Archive for April, 2010

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The History Of Eternity Rings

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

Eternity rings share the same symbolism as wedding rings and other diamond rings. The circle symbolises love with no beginning and no end – eternal.

While wedding rings and diamond engagement rings tend to have stones focused in the centre of the ring, eternity rings are made up of many small diamonds. In the ‘full’ eternity ring, diamonds continue all the way around the band, while the ‘half’ eternity ring has diamonds half-way around the band.

Another difference between the design of eternity rings and other diamond rings is the settings of the stones. In solitaire diamond rings, for example, claws are used to hold the stone in place. This is so the diamond catches the most amount of light and gives off the greatest amount of sparkle (though the cut and clarity will impact upon this too).

18ct rose gold diamond half eternity ring 0.20ctIt is not possible to use claws in the construction of full eternity rings, due to the risk of irritating skin on the underside of the finger. Therefore, it is usually the case that in full eternity rings the stones are embedded into the shank, while claws are sometimes used in the settings of half eternity rings.

Eternity rings are usually given to celebrate the first anniversary, or to commemorate the birth of a child. Often, a ruby and diamond eternity ring is presented to the wife by her husband on their ruby anniversary.

For a superb range of eternity rings to suit all possible requirements, browse the ROX website today.

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Commonly Made Mistakes When Buying Jewellery

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

It’s safe to say aside from weddings rings and watches that buying jewellery is usually done by men for women, and for a variety of different reasons. Men buy their partners jewellery as gifts to commemorate special occasions – the eternity ring is often given as an anniversary gift or the birth of a child – or simply because it is the easiest and most obvious choice of present.

It is easy to make a mistake when buying jewellery, and what may seem like an simple present can easily turn out to be a minefield.

Getting it right

Before shopping for a jewellery gift, taking the time to establish the style and tastes of your partner could prevent disaster later on. If you are set on buying her a ladies watch, for example, make sure you choose one that suits her lifestyle and her tastes. Don’t buy her a sporty number with lots of technological gadgetry if she is into vintage fashion. The repercussions of this go beyond the fact that she will never wear your gift, disappointing both of you, because she will also interpret the incidence as evidence of you ‘not really knowing her’.

TechnoMarine Lilac Cruise Chrono Watch 108008

Don’t go over the top

Similarly, have an idea in your head about how extrovert and ostentatious your partner is likely to be when it comes to wearing jewellery. If you buy her a large solitaire diamond ring, will she be ecstatic, or embarrassed?

Size is everything

There is no excuse for getting the wrong size ring – just ‘borrow’ one from her jewellery box and get the same size. Ditto for necklace chains. If you don’t have access to her jewellery box, maybe you should stick to diamond earrings instead.

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Why Do Men Give Jewellery?

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

There are many reasons which inspire the men who do give jewellery to their partners to do so – some are personal and some due to society’s expectations.

One of the most superficial and popular reasons that men give jewellery is that they feel they are expected to do so. Laziness also factors into it – perhaps they can’t think of anything else for a birthday or Christmas present? In some cases choosing a plain pair of diamond earrings might be easier, in terms of effort, than putting some real thought and effort into what their partner actually wants.

The battle for status uses jewellery as a commodity. Men in a social group may find themselves subtly competing with each other to provide their partners with expensive jewellery. The women may not notice, or perhaps they contribute to the status warfare themselves, comparing new gifts at every available opportunity.

18ct white gold diamond stud earrings 0.10ctsThe men who give jewellery for less cynical reasons are likely to spend more time (as opposed to money) considering what their partner’s tastes are and the type of jewellery they would actually enjoy, treasure and – most importantly – wear.

These men would say that it makes them feel connected to their partners when they wear an item of diamond jewellery which they have given them. They would also say that they feel a sense of pride at being the provider, and that the jewellery is a symbol of the connection between the couple.

For men who seek that closeness and recognition of the relationship, this consideration makes the jewellery they buy their partners truly priceless.

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Cupcakes & Diamonds…

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

You might have read about a rather cool event coming up in Glasgow called GLAM in the City, just incase you haven’t though it’s a three day consumer event for Scotland’s lovely ladies that’s coming to George Square in Glasgow over the 18th – 20th of June 2010. And the headline act? None other than fashion guru Gok Wan – we all love a bit of Gok here at ROX so we definitely had to get involved!

