tugumuda.com » Ring

The Glitter Bitter JEWELRY

tugumuda — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:25:59 +0000

Jewelry the dominator of many moods, how a piece of body decoration can change and alter a persons image is remarkable? Take the birth stone a coloured precious jewel representing the month you were born hence birth signs horoscopes etc. Then we have the pendant locket encompassing a photo of a loved one parted or present.

100% top of the list for popularity has to be the ring.

Many organizations symbolize memberships and identities of their followers with the wearing of a ring. But the most famous piece of warm gold or cool silver is the wedding band with the eternity and engagement ring trailing behind. Why you ask? Do these lag behind; they both represent friendship and togetherness, unlike the gold wedding band which goes further in bonding two people together for ever.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and that of the man also. The male takes fashion and Jewelry just as serious as the female species and why would they not.

How a pair of pearl peepers placed onto the lobe of the ear can transform that figure hugging little black number. Glimpse how the bronze medallion swinging between an open neck shirt can transform the appearance of the male.

When buying Jewelry remember, wrong choice wrong image wrong you so be careful and take your time when deciding on what to purchase.

Most heirlooms today come in the form of Jewelry, grandmothers cameo brooch, grandads cuff links mum or dads wedding ring. Jewelry will always hold fond memories for a great many of us and it’s funny how you never forget where that particular piece came from.
So if you want to be remembered give a piece of Jewelry

Then we have the not so sweet memories when the glitter turns to bitter (Divorce)

Bling Bling clusters of sparkling precious stones assist and help elegance to protrude through especially when mounted on a 9ct gold band.
Mans signet ring can alter the image of the male hand expressing masculinity

The male/female is only half dressed unless adorned with jewellery. Next time when shopping in a Jewelry store do not go over the top like Mr T from the A team. Too many accessories will spoil the whole look of any outfit thus marring your whole image.

If you are out to attract the opposite sex or keep the companion you have then it is all about beauty. Remember beauty lies in the eye of the beholder so let the beholder be you when looking for gold or silver.

Jewelry speaks in volumes about you and your personality so we do not want to give the wrong impression. Let the diamonds emeralds sapphires and rubies do all the talking. People will get to know you with out you even opening your mouth.

Finding Antique Engagement Rings

tugumuda — Fri, 21 May 2010 06:15:26 +0000

Old antique engagement rings are those classic style rings that bring back the charm and history of an era gone by. Many couples enjoy the nostalgic feel of something their grandparents may have worn. Others simply like the idea of old-fashioned quality workmanship and styling. Whatever your reason for choosing vintage diamond engagement rings, finding the best rings at the best price is a concern.

Finding Antique Style Engagement Rings

Online auctions and the Internet in general have brought the world home. You can shop the tiniest Italian countryside village or Antwerp’s mega diamond dealers – all from your home computer.
If you like to shop closer to home where you can touch and feel the rings and try them on for size and style, then there are other great sources for vintage engagement rings. Flea markets or estate sales are two of the top sources for authentic vintage jewellery including diamond or sapphire jewelry in gold or silver.

Authenticating a Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring

Finding a vintage engagement ring is one thing, but making sure it is truly and antique is another. A reputable jewellery appraiser can help. There are telltale signs and markings on jewellery that will tell the trained appraiser when and where and by whom a specific piece of old jewellery was made. Each silversmith or artisan has a symbol that they will engrave in their work to mark it as one of their own. Counterfeiters will try to replicate the marks, but other design features will let the appraiser know if this is the case in a particular antique. The appraiser can then give you a guarantee or certificate of authenticity to go with your vintage diamond engagement ring.

The setting and the diamonds will need to be examined separately. You may find a vintage setting with newer diamonds. This won’t necessarily impact the value to you, but it would perhaps indicate that there were either several owners or that the person selling the rings as an antique may have changed stones. The number one consideration in choosing antique jewellery is to make sure you really love it. There are usually no exchanges for vintage diamond engagement rings.

