How To Choose A Pearl Necklace For Your Wedding Day

There is nothing more beautiful to complement a wedding dress than a stunning strand of pearls. This traditional wedding jewelry is more popular than ever, with brides using all styles of pearl jewelry to add that finishing touch to their bridal ensemble. In addition to looking fabulous, wearing a pearl necklace on your wedding day has historically been known as a good luck charm, promising to bring the marriage years of happiness.

When choosing a pearl necklace for your big day, there are four main issues to evaluate. These issues will ensure your necklace and any other accessories complement your dress and add to instead of diminish your beauty.

1.) Color: The color of the pearl is usually the most noticeable aspect of any pearl jewelry. Pearls come in colors ranging from traditional white and off-white to pink, black, grey, and even silver. When choosing the color of your pearl necklace, be sure to think of your skin tone and dress. The color should accentuate your outfit and make the ensemble complete, so choose wisely for a color that you can wear on your wedding day and for many days to come.

2.) Size: Pearls come in several different sizes and are either strung for a necklace in a similar range or in a graduated range. Choose a size of pearl that matches your proportions, as well as that of your dress. Size of the pearl directly affects another issue to keep in mind, the length of the strand.

3.) Length: Pearl necklaces are available in several lengths:

• Collar (12 – 13 inches)
• Choker (14 – 16 inches)
• Princess (17 – 19 inches)
• Matinee (20 – 25 inches)
• Opera (26 – 36 inches)
• Rope (over 37 inches)

The difference in length directly depends on the style of your dress. The most popular lengths of pearl necklaces are the princess length and the opera length. Avoid wearing the longer lengths of pearls over heavily beaded or decorated dresses, as the impact of the pearls may be lost. You may need to try on several lengths to see how each individual strand fits your body.

4.) Additions: Many brides are choosing to forego the traditional strand of pearls and add diamonds or other gemstones to a necklace setting. This is a great idea if you have a preexisting pendant mount of heirloom gemstone you wish to include in your jewelry. Also, many brides are using an illusion or floating setting for a single or several pearls. This setting gives the pearl the appearance of floating weightlessly around the wearer’s neck, giving a more modern feel to this traditional element.

How to Find the Best Wedding Jewelry

  When it comes time to get married, you have a lot of things on your mind. In addition to all of the planning that goes into a wedding, you have big decisions to make on wedding jewelry. The engagement ring, for instance, is the first thing you have to think about. Saving for that purchase is a big deal, so you want to make sure you pick out the right one. You’ll also have to think about a wedding band, but that’s secondary to the engagement ring.

Finding the perfect diamond ring is all about the perfect fit. That’s not meant in a literal sense, but more in how the item fits your needs. Diamond rings are expensive, but they can vary in price depending upon size, cut, clarity, and a host of different factors. Before you can pick out your engagement ring, you have to know what your budget is. Diamond rings can run, typically, anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000. You can buy a bigger, more expensive ring, but that’s only for the high rollers. A good rule of thumb is to save three whole months’ worth of pay. Depending upon your salary, this could work.

When you figure out how much you’re willing to spend, you need to think about the kind of cut your future bride wants. You can usually find this out without giving away the fact that you’re going to propose. In passing, find out if she wants a princess cut, an emerald cut, or maybe just a round cut. The options are almost endless, so you need to really understand what she’s looking for. Diamond rings might carry a big price tag, but they aren’t all created equally. Some looks are more suitable for different women, depending upon their taste.

Another important “C” word is clarity. Many people like to judge diamond rings based upon their size or their price, but clarity is much more important in the grand scheme of things. A good engagement ring will really shine when the light hits it. Sometimes, people settle for cloudier rings that are less expensive. This might be good for your budget, but it won’t give you a great looking engagement ring. Make sure that you ask and find out the grade of the diamond clarity. Jewelers are required to give out this information, so make sure you take advantage of it.

Shopping for engagement rings is fun, so you need to approach it that way. You shouldn’t have to worry about things while you are doing it. You should figure out how much you are willing to spend, and don’t stress if it’s not a whole lot. You can find some great diamond rings for less than you would think. It’s important that you do all of the research and above all else, make the ring fit your future bride. She will love it pretty much not matter what you happen to spend on it, but you’d rather have a great ring than an average looking one.

