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Wedding Rings

Choosing a wedding ring can be difficult enough when you are trying to find a symbol of your love and promise, but it is even more difficult when you don't know what to look for. Not only should you love the look of your wedding ring, but it should be practical to wear everyday, durable for long-term wear, and if the wedding ring has gemstones they should be held in a secure setting. Consider the metal - will it be platinum, yellow gold, white gold, or one of the new metals of titanium or tungsten? Consider the stones - do you want diamonds or other gemstones in your wedding ring, and if so, do you prefer prong settings or channel settings? Also consider the height and design of the ring - is it safe and comfortable to wear in your profession and activities? Your wedding ring is your choice and you will find the ring of your dreams. Just take a little time to make sure that the wedding ring style you choose is well made to endure and well designed to suit your lifestyle. Read more on the following pages about the factors to consider when choosing wedding rings.


Engagement Rings

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ongratulations! You've found your true love and have decided she is the woman you want to marry. The next big decision is the purchase of the engagement ring, a traditional symbol of everlasting love and a promise of future marriage. Whether you're shopping for the engagement ring together, or choosing it for your bride to be, you're selecting a ring that she will wear for the rest of her life. How do you find the right one?
What's her style?

Will you be giving her a family heirloom or purchasing a new engagement ring? If you're surprising her with a ring, try to pay attention to the styles she admires on friends, in jewelry ads, and in jewelry store windows. If you're shopping for the engagement ring together, try on various styles to help her find the one she wants.
Does she prefer traditional or modern jewelry?

While many women have their heart set on the traditional diamond solitaire engagement ring, other women are choosing to wear a cluster style or the currently fashionable three stone style. While the majority of engagement rings are set with a diamond, some women would rather wear a ring with a colored gemstone, such as sapphire, emerald, or ruby. Some women prefer modern settings, some women prefer vintage jewelry settings. The engagement ring should reflect her individual style and taste.
Will she want to wear her engagement ring next to her wedding band?
Engagement Rings
Platinum Solitaire by Blue Nile

If the bride wants to wear her engagement ring and wedding ring together,it's important to choose an engagement ring that fits next to a wedding band. When the bride to be becomes engaged, she traditionally wears her engagement ring on the left ring finger, and when she marries, she then also wears her wedding band on the left ring finger. Some brides may prefer to wear her rings separately, and move their engagement ring to their right hand when they get married and wear only their wedding ring on the left hand.
How do I select a diamond?

Diamonds are the crystallized form of carbon, formed in the earth with tremendous heat and pressure over long periods of time. The diamond industry uses the four C's - color, clarity, cut, and carat weight - to evaluate the value of a diamond. The color and clarity are natural characteristics of the stone. Diamonds may often appear colorless, but most contain hints of color. The color is graded from “D” colorless to “Z” for the yellow stones. The clarity refers to the amount of internal flaws in the stone. The fewer number of flaws increases the value of the stone. The cut is the shape of the stone. The most traditional cut is the round brilliant, but there are many other shapes including princess, pear, marquise, oval, and heart. The carat weight is a unit of weight measurement, not an exact size.
3 stone Engagement Ring
3-Stone Diamond Ring from Mondera

The stone you choose will be a combination of the qualities that are most important to you. Ask the jeweler for a written description of the stone you want to purchase, listing in detail the weight, color, clarity, and shape. Compare the price for the stone and be comfortable that it is a fair price before you buy.
What about other gemstones?

Some brides prefer to wear a colored gemstone and choose their birthstone or favorite gemstone for their engagement ring. The colored gemstone can be a solitaire or as an enhancement to a diamond setting.

What metal does she prefer?

The primary metal choices are yellow gold, white gold, and platinum. Titanium, tungsten, sterling silver and stainless steel are other alternatives for engagement rings. Both platinum and gold have the strength and durability that make them excellent choices for an engagement ring. When choosing gold, the best options are 14kt or 18kt, gold alloyed with other metals for strength and color. Twenty-four carat is pure gold, but too soft for an engagement ring. Yellow gold is the most traditional of ring metals, symbolizing the warmth and love of a marriage. Many women are increasingly choosing to wear a white metal, and prefer to wear white gold or platinum. White gold coordinates with both silver and platinum jewelry, and is often chosen because it is harder than silver and less expensive than platinum. Platinum, the hardest and most expensive metal, is very stylish and becoming a symbol to many of enduring love.

How much do I spend?

Most people have heard the diamond industry’s advice to spend the equivalent of two months salary on an engagement ring. Financial experts recommend not spending more than three weeks’ salary. Whatever guidelines you consider, the amount you decide to spend is entirely up to you. It matters more that the ring you buy is within your price range and appeals to your bride to be. Couples with limited finances at the time of their engagement can always reset the stone or add extra stones at a later date. The engagement ring may last a lifetime, but you don’t have to spend a lifetime paying for it.
Solitare Engagement Ring
Diamond Solitaire from Blue Nile
Where do I buy?

Shopping around at local jewelry stores can be a good way to familiarize yourself with the style of ring and quality of stone you are looking for. You’ll generally pay more for your ring at a local retailer, however, the right jeweler can offer you a level of service that you might not be able to get with an online purchase. Online retailers can sometimes offer a substantial savings because of their decreased overhead but you should throughly research the company's reputation before making your purchase. Pay attention to their return policy. Many online retailers offer a generous return policy compared to your local retailer because you are making a purchase without having the ring in hand.