Posts Tagged ‘Engagement Rings’

 
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Traditional Yellow Gold Engagement Rings

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

A timeless, traditional piece, yellow gold engagement rings are beautiful and classic. Historically, plain gold bands were the standard of the time, but today’s technology allows jewelers to create exquisite designs to suit both your budget and your personal taste.

 

About Yellow Gold

Yellow gold has been used for ages in engagement rings, wedding bands and other jewelry, and looks especially striking on women who have warm undertones to their skin. Of course, fair skinned women can wear a yellow gold engagement ring as well, it just depends on their personal preferences.

 

When paired with diamonds or other gemstones, yellow gold is a lovely choice. Today, you can purchase yellow gold rings in a variety of designs, from the simple to the more elaborate.

 

Yellow Gold Engagement Ring Designs

For the bride-to-be who prefers simple, timeless styles, a plain yellow gold band may be the perfect choice for an engagement ring. It’s simple, yes, but the true beauty of the metal can shine when there is only one gemstones and few intricate details present in the design.

 

Of course, you can always personalize even a plain band by adding engraving to the interior of the ring or having special symbols, such as hearts, carved into the band.

 

Many antique engagement rings you find will also be crafted from yellow gold, especially during the 1930′s and 1940′s. Visit various estate sales, antique shops and even online retailers for true antique rings or vintage-inspired pieces to find the perfet yellow gold engagement ring for you.

 

Diamonds are always popular gemstone choices to pair with yellow gold, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box and get a different gemstone for your central stone. Rubies, sapphires and emeralds are easily the most popular choices, but don’t let these limit you. If you have a particularly favorite gemstone, use that as your central stone. You can always add small diamond accents if you prefer for a distinctive and striking look.

 

Finding Yellow Gold Engagement Rings

Yellow gold is arguably one of the most popular precious metals used for engagement rings, so finding a ring that suits you will not be difficult. If you are unsure of the style of ring you want, browsing various online retailers is a good place to start. Afterward, you can visit local jewelers to check out their selection of yellow gold engagement rings and see if anything strikes your fancy.

 

Classic, timeless and very traditional, a yellow gold engagement ring symbolizes love, hope and joy for the future and will be a lovely way to commemorate the start of your lives together.

 

Whether you prefer simple jewelry or more elaborate designs, yellow gold can be crafted to create the engagement ring of your dreams that fits both your budget and your personal tastes.

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The Promise Ring

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

The tradition of the promise ring dates back well into the 16th century, but has become very fashionable again over the last decade or so.  Many cultures have implored the use of a promise ring in pre-engagement situations, where a marriage proposal may be coming in the future, but perhaps now is not the right time.  Mexican engagement periods are traditionally long, and this culture has used promise rings as a way to reveal a couple’s intent to marry, sometimes years before the engagement period actually begins.

 

Historically, young men who could not yet afford to marry or who were not yet ready to marry, but wanted to hold their place, so to speak, would give their girlfriends promise rings.  This meant that promise rings are traditionally modest and often simple bands, that could include a heart and be made from either gold or silver.  The young man would give this ring to the girl that he loved, as a promise that he would someday propose.

 

As the act of giving a promise ring became more popular, the reason behind the gift also evolved.  Many men would give a promise ring to their partner to not only profess that they would someday like to propose, but to also assert their intent to remain faithful and abstain from other relationships.  As the purpose of the ring changed from the procrastination of an expensive wedding to more of a symbolic gesture, the expense of promise rings has increased and now many will contain several diamonds or gemstones.

 

The reason behind the giving of a promise ring can dictate which finger the ring should be worn on.  If a ring is given as a pre-engagement ring, then it is perfectly fine to wear the promise ring on the ring finger of the left hand, where the engagement ring would be, but this can also be confusing, and look like an actual engagement ring, especially if the promise ring is set with diamonds.  For this reason many women that are gifted a pre-engagement promise ring will either wear the ring on the middle finger of their left hand, or the ring finger of their right hand.

