High End Jewelry Designers for Engagement Rings

Nothing spells out class quite like Harry Winston Engagement Rings. I've never stepped foot inside a Harry Winston Store but truth be told, I might be a little intimidated.

Winston may be most famous for once owning the Hope diamond which he donated to the Smithsonian Museum in DC. I've seen the diamond firsthand and it is awe-inspiring!

Harry Winston established his company in 1932. He apparently had a love affair with diamonds....feeling immense joy when acquiring a new bauble and deep depression when selling one of his pride and joys. Harry's son Ronald Winston is currently chairman of the company.

Unlike other jewelers, Harry Winston is hands on from start to finish with their pieces. The whole process of cutting, polishing, designing and creating the finished jewel is conducted in the Harry Winston 5th Avenue building in NYC. Their jewelry and engagement rings are like no others when it comes to quality, craftsmanship, and prestige.

Image has always been of the utmost importance to Harry Winston. Harry Winston has draped some of the world's biggest celebrities in diamonds. Who could forget Bennifer's enormous pink diamond engagement ring. Ben Affleck loved Harry Winston jewelry enough to also present Jennifer Garner with a 4.5 carat Harry Winston ring. Paris Hilton briefly sported a canary yellow Harry Winston diamond, when engaged to a man with her same namesake. You may have heard of the Taylor-Burton diamond, a 70 carat pear shaped rock? Hands down, the celebs love Harry Winston. Perhaps this is because Harry Winston covers celebrities in diamonds for some of the largest, most glamorous red carpet events like the Tonys, the Emmys, and the Academy Awards. And their prices are high enough to keep most of the riff-raff out of their stores and from the majority of commoners from wearing their designs.

From what I've heard, entry level pricing for 1 carat Harry Winston engagement rings begin at around $15,000. And forget about buying a little token item. Most everything in the store sells for over $10,000. If you are dead-set on a Harry Winston ring and are a "want champagne on a beer budget" kind of individual, consider getting a local jeweler to make a replica ring.

Don't be disappointed but you won't find a Harry Winston store located at your local mall. There are only a handful locations in Switzerland, Japan, France, Hawaii, Nevada, California, Florida, and New York.

Cartier engagement rings start in the affordable $4,000 range and skyrocket to the millions. Thus, allowing for both Joe Schmo down the street and Joe Millionaire alike to be able to purchase a bauble from Cartier. Still too steep? At least everyone can afford to become a member of the Cartier Club. ...all it takes is signing up on their website http://wwww.cartier.com to receive their free newsletter....... hmm...sounds a little more exclusive than it actually is, huh?

Cartier is a long time player in the jewelry industry. They've been around since the mid 19th century. Cartier's roots were planted in Paris by founder Louis-Francois Cartier. The famed NY branch on the oh so fancy fifth avenue, was established in the early 20th century.

Cartier's creations have been worn by royalty and celebrities across the globe. Legends such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe have donned Cartier jewels. They are known for their outstanding quality and design and their name is synonomous with luxury.

Go to the Cartier website and take a look at Cartier's regular jewelry collection. Specifically, find the rings in the trinity collection: They are so cool and sleek. They feature three intertwined rings of various precious metals and diamonds. (I'll put these on my birthday wish list). I don't think these classic pieces will ever go out of style.

Under the bridal collection on the Cartier website, they offer "classic," one-stone rings ranging from .5 carat to many many more. All engagement rings appear to be made out of platinum although they may offer more choices at their store sites. They also offer "creative" engagement rings made of platinum which are significantly more embellished. The same "classic" and "creative" classification system is used for their wedding bands which are presented on their website in platinum, white gold and gold metals. Custom wedding bands can be created within fairly short notice...... most likely for a sweet price. Their rings appear to be a well-balanced mix of modern and antique combined together for a contemporary look.

Cartier jewelry stores are located in major cities across the U.S. and abroad. To find out more about Cartier engagement rings, they recommend that you go to their website and schedule an in-person bridal consultation. You can also order a bridal catalogue to be mailed to your home address.

In addition to jewelry, Cartier sells novelty items, fragrances, watches, leather goods, and accessories.

Tips For Men Buying Jewelry For Women

Jewelry as a gift has always been a traditional favorite for women. Women love to wear jewelry and the more they have the better.

When you are buying a gift of jewelry, it may help to take along an already-owned piece to compare length. If this is not possible then select a princess length necklace (17- 19 inches in length). This is an excellent choice if you are not certain which strand length is most appropriate.

