Archive for the ‘Ring Musings’ Category

When You Don’t Want to See an Engagement Ring

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

Engagement rings are very beautiful to look at for the most part, but there are times when the sight of a lovely platinum or gold engagement ring is the last thing that I want to see. Let me explain what I mean.

Did you ever walk into a room, perhaps a restaurant, and get shown to your table, and then notice a couple of attractive women at the next table? You try to play it cool and be respectful, but you are just drawn to the remarkable beauty that you see sitting over there. Then, very subtly, one or both of the women that you have noticed rubs her face or adjusts her glasses in such a way that you can’t miss her diamond engagement ring. Ouch! As a rule I love engagement rings, but I hate it when that happens.

On a more serious note, it is amazing to see the things that jewelry designers can do with engagement rings these days, and I am often stunned by the intricacies of the craftsmanship, even when I see examples of that craftsmanship under the circumstances that I described above. When you look at a drawing or a painting that has a lot of minute detail that is done by a talented artist, it is very impressive. The more you look into it, the more detail you may see, and you marvel at the talent that is evident in this work of art. Things like shading and the utilization of various techniques that give the drawing a sense of dimensionality demonstrate an advanced understanding of how to make an object come to life. I love to go to art museums because I find these works of art to be so impressive, and I find myself wondering how anybody could create something that intricately detailed and seemingly perfect in every way.

When I look at a well designed engagement ring, I am enveloped by a similar sensation, but another layer of thought is added. If you are doing a drawing with a pencil, there is really no challenge involved in putting it to a piece of paper. If you are painting, it is certainly something that requires a great deal of technique, but the paint is sitting there and you have easy access to it with no resistance whatsoever. When a jewelry designer is making an engagement ring from scratch, he or she has to shape metals very precisely, and then do etchings and engravings into this metal, and some of the metals that are used for engagement rings are very hard, like titanium engagement rings. These amazing artisans also have to cut diamonds, which are the hardest substance known to man, into perfectly formed shapes that contain many different facets. And guess what? Diamonds ain’t cheap. If you have to discard a drawing that you started after making a mistake, that’s one thing…but a diamond, well, that’s another.

Engagement rings are an external expression of the love that is shared between two people, and those who are skilled at crafting them truly allow this expression to become manifest in the most beautiful possible form.

Tags: Diamond Engagement Rings, Engagement Rings, gold engagement ring, titanium engagement rings
Posted in Engagement Rings, Ring Musings | Comments Off

Engagement Rings: “You Just Know”

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

I can remember talking with my mother when I was very young and just beginning to notice members of the opposite sex in “that way,” and the conversation turned serious. The enormity of deciding who would be the special girl that that I was going to buy an engagement ring for at some time in the future really struck me. Even as a youngster I knew that buying the love of your life a diamond engagement ring and getting married was a beautiful event that was very meaningful. I also felt the strong sense that it was very important to do everything right, from selecting the perfect platinum or gold engagement ring down to every detail of the wedding.

My mother told me something that sticks in my head until this day. When I asked her how you know if the girl that you think you are going to propose to and present with an engagement ring is truly the right person for you, she said, very simply, “You’ll just know.” I somehow understood what she was getting at, though as a youth I was usually only satisfied by very concrete answers to my questions. There is that certain feeling, an inner sense of certainty that cannot be adequately explained with words, that lets you know when you have found “the one.”

If you have been fortunate enough to experience the feeling that my mother was trying to explain to me, it is then time to go shopping in earnest for the perfect engagement ring for that ideal woman that you want to spend the rest of your life with. There are many choices out there when you are shopping for an engagement ring, and it can be hard to find something that suits your tastes and looks like a ring that your significant other will like as well. Should you buy a gold engagement ring, a platinum engagement ring, a silver engagement rings, or a palladium engagement ring? How about those titanium engagement rings, or tungsten engagement rings, are they a good choice?

