Bridal Jewelry News

A gunman robbed Chopard – Paris jewellery store- in broad daylight on Saturday, stealing at least $8.5 million in jewelry.

According to police investigator Olivier Lebon, the 50 year old gunman wearing a suit and Borsalino-style hat, walked in the Chopard store just like any other client and hold the people inside the store at gunpoint. The robbery took only two minutes and the gunman walked out the Chopard store calmly.

The amount of the stolen fine diamond jewelry items is estimated between $8.5 million to $14 million and the store was closed later Saturday.

Chopard- luxury watch, jewelry and accessories business- was established in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in Geneva-Switzerland.

You know the drill when it comes to getting engaged in America: your future fiancé bends down on one knee, opens up a small velvet box and viola – you’re engaged! The situation may vary depending on your relationship, but the basics are still the same; however, have you ever wondered what getting engaged is like in different cultures, and what certain actions mean? In fact, do you know where a few of the traditions that we Americans hold near and dear first started?

Get ready for a quick trip around the world, because we’ve got the engagement customs and traditions of happy brides-to-be just like you!

America. Engagement customs in America are similar to much of the Western World, where a man presents his intended with a diamond engagement ring. However, diamond rings didn’t factor into the equation until the 1920s, when the diamond industry introduced the concept of diamond engagement rings to the world. Needless to say, their advertising was very effective! Instead, couples used to present each other with love tokens, which could be as simple as a poem and a lock of hair or as elaborate as an antique necklace.

Japan. Although couples used to come together thanks to the powers of a local matchmaker, partners today are adopting more Western attitudes and customs towards engagement. However, the families of the engaged couple will still get together and present each other with approximately nine gifts, each with a special significance that’s been handed down for thousands of years. Once the gift exchange is complete, the groom-to-be will then give a large betrothal gift to the bride’s family, which is like a reverse dowry.

In fact, dowries used to be a popular means of engagement even in Europe, as marriage was seen more as a business contract than a union of love. Fathers of daughters would tempt rich and important husbands by offering sizable dowries that could include money, land or livestock.

Nigeria. The engagement ceremony is a very elaborate process, with many couples getting married straight after the engagement. Instead of the man asking for the woman’s hand in marriage, the intended groom’s family gathers together and asks the woman’s family for her hand. Once the woman’s family accepts, the couples are then considered engaged and might even marry on the spot, although Nigerian government is still trying to outlaw this practice.

Egypt. While Egyptian couples exchange rings upon becoming engaged, the placement of the ring is quite different than that of the Western world: during the engagement period, the couple will wear the rings on the right hand. Once married, that ring then transfers to the left hand. The placement of the ring has varied among many different cultures, with traditional Celts opting to wear their engagement claddagh rings on the middle finger until the marriage ceremony, where it will then transfer to the ring finger.
As many cultures believe that the heart is connected by a vein to the left ring finger, this is why we place engagement rings and wedding bands there.

The tennis champion Maria Sharapova has partnered with the world famous jewelry company, Tiffany & Co., for wearing a special line of earrings for the next two years.

She will wear the Tiffany collection of earrings at four Grand Slam events: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Each set of earrings that she wears in a match will go on sale right after the match and will be sold at Tiffany & Co. stores around the world.

For the first event – the French Open May 24–June 7, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris—Sharapova will wear an aquamarine and diamond drop design in 18 karat white gold designed by Elsa Peretti.

Sharapova stated that she is thrilled to partner with Tiffany, her favorite jeweler, and to wear those beautiful earrings at the French Open.

Idex Online, the first online international diamond exchange designed for diamond jewelers and dealers, offers eBay Direct Sales Channel to reach buyers quickly, efficiently and easily. IDEX Online provides the best-available selling and marketing platform to reach more potential customers on eBay.

IDEX Online, eBay and GemStoneKing developed a ground-breaking e-commerce platform that integrates IDEX Online Guaranteed Diamond TransactionsTM onto eBay via the GemStoneKing-eBay retail store. This hassle-free new direct sales-outlet will automatically bring diamond sellers directly to consumers and will keep the goods working 24/7.

The new system automatically screens IDEX Online’s entire inventory of over 350,000 certified diamonds – valued at more than $3 Billion – to identify and offer stones meeting the buyer’s specific desire.

All IDEX Online diamond suppliers in good standing are eligible to participate in this service and it’s totally free.

There is a new company helps you to sell your broken engagement rings, wedding bands, diamonds, watches and other fine jewelry, after you break-up with someone. You can get rid of all the memories of a long-term relationship and get money in return.

OutOfYourLife.com is a division of Lippincott, LLC and has offered its customers a fast, friendly and reliable way to sell diamonds, gold, platinum, watches and other fine jewelry items for almost 20 years. The company is headquartered in Narberth, PA.