Create Your Own Wedding Ring

tugumuda — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:14:14 +0000

Have you been searching for the perfect wedding ring? Many people spend hours and hours shopping for the perfect wedding ring only to end up very discouraged. Often they can not find the ring they want or if the can it is out of their price range. The simplest solution to this dilemma is to create your own wedding ring.

Wedding rings are very important to a couple who have taken the step and decided to spend the rest of their lives together. The wedding ring is the outer physical symbol of this agreement or pact that the couple has made to each other. The ring is a symbol for the vows a couple has taken. Since it is the outward symbol of the marriage it is very important to choose a wedding ring carefully and to find exactly what you want. That is why creating your own wedding ring is often the best option. It is easy, can save you a great deal of money and you will have a unique symbol that the two of you share.

This article will list some of the top reasons you should consider getting a custom wedding ring instead of buying a stock ring from a store.

Custom made wedding rings are Unique

That is right by designing your own ring with a professional ring designer you can ensure that your rings are unique. In fact you will be the only two people in the world to have that exact ring and that exact design. What better symbol of your love to show off to the world then having your own unique wedding ring. Believe me you will get compliments on your ring everywhere you go. People are often amazed that you can even make your own rings and love the uniqueness of the designs.

Custom made wedding rings are Personalized

In creating your own wedding ring you can personalize the design to fit your tastes and even contain secret symbols or messages to each other. If you have a favorite style of ring or artistic style, colors or other thing that you would like to include in the design the jeweler will be glad to consult with you and help you incorporate the design into your ring. For example a lot of people really love the deep symbolism of Celtic knot work since this is a knot tied with one piece of rope and it is never ends it is a continuous knot that runs forever. A lot of people really love this symbolism and love wear a customer made unique wedding ring that has these types of symbols in them. It brings a lot of significance to the ring.

Mutual Agreement

In making your own wedding ring you will come to a mutual agreement on the design and it is an experience that you will always share together. When you sit down with the designer you can both share your ideas openly and talk about the significance of the ring for each of you. Then the designer can work with these ideas and your suggestions and create something that will embody all of these things. It is wonderfully to wear a ring that was created from a joint experience you both had and not just some stock designer ring that holds no meaning or no experience or significance behind it.

Price

This is the best part for many people just getting married. By designing your own ring you are usually reducing the cost of the rings. You see most rings are created by some famous wedding ring designer and the price is based on the popularity of the designer. However, the average person has no idea who these famous wedding ring designers are anyway. So even though you spend a great deal of money on a wedding ring by a well known artist chances are most people will have no idea. However, by making your own ring there is no designer label or name behind it and therefore the costs is often cut in half or even more! Not only that chances are the most people will have no idea who the designer is of a certain ring they will definitely notice you have a unique one of a kind ring!

My wife and I decided to get a custom designed engagement and wedding ring set when we were engaged. Not only that we had the designer work with us to incorporate the feeling of the wedding ring into the design of the grooms or men’s ring also. So now they look like a perfect matching pair of rings! Just think we saved over 65% by purchasing this way at the same time as ending up with unique rings. You really can not go wrong in designing your own wedding ring.

Celebrities Jewelry Trends

tugumuda — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:30:57 +0000

Do any of you remember Marilyn Monroe sexily purring “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend?” Do you have any idea what that did the engagement ring market. Guys are still paying for that statement. Sure back in the 50s women knew it wouldn’t be sensible to wear such a large engagement ring but that didn’t mean a gal couldn’t yearn for it. Today a women wouldn’t feel in the least bit guilty about wearing such a diamond, in fact there are many a women that judge how well they are loved by the size of the rock they are wearing because they “know” what Marilyn knew, that “diamonds are in fact a girls best friend.”