Gok will be joined by Lorraine Kelly (doesn’t everyone love a lazy morning watching her on the GMTV sofa?) and a host of other celebs for three days and nights of fashion, beauty, style, performances and exhibitions from 35 uber cool brands.

That’s where we come in.

We’re going to be exhibiting the hottest styles from Thomas Sabo, Links of London, Monica Vinader and ToyWatch to name just a few at GLAM in the City along with some other great companies including our friends over at Cupcake Glasgow. So we decided to put our GLAM hats on to do something fun and quirky to let everyone know that we’re going to be part of the festivities.

The result? The most GLAM cupcake the world has ever seen – a gorgeous sweet treat adorned with over 25 cts of diamonds… and valued at a staggering £100,000!

Credit: Kieran Dodds

Credit: Kieran Dodds

We invited media along to our Argyll Arcade store where our gorgeous model (and colleague!) Lorna Keir showed off the cupcake… check her  working the cameras…!

Credit: Kieran Dodds

Credit: Kieran Dodds

If anyone fancies treating themselves to the ultimate in luxury (or hinting to their significant other!), you can order a bespoke diamond cupcake in store and make sure you get your tickets to GLAM in the City by visiting www.glaminthecity.co.uk

And here’s a bonus pic of Lorna with her sister, and assistant manager of ROX Argyll Arcade, Jennifer…

Credit: Kieran Dodds

Credit: Kieran Dodds

They’re almost as sweet as the cupcake!

Love,

ROX

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The Advantages Of Modern Jewellery

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Modern jewellery has undergone many changes in terms of the design, materials and technology that is incorporated in their manufacture.

For example, yellow gold is no longer the most popular metal for settings and jewellery. The growing popularity of expensive titanium means that the more affordable white gold is becoming more popular as a substitute.

Jewellery is not immune to trends and changes in politics and society. New awareness of the ethics of diamond mining – illustrated by Leonardo Dicaprio in the film Blood Diamond – means that consumers are more discerning and questioning about where their diamond jewellery is coming from.

Guess Collection diamond set watch I47502L1One of the most interesting developments in modern jewellery design and technology takes place in the field of watches design. Once upon a time, it would be that your new fancy watch would stop working. You would have to make a trip to the jewellers or the watchmaker to have the battery changed. It wasn’t an expensive affair – more of a nuisance.

This is no longer the case with many of the more modern watches which don’t run on batteries, but on kinetic energy created by the movements of your body while you wear the watch. The designer watches turn the kinetic energy into electrical energy, meaning you have eco-friendly watches which never need batteries changing or winding up. They are also able to store energy and put themselves to sleep, thus saving energy; re-setting themselves when movement begins again.

Concern for the environment has an impact of every area of our lives – including jewellery design – and it will be interesting to see how jewellery and watches develop over the next decade.

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The Importance Of A Watch

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Ladies watches and gents watches are a unique piece of jewellery, in that they serve to provide several things at any one time. We ask more of watches than we do of any other accessory.

Practicality

Watches have a practical function in that they tell the time, but most modern watches offer a lot more than this. Contemporary watches offer the wearer everything from water resistance, glow in the dark capabilities so that you can tell the time at night, date functions and increased power capacity (some no longer rely on battery). The modern watch has come a long way from the wind-up timepieces of times gone by.

Sentiment

A watch – either ladies watch or gents watch – is a much-treasured gift. Someone once said that the ideal present is something that you use regularly. Given that we look at our watches many times during the average day, this notion makes a watch one of the best presents out there.

Links of London Black Dial Sweetie Watch - SmallContemporary watch design incorporates diamonds, precious metals and mother-of-pearl to create stylish and memorable designs that any man or woman would be happy to incorporate into their wardrobe. In the same way that a great pair of shoes or handbag can lift an outfit, a classic watch is regarded as one of the essentials of any good wardrobe.

Investment

Watches can cost anything from £25 to several hundred thousand pounds. This makes watches, like art, something to collect and cherish. A luxury watch may not be for everyday wear, but its beauty and value will only increase over the decades. This makes an expensive watch an item worth passing on from generation to generation as a timeless piece of jewellery.

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Buying Diamond Jewellery: Necklace And Bracelets

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Buying diamond bracelets are similar to buying diamond earrings in that one size fits all, so there is no need to worry about something being too big or too small in the way that one would have to consider when buying a ring.

Diamond bracelets are wonderful gifts because they combine all the romance and thought that we associate with diamonds, with a more unusual and unique take on the tradition. Diamond bracelets are easy to wear and can be worn with any outfit, from a simple pair of jeans to a little black dress.

