Archive for the ‘Diamond Rings’ Category

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Pointing The Conventional Finger

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

To German or Spanish couples, the traditional wedding finger is fourth on the right hand. The Japanese rarely choose to wear a wedding ring at all. So what makes western culture desire so fervently to adorn the fourth finger on the left hand with nuptial jewellery?

A glittering diamond cluster ring or sparkling trilogy ring is a wonderful symbol of engagement. The way diamond engagement rings of any style rests on that significant fourth finger on the left hand is truly an emblem of love. But how has so much meaning become attached to that particular finger?

To think about love and marriage symbolically is imperative. Think about love and one of the first symbols encountered is… the heart. An ancient western-based belief developed that the fourth finger was directly linked to the heart, thus making it the most meaningful finger in matters of the heart.

18ct white gold brilliant cut diamond ring 0.33ctsAn ancient Chinese explanation for the fourth finger rule is this – when you place your palms together and fold in your two middle fingers (keep all of your other fingers touching their counterpart), try to separate the two ring fingers… it can’t be done! This is symbolic of husband and wife being bound together, inseparable through life.

Hand preference seems to be just that – personal preference, be it religious, cultural or practical. Furthermore, and in the spirit of bending tradition, why not indulge the recent fashion for “mengagement” rings (diamond engagement rings for men) – there’s no tradition yet so be as creative as you like!

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Rules Of Engagement

Monday, July 19th, 2010

The modern man and woman have blurred the boundaries between genders in certain areas – everybody holds the door for…everybody! Equal rights in society, at work and in a relationship are a given. So is there still a place for male chivalry when it comes to that most precious, symbolic of gestures – the engagement?

Choosing the Ring

For a start, the right diamond engagement rings don’t have to be a total surprise. This is something a woman will wear for her lifetime – slipping it on and off to take a shower, retelling the story of how you became engaged while she gently spins the sentimental jewellery on her finger.

Many couples find choosing diamond engagement rings together to be an affirmation of why they’re choosing to marry one another.

Platinum brilliant certified diamond ring 1.07cts The Price of True Love

The question of who pays for this epic diamond jewellery is, in this day and age, one for discussion. The common opinion seems to be that a real gentleman would (at least offer to) foot the bill.

Father Knows Best

The notion of asking parental “permission” is nowadays one of respect rather than authorisation. This tradition finds its historical roots in an accord being reached between father and suitor, but the more modern approach is simply about a future son-in-law displaying good manners. Remember, these people will be family soon so do everything you can to make the right impression!

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Diamonds And Carats

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

The value of a diamond is not determined by its size but by its weight, which is measured in carats. The word ‘carat’ originally comes from keration, the ancient Greek word for carob seeds, which were used to weigh and compare many goods in the ancient world. The weight of smaller diamonds is not expressed in carats, but in ‘points’.

A carat is made up of 100 points, so a half-carat diamond is also known as a 50 point diamond. Although used most famously for diamond jewellery, carat is also used as a standard measure for other gemstones. However, some gemstones are denser than others so different gems of the same weight are not necessarily the same size.

18ct white gold illusion-set diamond ring 0.53ctsLarger diamonds normally have a higher value as they are rare and therefore in more demand for diamond jewellery than smaller diamonds of the same quality. Of course, a diamond being large does not automatically qualify it as valuable, as the quality of the cut, clarity and colour all need to be taken into consideration.

A large stone with poor cut, clarity and colour will not be worth any more simply because of its size. However, a large stone with excellent cut, clarity and colour will be worth more than smaller diamonds of equally good quality. For example, diamond rings consisting of one large two carat diamond will nearly always be more expensive than diamond rings made up of several smaller diamonds which may total two carats between them.

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Choosing A Diamond Engagement Ring

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

So, you are sure that your girl is ‘the one’ and you know where and when you are going to pop the question. All that you need to do now is purchase the perfect engagement ring. Naturally, diamond engagement rings are the preferred choice for blushing brides-to-be, but choosing suitable diamond rings from the wealth of jewellery available can be a somewhat daunting affair.

First of all, make sure you remember that the size of the diamond is not the most important thing. Your beloved will not think less of you because you cannot afford an absolute rock, so work out just how much you can genuinely afford and stick to it. Commission hungry jewellery sales assistants sometimes try and persuade guilty feeling bachelors into buying diamond engagement rings that are far beyond what they can afford, so make sure that you stay within your limit.

9ct white gold brilliant diamond ring 0.15ctsWhen you have made your mind up and chosen a ring which doesn’t require a mortgage, take the time to ensure that it comes with insurance and a warranty. If you have pushed the boat out and purchased more expensive diamond rings then make sure that certification is also included. All diamonds that are equal to or greater than 0.3 carats need to be certified in order to determine the authenticity of the diamond and to state all of its relevant characteristics such as colour, cutting and cloudiness grades.