When we see the engagement rings worn by stars like Madonna or Catherine Zeta-Jones we take notice and their choices influence the trends that follow. Celebrities are the leaders in setting fashion and jewelry trends. Madonna with her Edwardian engagement ring and Catherine Zeta-Jones’s antique styled 10 carat diamond ring has revived the desire to own a beautiful antique engagement ring. In fact it’s one of the hottest engagement ring styles in 20 years. The size of the diamonds in current styles has also grown from the average one carat to over three carats. That’s a pretty big rock that’s going to set you back a bit. But girls know they deserve it!

If you aren’t sure whether bigger is better than have a look at the jewels at this years Oscars which are said to total over $50 million dollars in value. Wonder how many vaults it took to keep those locked up for the night? With bling being the in thing one has to stop and wonder how the heck normal average working guys plan to pay for these rings. When their fiancés are asked the standard answer is “doesn’t matter I’m worth it. That’s great if your guy is earning a 6 figure salary but wait what if he’s not. What if he’s joe average living from pay day to pay day. What should he do move into the bush and give up his home, perhaps take up walking and sell his car?

Wait guys maybe you can get away with a really good quality cubic zirconia. No guarantees but it might be worth a try. Most of the high end ones can only be identified by a quality jeweler. Then again maybe she won’t care as long as it’s big and impressive. Ok girls lets be real here. Dreaming and lusting for that big 5 carat rock is just fine. No problem with dreaming, but when it comes time for your man to buy that ring remember that the ring is not what you are marrying so perhaps it’s time to consider the quality and quantity of the husband to be rather than the ring. Big diamond or little diamond it doesn’t matter as long as the two of you are blissfully happy. Let the celebrities wear their big diamonds and let them sparkle and shine in the lime light. It doesn’t matter because you got your man! That’s what counts!

Titanium Jewelry Myths

tugumuda — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:05:30 +0000

To many people, titanium is a mysterious term. General understanding of the public for this metal is that it is a very hard substance, and some may know that is very light as well, especially for folks who own any titanium jewelry or watches. We would like to clarify some common myths about this metal and give brief explanation for each one.

Titanium is a newly found metal
Titanium is new to many industries and recently applied to many new applications, but the metal was first discovered in 1791, in England. It was discovered by an amateur chemist in an impure form called rutile. It was not used widely until the last century because the technique for extracting titanium from its naturally occurred ore remained a failure until 1910. It was used in many applications after it was shown that its alloys can be produced commercially by reducing titanium tetrachloride with magnesium in 1940.

Titanium is very hard
It depends. It has to be noted that the metal (chemical periodic table symbol Ti), is rather soft compare to the commonly known “strong” version, which is the alloys made from a mixture of titanium, tin (Sn), aluminum (Al) and vanadium (V). In jewelry industry, titanium is offered in different grades. The pure titanium jewelry is much softer than the other two alloys, known as 6Al4V and 6Al4V2Sn. 6Al4V means that the alloy consists of 90% titanium, 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium.

Titanium is a precious metal
Quite on the contrary, titanium is abundant on the Earth and not precious at all. Nevertheless, titanium jewelry is listed among the precious metals silver, gold and platinum under precious metal categories. Also, the price range for titanium jewelry is similar to the precious metals that are actually scarce on the Earth. The reason is that although the metal itself is abundantly available, the process for producing titanium alloys is expensive compare to traditional precious metals. The technology for creating titanium alloys involves extremely high temperature and vacuum condition, and tight control of environment to avoid any contaminations. This drives the prices of titanium jewelry to the range of jewelry just like gold jewelry.

Titanium jewelry is indestructible
Wrong. Even though titanium alloys have high strength and resistant to wearing, it can be damaged. In fact, it can be worked almost in the same ways as other jewelry, such as resizing, filing, polishing and engraving. However, special equipment is needed to do so. Therefore, in case of an emergency, titanium rings can be cut off like any other rings, except that some special equipment is needed. Note that pure titanium jewelry can be scratched and bent just like gold and silver jewelry.

Titanium jewelry is hypoallergenic
Right. Titanium alloys are inert and does not contain nickel or cobalt which most people with more sensitive skin are allergic to. They will not change color or cause outbreak to virtually anybody. In short, titanium jewelry is very safe to wear.

