Jonathan Blocker asked:
The diamond wedding ring set is a fairly recent phenomenon; up until about sixty years ago, most married couples wore simple gold bands. Today, the diamond wedding ring set is fairly common. There are even diamond wedding bands for those who prefer these to diamond wedding rings that have a set stone in them.
The Story of Diamond Jewelry
Diamond jewelry has been enjoyed and desired for centuries. However, it wasn’t until about 500 years ago that the art and science of diamond cutting was born. Most of the stones that find their way into diamond wedding rings are cut and appraised in the Belgian city of Antwerp, which has been the center of the diamond business since the mid-1500s.
The DeBeers Company - formed in the 1880s by Sir Cecil Rhodes, for whom the African colony was Rhodesia (now independent Zimbabwe and Zambia) was named - was instrumental in creating an artificial market for diamond jewelry, particularly diamond wedding ring sets, where none had existed previously. It is true that Archduke Maximilian I of Austria presented his bride, Marie of Burgundy with a diamond wedding ring on the occasion of their wedding in 1477, but that did not set a general precedent. That precedent had to wait another 423 years.
“Diamonds Are Forever”
The phrase “a diamond is forever,” became the basis not only of a James Bond novel by Ian Fleming and the movie and hit song that came out of it, but of the most brilliant advertising campaign of all time. The DeBeers Company used this phrase to convince the public to abandon the plain gold bands that had been traditional for married couples for centuries, and embrace their line on fashion-designed diamond wedding ring sets.
The campaign was remarkably successful; within only a few years, plain gold bands had been replaced by diamond wedding bands and rings with set stones.
A similar campaign was undertaken by the U.S. diamond jewelry industry; the market was targeted toward those couples planning to wed. The idea was to convince the American public of an “old tradition” in which men wore diamond engagement rings as well as their fiancées. This particular campaign was rather less successful, but it did help to increase the popularity of diamond wedding rings among American couples.
Diamond Jewelry Today
Diamonds in the rough are shipped to one of the major diamond centers in Antwerp, Tel Aviv, New York, London or Singapore, where they are graded and cut; after this, they undergo an appraisal for carat (size and weight), color, clarity and cut. After this, jewelers purchase these stones in lots and use them as settings for diamond wedding rings and other types of jewelry.
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Antonia asked:
I am under the impression that an engagement ring is the ring that supposed to be the “Show-Off” ring.. **bling-bling!!** and the wedding ring is the pretty band you keep on for the rest of ur life. What did your rings look like?
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A.Caxton asked:
Hardwood floors are all the rage today in newer homes. but floors have been made of hardwood for hundreds of years. In medieval times. floors were made of dirt. and wooden floors were the next step up. Hardwood floors should be considered one of the most important elements in your home design. The comfort and value of hardwood floors is unequal. and they offer many benefits to the homeowner.
One of the most important and desirable features is easy maintenance. New technologies have produced wood flooring that can be beautifully maintained with just a daily sweeping or dusting. Coatings and surfaces have been developed that eliminate the work that used to be involved in keeping wood floors looking good. From time to time. a good cleaning product. one that is recommended by the manufacturer. should be used to keep a hardwood floor looking new for a long. long time.
If you have decided to install hardwood floors. you need to be familiar with the grades that are available. This is the appearance of the wood. based on the type of manufacture used. Different parts of a tree. and how it is cut. will deterine the grade. The part of tree the wood comes from will influence the final color of the wood floor and the grain of the pattern will be determined by the way the wood has been sawed. Hardwood for floors is cut from a log in different directions. and this will determine the look. Tangent to the rings will produce a different look than radially across the rings. Depending on the look you want. either one may be the right one for you. If you are looking for durability. hardwood floors are the right choice.
In addition to being durable. hardwood floors are an environmentally friendly renewable product. Many people use the wood from old barns and old homes for the flooring in their new homes. Wood floors do not have the alergens and dust that accumulate in carpets. and so if you or a family member is plagued with allergies. this makes hardwood floors the best choice for you. As a matter of fact. hardwood floors are endorsed by a number of health organizations as the healthy choice for people with any kind of allergy or breathing conditions.
Hardwood floors are the best choice in terms of investment for your home. and adding to its resale value; even though the initial investment may be higher than carpeting or vinyl. it maintains its value longer since it does not have to be replaced. Hardwood floors also do not look worn as easily and readily as other floor coverings. and this further adds to the value of your home. These are just some of the reasons that it makes sense to invest in hardwood floors. These reason. plus the infinite variety of styles and colors available that will suit any decorating scheme makes hardwood floors the ideal choice.
