Diamond Engagement Rings Archives
Designer Engagement Rings: Tiffany Setting.
More than any other designer engagement ring setting, the classic Tiffany setting has captured the hearts of millions of couples searching for the perfect engagement ring for their loose diamond.
Above: Exceldiamonds.com Version of the Tiffany Classic Setting:
Click HERE for the Tiffany Diamond Engagement Ring by ExcelDiamonds.com
What is it about the Tiffany six prong setting that has so captivated the masses, making it the most popular traditional solitaire diamond ring of all time?
There is more than one answer to this question. However, one reason in particular is the foundation for all others and is the basis of this article.
There is a very core difference in philosophy and objective between the designers of the Tiffany classic setting and the designers of other fashion jewelry rings like Tacori, Verragio, and Scott Kay (to name a few). Many of the manufacturers for designer engagement ring settings have a primary goal of commanding the attention of the viewer to the ring setting itself. They would like the observer to immediately notice not the center diamond but the actual engagement ring and to recognize it as their “branded” setting. To accomplish this goal they will often design ring settings that are extremely “busy” with a lot of filigree and detailing. Many of their creations also feature accent diamonds in different shapes, sizes, and configurations. These jazzed up and gaudy settings effectively overpower the center diamond and draw attention away from the diamond to the ring. Now this is no big deal in an instance where the center round diamond is of poor cut quality and (consequently) appears dull and lifeless to the viewer. In this type of scenario, the ring setting becomes a positive diversion from an awful looking diamond. However, in the case of an Ideal cut diamond which has been crafted to achieve a high level of beauty and brilliance, it distracts the viewer from what should be the prize of the entire engagement ring ensemble; a magnificent and sparkling ideally cut diamond.
The designers and creators of the famous Tiffany Classic Engagement ring setting had the primary objective of promoting the beauty of a well cut diamond in mind. They were preoccupied with creating the ultimate complement to a high quality loose diamond. Theirs, would be the type of ring that would literally push the diamond into the light and highlight its beauty and brilliance for all to see. There would be no distraction from the prize (center diamond) to the ring setting. At the same time, they made every effort to create a setting that would be timeless, understated, and elegant; an engagement ring that would radiate class and not scream fad. Thus, the magnificent Tiffany diamond engagement ring was born.
Here is a direct quote taken from the Tiffany website:
“Over a lifetime a woman may look at her engagement ring one million times or more. Design is important. Every Tiffany setting shoulders the diamond with consummate respect, honor, and grace. The diamond is the Hero. The stone is held properly by the girdle, to maximize light moving in and out. The prongs are thick enough to hold the stone tightly, yet thin enough to be a beautiful design element. Each Tiffany ring has balance and pleasing proportions. Design gimmicks and fads are eschewed.”
What we found during the course of our extensive research was that everybody selling any type of cheap six prong setting was calling it a “Tiffany style setting”. We were truly amazed that these the diamond vendors and companies selling these generic, cookie cutter settings were trying to pass them off as “Tiffany replica rings”. The fact of the matter is that these settings share nothing in common with the actual Tiffany setting. They are usually of poor manufacture, less than pure platinum, lightweight, and don’t look or function like the actual Tiffany. Any person who is even remotely familiar with the beauty and grace of the actual Tiffany ring can immediately recognize the tremendous discrepancies in these cheap fake Tiffany rings and knockoffs.
Here is a link to view an excellent replica of the Tiffany Classic Setting:
Classic Tiffany Style Solitaire Engagement Ring Setting by Exceldiamonds
Above: Tiffany Replica Setting by Exceldiamonds.com
Diamond Engagement Rings
I thought it would be important to provide you with a list of different types of Diamond Engagement rings. There are so many different styles of diamond rings that it often gets confusing when the time comes to make the big purchase! There is a never-ending selection of unique engagement rings available today and it is important to know what your options are.
Platinum engagement rings are extremely desirable due to the incredible contrasting qualities of the precious metal to the white center diamond!
There are 3 stone diamond rings that are incredibly popular today as a result of a major marketing strategy on the part of DeBeers...
Traditional Diamond Solitaire Rings like the classic Tiffany Engagement ring, have obviously been the most popular diamond rings of all time and will never go out of style.
Diamond engagement rings are available with accent diamonds on the side or even precious gemstones, such as emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.
There are even some designer companies today like Gelin & Abbaci and Scott Kay that have created Tension setting diamond engagement rings where the diamond seems to be suspended in mid air without the aid of a 4 prong or 6 prong setting.
I have enclosed a photo collage below of some different types of diamond engagement rings that are available today.
Of course you can visit us at www.ExcelDiamonds.com for the finest selection of breathtaking and unique diamond engagement rings!
Enjoy!
Whats the Deal With Engagement Ring Tension Settings?