Try The Durability And Strength Of Platinum Engagement Rings

tugumuda — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:09:45 +0000

Platinum is one of the purest metals and, because it is, more consumers are choosing platinum engagement rings than ever before.

Platinum is a soft metal and can easily encase any diamond. Although a platinum engagement ring can be expensive, its value is immeasurable.

When shopping for a platinum engagement ring, the buyer should always be cognizant of the four Cs of diamonds to begin with. These include: the cut, the carat, the clarity, and the color. More importantly, however, platinum rings hold their value because the metal itself is so rare.

Another important facet of a platinum ring is that it will not tarnish as other metals would, nor will it pose a problem for women whose skin is sensitive to metal.

The prongs on a platinum mount can be easily worked to fit any diamond cut. This is one of the important aspects of platinum. Moreover, since you are making a lifelong investment in a platinum engagement ring, you do not have to worry about the diamond becoming loose because the prongs adhere solidly to the diamond.

Buying platinum engagement rings requires that you learn much about the diamond as well as the platinum. While most local jewelers offer a variety of platinum rings, it is important to ensure that the diamond has been certified by the Gemological Institute of American or the European Gemological Institute.

Why? Sometimes you may come across a platinum engagement ring which is flawed, or perhaps the jeweler cannot grade it. In these cases, it is incumbent upon you to have the diamond graded and obtain a certificate before you make the purchase. The certificate gives you all the information needed to ascertain the cut, clarity, color, and carat of the diamond.

So too, because platinum rings are so expensive, ensuring that the platinum is of the highest quality is also important to its long-term value. One of the best ways to ensure that a platinum engagement ring is the right one for you, choose the diamond first, have it certified, and then proceed to find the platinum mount of choice.

Platinum engagement rings are an investment. The cost is prohibitive and, therefore, researching every facet of platinum mounts and diamonds will ensure that the knowledge you gain will guarantee that you are getting the best for your money.

By Craig Thornburrow

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How to negotiated Jewelry

tugumuda — Sat, 31 May 2008 01:32:49 +0000

Step 1: Prepare

Economists usually refer to the problem of “asymmetric information advantage” during a transaction. In layman’s terms: The party with the most knowledge has the advantage. Even if you consider yourself aggressive or particularly charismatic, you haven’t got a prayer if you can’t talk intelligently about diamonds.

The next thought that pops into your head should be, “how can I possibly gain advantage over a jeweler with professional certifications, education, and 25 years of experience?” You can’t, of course. However, that same thought should compel you to level the playing field as much as reasonably possible. Here are a few good steps:

1. Start with our tutorials, but also check out other tutorials from the Web (search engine) to get multiple perspectives on the issues.

2. Check our consumer price database, and if you can get access, try to get a hold of the Rappaport Diamond Report, which contains a price list that dealers use amongst each other. Be aware, though, that the actual transaction prices vary widely from those published on the “Rap.”

3. Buy one of the books recommended by us on how to purchase diamond rings.

4. If any of your friends has recently gotten engaged — ask for advice!

5. Start visiting nearby jewelers, seeing diamonds under the microscope, and asking lots of questions — but don’t be tempted to buy anything just yet!

It is during this preparation process that you should start to figure out what type of diamond you want (how large? how shiny? which shape?), what type of setting you’d like (solitaire? platinum ring?), and how much you feel comfortable spending.

Step 2: Set Limits

Picture this scenario: It’s an otherwise normal Saturday, and you’re casually strolling down the mall, hand-in-hand with your sweetheart. The glitter of a shiny diamond leaping out of a felt-lined, brightly lit display case lures your attention, and you casually check it out. An hour later, you’ve been set back $10,000 in 240 “easy” payments for the next 20 years. You look at the ring on her hand. It’s a nice ring, but it’s not quite what you wanted. She appears happy, but you know her tastes well. This ring looks kinda funny on her hand — perhaps a little too square, or the diamond might be too large. Then you think about the night job you’ll have to take on. 239 “easy” payments to go!

