Weddings and jewelry site guides

Measuring some of the Purity of Gold
The purity of gold is measured in karats. The term comes from the ancient bazaars where carob beans were used as standard weights on one side of the scales to weigh precious metals. Pure gold is 24 karats. It is more expensive but softer, and consequently less durable, than gold alloyed with other metals. Gold that is 18 karats is 75 percent gold, and 14 karats is 58 percent gold. The higher the number of karats, the greater the value of a piece of gold jewelry. Alloys of different metals are used in making gold jewelry, however, to give the gold greater strength, durability, and sometimes color. Europeans have long preferred 18-karat gold as their metal of choice, and for good reasons. It has a rich yellow color, a luxurious appearance, and an extraordinarily smooth, sensual feel to it. Many European women relate to 18-karat gold like a second skin. They even wear it to the beach! Today, women in the U.S. and around the world are treating themselves more often to the beauty and elegance of 18-karat gold.

Great To Wear
Although jewelry is great to wear during the day time, it's always not a great idea to wear when sleeping. Especially with those "special jewelry" everyone has such as an heirloom brooch or those really expensive dangle earrings, you'll likely want to take it all off and put it away safely before you go to sleep. For those who only wear jewelry on special occasions, keeping a jewelry box will likely come and handy and be quite essential for storing precious jewelry.

The Classic Jewelry Armoire
A beautiful addition to your bedroom, the classic jewelry armoire is the perfect solution for storing your treasured heirlooms. Typically, the top of this handsome piece of rich wood furniture opens up to reveal a mirror and felt-lined compartments. Originally the armoire was a simple board or tea table; the term was first used in the Middle Ages around 1571. Today the term often refers to a cupboard or wardrobe. The gorgeous jewelry armoire is a very special type of armoire specifically designed to hold precious jewelry.

The 4 C's of Diamond Shopping
When shopping for diamond wedding rings, look at cut, color, clarity, and carat, or weight. Cut is most important; a skillful cut is what unleashes the brilliant fire in a diamond. Cut refers to the faceting, not to the overall shape. Some terms for shape are marquise, oval, and princess, or square. Regarding color, grading begins at D. The further one goes into the alphabet, the poorer the color grade. Ask at the store to see loose diamonds on a sheet of pure white paper and note whether there is any contrast, which is undesirable. Superior clarity refers to the lack of inclusions such as bubbles, spots, or lines. Clarity is graded on a scale that ranges from flawless (FL or IF) to imperfect (I).

Caring for Italian Charms
Italian charms of the highest quality of stainless steel and 18K gold are often attached to sterling silver bracelets. Over time sterling silver naturally tarnishes as silver reacts with oxygen. To prevent the dulling effect of tarnish buildup, clean your silver bracelet with a polish or soft cloth specifically formulated or made for sterling. Always keep sterling silver jewelry away from harsh household cleaning products and chemicals such as chlorine to avoid abrasion and keep your jewelry sparkling. To protect sterling silver jewelry from being scratched, store pieces in their original boxes separate from other jewelry. You can also buy tarnish-proof boxes and bags for sterling jewelry.

Laser Charm Jewelry
The laser charm is made using a laser engraving machine. The machines can engrave a picture, saying or just about anything else you can imagine onto the stainless steel link. These sayings and pictures that are etched into the charm and do not fade or wear off. The really neat thing about charm bracelets is that you can create a unique piece of jewelry by adding new charms. Theses types of bracelets can be taken apart and then assembled in a whole new way.

Pocket Watches: no wimpy tan line!
For key wind and set watches, such as some of the antique pocket watches, you will need to use a key to wind the mainspring and set the time. More modern pocket watches run on small batteries that keep very accurate time and only require replacement every two years or so. The drawback to batteries is that a jeweler is usually needed to remove the back of the watch, and that will incur a $10 to $20 charge whenever a battery needs changing. However, the positives outweigh the negatives because a pocket watch is better protected, less abused, and looks cooler than a wristwatch. It is a subtle statement of "individuality"!

Strong and Light Metal For Jewelry and More
Titanium is as strong as steel and as light as aluminum. It is also the most hypoallergenic element known to man. As such, it is a popular choice in prosthetics and surgical implant procedures such as hip, shoulder, and jaw augmentation. It follows that titanium is also the metal of choice in the manufacture of surgical instruments such as scalpels, tweezers, and hemostats. Titanium can be oxidized to produce a rainbow of colors for making fine jewelry and intricate designs at a lower cost than gold or platinum.

Pearl necklaces and jewelry
Pearl necklaces and other types of pearl jewelry have been worn for thousands of years. Pearls have always come into and out of fashion. Now they have become very fashionable again, and people are wearing them for many different occasions. People all over the world are wearing all types of pearl jewelry. People are buying and wearing pearl jewelry, and giving these beautiful creations as gifts.

