How Can I Buy Cheap Engagement Rings?

November 17, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Jewelry

Ian Wright asked:


Buying an engagement ring is intimidating for someone who is poor. Helping an engaged couple find a ring on their limited budget is sometimes a dilemma.  There are choices, but they must be reviewed carefully by each of the partners that are involved.

To save money a substitute for a diamond is a good idea such as a cubic zirconia. The tradition of a diamond engagement ring is very recent, and was in large part created as part of an ad campaign put together by the De Beers company at the beginning of the last century, as they struggled to prevent the still active glut of quality diamonds on the market from crashing their profits.

The over prize of the modern diamond is due to the mystique created and spread by De Beers and other diamond merchants. The symbolism involved, of beauty, clarity, and durability, can be applied to may other stones and to diamond substitutes without loss of meaning.

If you and your partner want a real diamond its time to start to look into some of your current options. The first is actually often overlooked: resetting a stone already existing in one of the two families. Often purchasing an engagement ring from a current owner, or accepting one that has been a family heirloom, will result in the price being lower than a new stone, or in the case of one handed down through the family, the important “something old” that the bride traditionally wears for her wedding.   You will be able to ensure you get the most out of expensive content by reusing and re-purposing it, without exposing your website to duplicate content filters.

Failing that, consider asking a reputable, established jeweler dealing in gemstones if he or she can find you a good stone at a low price. Keep in mind that your notion of a low price may not be the same as a jeweler’s… but a jeweler who has a reputation is much less likely to cheat you than a fly by night, or a chain supplier who has good intention without a great jewelery education.

Good jewelers will help you find affordable stones through different avenues, like other professionals and estate sales.

A reputable jeweler can also educate you regarding diamonds, far more so that any other source you can find. Diamonds are an expensive item to purchase.  The prices are often inflated according to market demand.  To bypass this price increase, you should find a jeweler willing to suggest a substitute. Their suggestion is often based on their knowledge of both quality and affordability. Just think of these varieties of zirconium, Moissanite, and white topaz.  

Some, with knowledge of many stones, will recommend some strong, beautiful, but quite unexpected alternatives. Don’t discount the advice that will be offered. Jewelers are never pleased to sell diamonds to people who do not appreciated their beauty regardless of the price the buyer paid. While a lot of them feel as if they are frauds, they need to charge a sufficient amount to cover what they spend. It would be their pleasure to assist you in finding an option that will ensure them that they make money and keep their good name while keeping you satisfied.

Another possibility, though not really the best alternative, is to purchase one second hand from a pawn broker or a seller on Ebay. Quality control and a lack of quality assurances can be a serious problem.

Even a dealer in good faith, can “cheat”  you simply because you are not knowledgeable in jewelery and the buyer has little ability to assess the value before purchase. You can stake your life in many ways. Your engagement ring should not form a part of them.



Titanium Rings Show Their True Colors

November 6, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Uncategorized

Henry Schweizer asked:


When choosing a ring for that special someone or to complement your own new look, it’s natural to feel limited to a small range of color options. The metals we’re used to don’t offer a lot of variety. Most rings are gold or silver or slight variations on those colors. Even if you’ve considered titanium rings, the new phenomenon making its way into the market, it’s probable that those you’ve seen will all have had the same muted grayish tone. Brightening up rings with gemstones only does so much when the basic color of the band is the same. What can you do if you want to achieve a really different look?

A little known secret in the jewelery business is that titanium rings can in fact be made in a range of dramatic colors, shades you just wouldn’t expect to see in a metal. This can be done without painting them and without weakening the metal at all. Titanium rings are known for their strength and colored titanium rings are no exception. Colored titanium rings are still very rare, but they’re not particularly expensive to make, so you should find them affordable if you’re able to track them down. They offer so many new options that you can choose or design a colored titanium ring to create a truly unique look.

How are colored titanium rings made? The secret is in the metal itself. Titanium can be oxidized to create a sheen across the surface of the metal. The refractive index of this oxidized layer is such that it can shine in a range of different colors. The secret to which color the metal takes on depends on the arrangement of the oxidized crystals at its surface. Like the metal itself, titanium oxide is hypo-allergenic, so titanium rings made this way won’t lose their famous property of being safe and comfortable for anyone to wear.

Using the oxidizing process, titanium rings can be made in several different shades. Many people admire the subtle bluish-grey tones reminiscent of storm clouds or ultramodern industrial landscapes. These stylish pieces of jewelery retain the understated, sophisticated appearance of classic titanium whilst adding something just a little different to help you make a personal statement. Titanium rings can also be made in a brighter blue color which looks truly unusual and can contrast impressively with gold bands or etchings or carefully chosen gemstones.

Titanium rings are also available in a deep purple twilight shade which complements darker skin or dark clothes; and for a really striking look, you can even obtain titanium rings in black. Black titanium rings retain the shine of classic titanium rings and shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow across their dark surfaces. You can guarantee that rings like this will be noticed and remarked upon. There’s no better way to provide the personal touch than by choosing a colored titanium ring.