Irish Wedding Rings

  There are a number of Irish Wedding Rings that include Spirals, Triskeles, and Triquetas, Shield Knots and Sun Symbols.  The most popular ring by far is the Irish Claddagh and it is surrounded by a romantic legend.

The Claddagh is as was said, the most popular in Ireland. The ring symbolizes love, friendship , and loyalty. The ring is named for an Irish fishing village. The design of the Claddagh is constructed of two hands holding a heart with a crown on top of it. The hands represent friendship, the heart represents love, and the crown represents loyalty.

Various traditions give different meanings to the ring depending on how it is worn. As a wedding ring  it is worn on the left hand with the heart pointing inward to the wrist. As an engagement ring it is on the right hand with the heart pointing inward toward the wrist. For friendship it is worn on the right hand turned outward.

The legend of the Claddagh begins when a fisherman Richard Joyce and other crew members were captured by pirates shortly before Joyce was to be married. He was sold into slavery in Algiers and made the property of a goldsmith who taught him the craft of goldsmith. Joyce became the master of the craft. With is beloved back in Claddagh on his mind he fashioned  the first Claddagh ring. The hands were to represent friendship, the heart was love, and the crown represented loyalty and fidelity.

In 1698 King Georges III agreed to free all of his subjects. Richard Joyce was once again free. His slave master offered Joyce his daughter in marriage and half of his wealth if he would stay in Algiers. Joyce refused the offer and instead returned home to Claddagh where he found his love waiting for him. Neither of them had married. Upon discovering this, Joyce gave his love the ring and they were married shortly thereafter.

The ring was dubbed The Claddagh because of the village Joyce and his Bride were from. There were others who made the ring much later and added jewels and an intricate crown design. The basic hands holding a crowned heart has never changed. Joyce wanted something that would his love for his Beloved.

The Claddagh today is as popular as it ever was.  The basic design of the ring has not changed but now there is more intricacies in the crown, gemstones or jewels can be used to fashion the heart, and the hands are simply hands. The ring can be made of silver, gold or basically any metal.

The design is the clasped hands of the ‘fede’ or faith rings. These rings date from Roman times and were popular in the Middle Ages.  The ring is worn now by many to speak to their Irish heritage. The Claddagh tells the story of two lovers who are separated and yet their love and commitment withstood the passage of time. It’s simple design and my heritage influenced my decision to purchase  a Claddagh.

Men’s Titanium Wedding Rings Shopping Guide

Congratulations-You are getting married! Now that you have begun your search for the wedding ring of your dreams, you have some decisions to make, starting with the choice of metal. Titanium is the perfect choice for a wedding ring today. No other item of jewelry has played such important role in demonstrating affection as the wedding ring. Of the precious metals used to create wedding rings, titanium has merits that supersede gold or platinum in its beauty, quality and value that make it an ideal choice as the symbol of your love.

Why a Titanium Wedding Ring?

While titanium has been known to us for many years, it was originally used in aerospace and salt water projects, becoming widely used in commercial applications and now in jewelry designs during the last two decades. One reason why titanium rings are gaining in popularity, especially with men, is because of its strength that belies its light weight feel.

The style and design of your wedding ring aside, there are some practical reasons why choosing titanium makes sense. Because it is an inert metal, it is ideal for people with sensitive skin. This fact accounts for its use in the production of equipment and tools for medical procedures. You will never have to worry about damage from the elements to your titanium wedding ring, unlike silver, it will remain completely tarnish-free.

Whenever you buy jewelry, quality is always the primary concern. The wide spread use of titanium within jewelry industry confirms its quality and its market appeal. In respect to the purity of the metal itself, neither gold nor platinum can match titanium. Today, jewelry designers are using titanium for more of their work, taking advantage of titanium’s beautiful grey sheen that rivals the look of platinum at a more affordable price.

How to Buy a Wedding Ring

A wedding ring is an investment that brings beauty and aesthetic pleasure. But keep in mind that there is a distinct difference between the shape of the hand of a man and a woman. Some are slender with tapered fingers. For this type of hand, a ring that is designed with a diagonal pattern works well, even with an array of stones. However if the hand is broad and fingers are very thick, a flat design, perhaps with contrasting bands could be a good starting point. With the variety of men’s titanium wedding ring designs available, you are sure to be impressed. You can find solid titanium as well as titanium rings in combination with gold or platinum.