Welcome to the world of impulse buying. At one point or another, we’ve all succumbed to it — the chocolate bar at the supermarket checkout, or the useless trinket at the mall. As the stakes go up, as they will when you’re in the market for an engagement ring, it becomes more important be disciplined in your decision-making.

1. Decide on your Limits

The most obvious limit you should set is in terms of how much you’d like to spend. First, take a hard look at your financial situation, and assess how you much you can truly afford to spend; second, how much do you feel comfortable spending? You must find a balance between the fact that a diamond ring is a luxury, and the fact that the ring will symbolize your mutual commitment. It is important to make this decision by yourself or optionally with your partner or family, but away from external influences like a jewelry salesperson.

The next parameter of limits you set should involve the ring itself. What is the minimum carat weight acceptable? Clarity? Color? Cut? Many people find that a color rating above “I” and a clarity rating above “SI2″ are quite acceptable, but make those decisions for yourself. Be sure to think about the setting as well when you set your limits.

2. Stick to your Limits

This is a lot harder than it sounds, but it is CRITICAL. After all, you are googly-gaga in love, and the unscrupulous jeweler will take advantage of that by inferring that “the more you spend, the more you love her,” or something to that effect.

If you find yourself being drawn over your limits by a pushy salesperson, just walk away. To help you do that, remember this simple fact: There are over 40,000 jewelers in the United States. There is plenty of selection out there; even if you live in a rural area with few jewelers, you can always road-trip to a nearby city.

Of course, you must be willing to re-assess your limits if you find that you’re consistently unable to obtain the deal you want. However, if you do decide to re-assess your limits, be sure to do it away from the pressures of the salesperson. Remember, you are the customer — you will always be welcomed back later.

Step 3: Close the deal, but keep your Emotions out of it

Here’s an irony: Buying a diamond engagement ring should be one of the most unemotional purchases you ever make. You know about the 4 C’s, you know approximately how much it should cost, and you have firmly set your limits based on the type of ring you want and how much you’re willing to pay for it. Buying the ring should now be as simple as buying a gallon of milk. Or is it?

Here are some of the tactics that salespeople might use to push you past your limits:

The flippant seller – This is the salesperson that screams or is overly emotional/passionate, might get “upset” at you because you’re asking too many questions or have decided not to buy a particular diamond, might bully some of the other employees in the store, etc. Our best advice: Try to deal with someone else in the store — come back when the flippant seller is not at work. This type of person is inherently non-logical and will not address your questions or arguments in a logical way.

The “today only” special – Don’t ever fall for any attempts to introduce a time pressure into your natural buying process. More often than not, the “today only” special will also be available tomorrow — and the next day, and the day after that.

Good cop, bad cop – This is an extremely effective technique used by negotiators across all industries. It involves two salespeople working as a team. First is the “bad cop,” which will deliberately insult you and act overly aggressive toward you. Then, along comes the “good cop”, which tries to befriend you by pretending to act on your behalf and “defending” you from the “bad cop.” As the negotiation progresses, you become more likely to accept the “good cop’s” advice, eventually caving in on the sale. The key to breaking this tactic is to be just as harsh with the good cop as the bad cop.

“I have to talk to my manager” – The person you are negotiating with does not have the authority to close the deal. Similar to the “good cop, bad cop” technique, except the bad cop cannot be seen (and in some cases, might not even exist!). The best way to deal with this tactic is to insist on negotiating only with someone who does have the authority to close the deal, and to walk away if this condition is not met.

Persuading you through your partner – Bring your partner for browsing purposes only, but NEVER to make the actual purchase. The salesperson will make every attempt to upsell you by having her try on progressively more expensive rings, and commenting on just how delightful it looks on her. With your beautiful bride-to-be gazing at you with puppy-dog eyes as you ponder whether to go past your limits, you will undoubtedly cave.