 

If the ring is given as a symbol of friendship, a promise to abstain from sex (such as a purity ring), or a promise of monogamy, it can really be worn on any finger, except the thumb.  Most often promise rings are given to women, but it is not unheard of to gift a man a promise ring as well. Either way, when giving someone a promise ring, whether to symbolize pre-engagement, faithfulness, or friendship, you should make your meaning clear.  If you are not ready to plan a wedding, but don’t want to let the one you love go, a promise ring can be a great way to show them how you feel, but make it known from the very beginning what your feelings are.

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Unique Diamond Engagement Rings

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

The diamond solitaire is the most purchased and most traditional choice for an engagement ring.  For generations men have spent the expected two months salary on the most important jewelry purchase of their lives, to ask the most important question they will ever seek and answer to.  Because of the diamond’s reputation for strength and durability, as well as it’s unique brilliance and luster, its no surprise that this precious gemstone has been chosen to represent the everlasting love and commitment between two people worldwide.

 

Do you want to propose to your future wife with a unique diamond engagement ring?  A ring that shows her your excellent taste and one that sets her apart from other brides-to-be?  Think outside the diamond solitaire box and try one of these unique examples below.  While standard diamond engagements rings are classically beautiful, if you propose with one of these stunning diamond rings, you are sure to get the answer you seek!

This antique diamond engagement ring is stunning. When you select a ring modeled after historic styles, you are offering her a very unique gift.  A vintage styled solitaire design diamond engagement ring featuring a platinum band and a genuine 1/3 ct, 4.4 mm full cut, round G-H / SI2-SI3 quality diamond center stone. This ring is also available as part of a set that includes a matching wedding band!

Antique wedding and engagement rings are a hot trend!  Here is another example, a delicate antique styled 1/2 CT TW diamond anniversary ring with milgrain accents surrounding the center diamond. The ring features five genuine round SI / G-I diamonds totaling 1/2 ct tw set in 14K white or yellow gold, and could be perfect as an engagement ring!

 

Two tone diamond engagement rings ensure that all the jewelry in her collection will pair perfectly.  This beautiful two tone filigree diamond engagement ring with 3/4 ct tw of diamonds. The engagement ring features a 14K white gold band with inset, openwork 14K yellow gold filigree accents, a round 1/3 ct SI quality center diamond and fifty two 1.0 – 1.2 mm round SI diamond accent stones. A matching 14K white gold wedding band is available.

Here is another!  Again, she will love having the best of both worlds, gold and white gold.  This is a stunning two tone filigree diamond engagement ring with 1/2 ct tw of diamonds. The engagement ring features a 14K white gold domed band with inset, openwork 14K yellow gold filigree accents, a round 1/3 ct SI quality center diamond and thirty two 1.0 mm round SI diamond accent stones. A matching 14K white gold wedding band is also available.

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Are you Ready to Buy an Engagement Ring?

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Purchasing an engagement ring is not only one of the most expensive purchases you’ll make in a lifetime, but also an important one as well. The significance of an engagement ring means you want to make sure you are buying the most perfect ring you can.

 

With that in mind, it’s critical for you to come up with a checklist of sorts to ensure you are not forgetting any important details. Periodically going through your list will ensure you are ready to buy an engagement ring and will allow you to consider every detail of the process.

 

Step One: Budget

While figuring out your finances may not be the most exciting thing in the world, it is an important first step before you can even think about buying an engagement ring. You will soon be starting your new lives together; the last thing you want to do is go into debt over the engagement ring!

 

Carefully figure out how much you can reasonably afford to spend before shopping for a ring.

 

Step Two: Research

As with all major purchases, it is important to educate yourself beforehand. You wouldn’t walk into a car dealership to buy a brand new vehicle without knowing certain facts about the type of car you’re interested in, so it shouldn’t be any different with purchasing a ring.

 

Read up on the 4 C’s of judging diamond quality, as well as the various precious metals, other gemstones, settings and other jewelry terminology you may be unfamiliar with. If you already have some idea in mind of the type of ring you are looking for, that will help the research process along.

 

Step Three: Find a Jeweler

Choosing a jeweler is an important step before you can buy an engagement ring. Whether you choose a chain store, an online retailer or plan on working with a designer to customize the perfect ring you need to make sure you are dealing with a reputable jeweler.

 

If you are unsure or want to verify the jeweler’s legitimacy, ask to see their credentials before you decide to pick one.

