Fashion and Jewelery Accessory Blog

The Many Styles of Golden Earrings
 by: Laci Gerveler

Golden earrings are very pretty. They come in so many styles and can be worn so many ways. When you have a great pair of earrings in gold, you will find that those are probably your favorite. They are always in style and you just love wearing them. However, you might be wanting more than one pair of earrings in gold to add to your collection of earrings that you already have. Try getting something different from what you already have to add versatility and have something that you can switch out when you are wanting to change your earrings. You will find a great list of the many styles you will find this earring below.

1. Stud

Golden earrings are really popular as gold studs. These are mostly worn by little girls, and are a great started earring for anyone. They can be worn with anything that you are wearing, and you will love wearing them as well. You will also find that the stud earring can be worn in maybe your second earring hole, while you wear a hoop in the other. This is a great look and many women have their ears pierced more than once.

2. Hoop

Hoop earrings are great in gold. You will find that there are many lengths of hoops that you can choose from when you are selecting golden earrings to bring home with you. You can choose from small hoops, medium hoops, and also large hoops. With this many sizes to choose from, you will have no problem finding the perfect hoops earrings for you. You will also find that you might like one of each size so that you can change them up whenever you want to.

3. Dangle

Dangle earrings are really cute. You will find that there are many types of golden earrings that are dangle and you will love having many to choose from. You will find earrings that are a mix of different colors of gold int his style as well as some that may even have a diamond or two mixed into the earring. It is so much fun to mix it up and buy a different pair of earrings from what you already own and buying dangle ones to wear can be a lot of fun.

4. Chandelier

Golden earrings in chandelier style are stunning. You will find that there are many chandelier earrings that are pure gold as well as some that are beaded and have beautiful gems on them as well. When you buy earrings in this style you will need to make sure that you are not buying any that are too heavy for your ears to hold as that will be most uncomfortable.

As you can see, there are many styles of golden earrings that you will find. You can have a few of each and spice up your earring collection so that you never wear the same pair twice if you wish. You will love having a nice variety to choose from, and you will be known as someone with flare and style in the earring department.

Diamond Earrings: Why Some Cost More Than Others
 by: Laci Gerveler

Diamond earrings are classy and tasteful earrings that every woman loves to wear. They can be so versatile, and come in many styles and colors as well. Earrings with diamonds in them never go out of style, and just a single pair of earrings added to your outfit makes you feel all dressed up and ready for a night on the town. While most diamond earrings might look the same to the naked eye, you are probably wondering why some of them will cost more than others do.

There are several reasons that one pair of diamond earrings may cost more than another. You see, the diamonds are sold by weight in Karats. When you have a diamond that is a higher karat than the other, the one with the higher karat weight will be more expensive. This is the reason you can have two different pairs of earring with diamonds in them, and they both look the same, but one might be more expensive because the karat weight is higher in one pair than the other one.

Another reason that one pair of diamond earrings might cost more than another is because of the diamond cut. There are so many different diamond cuts that you can have in a pair of earrings, and each and every one of them are unique in their own way. Some of the cuts are harder to get than others and make perfect. This would mean that particular cut would be more expensive as it is harder to achieve. All women have their favorite cuts that they love diamonds in, and the princess cut diamond is probably the most popular of them all.

Something else to think about that may increase the cost of a pair of diamond earrings is the setting that the diamonds are in. There are so many different settings to choose from when you are looking at earrings with diamonds, and some of them are a little harder to get. When you have a really complicated setting for the diamonds, you are looking at paying more per pair of earrings than you would just a single stud setting.

Diamond earrings are so beautiful, and come in many different metal settings that you can choose from. You will find that there is 18K Gold, 14K Gold, and 10K gold. This only covers the yellow gold that you can choose from. There is also white gold, and sterling silver that are ever so popular with earrings. However, you will also find that for those that are allergic to gold and silver, you will be able to get titanium earrings with diamonds in them. This is a great alternative for anyone that has allergies to the other metals, it is a little more expensive, and it is readily available in most jewelry stores.

As you can see, diamond earrings are any female’s favorite. You can not go wrong when you surprise a girl with a pair. You now know why some earrings with diamonds in them may look the same but cost different. If you were to buy a pair of pair that had a really high diamond karat weight you would making an investment that would be cherished for many years. Diamond jewelry never goes out of style and you can wear it with anything to any occasion and look great.

How to Choose the Right Wedding Band
 by: Afshin Yaghtin

You’ve heard the “4 Cs” of smart diamond buying — cut, color, clarity, and carats. But what about the wedding band? Wedding bands are not the most expensive wedding purchase you will make and you may not spend a lot of time researching your wedding band purchase. But many people end up wearing their wedding band more often and on a day to day basis compared to their engagement ring.

Make an informed decision when purchasing your wedding band.

Do you prefer a traditional, plain wedding band or a design wedding band?

Do you want to budget in for a designer name brand or do you prefer to forgo the brand name and opt out for essentially the same ring without the “name”, thereby significantly reducing costs?

Pricing Your Wedding Band.

Plain Wedding Bands

You may want to consider a plain band if you prefer a simple design or are not a big “jewelry person”. As a jeweler, I often get women shopping for their husbands wedding bands who are considering a plain band because their husband “does not like jewelry”. I usually recommend a narrower plain wedding band, such as a white gold or yellow gold 4mm wide band. Although a wider 6mm, 7mm, or 8mm band is standard for most men, someone who does not wear a lot of jewelry may feel more comfortable in a narrow band. (Wedding bands are usually measured in millimeters. A 4mm band is approx. ¼” wide).

If someone is looking for something with a little more of a design, but still wants a simpler band, I may even steer them towards a more subtle design, such as a hammered wedding band. Hammered bands are still understated, but a little more exciting than a traditional plain band.