Questions abound when you are going to propose and it is time to decide which engagement ring you should buy. Doing research online to understand what is out there and about how much the various choices cost is a good idea. You want to have some engagement ring knowledge so that you can get a value on whatever ring you decide to buy. You can also read some articles on the ins and outs of buying an engagement ring to help you along. Then it is time to do a lot of comparison shopping and look at a lot of rings until you find the diamond engagement ring that you feel is right for you and your girlfriend.

It can be a little bit time consuming to find your engagement ring, or you may find one that you like right away, but one thing is certain: you will find the perfect engagement ring, and when you do, you will “just know” that it is the right one for you.

Tags: diamond engagement ring, engagement ring, gold engagement ring, palladium engagement ring, platinum engagement ring, silver engagement ring, the perfect engagement ring, titanium engagement ring, tungsten engagement ring
Posted in Engagement Rings, Ring Musings | Comments Off

Engagement Ring Shopping Tips

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Buying an engagement ring is a once in a lifetime experience for most of us, and when you are a decent and reputable person who is in the engagement ring business you never lose sight of the fact that you are playing a special role in the lives of your customers. Yes, every business person needs to make a profit at work so that they can pay their bills, and everyone who buys an engagement ring has a job where they need to make money as well. But it is important that engagement ring shoppers pay close attention to the details of their purchase and get themselves a good deal from an honest jeweler who is fair and who stands behind his or her work.

Many people who are buying an engagement ring are not savvy when it comes to diamonds, gemstones, and precious metals, and unfortunately, there are people who sell engagement rings who know this. I am firmly convinced that the vast majority of the people in the jewelry business are completely ethical, but it is definitely important that you make sure that what is being delivered is what has been agreed upon when you are buying an engagement ring.

A person or a couple can get very excited about the fact that they have finally decided to take the plunge. They decide that they are going to buy a beautiful diamond engagement ring, or perhaps a platinum engagement ring, and pop that question. When someone gets into this state of mind, they are prone to making rash decisions. They may pick a particular jewelry store out of the phone book and head down there without having done any research. They may not know a certified diamond from a hunk of cubic zirconia or a carat from a carrot. If they happen to walk into a jewelry store that may not have the most well developed set of ethical values, they are liable to walk out of there having bought an engagement ring that was really not a very good deal. It’s like a person deciding to buy a car one day and getting so excited about it that he or she doesn’t consider the possibility that the first dealer may not have the right car for them on that day. When you think like that, you are invariably going to someday realize that you could have done better if you had been more measured and patient while you were doing your shopping.

Shopping for the perfect engagement ring can be a lot of fun, and we are not trying to cast aspersions or suggest that buying an engagement ring is tantamount to throwing yourself into a pool of hungry sharks. We are simply suggesting that you avoid allowing your excitement to get the best of you. Do your research and go to the jewelry store with sufficient knowledge so that you can negotiate a deal on the ring that you like that is fair to you, and fair to the seller. If you avoid uninformed impulse buying, your experience of shopping for an engagement ring will be pleasant one.

Tags: Diamond Engagement Rings, Engagement Rings, Platinum Engagement Rings, the perfect engagement ring
Posted in Buying Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Ring Musings | Comments Off

Engagement Rings and Family Advice

Friday, May 1st, 2009

When you are ready to propose to the love of your life, it is likely that you don’t know a whole lot about engagement rings, and that is understandable. It is always a good idea to speak with people that you know who do have experience with engagements rings, because those who have gone through the process of buying a diamond engagement ring can share information with you that you would simply have no way of knowing.

One valuable resource to turn to is your family. Certainly your mom, your aunts, and perhaps some of your cousins and sisters have gotten engaged, and you can pick their brains about what types of engagement rings they like and recommend. Let’s face it, there are so many different engagement ring choices out there that it can make your head spin. You have to find the perfect diamond for one thing, and that can be very confusing. Should you get a bigger diamond that may not be certified by the GIA (The Gemological Institute of America), or should you spend your allotted budget on assured quality and get a GIA certified stone? What about the shape of the cut of the diamond, what would look best on her finger? And there is diamond color to consider, should you get the classic white diamond, or step out of the box and perhaps by an engagement ring with a red, pink, yellow, purple, blue or green diamond? There are so many decisions to make when you are shopping for the perfect engagement ring for the woman that you want to spend the rest of your life, and making the right choices can be very challenging. Soliciting the advice of family members who know more about diamonds, precious metals, and engagement rings than you do is a great way to avoid some of the pitfalls that an inexperienced engagement ring shopper might naturally encounter.