 

Step Four: Choose the Ring

Since buying an engagement ring is a very important purchase, you don’t want to walk into a random jewelry store and buy the first ring you see! Instead, you need to choose every aspect of the ring, including:

  • The setting (a common prong setting, or something more unique?)
  • The metal (white gold, platinum, yellow gold, silver, or something else?)
  • The stones (diamonds or other gemstones?)
  • A bridal set (do you want to purchase a bridal set that includes both the engagement ring and wedding bands for either the bride, groom or both, or do you prefer to buy the engagement ring alone?)

 

As you can see, there are many choices you’ll need to consider before you can purchase an engagement ring, but every choice matters!

 

Buying an engagement ring can seem very intimidating at first, but having a list of everything you need to do before you’re ready to make your purchase can help to ensure the ring you buy will be a treasured possession for years to come.

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Yellow Diamonds

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Fancy colored yellow diamonds are becoming a popular alternative for use in engagement rings because of their vibrant hues.

 

What are Fancy Diamonds?

Most white diamonds are colorless, but some have slight tints of brown or yellow that actually decrease the value of the stone. However, fancy colored diamonds have bright, vivid shades are are thus more valuable and sought after than their colorless counterparts.

 

Natural yellow diamonds are created when a trace amount of nitrogen appears during the stone’s formation, and hues can range from a very light yellow to a rich, dark hue. While the intensity of the shade does have a lot to do with the value of the diamond, the distribution of even color means much more.

 

Because natural colored diamonds are hard to find, many colored stones are given heat treatments to enhance the color and make yellow diamonds suitable for engagement rings. However, a jeweler should disclose whenever a diamond has undergone any type of treatment so you are aware of what you are buying.

 

Designs

Yellow diamonds are very versatile and can complement many types of engagement ring designs. When choosing a stone shape for a yellow diamond, you want a shape that allows for the diamond to reflect the most light possible. A poor cut will reduce the amount of brilliance in a yellow diamond and make it seem like a lower quality diamond than it actually is.

 

As far as metals are concerned, yellow diamonds look exquisite when set in a white gold band. However, make sure the metal you choose complements the stone and does not make a lighter yellow diamond appear of a lower quality than it actually is.

 

When selecting a setting for a yellow diamond engagement ring, you want to choose one that complements the stone and allows its beauty to shine through in the best way possible. For this reason, prong or other elevated settings are your best choice, although a more unique setting can also highlight the beauty of a yellow diamond.

 

Alternative Selections

Because of the rarity of yellow diamonds, many couples cannot afford the cost. If you are one of these couples but still enjoy the yellow tone, there are other gemstones you can choose from as alternatives to yellow diamonds. Topaz, citrine, or yellow sapphires are all just as beautiful in their own way and make lovely engagement rings as well for a cheaper price.

 

Yellow diamonds are a rare and unique choice for an engagement ring, and their rich yellow hues are a gorgeous complement to a variety of engagement ring designs.

 

For a beautiful and distinctive engagement ring, yellow diamonds make the perfect choice for the bride-to-be who desires the sparkle and brilliance of a diamond but wants a more unique color to show off her personal style.

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The Difference Between Promise Rings and Engagement Rings

Monday, December 14th, 2009

While the purpose of engagement rings are pretty clear, many people are uncertain about the meaning of promise rings and, in truth, whether they mean anything differently than engagement rings.

 

In fact, they do. While engagement rings symbolize the intent to spend the rest of your lives together, promise rings mean something a little different. The traditional purpose of a promise ring is to declare your intent to marry sometime in the future, but does not mean you are engaged. Instead, they symbolize love and a willingness to let the relationship evolve.

 

The True Symbolism of Promise Rings

While a promise ring is a special symbol of love, the ring means nothing if the intent behind the ring isn’t true. An empty promise doesn’t strengthen a relationship, so promise rings should only be given when a couple truly plans to help that relationship reach a higher level sometime in the future.

 

If there are any concerns or trepidation on anyone’s part, those concerns should be talked about before a promise ring is given. Both partners must be willing to work on the future of the relationship and have the same goals in mind for a promise ring to mean anything.

