look at if you are looking for an antique engagement ring setting. Their aim is to help you to celebrate the decision you have made to get married and to provide you with the perfect engagement ring whatever your choice of style. Their range is constantly updated which means there will always be something new for you to view.   However, one thing dies remain constant about this company.  Without doubt the company is one of the most popular and trusted sources of engagement rings the world over and you should definately take a look at the rings they have available before making your final choice.

How to Select the Best Men’s Watch

Sunday, January 25th, 2009

One of the best ways to accessorize your attire if you are a man is with a men’s watch.  A watch can be just like a woman’s best piece of jewelry.  It can come in many different types and shapes.  However, with so many types of watches on the market, one may wonder how to pick the best men’s watch to accessorize their attire.  In order to do that, you may have to invest a little time and effort into research.

Type of Men’s Watches

One of the best ways to begin choosing a men’s watch is to think about the man that the watch is being chosen for in the first place.  Does he have a particular style?  For example, is he sporty or more casual in the way that he approaches life and the way that he dresses? Since a watch is one of the very few pieces of jewelry that a man will wear, it is important to think of it as an accessory to him and his lifestyle.

If he is sporty, then choosing a men’s watch can include looking at watches that have all kinds of different dials and options on them.  For example, you can find watches that have a stopwatch on them or are water resistant for when he works out and gets all sweaty.  For the casual man, you may need to see what is hot on the watch scene.  Most of these types of men will like whatever is in style.  Tag Heuer Link Chronograph Mens Watch would be a good brand to look at when thinking of a sporty man.

Other types of a men’s watch include dressy, hip, and luxury.  Again, what type you choose will depend on the man and what his life entails.  If he is a dressy sort of man then you should look at more expensive timepieces.  However, if he has to have the best of everything, then a top rated and most expensive men’s watch would fit the bill for him.

No matter what type of men’s watch is chosen, one thing is for sure.  He will love being pampered and being thought of in such a special way.  A watch can prove to be a special thing for a man to own and be given as a gift.  That is why you really have to take time and effort in choosing a men’s watch for the special man in your life.  This is one choice that you should not take lightly.

Looking at how diamonds are priced - the real deal about clarity!

Saturday, January 24th, 2009

Today I’m going to take a look at one of the “4 C’s” of diamonds. In case you don’t know, diamonds are graded in 4 main categories or groupings - cut, color, carat and clarity. Today I want to have a close look at the last one - clarity.

The clarity grading scale ranges from IF (the best) down to I3 (the worst). As a whole, there are ten different categories that a diamond can fall into.

Clarity looks at how many “inclusions” that are present in the diamond. Basically, inclusions are small blemishes or imperfections. These occur naturally when the rock is forming in the earth and inclusions are found in almost all diamonds.

When grading the diamond, a gemologist inspects the diamond under magnification to look at any inclusions that are present. The grading is then decided on how many inclusions, and as well how apparent or large they are.  Keep in mind that the grading is given under strong magnification.

As an example, a diamond that has an IF or flawless grading has no inclusions at all. This is incredibly rare, and understandably, this type of diamond carries a huge bump in price.

A diamond graded VS2 will have “very slight” inclusions - these are only noticeable under a microscope and aren’t noticeable with your naked eye. These diamonds sell for significantly less that an IF graded diamond.

It’s important to understand the different ways diamonds are graded. Grab a diamond buying guide - you will be pleased you did in the end as you can save a lot of money on your purchase. It can be the difference between finding an affordable engagement ring instead of shelling out big bucks and putting a huge smile on your jewelers face.

Celebrating Romance: Couples Jewelry

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

A romantic and enduring way to symbolize the union of two people, personalized jewelry is a wonderful option to celebrate commitment to each other. Personalized couples jewelry is more than just wedding rings and bands, however this is often the most commonly considered type of jewelry used to designate a couple after marriage. New trends and customs have made other forms of couples jewelry almost as popular prior to the wedding.

Today, couples have many choices in rings to celebrate their commitment. Through time, promise rings symbolizing a commitment to engagement and marriage in the future, have been given to women by their intended. Today, giving each other rings that celebrate their commitment has become quite popular. One of the most common types of pre-wedding couples items are name rings that signify their commitment to each other. For couples not wanting rings, pendants or necklaces with their beloved partners names can also be a wonderful option that still allows options for wedding rings and engagement rings at a later date.

Couples jewelry can extend beyond just inscribing each other’s names on rings. Another option is to use initials in the design of the bands, rings or pendants, along with special dates for the couple or even a special symbol of their commitment. The ultimate symbol of love, hearts are a very popular choice along with eternity symbols and Celtic love knots.

Couples jewlery is available in a wide variety of precious metals - sterling silver, gold, palladium, platinum, titanium,. Since stylistically they have to suitable for both men and women, different metals are often used to add detailing in a way that is very suitable for both genders. Common color combinations are white, yellow and rose gold with the gem colored stones for accent colors. Sterling Silver can be a more affordable option and makes a very striking presentation. A wide variety of precious and semi-precious stones can be included in the variety of romantic jewlery pieces, but the most popular is the diamond.

Here’s are Some Secrets to Finding a Cheap Engagement Ring

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

If you’re shopping for a diamond engagement ring, a proposal to your special someone must be on the horizon.  First off - Congrats!  Proposing to a girl is an exciting time in anyone’s live and is something that every girl has dreamed of since she was a child.

Most guys get nervous about one thing - hunting for a diamond ring!  Many guys think that this is the most stressful part of proposing.  Everyone knows that a diamond is a girl’s best friend!  Unfortunately, most guys have never shopped for a diamond so they aren’t sure of what to look for.

It’s normal to get a little intimidated when you first walk into a jewelry store.  You are confronted with lots of shiny diamonds and some very big pricetags!  It’s no mystery that the jewelry store employee is most likely going to present to you the most expensive ones first!

Honestly, don’t worry about a thing  Trust me, you will find a gorgeous engagement at an unbelievable price.  Ignore the first prices that you see in the stores - these prices are NOT what you will pay.  There’s plenty of wiggle room and more importantly, you can look for certain things in a diamond in order to get the most bang for your buck.

The most critical part of shopping for a diamond ring is to get educated on how these things are graded.  Look for a diamond buying guide to help you out here.  Make sure you understand the “4 C’s” and how the labs grade diamonds.

Once you do this, you will also know what goes into pricing a diamond.  With this knowledge, it’s up to you to select which grading characteristics are most important to you in purchasing a diamond.

Decide the amount you want to spend, and stick with it.  You can get a bigger diamond just by going down a grade in one of the 4 C’s.  For example, by going from a “F” color diamond down to an “I”, you will conserve huge dollars or be able to bump up the size of the rock significantly.

Best of luck during this exciting time!

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