In terms of style, diamond bracelets are available as loose bracelets, more ‘fixed’ bangle styles and the tennis bracelet. It became known as this when Chris Evert broke her in-line diamond bracelet at Wimbledon, halted the match and sparked a new trend. It consists of thirty or more diamonds set at perfect intervals all alone the length of the bracelet.

18ct white gold diamond tennis bracelet 0.91ctsAs with buying any diamond jewellery, before you shop it is essential that you are armed with information. The first pertains to your budget and is something that you should stick to. Your partner’s elation at her beautiful new piece of jewellery might lessen if she discovers you have spent a month’s mortgage payment on it.

The second refers to the taste of the woman you are buying for. Take note of her style and likes and dislikes. This is vital for all jewellery shopping but especially diamond necklaces. For example, are her tastes simple or elaborate? This should help you decide between a solitaire and something more ornate, and will boost the chances of your buying a successful gift.

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Why Diamond Jewellery Doesn’t Have To Mean A Ring

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Aside from the sentiment and symbolism of their engagement and wedding rings, there are some women who aren’t really ring fans and don’t enjoy wearing rings (and they may not even like engagement and wedding rings!).

Whether it is because of comfort (not being comfortable with a ring on their finger because it feels restrictive) or aesthetics, these women would probably prefer a piece of diamond jewellery that isn’t a ring.

This isn’t bad news for the individual buying the item of diamond jewellery as a gift, because often a pair of diamond earrings or a diamond necklace can be easier to buy than a diamond ring, and still maintain an air of glamour and superior elegance.

9ct white gold diamond teardrop earrings 0.07ctDiamond earrings are probably the easiest item of diamond jewellery to purchase mainly because there are no sizes to worry about. It is imperative however, that you ensure that the recipient has their ears pierced, otherwise you could rightly be accused of poor attention to detail!

Diamond earrings usually come in the style of either a hoop or a stud. Studs are easiest to wear as they are suitable for dressing up or down, while hoops are a little more feminine.

A diamond necklace offers more scope in terms of a gift of diamond jewellery. As with choosing rings, you will have to chose the style – cluster, solitaire or trilogy are just a few examples. The metal of the setting and chain are also considerations, as is the length of the chain.

At ROX we have a wide selection of diamond jewellery items to choose from.

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Different Styles Of Diamond Rings

Friday, April 9th, 2010

The brave man that chooses to buy a diamond engagement ring without any direct input from his partner or her best friend stands to win everything. At best, his partner will love the diamond ring and appreciate his efforts. At worst, his partner may want to change the ring but will still undoubtedly recognise the consideration that went into choosing the ring.

Buying diamond rings is not as simple as walking into a shop and choosing one, because they are many factors to take into consideration when choosing a ring. Style is one of particular importance.

The most popular style of diamond engagement ring is the solitaire ring. As the name suggests, this consists of one diamond in a setting, held by claws which allow the diamond to be positioned perfectly to catch the most amount of light and therefore create the ultimate sparkle.

9ct yellow gold diamond trilogy ring 0.20ctsCluster rings are designed with lots of small diamonds clustered together to create an eye-catching, brilliant effect. Traditionally, seven stones were used to make a flower design, but now cluster rings can be made up of a number of different stones to create any design at all.

Trilogy rings use three stones to great symbolic effect. One diamond represents the past, the other represents the present and the last represents the future. Trilogy rings are popular with people who want to inject a little colour into their diamond rings, as they allow the incorporation of other stones. Often, a sapphire can take centre place with a diamond flanking either side.

Having some idea as to what style of ring your partner prefers will do a long way in helping to choose what ring to buy. Our top tip is to do some detective work beforehand because this will definitely pay off.

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Introducing a new guest…

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

Greetings to all on this lovely Wednesday afternoon.

We’re pleased  to  announce that we have new guest blogger joining our team at the ROX blog – she’s rather shy and doesn’t want to reveal her true identity (for now but we’re trying to break her down!) but in any case she will be posting on her passion for diamonds under the alias of Diamondalicious – keep an eye out for some interesting (and sometimes controversial!) views, recommendations and advice.

We’re also going to be giving the blog a bit of a revamp and will be sharing a bit more behind the scenes action of what it’s like to work for one of the country’s most exciting jewellers as well as introducing you to the members of our team.

Love ROX.

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