Basically, you just need to request a “Break-up Box” from www.outofyourlife.com for the process of returning jewelry. It is free, secure and postage paid, so all you have to do is load your jewelry into, fill the form and mail it. Once it reaches the office of LIppincott, the jewelry experts inspect your items, appraise them and they mail you a check. If you aren’t satisfied with the payment you’ve received, or you want an item back, simply notify the company within 10 days of the date on the check and return the check to OOYL.

Don’t worry, your jewelry will be safe and insured while in possession. Break-Up Box has multiple barcode signatures to identify your jewelry throughout the selling process. Once your jewelry reaches to the Lippincott facility, the items are stored safely in vaults throughout the entire process. Also, Lippincott will assume loss for an amount equal to the lesser of the one-third (1/3) of the appraised value of the lost contents or Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).

All you need to do is to say “good-bye” to your memories and move on with a cash in hand.

Buying an engagement ring can be a stressful process. It can be a daunting task to choose a ring your future spouse will be wearing for the rest of her life! Many men want to choose the ring and surprise her with it during a proposal. Others solicit the opinions of their wife-to-be during the shopping process. Either way, learning as much as you can about the buying process will make buying an engagement a more enjoyable experience.

You can choose a traditional storefront jeweler to assist you in buying an engagement ring. This way, you can look at the rings and talk to the jeweler and have some understanding of what you are buying. More and more people are choosing to take advantage of online jewelry stores when they are looking to buy an engagement ring .


Online jewelry stores can offer a few advantages when compared with traditional jewelry stores.

Price:
If you use an online jewelry store to buy an engagement ring, you will be able to find some of the best deals on high end, full cut, certified diamonds. Internet jewelry stores don’t have the expense of a storefront operation and can keep their operating expenses low. They can pass those savings onto their customers.

If you are choosing an engagement ring online, you will be able to easily compare prices for engagement rings of similar value. Comparison shopping is much more difficult if you are going from store to store.

If you buy an engagement ring from an online store, you will avoid paying state sales tax. This could be a savings of several hundred dollars, depending on the price of the ring. That money could be used toward purchasing a ring of higher value.

Selection:
One clear advantage to buying an engagement ring online is that an online jewelry store can offer a wide selection of rings. The selections can seem limitless! Many online jewelry merchants will offer you the option of creating your own engagement rings using the technology on their website. They can virtually create your design and show you in 3-D what the engagement ring will look like.

Certificates:
Many online jewelry stores will offer for sale diamonds that have been certified by a third party. These certificates can give you confidence that you have received the diamond you contracted to buy.

Money Back:
Because most online purchases are made with credit cards, buying an engagement ring online using a credit card affords you the opportunity to get your money back should you not be happy with your purchase. Many, if not all, online jewelry sellers offer convenient return policies and the ability to get your money back if you are not satisfied with your purchase.

Learn as much as you can about diamonds before making any decision about buying an engagement ring. Take a look in traditional jewelry stores to get a close look a diamonds and to understand distinctions in color, cut, clarity and carat. Once you have educated yourself on diamonds and the buying process, look to an online jeweler for a wide selection of engagement rings.

Would you like to keep the romance alive in your marriage by gifting her with a new ring on every wedding anniversary?

Every year, a new anniversary ring would remind you the day you promise to each other and it symbolizes the path that you decided to walk for a lifetime journey. Since the diamond wedding bands represent that your love will be everlasting and strong as much as diamonds, the hardest mineral on earth, it’s perfect to make it as a tradition. So why don’t you bookmark every year with a stunning diamond wedding ring?

Tori Spelling and her husband Dean McDermott is one of them. Dean McDermott is keeping his promise to buy Tori Spelling a new wedding ring every anniversary. “I love the tradition Dean has started. Every year when he slips it on my ring finger, it reminds me of the day he made me his wife and we started out amazing journey together as one. I can’t wait to one day pass on my amazing wedding band collection to my kids and their kids,” says Spelling, who is mom to daughter Stella, 11 months and son Liam, 2.

The 35-year-old actress and Dean McDermott celebrated their third anniversary on May 7, and Tori was delighted when Dean gave her an antique French band.

If couples have been dating seriously for six months or more, and if woman wants to get married, it’s certainly advisable for a woman to pop the question to her love of life.

On the other hand, woman may prize her future husband by doing the same proposal to make an ultimate surprise and solidify their bonding. Jennifer Hudson is one of them who proposed to David Otunga, after a while he proposed to her.

Jennifer presented David with a 5 carat diamond ring last month personally designed by Hollywood designer Neil Lane.

“Jennifer wanted to give him something really special when she asked David to marry her,” Neil says. “It was very sentimental and romantic…they are really in love.”

Jennifer presented David with a handmade “architectural and geometric” platinum diamond men’s ring.

David Otunga proposed to Jennifer Hudson in such a romantic way at her 27th birthday.