What to Look for When Choosing a Men’s Titanium Wedding Ring

Be aware that just like gold, there are different grades of titanium on the market today. You will find many designs made from alloyed titanium, but if you want your wedding ring to be pure titanium, make sure you ask your jeweler for the CP grade of titanium of the ring you are interested in. Purchasing a titanium ring with a CP grade of 2 will prove to be a good investment.

Platinum – The best choice for engagement and wedding rings

Anyone would think from the current fashion craze for platinum that this was a recently discovered metal. In fact, this is far from the truth. The Spaniards discovered Platinum in 1590, but disdained it because it looked like silver, rather than the yellow metal that they treasured. What the Spanish explorers failed to appreciate was that platinum is 34 times rarer than gold. Platinum only comes from meteorites. That's one reason for its scarcity.

Platinum is increasingly used in jewelry because it is more ductile than gold. It can be drawn into fine wire, enabling the craftsman to create more intricate designs than is possible with gold. The silvery color of platinum also sets off diamonds more attractively than gold.

Platinum is totally unreactive chemically, so it can never react with oxygen or hydrogen sulfide and tarnish. It will always stay shiny.

If you have an allergy to certain jewelry, consider switching to platinum, as if. Platinum jewelry contains no nickel, the metal that is mixed with gold that causes an allergic reaction. Being totally unreactive, platinum can never cause a rash or other allergic reaction. Platinum is used to make pacemakers because it is so well tolerated by the body.

Platinum has a multitude of far more important uses than jewelry. It is a catalyst. This means that platinum allows other chemicals, like gases, to react easily on its surface without affecting the platinum itself in any way. The platinum is not affected by the reaction at all. It is still there after the reaction to carry on working. Very useful.

The most well known example of platinum use in this way is in automobile exhaust catalysts. It is also used in making nitric oxide, which is essential to making nitric acid, one of the essential chemicals that our modern chemical industry depends on for making everything from drugs to explosives.

The History Of The Wedding Ring

  The use of the wedding ring as a symbol of the bond between husband and wife is familiar to us as the concept of marriage itself, but from where did this interesting tradition emerge? The history of wedding rings as they are known today is actually unclear. In an article dating from the July 1869 issue of Appleton’s Journal of popular Literature, Science, and Art, Edward J. Wood hypothesizes that the modern (modern as of 1869) use of wedding rings stems from the practices of ancient Hebrews. It was customary for the family of a prospective groom to give gifts to the potential bride and her family. The general assumption is that it is from this tradition that the use of wedding rings as we know them seems to have evolved.

Wedding rings are not specifically mentioned in the Bible, but references do exist that suggest the aforementioned Hebrew practices. Genesis 24:53 in the King James Version reads, “And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things,” speaking of the servant of Abraham, the father of Isaac, who was to wed Rebekah. The wedding ring first came into use in Christian wedding ceremonies around 870 A.D.

The tradition of wearing a wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand also comes from the ancients. In ancient Greece it was believed that an artery from that particular finger led directly to the heart. While we now know this is pure mythology, it does serve as a rather romantic explanation for the tradition.

Although the concept of the wedding ring is obviously very old, the ring was almost always worn by the bride. Double-ring wedding ceremonies are rather new. Wedding rings for men were almost unheard of before 1940 and increased in use about the time of the Second World War. According to an October 1953 story in Hobbies, only about 15% of wedding ceremonies included a ring for the groom. After the start of World War II, the percentage jumped to 60%, and then to 70% after the start of the Korean war. Today it is more common than not for grooms and brides alike to wear a wedding ring.

So, why a wedding ring, as opposed to, say, a wedding bracelet or necklace? Religious ceremonies usually include a mention by the officiating clergyman of the ring’s unending circle being representative of both God’s perfect love for humanity and the marrying couple’s undivided devotion to one another.

While the precise origin of the wedding ring is unclear and lost to history, today we recognize the wedding ring as a symbol of the unity of marriage. The couples of today also generally choose their wedding rings together, thus adding to the personal symbolism that the jewelry carries for them. Additionally, the wedding ring serves as a social symbol in today’s world, signifying to others that this man or woman is “spoken for.”