 

Types of Promise Rings

Just as the meaning behind promise rings and engagement rings are different, so to are the styles of each type of ring. Promise rings are traditionally more understated, but can still be just as beautiful.

 

Diamond promise rings are the most popular type of promise ring to give. They differ from diamond engagement rings in that the stones in promise rings are much smaller to avoid any confusion on the intent behind the ring.

 

Furthermore, diamond promise rings are always surrounded by other gemstones or details to further differentiate them from engagement rings. That is why you will not see a diamond solitaire promise ring, because these are almost exclusively considered engagement rings and not promise rings.

 

Gemstones other than diamonds can also be used, and many like to use birthstones to give the promise ring even more meaning. When choosing any type of promise ring, you should be just as familiar with judging gemstone quality and other factors to choose a beautiful ring, just like you would with an engagement or wedding band.

 

Designs to Avoid

While beautiful promise rings abound, there are certain styles you should pass on to avoid the ring being confused with an engagement ring.

 

Promise rings only use small gemstones. Larger stones are reserved for engagement rings, so you do not want the intent behind the ring to be misread. Similarly, elaborate designs should be avoided or the ring can be misinterpreted as something it is not.

 

Regardless of the type of ring you choose, a promise ring is a beautiful symbol between two people. Whether you choose a small diamond ring, a different kind of gemstone, or another design entirely, promise rings are beautiful because of the sentiment behind them and are a great way to symbolize your commitment to the future of the relationship.

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The Beauty of a Peridot Engagement Ring

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Peridot is known for its beautiful light green color, and can look fabulous when incorporated into an engagement ring design. In fact, engagement rings with center gemstones other than diamonds are becoming a very popular alternative to the traditional engagement rings with center diamonds.

 

Peridot Engagement Ring Styles

A genuine peridot stone will have a gorgeous, subtle green hue and looks well incorporated into a variety of engagement ring designs. Vintage and antique style engagement rings often use peridot, because the lovely color works well with these types of ring styles.

 

Solitaire rings do not often use peridot, but the stone looks very nice paired with small diamonds or pearls as accent stones. Emeralds, citrine and other yellow-ish or green stones are also popular as accent stones, because of the similarity in color.

 

Surprisingly, purple stones (such as amethyst) look especially striking when paired with the light green hue of peridot. This makes for a distinctive and highly unique engagement ring, and will undoubtedly turn heads wherever you go.

 

If you’re wondering about the types of metal that work well with peridot, you should be happy to know that nearly all metals complement the gemstone.

 

Most peridot engagement rings are set in a white gold or silver band, but peridot also complements yellow gold as well. Platinum is another option, but because of the expense most couples choose a less expensive precious metal.

 

Finding the Perfect Peridot Stone

If you choose to use peridot as the center stone for your engagement ring, it is very important that you know how to identify a quality stone from a poor quality stone.

 

Carefully examine the color of the peridot gemstones you are interested in. They should be a light green, with more hints of yellow than brown. You also want to make sure the stone you buy is naturally colored, and not treated to enhance the hue.

 

Check for flaws and imperfections as well, since the light color of peridot will make flaws much more visible.

 

Finally, peridot engagement rings require much more care than other gemstones, since peridot is quite soft and more likely to scratch or become damaged. Because of this, you should always store the ring when not in use in a safe location, away from other jewelry that may damage the stone.

 

Additionally, you shouldn’t wear a peridot engagement ring with a wedding band or any other jewelry, as the stone can become easily damaged and scratched.

 

If you are having a hard time locating a peridot ring at your local jewelers, try searching for peridot during its assigned birthstone month. During the rest of the year, a jeweler may have a limited selection of peridot rings, but they are often difficult to come by. Instead, try browsing online retailers for suitable peridot rings that suit your budget and your stylistic preferences.

 

Peridot engagement rings are a striking and unique alternative to traditional diamond rings, and look stunning when combined with a variety of precious metals or other gemstones. While it may be difficult to find a peridot that is suitable for an engagement ring, the effort will be well worth it when you find the perfect gem to incorporate into an engagement ring design!

 

To read more about Peridot, please visit our friends at Du Lyon Fine Jewelers and read their facts about Peridot gemstones here.