Your engagement ring is one of the most valuable investments your future groom will make, so it’s extremely important that you care for it properly to ensure that the stone and metal retain their brilliance. Here are some tips for what to look out for and how to keep your ring in tip-top shape.

Bending and stretching bands

More and more couples are choosing platinum, gold or white gold settings for engagement rings. Platinum is pretty tough, so you won’t have to worry about the metal bending or stretching. However, gold and silver are much softer and more malleable. This makes these metals susceptible to bending or stretching. The main culprit: catching the ring in a sweater, blanket or carpet. If a prong grabs the fabric and you yank your hand away quickly, it can result in a misshaped band. Avoid this by being careful. If your ring does snag something, don’t pull away quickly.

Scratches

Platinum rings are less likely to scratch because they’re extremely tough. Small scrapes or nicks can be repaired with polishing (which can be done by most jewelers). If the damage is more significant, it might be more difficult to fix because of the density of platinum. On the other hand, gold and white gold are softer, so they may be easier to repair.

Loosening prongs

The risk of losing a stone in a pronged setting depends on the way it’s constructed. Most prongs will loosen slightly over time from everyday wear and tear. Some typical culprits include catching the prong on a sweater or hitting your ring against a countertop or door by accident. If you notice that one prong is loose, take it to a jeweler immediately. Once one comes loose, the others are likely to follow. Make sure you inspect your ring every few weeks to ensure that the stone is secure.

What not to do!

Whether you’re into horseback riding, mountain climbing or swimming, these activities can wreak havoc on your engagement ring. If you’re really active, you could increase the risk of banging your ring up against something that may cause the prongs to loosen up, scratch the metal or worse. To prevent this from happening, leave your ring at home when partaking in these activities. Another option: Get a necklace in the same metal as your ring and hang the ring around your neck while working with your hands (think pottery or gardening).

How to care for it

Harmful chemical substances, like hairspray or cleaning supplies, can damage the metal and decrease the ring’s brilliance. Avoid these at all costs and take off your ring if you’re using them.

To keep your ring shiny, have it professionally cleaned and checked for damage by a jeweler at least once a year. You can also maintain the luster by cleaning it at home with a jewelry cleaner _ just make sure you read the directions carefully. Some jewelry cleaners can damage delicate stones like emeralds, turquoise, opals and amethysts.

For wedding-planning advice, tools, photos, and more, visit WeddingChannel.com.

According to a survey conducted by The Knot Wedding Network, an average wedding in America cost nearly $30,000 last year. The survey of 18,000 couples married in 2008 also indicated 40 percent of couples marrying this year will curb their wedding budgets by about 16 percent because of the recession.

When it comes to wedding rings, the average amount spent on a bride’s wedding ring rose 21.3% to reach $1,129 and the amount spent on a groom’s ring increased 38.3% to reach $907 last year. The bad news for jewelers this year, however, is that the average amount spent on an engagement ring is expected to drop 9.8% in 2009 to reach $2,900.

According to Shane McMurray, chief executive of The Wedding Report, a Tucson, Ariz.-based firm that specializes in wedding industry market research, the projected decline follows a 30% drop in the average amount spent on an engagement ring in 2008. The declines suggest a significant shift in consumer attitudes. In past economic downturns, he says, the wedding industry has been more resilient as people continued to spend on weddings.

The Knot Wedding Network’s survey of 18,000 couples who married in 2008 listed venue, reception DJ, band, photographer and flowers among the top 10 biggest wedding day expenses. Here are some suggestions on how to keep costs down and celebratory moments high:

Floribunda: Choose flowers that are in season and find multiple uses for them, advises Betsy Winsett, co-owner of the Encinitas-based Bridal BazaarBetsy Winsett of Bridal Bazaar.

The DIY bride: More than half (55 percent) of brides made their own favors and ceremony programs in the survey. If you’re crafty, consider making your own escort cards, save-the-dates, invitations, even decorations.

Marry on Monday: Saturdays are the most popular wedding days of the year and venues and vendors typically command top dollar. By marrying on any other day of the week, chances are venue and vendor availability is better and prices can be negotiated, sometimes as much as 20 percent off, says wedding coordinator Cynthia Zatkin.

Make your own music? Some couples use iPods for their reception music. According to Betsy Winsett, “DJs do serve a multiple purpose. A good one keeps things moving, and if there is a lull, he gets everybody back into the excitement.”

Dress For Less. Buying a “sample” gown from a bridal boutique to save as much as half the cost. Other options: Buy a vintage gown, wear your mother’s or grandmother’s gown or even rent a gown.

Everyone contributes: Gone is the tradition of the bride’s parents paying full freight. The Knot survey indicated the bride and groom are paying up to 43 percent of wedding costs with the grooms’ parents contributing 12 percent. Even grandparents and other family members are pitching in, says wedding coordinator Sharon Cole.

Look At Low-Cost Locations. Parks and even backyards can provide beautiful settings at little or no cost.