Three Things You Should Know About Gold Wedding Bands

Three Things You Should Know About Gold Wedding Bands

When it comes to buying a gold wedding band, things can get confusing fast.  What color gold do you want?  What karat will suit your lifestyle?

Gold is the most popular choice for wedding bands, and very popular in dress rings, bracelets, necklaces, and watches.  Gold is easy to accessorize with, and it is durable.  There are three things to consider when looking at gold wedding rings.

First, you should look at the karat number.  A karat measures the proportion of pure gold mixed with other metal alloy to make up the final metal. There are several karats available for gold, but most men’s wedding bands employ 9-karat, 14-karat and 18-karat.  Since an 18-karat ring has a higher proportion of gold than a 14-karat, the 18- karat will be more expensive.  Although there are higher karats than an 18-karat ring, it is generally agreed that 22-karat and 24-karat gold is too soft to make men’s wedding rings.

Karat stamps do not indicate the durability and hardness of gold, however.  When choosing your wedding band, it is important to consider your own lifestyle.  How often will you wear the ring?  Do you work with your hands?  Could your ring be easily scratched or bent?

Metal hardness is measured by what is called the Vickers scale.  The higher the Vickers score, the harder the metal.  A 9-karat ring has a Vickers score of 120 and an 18-karat has a score of 125.  The difference is so slight that 9-karat and 18-karat rings are much the same in terms of hardness.    

Next, you should consider the color of the gold.  Gold comes in several colors:  yellow, white, rose, bronze, and lime.  Wedding bands can also be made using two or three different tones of gold, creating a unique color.

Adding an alloy to the gold creates different colors.  For example, rose gold is made using a mix of pure gold with alloys including copper.  The copper provides the reddish color.  Yellow gold forms from a mixture of pure gold and alloy metals such as copper and zinc, while white gold is an alloy of gold and some white metals (silver and palladium.)

Natural white gold has a gray tinge to it, which is covered up by adding a plating of rhodium.  The rhodium also serves to make the jewelry harder, but it does wear off after about 12 to 18 months.  You can get your jewelry re-rhodium plated at your local jeweler.

There are many options when it comes to choosing a wedding band, but ultimately you should be certain that the ring you choose is right for you and your lifestyle.  After all, the ring is a symbol of your love and marriage, so it should suit you perfectly.

Amanda Trevino is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing-More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. To find more information about wedding bands, please visit International Jewelers.

Tips For Buying An Expensive Diamond Wedding Ring

  A diamond wedding ring represents one of the most important purchases you will make in your life. The right ring can make just the right impression with your bride, while also serving as the perfect expression of your love. But how can you make such an expensive purchase with confidence? By having a firm understanding of the 4 C’s of course, and we’re not talking bread crumbs. The 4 C’s of a diamond determine its overall value and eye appeal. In this article, we’ll break down these important details while giving you the tips for buying an expensive diamond wedding ring

If you are unfamiliar with the 4 C’s, they simply stand for a diamond’s cut, color, clarity, and carat. These four characteristics are the benchmarks by which all diamonds are measured, and having a solid understanding of them will make buying an expensive diamond wedding ring a lot easier. Before we get started though, it is recommended that you only buy from a reputable jeweler. This will work to your advantage in a couple of ways. 1) The jeweler will be able to further discuss the 4 C’s with you in a knowledgeable fashion and 2) you will be sure that you are receiving the highest quality diamond.  So, let’s take a look at the first C – cut.

The cut of the diamond refers to just that – the manner in which the diamond was originally shaped. The cut of the diamond is arguably the most important factor to consider when choosing a ring. The reason for this is because a well cut diamond will perpetually reflect light and create a visually stunning effect. If a diamond is poorly cut, the diamond may not reach its full potential, and you will most likely be wasting your money. Always be sure your expensive diamond wedding ring is cut to perfection, regardless of its actual shape (round, oval, pear, square, etc).

The second C is color. You may assume that a diamond is white, and this is true to some extent. However, diamonds have different shades of white, and these shades are graded using a letter system from D to Z. Naturally, diamonds with colors graded in the first few letters (D-G) tend to be very rare and therefore very expensive. But that’s not to say that diamonds graded with higher numbers aren’t just as stunning. Remember, the four factors taken as a whole will make the ultimate determination.