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VintageRings asked:
http://QualityVintageEngagementRings.com - Vintage wedding rings are the perfect way for a bride to show some classic, timeless style in her jewelry. Watch this video to learn more about vintage style wedding rings
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Vicki Churchill asked:
Wedding rings are a very special item of jewelry not only do they symbolise love, marriage, commitment and fidelity they hold history that dates back centuries. In fact years ago these rings were actually made from materials such as plants, grass and even hair.
Thankfully today wedding rings are made from stunning metals such as gold, titanium, platinum and white gold. They often have a gem stone like a diamond sapphire or ruby.
The most common type are the plain gold band although there are many other varieties. The standard plain band is sometimes not enough and more and more often people are turning their attention to more details and unique wedding rings.
Generally speaking most men do not wear an awful lot of jewelry and their wedding ring is possible the only ring they will wear. Therefore having something a little bit different can really look stunning and stand out from the rest.
Most mens wedding rings are made from platinum due to its strength and durability, however titanium is often overlooked and could prove a popular choice as this metal is not only strong but also holds less weight than other metals, making the ring lighter and easy to wear.
Everyone knows that wedding rings are worn on the left hand, however this isn not always the case, in countries such as Germany, Russia, Norway and other western countries wedding rings are often worn on the right hand.
If you are looking for matching rings and want something a little different than the plain gold band but nothing too extravagant then there is always the option to have your wedding rings engraved. Having you wedding rings engraved with a personal message will make them not only unique but extremely personal to both you and your partner.
Remember if you do decide to have your wedding rings engraved they will not have much space for many words so most couples opt for having their pet names engraved or sometimes the couple’s favourite song. Whatever you do decide to have engraved on your wedding rings this will be a special message between you and your partner.
To make your wedding ring unique in a different way could be to choose a diamond wedding ring and choose a color rather than the standard clear diamonds, what do you mean you did not know diamonds could be colored? Yes it is true, some diamonds are pink or blue and although stunning they are more rare than the clear diamond.
There are so many designs and different styles of wedding rings the choice is endless, it really is worth while spending some time researching these rings before purchasing one, shop around and if you decide to purchase a diamond ring bear in mind you can purchase the diamond and the ring setting separate.
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David Cowley asked:
Any woman would no doubt swoon at the idea of getting a diamond wedding ring - or a diamond anything for that matter! If you’re a man trying to choose just the right ring for your fiance or for your wife, then you’ve come to the right spot. We can give you some tips and pointers from the insiders - meaning real women - on how to select the perfect diamond wedding ring for your significant other.
First off, keep in mind that there are really three different types of diamond wedding rings. There is a diamond wedding band, which is meant to be worn with an engagement ring and is presented during the wedding ceremony. Then there are anniversary bands, which usually have a number of diamonds to represent the year of the anniversary, or one diamond in the center and then gemstones for each of the children, or some other such design. And lastly there are eternity bands, which are really diamond wedding rings that are either worn as a wedding band with or without an engagement ring, or are meant as an anniversary present. Eternity bands have diamonds going all the way around them - in a never ending circle, just like eternity. Get it?
Which Diamond Wedding Ring is Right For Your Special Lady?
Of course there’s no easy answer to that question, and chances are that your wife or fiancé will be happy with whatever ring you choose. But here are some things you can keep in mind. For one, many professional career women like a diamond wedding ring that they can wear without their engagement ring during work hours, especially if the diamond in the engagement ring is quite large. An eternity band can look very lovely in this case, as it is beautiful enough to wear on its own. Also, if you are selecting a diamond wedding ring that will be worn with the engagement ring, you want to be sure that the two will look good together. In this case, it may be a good idea to choose a wedding set rather than selecting two separate rings, or to ask a jeweler for help in deciding on bands that complement one another.
If you’re looking for a diamond wedding ring as an anniversary gift, put some thought into the design and the stones, and especially for the anniversary year. Obviously a ring for your 25 year anniversary may be a bit more significant than the gift you got her for your third anniversary. Many diamond wedding rings that are presented as anniversary gifts have not just diamonds but gemstones to represent the number of children you have. So, if you have three children, you may find a band with three rubies and two diamonds in between them. Or if it’s your five year anniversary, get a diamond wedding ring with five small diamonds across.
The real key to selecting the right diamond wedding ring is to put some thought into it, and try to select something that you know she’ll love and will be proud to wear forever.
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snoball70e asked:
I was told about a custom in Germany where couples remove wedding rings for a week and seek intimate involvement with other people. Can anyone help with this?
This for research on a sociology paper on deviant behavior. Any help would be appreciated!
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