So once you have discussed the details of the diamond itself with your confidantes, you are going to have to get on to the next aspect of the wedding rings that requires some comparison shopping and decision making: the precious metal that is going to be wrapped around the finger of your beau. Of course gold engagement rings are very popular, and some people who are on a budget prefer silver engagement rings. On the other end of the scale are the higher end platinum engagement rings. Palladium engagement rings are very fetching to the eye, and there are metals such as titanium and tungsten that are gaining in popularity these days. You have to find out if your future spouse is allergic to any of these metals before you buy the ring, and this is another one of the many tricky matters that you have to consider when you are trying to decide on the perfect engagement ring.

Buying an engagement ring is an important decision, and it is always a good idea to consult with family members who are experienced with engagement rings and have our best interests at heart before we finalize that decision.

Tags: Diamond Engagement Rings, Engagement Rings, GIA certified, gold engagement rings, palladium engagement rings, Platinum Engagement Rings, titanium engagement rings, tungsten engagement rings
Posted in Alternatative Metals, Buying Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Ring Musings | Comments Off

Engagement Ring Customer Service

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Engagement rings are our business, and we have been around couples and committed singles who are interested in buying an engagement ring for their significant other for many years. When we don’t have exactly what they are looking for, we don’t just tell them no, we don’t have that, or no, jewelers can’t do that. We try to source what it is that they are looking for and do all that we can to deliver what they want. This is the key to ongoing success if you want to be a long-term supplier of engagement rings, and I think that valuing the consumer and going the extra mile to try to satisfy their needs is what good customer service is all about regardless of the industry in question.

The conversations that you have with your customers, and potential customers, are the best barometer of what you need to do to set yourself apart from your competition and offer what the customer is looking for. If you have the engagement ring styles that none of your competitors can offer, perhaps because they have not been listening attentively to their customers’ feedback, then your engagement ring business is going to continue to prosper and grow. If you stay stuck in your own ways and don’t try to gain a clear understanding of the needs of the modern engagement ring shopper, you may well fall by the wayside, and the more progressive jewelers will wind up with the business that you always counted on.

We have stayed abreast of what is going on in the industry, keeping aware of the latest trends and innovations in jewelry making equipment for one thing. When new technologies are introduced into the jewelry making business, more becomes possible on several different levels. People who are not in the jewelry business, for the most part, simply look around at the finished products when they are shopping for an engagement ring, and they may never consider how the ring was actually made, or what types of equipment were utilized to make it.

There is nothing wrong with this, and it is entirely natural. I don’t always stop and consider the dough making equipment involved when I buy my morning bagel. I never think about what type of machine may have been required to make my plastic eyeglass frames. It is information that I don’t need to know, and folks who are shopping for a diamond engagement ring don’t have to know that it took a particular type of technology to be able to easily shape a titanium engagement ring, or to cut a diamond in a very precise and unique manner. They just know what they want, and if I am not designing the rings myself, I am going to have to source it from someone who was forward thinking enough to obtain the equipment that’s necessary to satisfy the desires of the modern engagement ring shopper.

Customer service is perhaps the most important element of any successful business, and when you want to be able to enjoy long term success selling engagement rings, you need to listen to your customers and find a way to provide them with exactly what they are looking for, when they want it, at a price that they can afford.

Tags: Diamond Engagement Rings, Engagement Rings, titanium engagement rings
Posted in Engagement Rings, Ring Musings | Comments Off

Engagement Rings: Past, Present, and Future

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

The tradition involved in presenting a prospective spouse with an engagement ring is a rich and storied one, but since diamond engagement rings are a statement of fashion as well as being a symbol of love, new and innovative styles emerge as times change. Each generation is going to alter the tradition slightly, and that is a good thing, and it is the way that traditions continue to grow rather than falling into entropy and eventually dying out. Evolving design possibilities for engagement rings emerge as time passes due to technological advances as well as stylistic innovations.