The third C is clarity, and this refers to the often undistinguishable “imperfections” of a diamond. As you probably know, diamonds are formed in nature, so they most times have some sort of inconsistency. What you are looking for (and what a reputable jeweler can help you find) is a diamond that has the least amount of these marks. These diamonds will have high clarity grades, and these are the diamonds that will be most worth your money.

The fourth and final C is carat. The diamond’s carat refers to its weight and size. It is important for you to know that jewelers will refer to carats as points in the business. For example, even though a carat actually weighs .2 grams, a jeweler will refer to a carat as 100 points. This tip will keep you from getting confused when looking at diamond specifications.

You now possess the necessary tips for buying an expensive diamond wedding ring. In addition to choosing a high quality jeweler, your new found knowledge of the 4 C’s will ensure that you make a wise and beautiful wedding ring purchase.

Bridal Jewelry: Fulfilling a Wedding Tradition

  ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.’ This is a saying that many brides take to heart when considering their wedding trousseau. From wedding gowns, accessories and motifs, brides from all walks of life throughout the years have tried their best to stick to this formula. It’s interesting to note that bridal jewelry can follow this adage, too.

‘Something old’ could most often be a piece of bridal jewelry that is a family heirloom. Sometimes the groom would give to his bride a ring or another piece of jewelry that had once been owned by his mother, grandmother, or past brides in his family. Maybe the bride would wear her own mother’s antique jewelry or some other gem that has been handed down to brides in the family from generation to generation. One thing is certain, wearing such bridal jewelry would reinforce a sense of family, tradition and continuity in a wedding ceremony.

‘Something new’ hardly needs any explanation. Thousands upon thousands of bridal jewelry stores, both the Internet e-commerce sites and bricks-and-mortar stores, offer a dazzling array of accessories to make the bride shine on her wedding day. The would-be bride can choose from among various jewelry pieces one or several items that she would wear at the ceremony and which she could treasure and keep as a memento of that most special day.

At first thought, ‘something borrowed’ doesn’t seem applicable to bridal jewelry. After all, a bride would most probably want to wear her own jewels and not have to borrow and then return them. But for women who want to add to the accessories that they will be wearing on their wedding day without having to spend thousands of dollars more to buy new ones, renting jewelry offers a practical solution. Many establishments rent out antique or estate bridal jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, and only the rental fee plus a refundable deposit need to be paid.

Finally, for that ‘something blue’ in a bridal jewelry ensemble, there are several gemstones that fit the bill. Depending on the shade of blue that she wants, a bride can opt for a necklace, bracelet, or earrings that are accented with sapphires, aquamarines or blue pearls. Hair ornaments or tiaras with other blue-tinted stones such as agate and topaz are also beautiful accessories for the bride.

The bride is the belle of the ball on her wedding day and it is important for her to look her best on that special occasion. Bridal jewelry, chosen tastefully and worn properly, will complement her wedding dress and make her look as radiant and as beautiful as any bride should be.

Titanium Wedding Rings: Wave Of The Future?

  Amongst all of the traditions we use in matrimonial ceremonies and celebrations, none is more familiar or meaningful than the wedding ring. The time honored tradition of couples wearing bands to signify their unyielding love and devotion for one another goes back perhaps farther than recorded history. In modern tradition, the wedding ring is typically a band of 18 karat gold, but that tradition has changed in recent years. Today there are many more designs in wedding rings available than there were even as recently as when your parents were married. The traditional plain gold bands are still available, of course, but so are more intricate and ornate designs, as well as bands made of white gold, platinum, and a popular new choice: titanium. In fact, titanium wedding rings are getting more and more popular and there are several reasons for this phenomenon.

Most certainly a part of the reason for the steady increase in the use of titanium wedding rings is the price. Titanium wedding rings cost considerably less than gold or platinum rings but are every bit as beautiful. A titanium wedding ring can cost hundreds of dollars less than comparable rings made of the other precious metals. This is an important consideration for many couples who, due to budgetary limitations, may have had to buy the poorest quality gold rings or do without wedding rings entirely. Titanium rings are a good choice for the budget conscious.