Another thing to consider before buying jewelry is whether she prefers to wear silver or gold-toned pieces. Sterling silver jewelry is affordable and very versatile.

Find if she is allergic to metal. Jewelry allergy is a common complaint from many people. The main cause of these allergies is the nickel content present in jewelry. Pure gold and silver metal are too soft and have nickel added to make them hard. For gold, less the karat value more shall be the nickel content.

Avoid dyed gemstones; some of them can leave temporary color streaks on the skin when they become moist with perfume or perspiration. However, it's important to know that not all dyed gemstones have this problem. Use your best judgment when selecting colorful gemstone jewelry. If a color looks unnatural and thick, it is more likely to be a dye that may rub off onto the skin.

The size of the jewelry is also important. Would she use chunkier beads and pendants or smaller and lighter jewelry?

Think about her lifestyle. Would she prefer simple jewelry for daily wear or more elegant, dangling pieces?

Finally, consider buying designer handmade beaded jewelry created with semiprecious gemstones, Swarovski crystals, glass and other fine materials. You can find unique designs that are beautiful and affordable.

Regardless of what jewelry you choose, this is a gift she will never forget. After all, no woman can have enough jewelry.

To find uniquely different and exclusive handmade beaded designer jewelry visit http://www.justgetjewelry.com/handmade_beaded_jewelry.html featuring Baeza’s designs.

Indian Bridal Jewelry

For the quintessential Indian bride, the perfect Indian bridal jewelry enhances her looks as much as her make-up does. Her beauty as the blushing bride is amplified not only by the kohl around her eyes and the different hues on her eyelids but also by the eye-catching Indian bridal jewelry that adorns her entire person, from head to toe.

Although much of the Indian bridal jewelry an Indian bride could wear is dependent on the size of her budget, she usually sees to it that she is bedecked with the most lavish ones that she could lay her hands on. This is actually part of her presenting herself not only to her husband but also to the public. Because of this, an Indian bride would want her Indian bridal jewelry custom-designed.

An Indian bride would have her Indian bridal jewelry made, based on her wedding trousseau, especially on its dominant colors. The type of precious metals and stones that will be used in making the jewelry should blend with the colors of her wardrobe.

Indian bridal jewelry is not just one piece of jewelry worn by the Indian bride. It is made up of different pieces that complements and blends with each other to create that perfect look of an Indian bride. The Maangtika, the nose ring, the earrings, the bangles, the necklace, the anklets and toe rings make up the entirety of the complete Indian bridal jewelry.

The Maangtika is the most traditional and most essential part of the Indian bridal jewelry. Apart from the necklace, the Maangtika is the most noticeable piece of the Indian bridal jewelry adorned on an Indian bride. It is worn on the bride' head and is designed to be unique for each bride. While its color and design largely depend on the colors of the bride's outfit, it is usually made of precious stones like pearls and diamonds. It has a centerpiece that is exquisitely designed and sits on bride's forehead and is usually attached by a string that runs to the back of the bride's head.

Another essential part of the Indian bridal jewelry is the necklace. This piece is usually very eye-catching with a design that is in tune with the other pieces of Indian bridal jewelry adorned on the rest of the bride's body. The design of the necklace would also have to complement the neckline of the bride's wedding attire. Most of the common types of necklaces worn as part of the Indian bridal jewelry are the chokers and the long necklaces with elaborate designs and bedecked with precious stones that goes with the bridal colors. Chokers are worn over dresses with high necklines while the long necklaces complement those wedding dresses that have deep necklines.

An Indian bridal jewelry ensemble will not be complete without the traditional nose ring. This is as much a part of the Indian bridal jewelry as the Maangtika and is usually almost of the same design and color as the earrings. The traditional nose ring is called the “nath” and is made up of a ring worn at the nose that is studded with precious gems and has a long chain whether in gold or silver, that is attached to the hair of the bride. The rest of the pieces that go with the entire Indian bridal jewelry are as just as important. They are all needed to complete the look of the perfect Indian bride.

Visit http://www.bombayfashions.com

Saving Money on Diamonds and Jewelry Matching (Tips from the pros)

Tips from the Pros (how to become a smarter diamonds shopper)

A few simple facts will help you save money and become a smart diamond shopper!

1. Diamond grades have points at which the cost of the diamond can rise or decrease precipitously, thus you should try to find a diamond that is a lower weight group but with similar measurements to the higher group.