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Holiday Engagement Rings: The Ruby

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Are you thinking of proposing over the holidays?  The cheery and giving spirit brought on by the Christmas season make December a great time of year to pop the question and get the answer you hope for.  When shopping for her engagement ring, think outside the box a little, and consider a beautiful platinum or white gold engagement ring setting with a ruby.  The rich red color is loaded with holiday cheer and would be a perfect engagement gift for this time of year.  Proposing with a ruby, as opposed to the standard diamond, also gives your new fiancé a unique engagement ring she is sure to cherish.

 

The name ruby comes from the Latin ruber meaning red.  The ruby is one of the four traditional gemstones, along with the diamond, the sapphire, and the emerald.  In fact, rubies are the sister stones to sapphires; the only difference is in their color.  The most valuable rubies are the most transparent stones with the purest red, but rubies are found in red colors ranging from orange-red, to purple-red, to brown-red, to blue-red, and a clarity ranging from transparent to opaque.

 

The most famous rubies, the Pigeon Bloodred rubies, are mined from the Moguk Valley in Burma.  For centuries rubies have been produced from this area; mining tools have been discovered that date back to the Stone Age.  While there have been discoveries in Burma of larger examples of rubies, much of what comes out of the region has been smaller in size.  Historically, the King of Mandalay declared all the large rubies mined in the Moguk Valley to be his property, and violators would be punished by death.  Due to this proclamation, many large rubies were broken into smaller pieces.

 

The latest ruby to be discovered is called the Winza Ruby, from 2008.  This is mined in Tanzania and produces rubies with excellent transparency that does not require heat treatment.  The supply is yet to be fully understood, but currently the Winza rubies have incredible value and are a great investment.  Many incredibly large size rubies have been discovered here, some up to ten carats!

 

When purchasing a ruby for an engagement ring, or any other piece of jewelry, care must be taken to be sure that you are not selecting a stone that has been treated, because many of the methods used to enhance the look of the rubies are not permanent and can wear off with normal use of the engagement ring.   Since 1902, synthetic rubies have flooded the market, and it is very difficult to tell the difference, unless you are a gemstone professional.  Most of the natural rubies on the market come from Thailand and have a more brown or blue tint.  When selecting your ruby engagement ring, look for the purest red and the clearest color.

 

The Heart of Winza - Winza Ruby

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A Real Life Engagement Story – Choosing the Ring

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Choosing the perfect engagement ring is one of the most important decisions a couple will make in their new lives together, but there are several ways to go about it. Either you can keep the proposal a secret and hope you find the perfect ring, or you can enlist the help of your bride-to-be and allow her to choose.

 

In the case of my sister and her boyfriend, it was a little bit of both.

 

About a month prior to the actual proposal, they visited a jewelry store in the local mall. This was not unusual, as my sister often looked at engagement rings to get an idea of what she would like if and when she was ever proposed to. She immediately spotted a gorgeous bridal set made from platinum with several round diamonds surrounding the engagement ring (almost like a partial eternity band.) The wedding ring was a simple platinum band. The total carat weight amounted to 1 and 1/2 carats, so as you can imagine it was not a cheap ring by any means.

 

Little did she know that her boyfriend was paying very close attention to her jewelry preferences, and filed the information away for later use. He was actually very smart, as a matter of fact.

 

For anyone who is planning to propose but would like to keep it a secret, pay attention to her likes and dislikes when it comes to jewelry. While you may not be able to follow her into a jewelry store and know the exact ring your bride-to-be covets, you can get a clue of her stylistic preferences from the type of jewelry she already wears. Anyway, about a month later, the ring my sister had longed for ended up on her finger. Not only did her boyfriend pay attention to her subtle clues, he remembered them and went back to the jewelry store to purchase the perfect engagement ring. How sweet is that?

 

Needless to say, my sister was floored and readily accepted the gorgeous ring. Even though she had picked out that exact design one month prior, the proposal was still kept a complete secret and she had no idea he had actually bought the ring.

 

In the next few posts, I hope to have pictures of the engagement ring/bridal set, as well as the complete list of specs so other couples can compare a real-life engagement ring with their ideas.

 

Hopefully, this post has taught you that you can get input from your bride-to-be about her idea of the perfect engagement ring without letting her know you’re planning to pop the question!

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