Titanium wedding rings are also more durable than the traditional gold rings. Titanium becomes scratched less easily than gold and can stand up to more of the wear and tear that can result from a person wearing the ring all the time. This is especially true of the men’s rings as men tend to be much harder on their wedding rings than women are. Titanium is more resistive to heat and cold and extreme pressure than gold or platinum are. Think about it. Titanium is used in the space shuttle. It is an alloy that can take a beating.

Titanium is a very smooth alloy as well. Due to this, titanium wedding rings tend to be very comfortable and there is less chance of skin irritation. Also, there are some people who, due to an allergic reaction, can not wear gold jewelry at all. In the past the only option for them has been the far more costly platinum rings. Now titanium wedding rings are a viable alternative for these people.

When it comes time for you to choose wedding rings for yourself and your intended spouse, you may want to look into titanium. Many jewelers as well as online marketers carry an impressive array of titanium wedding rings that are every bit as lovely as their more traditional gold, white gold, and platinum counterparts. In an aspect of life that is full of tradition and similarity all through history, it’s nice that there are now more choices available. Titanium wedding rings are now just one more of those choices that may be right for you.

What Do Wedding Rings Speak About?

  Wedding rings, also called wedding bands, are an eternal sign of love between two engaged partners. Most weddings require an exchange of rings taking place between the uniting groom and bride before they could be pronounced husband and wife. The ring itself is stated to be a symbol of an unending love, due to its circular shape. Similarly, the ring finger is traditionally believed to house a direct vein to heart, which describes the intense emotional bond that might develop between two engaged individuals. One could find many similar stories prevailing around the world while trying to learn more about wedding rings.

There is a rich history behind how wedding rings got introduced in the Christian way of life. It wasn't until the days of Pope Innocent III that couples were asked to wear two rings, one during engagements and the other while finally being married. Families offered rings just to seal engagements prior to this historical pronouncement by the Pope. He also asked the engaged couples to observe a waiting period before they could finally marry. These orthodox dictates slowly grew into colorful traditions, as Christianity traversed across the world over a period of many centuries.

Wedding rings are normally placed on left ring fingers of couples from the USA, France, Sweden and the UK. They are placed on right ring fingers however, in the case of Germany, Spain, India, and Chile. Interestingly, while Jews traditionally place wedding rings on their left hands, like the orthodox Christians, they prefer wearing it on the right ones after being married. There are also varying norms for the period when one of the partners has died. This universally gets deemed to be the end of any wedding concerned in most societies. However, much of this differentiation of norms might stem from the fact, which part of the world you were looking at.

A hardened alloy of Gold, Bismuth, Tin and Copper is often made use of in manufacturing wedding rings. Sometimes Platinum, Nickel and Titanium are also introduced to yield varying results. Platinum is mixed up with white gold for manufacturing a separate class of Platinum wedding rings. Similarly Titanium and Tungsten carbide are also used to produce durability, affordability, varying textures and shades of eye-catching ring designs.

However, less costly metals like Silver, Brass and Copper are scarcely used compared to the more expensive ones due to the former's corrosiveness. Aluminum and some other toxic metals are hardly ever made use of in the manufacture of either wedding rings or similar other ornaments. However, the widest and cheapest known alloy of the modern world, stainless steel, is surprisingly gaining ground as one of the options these days. Its durability, which is at par with that of Platinum and Titanium, could be attributed for this wondrous growth.

Retail shops may normally quote wedding rings at $600 and more, but could easily be procured at lower rates from various online resources. A brief look at some of the existing jewelry sites might suggest how they were selling most jewelry items at a reduced cost, including those from the latest wedding rings. These websites could easily meet with the demands of all market segments, starting from the casual jewelry buyer to the seeker of high-end ornaments.

Diamond Wedding Rings For Men

  Diamond wedding rings are no longer just for women. Many grooms today choose to purchase a man's diamond wedding ring to match the bride's. Still others enjoy the social status that comes with wearing a diamond wedding band. Purchasing a diamond wedding ring means that the groom must consider not only the material and design of the ring, but also the quality of the diamonds.

Although often not considered to be as important as the diamonds in the bride's engagement and wedding rings, the groom's diamonds should also be purchased with care. The man should take the same "4 Cs" into consideration: carat weight, clarity, color, and cut.