Additionally, the prices of some precious metals and stones have become more in line with the spending ability of the general public over the years, and that has impacted the tradition and opened up more possibilities for couples who are shopping for an engagement ring.

Since the engagement ring is such a traditional piece of jewelery, the styles of the past still look relevant today, but, more modern stylistic notions have entered the craft and there is a mingling of the traditional with the modern in the realm of engagement ring design these days. In the end, the purchase of an engagement ring is a personal choice, and there are indeed a good many engagement ring choices out there.

Many people have looked at the engagement rings that they have seen on the fingers of their older family members since they were children and fallen in love with them. Indeed, many of these classic engagement ring designs are stunning even today. A lot of women feel as though they would love to have an antique ring, and buying an antique engagement ring can be a good choice. There are also vintage engagement rings being made in the present that are intended to be reminiscent of the classic styles of years gone by, and they are certainly a viable option for those who are seeking a vintage flavor.

Diamond solitaires have been an industry standard for years, and they are very popular today as well. As we say, the diamond engagement ring is a deeply embedded tradition, and the simple elegance of a diamond solitaire engagement ring is not something that is likely to go out of style any time soon.

Contemporary designs utilize the advances in technology that we mentioned that give jewelery designers the ability to create innovative alloys that can provide interesting colors. Technologies that were not available decades ago allow the modern design professional to shape diamonds more creatively while adding more intricacy in the detailing of the engagement ring. Mokume Gane engagement rings are becoming quite popular, and Celtic engagement rings are very interesting with their trademark knot designs.

What specific future innovations may be in store for the traditional engagement ring is anybody’s guess, but in all likelihood, we will continue to see a mixture of the classic and the new. One thing is for certain, however; the engagement ring has always been a symbol of an enduring and committed, loving relationship, and that is a tradition that is worth upholding.

Tags: celtic engagement rings, Diamond Engagement Rings, diamond solitaire engagement rings, Engagement Rings, Mokume gane, Vintage Engagement Rings
Posted in Buying Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Ring Musings | Comments Off

Engagement Ring True Stories

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

The true love that is symbolized by a diamond engagement ring is something that is unique to this special type of ring, and it is interesting to hear some of the different stories that people have to tell about their own engagement ring experiences. We have spoken to many people over the years who have been willing to tell us their personal engagement ring stories, and we will endeavor to share some of them with you here. From stories about losing a platinum and diamond engagement ring and finding it the day before the wedding, to winning the money for the perfect custom engagement ring at the race track, we have heard them all. But not really. I’m sure that we will hear more, because truth is indeed stranger than fiction, especially when you are talking about engagement rings. But a friend shared his engagement ring experience with me a while ago, and I found it to be a good story.

When this friend of mine first fell in love with the woman who was to become his wife a couple of years later, he was a young guy who was still attending college. Of course this means that he didn’t have very much money. It was truly love at first sight for both of them, and within a couple of months they started talking about getting married. They discussed the perfect engagement ring, going to online jewelry stores and researching the diamonds and precious metals. They learned about the 4Cs of diamond quality, and about the way that quality diamonds are certified by the The Gemological Institute of America. They discussed whether they would prefer a large diamond or if such an engagement ring might be too pretentious. Then they explored the precious metals, learning about the various gold alloys, silver, platinum, palladium, titanium, and tungsten engagement rings. They even considered whether or not my friend should wear a man’s engagement ring. In the end, they did locate the engagement ring that was perfect for them. They had a lot of fun dreaming about the future, and this was just one of the many things that they discussed. They also imagined a nice wedding, and what it would be like to have a family and buy their first house. They were, after all, two young people who had fallen in love.

On Spring break when they were seniors in college they went to Las Vegas. They had a wonderful time, and their love was brimming over. They couldn’t wait. They knew it was kind of a rash decision, but they went to a wedding chapel and they got married.

