Archive for the ‘Designer Engagement Rings’ Category

 

All About Designer Engagement Rings

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Thinking about designer engagement rings conjures images of really expensive, detailed jewelry that the average couple could never afford. While designer rings can very well be incredibly pricey, there are actually ways to afford designer engagement rings depending on the type of ring you’re interested in and who designed it.

 

The Difference Between Designer Rings and Retail Jewelry

Designer rings are different than engagement rings offered by mass retailers because they are individually created and customized, rather than produced in bulk from a pre-existing design. The well known designer jewelers, such as Harry Winston, are also usually the most expensive. However, their notoriety comes more from the quality metals and materials they use for their rings rather than the design work.

 

However, don’t think that just because a ring has been labeled a designer piece means that it is unique. Many designers create a ring that is then sold in several stores, but because the design itself is unique that instantly makes it recognizable and verifiable as the work of a particular designer. The quality of a particular stone used in a ring can also mark it as a designer piece because of the very high quality gem used.

 

Types of Designers/Where to Buy a Designer Engagement Ring

From large, world-renowned designer jewelers like Tiffany’s to small-scale operations that only design a few rings annually, designer jewelers come in all shapes and sizes. Even the large scale jewelers started somewhere, and independent designers are often a great place to look for an affordable designer engagement ring.

 

Granted, larger designers are easy to find, but you can expect to pay much more for one of their rings. Do some Internet research to locate smaller designers in your area. Oftentimes, their websites will allow you to view a photo gallery of their work, as well as information about pricing. If you already know what type of ring you’d like designed, you may even be able to contact them for a customized quote. While you don’t have to choose a local designer, it’s convenient to be able to meet with the designer and inspect your ring as it’s being designed.

 

How Much?

While it’s true that the vast majority of designer engagement rings (especially rings from well-known designers) are often more expensive than a ring from a retail mall store, you can still find an affordable designer ring. The price of your ring is really dependent on the quality of the stones and metal used, the setting and the design rather than on who designed it.

 

Because an engagement ring serves as a symbol of your relationship, choosing a designer ring represents that relationship well because of the individuality and unique craftsmanship that goes into the ring. Whether you can afford a designer from from a world renowned jeweler or prefer a designer engagement ring from a lesser-known designer, you can have a ring that will be stunning, beautiful and more affordable than you might think.

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Finding Unique Engagement Rings

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

Every relationship is unique, and the reason why an individual would want to marry another is because for some reason this particular person stands out to them among all others. When you think about “love at first sight,” it is as though there is some type of special glow around a certain someone, and they are like a magnet of attraction, not to everyone, but to a special someone. The very reason why two people would want to get married is because each of them feels as though the other is something unique, a one-of-a-kind friend and lover that they want to spend the rest of their lives with.

 

So when it is time to get engaged, and you start shopping for the ideal engagement ring, you should be looking for a ring that is as unique as your relationship. No lady wants to be sitting next to a couple at dinner and notice that the woman at the next table is wearing the very same ring that she is. So when you are shopping for an engagement ring, it is not that you need to outspend the next person and get a diamond the size of a medium egg as an expression of “one-upsmanship.” What is important is to find a diamond engagement ring that is original in design and that is consistent with your personal taste.

 

Most engagement rings that are at the lower end of the pricing scale are mass produced, and though they may be attractive in their own right, they are not going to be very interesting, original, or unique. It all depends on the taste of the wearer, but when you start to consider intricate and fancy cuts, unusually colored diamonds, and designer arrangements, you can get creative and find an engagement ring that is singularly appealing to you. If you are of the mind, you can actually sketch out a design and present it to the right jewelry designer and create a ring that is completely unique to you and the symbolic expression of your relationship with your partner.

 

It is hard to reinvent the wheel and there are of course tried and true general engagement ring designs, but when you understand the different nuances in carat, cut, color, clarity, (what they call the 4Cs) and imagine the many variations that can be employed, the possibilities are almost endless. Choosing the perfect engagement ring that matches your personal taste and sense of style is something that may require a little patience and some comparison shopping, but the search will be worth it. After all, this ring is going to be worn for a lifetime, and there are few choices that are going to stick with us more consistently than the engagement ring choice that we make. If you get tired of a jacket that you bought a couple of years ago, it’s easy to put it into mothballs and buy a new one. But an engagement ring is a lifetime commitment, and it is important that you make a choice that you can live with for the long haul.