A carat is exactly 200 milligrams, but very few men's bands will sport a diamond of this size. Most bands will instead have several smaller diamonds that may of may not equal one full carat. A full carat is also equal to 100 points, so a jeweler may refer to a ring as having several 10 point diamonds (each of which would be equal to one tenth of a carat).

While the clarity of a diamond is often considered the least important of the 4 Cs, it is still a key consideration in your diamond purchase. The clarity of a diamond measures the number and extent of the flaws in the diamond. For the most part, a more valuable diamond will have fewer flaws. It is extremely rare that you will find a completely flawless diamond; only a couple hundred "FL" diamonds are produced a year. Although there are several grading systems used to determine a diamond's clarity, the Gemological Institute of America's (GIA) score is by far the most popular. It ranks diamonds as Flawless (FL), Internally Flawless (IF), Very Very Slightly Included (VVS), Very Slightly Included (VS), Slightly Included (SI), and Included (I).  (Note: “inclusions” are slight specks, cracks, or other flaws in a diamond).  These ranks are not subjective; the scale has extremely specific criteria that are used to differentiate between the grades.

The color of the stone, referring to how yellow the stone is, can also be graded on a GIA scale. An ideal diamond is completely colorless, being ranked as a D. The alphabetical scale ranks nearly colorless stones as I and J , increasingly yellow beginning with M/N, and a Z is a completely yellow stone. The average color for engagement diamonds in the United States is G to H.

The cut of a diamond is possibly the most confusing of the "4 Cs," since it can refer to the cutting style, the shape of the stone (round, square, heart-shaped, etc), its proportions, or the workmanship and the diamond-cutting process. The brilliant round cut is the most common cut for diamond engagement rings and wedding bands.

Celtic Wedding Rings and tying the Knot

  The origins of the Celts dates back to prehistoric times when they emerged as a group of loosely knit tribes with a common culture and language.

Celtic settlements stretched from Turkey and the Balkans right across Western Europe. But it was the rise of the Roman Empire that would expose the lack of cohesion between the various Celtic tribes and would lead to them being overrun, expelled from their territories and being pushed back to the western fringes of the continent.

Although the ancient Celts flourished across Europe, it is in Ireland where their traditions have been most preserved.

One aspect of this culture that still survives today is the artwork and this is most commonly seen in jewellery such as celtic wedding rings.

Their artwork was believed to be very symbolic often being based on nature using images of birds and animals and fish. The Celts believed firmly in the interconnectedness of all life and produced the familiar Celtic Knots, which are interlaced patterns with no beginning and no end.

Although perhaps the true significance of these patterns has been lost over the millennia, Celtic designs remain increasingly popular in our modern world.

The Claddagh is a traditional symbol of love and friendship and is thought to have originated from Claddagh in Galway as far back as the 16th century since when has been worn by many as a wedding ring and as a symbol of love.

The design of the Claddagh consists of a heart as a symbol of love, a crown as a symbol of fidelity or loyalty and the hands depicted friendship. Tradition states that if you are spoken to you should wear the Claddagh on your left hand facing inward but if you are unattached it should be worn facing outward on the right hand.

Celtic crosses, which predate Christianity, can symbolize the four quarters of the earth and or the four elements – earth wind and fire. They are equal armed crosses which are enclosed or backed by a circle. Following the introduction of Christianity, it became more common to see Celtic Crosses on top of a matching pedestal, which gave it a more elongated look. Celtic crosses are often worn as jewellery such as rings or on chains around the neck.

Geometric designs have always feature prominently in Celtic artwork with spirals, chevrons, scrolls and knot work. Many of these patterns can be seen decorating stone carvings or ancient manuscripts and religious books.

The Celtic spirals are very symbolic with the single spiral generally thought to signify growth expansion and cosmic energy.

The dual centred spiral found often on stone carvings signifies duality and nature and is associated with motifs from other cultures such as the Ying Yang symbol.
Celtic knot work designs remain popular today and can vary from single elegant knot patterns to complex intricate interlaced patterns.

Although the symbolism of celtic designs may have been lost, many of the designs remain popular today and will often be seen used in the design of jewellery and in particular Celtic Wedding rings.