Design Band

There are many types of design wedding bands to choose from, such as braided wedding bands, hammered design bands, paisley bands, and other unique designs, such as a Celtic wedding band.

The type of design band wedding you choose is a personal choice. There is nothing scientific or practical in selecting a design wedding band other than primarily deciding what type of design you simply like.

The only practical considerations that you may want to make in selecting a wedding band with designs is in understanding that trends come and go and you will be wearing and looking at the design hopefully forever. The other consideration is in deciding whether you will wear your ring on a daily basis and what kind of wear and tear your ring can safely sustain. This usually depends on the type of work or career or regular hobbies.

Do you work with your hands a lot? Do you do construction work or do you have an office job that is not taxing on your hands? In purchasing a design band, if you are planning to wear your ring to a job that is physically demanding you may want to consider a hammered design band or a similarly rugged design that can withstand wear and tear. You may want to stay away from a braided wedding band, for example, if you are a police officer and want to wear your ring on the job! If you are “outdoorsy” and rugged, you may want a more wedding band with less design that could get damaged.

Keep in mind these are extreme cases. Most braided wedding bands are tougher than they appear and will be fine under most conditions. And if not, they can easily be repaired (we offer a one year warranty and inexpensive repair service after the warranty period). Out of the thousands of braided wedding bands we have sold, not even 1% have been returned for repair and often only by people who are tough on their jewelry.

Design Band or Designer Name Brand

Most wedding bands that are on the market today are actually not designer name brand rings, yet they are, in my opinion, the same quality as most designer name brand rings. The difference with a designer name brand and a generic version is mainly the price. Most design bands range between $300-$350, for example, at http://wedding-band-ring.com vs. $600-$800 for the exact ring made by a known designer name.

However, if paying 2-3 times more is not a significant difference to you, you may want to consider a name brand simply for the security or status that the name you purchase may give you. In shopping for a wedding band, whether it is a designer name or not, make sure you understand your wedding or jewelry store’s policies, warranties, and guarantees. Often, the generic brand will offer you the same security, quality, and warranties. So why spend the extra?

Yellow Gold, White Gold, or Two-Tone

This too is mostly a personal choice, but there are a few things to consider in selecting your wedding bands’ color or metal type.

White gold is often more suitable for those who are not normally big jewelry wearers. White gold is also somewhat more contemporary, although trends suggest that yellow gold may be coming back strong into fashion. Ultimately, whether you choose yellow or white gold should depend on your personal preference, rather than following any trend, since trends come and go and you plan to wear your ring forever!

You may also want to consider two-tone gold. Two-tone wedding rings are an excellent compromise between subtle and rich tones and they serve one additional purpose that people tend to overlook.

Two-tone wedding bands give you the flexibility of both yellow and white gold colors so that you can match a variety of other jewelry with your wedding jewelry. If you buy a white gold wedding band, all of your future jewelry purchases will tend to be white gold. Wearing yellow gold or two-tone with your white gold ring may clash. The same can be said of pure yellow gold. But with a two-tone wedding band, you can wear an all yellow gold bracelet or watch, for example, and interchange jewelry and colors. This adds great versatility to your jewelry line-up.

Price Benchmarks

Use the below benchmarks to assess if your selected jeweler is charging you too much or if their prices are reasonable.

Expect to spend between $100-$150 for a plain, traditional wedding band.

Expect to spend approx. $300 for a standard, but high quality design wedding band.

Expect to spend between $600-$800 for a designer name brand.

Remember, you may not want to dish out the additional cost for a designer name brand when you can find virtually the same ring without the “name”. Above all, this should be a choice that you make yourself or with your spouse. Forget about trends and think long-term. $300 over 50 years of your life is less than a penny a day! Don’t get caught up too much in the price. Opt for the ring that you really want. You plan to wear your ring forever.

Jewelry Appraiser Services
 by: Denny Reinke

Jewelry appraisers can provide valuable services to people who own diamonds and jewelry or are in the process of buying diamonds and jewelry.

First, the jewelry appraiser can identify your jewelry as to the material, quality, workmanship, condition and other characteristics that influence the item’s value. For example, diamonds that appear similar to the eye can vary in terms of color, clarity, cut, fluorescence, measurements and durability. These are all factors that uniquely identify one diamond from another and can cause the value of one stone to be more than double that of another even if they are identical to the unaided eye.

Second, the jewelry appraiser can estimate the value of the jewelry item. The definition of value can vary depending on the purpose of the appraisal. For example, an appraisal value could be quite different if the purpose is 1) selling the item, 2) purchasing an item from a retailer, 3) insuring the item after purchase, 4) settling an estate, 5) distributing property in a divorce, or as an expert witness in a lawsuit.

Third, the jewelry appraiser is a witness to the existence of the property. This is important in the process of filing an insurance claim for the loss of an item where proof might be required that the jewelry existed at a certain point in time and was in a certain condition. This is why an appraiser should insist on examining the jewelry item when updating an insurance appraisal.

Fourth, the jewelry appraiser can provide advice as to the durability, wearability, and repair of jewelry items. Jewelry made of metal and gemstones can vary greatly in their hardness, toughness, and resistance to heat or chemicals. Because the appraiser has professional training (i.e. Graduate Gemologist) and is not involved in the sale of the item, they can provide unbiased recommendations based on their experience.

When selecting a jewelry appraiser, understand why you are seeking the jewelry appraiser’s services so you can choose the best provider of those services. Professional jewelry appraisers set their fees based on an hourly rate or a per item basis, never as a percentage of appraised value. Appraisers who are efficient and highly computerized can often provide lower prices for services than those performing the same task but take twice as long to perform them.