 

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Unique and Stunning Asscher Cut Engagement Rings

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Okay, so you are a man who knows little to nothing about women’s jewelry, and you decide that you have been single long enough and you are ready to ask your honey to marry you. You may start thinking about the perfect place to pop the question. Maybe you should take her on a vacation…perhaps a tropical island or a ski trip in the mountains. Maybe it would be best to go to your favorite restaurant, or a concert in the park. Or maybe you are one of those guys who is feeling the ballgame scoreboard proposal or the freeway billboard thing. However and wherever you choose to do the deed, your next challenge is to learn something about women’s jewelry. You are going to have to select an engagement ring that is hard to say no to, and that is going to take some effort.

 

Not knowing a lot about women’s jewelry before you get married is not necessarily a very bad thing. It is totally possible that you wouldn’t have a girlfriend at all if you were the type of guy that is deeply into women’s jewelry and accessories. But I digress. Once you know that you are going to be buying an engagement ring, you have to know what’s out there and try to get some sort of inkling about what type of ring will truly wow your fiance-to-be.

 

A diamond is a precious commodity, but the way that it is cut is one of the things that sets one stone apart from another, and like anything else, there are varying standards of quality when you are talking about cut. One unique and stunning cut is the Asscher cut diamond. The style was patented by the Dutch brothers Asscher back in 1902, and the Asscher cut has been synonymous with elegant lapidary excellence ever since. The Asscher stone has a squarish shape with the corners cut so that the stone actually resembles an octagon. If you are wondering what type of engagement ring you may be able to present to your spouse-to-be that is truly precise and unmistakably eye-catching, you may want to consider an Asscher cut diamond. It is interesting to note that because of the fact that the cut is patented, each and every Asscher stone can be identified and authenticated (under magnification of course) through the family seal that each diamond carries on its girdle.

 

There is a saying that goes something like “I don’t know art, but I know what I like.” If you are somewhat intimidated by the prospect of buying an engagement ring, fear not. Simply do some web browsing and get a feel for the choices that you have, and think like the person who is considering buying a work of art. Find something that you like and it is very likely that the woman in your life will like it as well. Pay attention to detail, take notice of the intricacy of the cut, and let your common sense and personal taste guide the way.

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Diamond Engagement Ring: A Girl’s Best Friend?

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

There is that old saying about a diamond being a girl’s best friend, and even though we love diamonds, the giver of a diamond engagement ring should be the woman’s best friend, not the diamond itself. Good relationships that withstand the test of time are built on a solid foundation of friendship, and the strength and longevity that is symbolized by a diamond engagement ring is rooted in a genuine sense of friendship along with the passionate love that motivates a couple to make the ultimate commitment and get married. Every time the bride-to-be looks at her engagement ring she is looking at a beautiful symbol of love and deep, enduring friendship.

 

The purchase of a diamond engagement ring is a very important decision that, hopefully, a man will make just once in his life, so he has to be sure that he is getting a ring that the love of his life will cherish forever. When giving a gift the thought certainly counts most of all, but hey, we all like nice things, and there are a lot of beautifully crafted engagement rings out there, from classic antique engagement rings that speak of the elegance and timelessness that reaches across generations, to mind boggling floating diamond engagement rings designed by master jewelers. There are so many options out there for the man who is purchasing an engagement ring it takes a lot of thought to sift through them all and come away with the perfect ring for that perfect best friend that you have decided to spend the rest of your life with.

 

Since most guys do in fact buy an engagement ring just once in their lives (or at least very rarely), it takes some research to understand what types of arrangements are popular and what your options are. Obviously, it is a good idea to keep your eyes and ears peeled when you are around your fiancé-to-be to try to get an idea of what types of engagement rings seem to “wow” her. Even if she is as in love with you as you are with her, and she is going to say yes regardless of what type of engagement ring you present her with, this is a ring that she is going to be wearing for the rest of her life. You don’t want to present her with a dolphin engagement ring that she secretly despises when you could have picked out a diamond flower engagement ring that brings tears to her eyes and has her friends salivating.

 

Diamonds are diamonds, and best friends are best friends, but a well selected, quality, creatively designed diamond engagement ring is a beautiful expression of a commitment to eternal friendship between two people who are deeply in love. Shopping for a diamond engagement ring can be a little bit overwhelming, but if you are patient, and you do your homework so that you understand what is out there, you will give your fiancé-to-be a gift that she will treasure for the rest of her life.

 

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