Because they had very little money, they had no ring. And things were tight for them for the next couple of years. But two and a half years later, while both of them were working rather low paying jobs while looking for a break, my friend, who went to school for drama, landed a role in, of all things, a Las Vegas Strip production of a Broadway play. The salary was phenomenal. He went online and bought the ring that they had decided on those years before when the two of them were just dreaming.

It came via next-day courier, and he surprised her with the news about the role in Las Vegas, and then, he produced the ring. When I heard that story, I had to think that indeed, dreams really do come true. Especially when there is love in the dream.

Tags: Diamond Engagement Rings, Engagement Rings, Gemological Institute of America, the 4Cs
Posted in Buying Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Ring Musings, The 4 C's | Comments Off

Top 10 Reasons to Buy an Engagement Ring Online

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

When a man decides it is time to pop the question, or when a couple decides that they are going to get engaged as a decision that they arrived at together, there is a lot of planning that needs to be done. The wedding will be something that requires a lot of thought, and they will have to decide on living arrangements and if they want to have children right away. But the engagement ring comes before all of these things, and it too is a big decision. The purchase of an engagement ring is a sizable investment, and it is an important symbol of the love that the couple have for one another, so it needs to be approached logically.

Online shopping is becoming more and more popular, and these days, many anxious men and excited couples are choosing to buy their engagement rings online. Here are the top 10 reasons to buy your diamond engagement ring from an online jeweler.

10.) It Saves Gas

Okay, so the cost of gasoline has dropped almost in half since the outrageous prices of last summer. But hey, the economy is tough, so why drive around town, and perhaps out of town, to shop for an engagement ring when you can do it online?

9.) More Competition

When you shop online, you are seeing engagement rings from all over the globe, and due to the competition for your business you will very likely get the best prices online.

8.) Selection

There are thousands of online jewelers offering virtually unlimited engagement ring choices, from titanium engagement rings to designer platinum engagement rings. The online selection of engagement rings is clearly superior.

7.) Convenience

When you buy your diamond engagement ring online, you browse the Internet, point, click, and simply wait for the delivery person to knock your on door with the perfect engagement ring.

6.) Ease of Research

If you choose to buy your engagement ring online, you are not forced to rely on the words of a salesman in a jewelry store who has a slanted viewpoint. You can do your research objectively and gain an understanding of the ins and outs of engagement rings before you buy.

5.) Saves Time

Not only do you save gas by not having to drive around looking for the right diamond engagement ring, but you also save a lot of your valuable time.

4.) You Keep it a Secret

If you are a man who wants to surprise his girlfriend with a diamond engagement ring and a proposal, you don’t want to be seen at the local jewelry stores. Word spreads quickly, and when you shop online for your engagement ring, nobody is any the wiser.

3.) Support Online Jewelers

Online jewelers work hard for their customers, and they appreciate your business! When you buy your engagement ring online, you are making the statement that you believe in e-commerce.

2.) Low Overhead, Lower Price

When you buy your engagement ring from a brick and mortar store, you, the consumer, assume the cost of their overhead.

1.) Comparison Shopping

There is no substitute for being able to compare two rings side by side, and when you shop for an engagement ring online, you have the ultimate ability to comparison shop from the comfort of your very own home.

Tags: Diamond Engagement Rings, Engagement Rings, online jewelers, Platinum Engagement Rings, titanium engagement rings
Posted in Buying Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Ring Musings | Comments Off

Staying Within Your Means When Buying an Engagement Ring

Monday, April 27th, 2009

When you are buying an engagement ring for the woman that you want to make your wife, you have to take a lot of things into consideration. The purchase of a diamond engagement ring is a matter of the heart first and foremost, and the primary thing on the mind of most people who are shopping for an engagement ring is that they want to make their girlfriend the happiest woman on earth when she first lays her eyes on that glistening diamond ring. That having been said, a diamond engagement ring that is set in a precious metal like gold or platinum is going to be a major purchase, so you do have to keep financial considerations in mind regardless of how large the quantity of your love may be.