Mother's Day Celebrations
The earliest Mother's Day celebrations were held in the spring in ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600s, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday" on the fourth Sunday of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter. Mothering Sunday celebrations honored the mothers of England. More about mother's rings.

The Nine Gemstone Colors.
1. The greenest of the green is the emerald. Cherished by the Romans above all other gems.
2. Garnet most famous as red but actually comes in every color but blue.
3. The Opal is very much like a silvery mirrors.
4. Peridot is a green gleam and can be found just about everywhere.
5. Tanzanite the newest gem discovery has a deep-violet tanzanite. Has only been known for about 40 years.
6. Sapphire is blue as the sky. Often used as protective talismans.
7. Tourmaline is available in every color.
8. Turquoise is a lovely opaque blue. Oxides contribute to the stone's famous gray, brown or black veining.
9. Ruby is most famous for it deep red color.

The theme of your wedding
You can use the theme of your wedding to think of many different gift ideas for your bridesmaids. You may want to individualize them to reflect the personalities of your bridesmaids. Deciding on an overall plan is one way to make shopping for gifts easy. For example, you could keep it simple by getting everyone the same thing. You'd have to find a gift with wide appeal. You could add a personal touch by having their initials engraved or imprinted on their individual gifts in the main color scheme of your wedding. This way the gift would be tied to the wedding as well as personalized.

Italian Charm Bracelets
As the millennium moves forward, the fashion industry continually rediscovers the lure of the charm bracelet, flooding the market with new styles in a wide range of prices. By declaring the charm bracelet as a must-have accessory for all occasions, fashion giants like Louis Vuitton have brought renewed glamour to the charm bracelet. If the past is any indication, charm bracelets may well endure the test of time and never go out of style.

Modern Jewelry
Twentieth-century jewelry reflects important changes in technology as well as fashion. Around 1918, after World War I, the short hairstyle popular for women resulted in the disappearance of many hair ornaments such jeweled combs. During the same period, jeweled vanity and cigarette cases and wristwatches came into style. Strong, lightweight metals such as iridium, platinum, and palladium allowed new types of settings for gemstones. New casting methods resulted in innovative sculptural designs and wider use of different metallic finishes and textures. Painters and sculptors, as in the Renaissance, designed jewelry. For example, the works of French painter Georges Braque and American sculptor Alexander Calder combined form and function to create new styles.

Types Of Groomsmen Gifts
Giving groomsmen gifts can be a challenge for most people, but it does not have to be that way. When giving groomsmen gifts, consider what type of things you would like. Do you like jewelry, or personalized hats? When you think about it, your friends are probably similar to you. So choose a gift that you would like yourself. A little extra thought can make your groomsmen gifts that much more special.

The Color of Diamonds
The farther from colorless a diamond, the less rare and less valuable it is. It is often difficult to detect the difference between a colorless diamond (D-F) and a near-colorless diamond (G-H), especially when the diamond is mounted in jewelry. This is important to remember when buying a diamond. Diamonds with a J-Z color grade have a yellow shading that may be detected by the naked eye; however, a well-cut stone with good proportions will still release the brilliance and fire of a lower-colored, or more transparent, diamond and disperse light in such a way as to reflect a beautiful stone. Learn more about Wholesale costume jewelry and more.

Diamond Grading Labs
A certificate of a diamond does not contain an appraisal of the diamond; it only describes the quality of the diamond without placing a monetary value on it. There are many diamond labs in existence that issue certificates. The two most widely regarded diamond grading labs in the world are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS).

Buying a Diamond Engagement Ring
It is usually very difficult to see the difference between a colorless diamond (D-F) and a near-colorless diamond (G-H), especially when the diamond is mounted in jewelry. This is important to remember when shopping for diamond engagement rings. Diamonds with a J-Z color grade have yellowish shading that may be detected by the naked eye, but a well-cut stone with good proportions will still be beautiful, releasing the brilliance and fire of a lower-colored diamond. It will disperse light to reveal a beautiful stone.

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Different laws were passed during Imperial Rome to govern the wearing of finger rings. Pliny informs us that Emperor Tiberius required that those who were not of free descent be owners of large property before having the right to wear gold finger rings.3 Emperor Severus extended the right to wear gold finger rings–jus annuli aurei–first to Roman soldiers and then to all free citizens. Silver finger rings were worn by freedmen, that is, slaves who had become free. Iron finger rings were worn by slaves. Under Emperor Justinian these restrictions were abolished. It is interesting to note that during Imperial Rome gold, silver, and iron finger rings were worn in accordance with the social class to which one belonged. The finger ring, so to speak, tied a person down to his or her social class

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