For example a 1.00 ct with 6.1 mm would cost more than 10% from a 0.96 ct with 6.1 mm this difference in weight won't be noticed to the naked eye. There are a few simple facts that will help you to save money when you are Looking for your diamond.

2. Fluorescence makes a difference in the appearance in only 2% of the stones but it receives a 2-5% discount in the market.

So by buying a medium fluorescence diamond you will lower the price of your purchase with a low probability to notice a genuine difference. (Very strong and strong fluorescence has a higher probability to affect the appearance of the diamond).

3. We all want a perfect diamond to our loved ones or ourselves but we cant always afford a flawless diamond, the clarity of the stone is not visible to the naked eye between IF-VS2 and even SI are not supposed to make a difference once the stone is set in a jewelry so if you have a budget that you must keep SI1 is more than enough.

4. Very important - all of the above is based on the assumption that the stone is graded according to the GIA grading.

Now how would you match the diamonds you buy with your own jewelry

Matching a diamond to your jewelry

To perfectly match your diamonds with your jewelry you must keep reading.

1. Colors-after you know your budget and preferable design you need to match the color of the diamond to the jewelry. Color in diamonds?! First of all there are natural colored diamonds and second of all the material from which the jewelry is made will help you better choose the color of your diamond.

As a thumb rule white gold setting helps the diamond to appear as a higher color than rose gold. So if buying a D color diamond doesn't suit your planned budget choose a lower color with white gold.

2. Measurements-find out what is the range of the needed measurements for your chosen jewelry before purchasing the diamond. 1.00 ct round diamond can be 6.6 mm and it can also be 5.9 mm so you need to research a bit before matching a diamond. (You can and should do it the other way around – buy the diamond according to your budget and than bring it to a local jeweler for setting or buy both from the same online vendor to ensure a perfect fit).

3. Multi diamond jewelry-if you decide to purchase a multi diamond jewelry don’t forget that the human eye determines colors through comparison so it will have a less wanted affect if your side stones will be D color and the center stone J color the other way around should create a better affect.

Tips for Starting Your Own Jewelry Business

Staring your own business can be an intimidating challenge. However, this task can be made achievable by setting up realistic goals, and following a few easy steps. If you have a passion of fashion and are an outgoing person, you can establish your own silver jewelry business. Being in the jewelry business myself, I can tell you what you will need in order to start one on your own.

For the last seven years, I have been a wholesale silver jewelry supplier. I have helped close to a thousand people start small businesses of their own by providing them with excellent quality silver jewelry at honest wholesale prices along with free advice and consultancy. My first piece of advice to people who are new into the world of business is to set attainable goals and objectives, and make a business plan. As hard as it may seem, in reality there are few barriers to entry to starting your own business with low cost service providers, marketing, communication and availability of wholesale jewelry suppliers. Given below is a list of things you can do in order to start or enhance a successful jewelry business.

i. Make a plan: It is very important to have a good plan. A formal business plan is not necessary unless you want to get a loan or an investor. Instead, the plan you make should be meticulous, especially on the financial side.
ii. Think about whether the jewelry you want to sell is right for your intended market. Diamond jewelry is probably not the right product for a flea market!
iii. You can host a home-based jewelry party yourself or have a friend host it and give her some free stuff as compensation. Ask your friend to invite her friends and relatives for the party. These people come to buy and you have no competition.
iv. Buy off EBay - many people buy things at good prices and then just re-sell them.
v. Search the web for other silver jewelry wholesalers.
vi. Put jewelry out at your own or your friend’s garage sales. It really works!
vii. Visit these sites frequently:

www.paypal.com : Online payments and merchant account

www.Godaddy.com : Domain registration and turn-key hosting solutions

www.fetpak.com : Low-cost jewelry supplies and displays (ring boxes, findings, etc.)

www.ShippingSupply.com : Low-cost shipping supplies

www.jewelrysupply.com : Jewelry supplies and displays

Wholesalegemshop.com : Supplier of wholesale silver jewelry

http://www.festivalnet.com : Wholesale Silver Jewelry Supplier List of craft shows throughout the country Great source of low cost products

Ebay.com - Wholesale Jewelry : EBay Pro-store - turn key ecommerce solution

http://www.adwords.google.com : Google Adwords Program

The above-mentioned points are helpful hints that will assist you in either starting a jewelry business or making your already existing jewelry business successful. I could have used this information when I started out. I enjoy helping people get started in their own businesses. Even though my business has grown substantially since I started out, I still feel truly grateful to every one of my customers who enable me to succeed and allow me to pursue the lifestyle I chose.