There is a formula that has been circulated that says that a man should spend two months’ salary on the engagement ring that he is going to present to his lady when he proposes. Many people are okay with this, and it is a decision that is personal. However, nothing is etched in stone. It is feasible that a person who makes a very good salary and has a significant amount of disposable income might want to spend more than two months’ salary on a custom diamond engagement ring that absolutely stuns everyone who sees it.

On the other hand, another person may feel as though spending two months’ salary on an engagement ring is simply much more than he can comfortably afford. This doesn’t mean that he loves his paramour any less than the first fellow. He is just staying within his means and that is a quality that any woman should value in a potential spouse.

If the sky is the limit when you are shopping for an engagement ring you can simply shop around and explore the various designs that you see and pick whatever ring that you like without regard to cost. However, most of us have to work within some type of budget and choose something that we do actually like, but something that we can afford as well.

The good news is that there are very nice engagement rings in all realistic price ranges. There are smaller diamonds and diamonds of less than perfect quality that look fantastic unless you were to scrutinize them under a jewelery loupe. There are also metals that a person on a budget can choose that are less expensive than the standard gold or higher end platinum rings, like silver, tungsten, titanium or palladium.

It is indeed the thought that counts, and many marriages are strained by economic concerns after the passion dies down a little bit. It is therefore a good idea to look for an engagement ring that you are certain that your partner will enjoy, but one that does not put you into so much debt that the good intentions turn into a bad situation. Love is grand, but choosing a diamond engagement ring that is within your means is a good way to get off to a solid start together.

Tags: Diamond Engagement Rings, Engagement Rings, gold engagement rings, palladium engagement rings, Platinum Engagement Rings, titanium engagement rings, tungsten engagement rings
Posted in Alternatative Metals, Buying Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Ring Musings | Comments Off

Engagement Ring Thoughts

Monday, April 27th, 2009

We recently discussed the various places that one can propose and present an engagement ring to a prospective spouse-to-be, and it is indeed interesting to consider the most romantic way to propose. A recent episode of the reality show “Hell’s Kitchen” depicted an interesting real life engagement ring scenario that might give some people some ideas.

The show is about a group of aspiring chefs competing to get the opportunity to be the executive chef at a brand new, five star restaurant. They compete in a manner that is kind of like the “Survivor” concept. One chef is eliminated each week and the last one standing grabs the brass ring and lives the dream of being the lead chef in a gourmet restaurant.

In this episode a patron of the restaurant called the front-of-the-house manager aside and asked to speak with him for a moment. He was a well dressed young man, and he was sitting at a table with a very attractive date. He explained to the manager that he was going to propose to his girlfriend, and he showed him the beautiful diamond engagement ring that he was going to give her. He asked if the chefs could possibly take the ring and place it creatively on a lidded serving platter with her dessert.

When she was served the platter, the lid was removed with great aplomb to reveal the dessert, and the words “Will you marry me?” were written in chocolate, and the diamond engagement ring was sitting on the plate. Her eyes welled up with tears, and her suitor got up out of his chair and knelt down next to her in the crowded dining room, and all eyes were fixed upon him. He said that they had been together quite a while and he had reached the point where he was certain that he wanted to marry her, and he proposed. She hesitated just a moment before acquiescing, and the diners in the room let out a collective sigh of relief before giving them a warm round of applause. It was a very moving moment to be able to see as a viewer, and it was indeed a great way to present the love of your life with a diamond engagement ring.

My first thought when I consider the best way to present an engagement ring is that if you do it in a setting that is not completely private, you are somehow detracting from the intimacy and personal quality of such a significant moment in your lives. But after seeing the way that this man proposed, down on one knee in front of a large group of people, I can see a different perspective on the subject. Giving his girlfriend the diamond engagement ring in a public place demonstrated a certain type of unbridled courage that comes with being totally in love. He was not afraid. He wanted the whole world to know that he had found the woman the he wanted to share the rest of his life with, and he had the honor of slipping that diamond engagement ring onto her finger in front of a roomful of hushed onlookers and millions of television viewers.

Tags: Diamond Engagement Rings, Engagement Rings, wedding proposal ideas
Posted in Engagement Rings, Ring Musings, Wedding Rings | Comments Off