The extras – When discussing price, be sure you ask if the mounting is a separate charge. What about the ring box? Sales tax? All of these extras should be considered. At the same time, do not accept a higher charge for extras you do not want or need. Many jewelry stores will bundle in free inspections, an insurance plan (many of these “free” insurance plans are not worth anything — check the fine print!), cleaning solutions, etc., and expect you to pay substantially more because of their “great service.” Don’t fall for any of that. All you want is a ring, a diamond, and the labor required to attach the diamond to the ring.

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Selecting a ring “on the sly”?

tugumuda — Fri, 30 May 2008 04:10:29 +0000

If you are purchasing the ring for your partner unbeknownst to said partner, you will have to do a bit of sleuthing. First you will need to find out if your partner wears any other jewelry, and if so, what kind of style does the jewelry appear to fall into– does it look antique or antique reproduction? Is it primarily gold or silver? Or a bit of both? Modern? Does she or he buy jewelry from museum catalogs (The Metrapolitan Museum of Art, for example)? If so, you’ll want to find a jeweler whose pieces have the same antique feel, like Mallory Marks who makes magical, delicate pieces that might as well have been worn by Marie Antoinette or Catherine de Medici– these can be found at Barneys New York (http://www.barneys.com) among other places. Henri Ramon Designs also plays around with the idea of the magical antique, often marrying different metals with luminous stones. A recent Henri Ramon ring consisted of a platinum band with a rectangular faceted Tanzanite stone (more purple than sapphire but just as precious) held in a gold cage composed of two miniature and indescribably delicate angels clasping each other’s wings.

Does your partner hardly wear any jewelry at all? If so you’ll want to go with something incredibly simple and elegant– a small stone in an even smaller setting, in a color of metal that you think would go with the clothes your partner wears. Masters of simple, unelaborate settings include the jewelry artist Dale Novick, but you can easily find a simple design by conferring with any designer. Does your partner like to dress extravagantly in rich silks and velvets, sparkling from head to toe? A pave diamond ring may be just the thing, from Codiam Inc. a firm that specializes in modern pave settings, or from an antique dealer that specializes in late nineteenth century, early 20th century antique jewelry. If your partner’s personal dressing and jewelry style is considerably more modern, and always follows the sharpest, latest trend then you might want to choose something that mixes platinum with gold, such as a design from Henry Designs New York, or a pure platinum from L. Pavorsky of Philadelphia.

If you still can’t figure out ot decide what setting will complement your partner’s dressing style, here is one more place to look: decorating! How does your partner decorate her or his room/house/apartment? With thoroughly modern, sleek, minimalist furniture and Japanese vases? (go with something minimalist and simple– platinum, or else something inspired by nature like the work of Laura Cardillo, or Russell Trusso). With a funky “shabby chic” mix of flea market “finds”, European prints and vintage appliances? (Try something modeled after an Art Deco design with square or rectangular cut diamonds, or another funky vintage-like design, diamonds set in Bakelite or resin, for instance!) With a perfect Laura Ashley country-house mix of chintz and refurbished antiques? Best to go with something classic that looks both 20th century and timeless. If your partner’s house is draped with magical fabrics, constantly lit with baroque candlesticks and dripping with rose petals (in other words, the setting for a romance novel or a fairy tale) then try something imaginative and elaborate, full of Art Nouveau style swirls and curlicues, in the style of LaLique, or from the still up and running Masriera collection. With artifacts from around the world, Eastern European rugs and kilims, Indian spice boxes and lots of orchids? Try a culturally inspired design that mimics pieces found in museums, like the ancient Greek and Byzantine style of the work of Maua Neimanis, which often involves “granulation”, or tiny spherical beads of precious metal placed closely together to form a repeated patterned design. Granulation is done completely by hand, so these pieces can be costly, but always receive compliments on their unique, historically informed design.

No matter what you do, buying “on the sly” always carries its risks. Be sure you understand your jeweler’s return policy, in case you happen to misread your partner’s preferred style.

Tugumuda.com

tugumuda — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:24:15 +0000

Hope its useful …