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True Love Beats The Recession

Friday, June 11th, 2010

You don’t need telling that times have been tough over the last couple of years due to the economic situation. But the recession can’t be allowed to stand in the way of true love, so how do you choose from the many diamond engagement rings available one which your fiance will wear with joy, love and pride every day, and breaking the bank? After all, you are probably saving for a deposit for your home together, so you will want to be able to look at diamond engagement rings that won’t put your finances under pressure. On this note, etiquette experts suggest that two month’s salary is a reasonable amount to spend on diamond engagement rings. Of course, if you can afford to spend more, most women won’t argue with you about that.

18ct white gold emerald cut diamond ring 0.15ctsSome couples regard jewellery as an investment, which is why they go for top-quality diamond jewellery which will appreciate in value over the years. Others are less concerned with the value and choose diamond engagement rings which will simply prove that they are in love. This is one of the reasons why eternity rings are so popular, as they are the perfect symbol of a relationship.

If you are looking for diamond jewellery of any kind, then ROX will be able to help you find the perfect gift. They can supply everything from diamond rings to gents watches, so whether you are buying online, or from their stores, make sure you look at the great range of jewellery available there.

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Diamond Cut

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

In diamonds and other precious gems, the ‘cut’ refers to the shape of the finished stone. There are a huge variety of cuts available from the classic to the fancy, and there are different pros and cons to each. It’s not just the shape that counts for aesthetic purposes or to suit a particular kind of jewellery fitting. It is the cut of a diamond set in diamond jewellery that draws light into the centre of the stone and makes it sparkle. The number of facets (the individual flat planes) and their angle to one another impacts the way light is reflected and refracted around inside the stone.

18ct white gold brilliant cut diamond ring 0.25ctsFor diamonds, where that internal fire is the main drawcard, cut is obviously of paramount importance. Since the advent of laser cutting equipment, cuts have grown more and more sophisticated. The understanding of the optical physics involved has also grown. New cuts can now be designed and analysed with computer programs. All these factors combined mean that the diamonds used in jewellery are now more spectacular than ever. The jewellers of a hundred years ago would be amazed by today’s diamond engagement rings.

Cuts are divided into families. The most common is the round brilliant style, which is designed to make efficient use of a perfect, flawless diamond crystal. The symmetry and carefully calculated angles of a classic round brilliant do perhaps the best job of bringing out a diamond’s sparkle. It’s the most popular choice for the large, high quality centrepiece diamonds found in jewellery, although there are many more.

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Is Your Diamond Ring Stuck On Your Finger?

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

It does happen, especially for wedding and eternity rings that are worn all day every day for years. Getting diamond rings stuck also happens when the gentleman making the proposal guesses the ring size wrong. Understandably reluctant to spoil the surprise by asking the (hopefully) bride to be her size, most people make a guess, and of course that choice might not be spot on.

So, what to do if diamond rings gets stuck? First of all, don’t worry at it. That will just cause the finger to swell, which will only make it worse and can result in quite severe pain and even harm the hand. Don’t try to use butter, soap, or oil as a lubricant either. It probably won’t help and will almost certainly get stuck in the setting. Diamond rings can be difficult to clean, and that is especially true when substances like these get into them.

18ct yellow gold diamond half eternity ring 0.33ctRun the hand with the ring on it under a cold tap for a minute or two. The chill will take down any swelling and divert blood away from the fingers, making them significantly thinner in size. Make sure the plug is in the sink first though! That might well do the trick. If not, try soaking the hand in ice water for as long as you can bear to get the same effect, only more so.

Once you’ve got the ring off, get it re-sized. For any diamond rings sold by ROX, your first resizing is free. Any high street jeweller will be happy measure your finger for ring size. Send it back to us with your measured size, and we’ll sort it out for you. We resize to the highest standards, so you needn’t fear that the ring will look any different or lose quality when we resize it.

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Shopping For Diamond Engagement Rings Online

Friday, May 7th, 2010

The internet is a wonderful marketplace. You have the power to view a far greater range of diamond engagement rings online than you would in any city, all from the comfort of your own home and incredibly quickly. Going to half a dozen jewellery shops in town would take all day, assuming there were retailers of the right quality in the area. You can do that online in an hour or two, in the evening after work or whenever you like. There is much greater choice available to those who shop online. That’s important when a gift has to be absolutely perfect.

18ct white gold diamond cluster ring 0.41ctsIt’s easy to compare online retailers and their prices – diamond engagement rings are a significant investment and of course you should always shop around before making the final choice. Because competition between internet jewellery shops is so high, prices are kept fairly reasonable across the board. Naturally we think ours are very reasonable indeed.

At ROX, we understand that you may have to return the diamond ring that you finally settle on. We are happy to resize rings if necessary, and the first resize is always free. Subsequent resizes attract a small charge, but we can still handle the process for you. Of course, not all diamond engagement rings will be kept – not all proposals are successful (although we think a beautiful ring increases your chances!). You are welcome to return any product bought online within 14 days of receipt for either a refund or exchange for a different item.

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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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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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