Lately, people have been calling and asking about diamond engagement ring tension settings.
Sample of a Diamond Tension Engagement Ring
Our company does not manufacture or carry diamond tension settings, nor do we advocate their usage.
The fact of the matter is that a tension setting engagement ring may be funky and faady, but it will not (and cannot) protect the integrity of your diamond the same way that a 4/6 prong setting will.
It is our opinion, (and that of many experts in our industry) that a tension setting engagement ring poses a great liability to the proper and adequate protection of your diamond. Given just the right knock against a hard surface your diamond will be in danger of popping right out of the setting, never to be seen again! We believe that "adequate" protection is just not adequate (pardon the pun..) when it comes to protecting your valuable diamond.
Therefore, we cannot in good conscience sell tension setting engagement rings on our website and strongly caution our customers against buying one.
As a complete aside, I happen to dislike tension settings from an aesthetic point of view, since I believe that they lack tremendously in elegance. True; they are funky at the moment but will definitely not have the staying power and timeless appeal of the more traditional diamond engagement ring settings.
Diamond Tension Setting Concept: Tension rings are created with special alloys that put anywhere from 65 to 95 pounds pressure on the center diamond. The precious metals are especially hardened by pressure or by thermal treatment. This special treatment to the precious metal results in the precious metal having a certain toughness which will grip the diamond without the need of a bezel or claws. The diamond is pressed by the girdle on each side by the metal of the of the ring. Each metal end has a small groove or concavity called the 'seat' into which a small section of the girdle fits.
Diamond engagement ring
Here are some pics of a diamond engagement ring we just created for a customer of our who is flying in today from Florida to pick it up! The princess cut diamond ring features our Signature SuperbCert Princess Cut 1.40 carat, F color, VS2 clarity Diamond set in an elegant white gold engagement ring setting.
An important aspect to this unique engagement ring is the "chevron" or "V" tip prongs that encase the four points of the princess diamond so as to protect the structural integrity of the stone.
For more information on our Signature Princess Cut Diamonds which are crafted to achieve maximum brilliance and beauty, click on this link:
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/education/superbcert-princess-cut.php
New Designer E-Rings by Vatche!!
Hey Everyone!!!
I just got word from Max Krause; Dir. of Sales & Marketing over at Vatche (www.dvatche.com) that they now have a new line of designer wedding rings and diamond engagement rings which we will be featuring (in our capacity as an authorized retailer) on our retail diamond and jewelry website very shortly.
Some of these designs cater to the latest styles of wedding rings worn by celebrities and "fashion-istas" (is that a word?) all over the world.
Here is a peek.
Judah
More Designer Engagement Rings by Vatche!!!
Hey Everyone,
Thought you might like to see a few of of the breathtaking new diamond engagement rings by Vatche!!
This is part of a brand new collection that we are featuring on our website (as an authorized Vatche retailer) from this outstanding designer.
Enjoy the eye candy!!!!
More New Engagement Rings by Vatche!!
Some more eye candy for you; these gorgeous diamond engagement rings with matching womens wedding bands, by master jeweler -- Vatche!!
Diamond Engagement Ring Eye Candy.
2.54 carat G color/VS-2 Clarity Superbcert Princess Diamond in the Vatche Royal X Prong Setting.
Diamond Engagement Rings: Eye Candy II.
Hand crafted, Custom, 18kt. Yellow Gold Tiffany Replica Channel Setting by Exceldiamonds.
.86 carat G Color, SI-1 Clarity center SuperbCert diamond with .35 TCWT F-G color, VS clarity channel set
diamonds.
Diamond Engagement Ring: Eye Candy III
Here is a 3 stone diamond engagement ring set in white gold by Exceldiamonds.
The Center Diamond is a 2.01 carat, H color, SI2 clarity Cushion cut diamond.
The flanking side diamonds are half moons weighing a total of .66 carats (.33 each) and are H color, SI1 clarity diamonds.
Diamond Engagement Rings: Eye Candy IV.
3 Stone Platinum Truffle Ring by Vatche. Diamonds are Superbcert.
Custom Tiffany Replica Platinum Channel Set Diamond Engagement Ring by Exceldiamonds. Center Diamond is a 1.63 H Color/ VS-2 Clarity Superbcert. Channel set diamonds are .35 TCTWT F-G Color / VS Clarity.
Halo Rings Anyone?
We have just added these beautiful Halo Rings manufactured by Vatche to our Exceldiamonds.com website.
Beautiful.
More Bling! Bling! For You!!
Here are the latest Diamond Engagement Rings from Vatche!
Tiffany Engagement Ring? You Decide.
Why in the world does every diamond vendor on the internet selling these ugly, generic, cookie cutter, 6 prong diamond mountings feel like they can call it a "Tiffany Engagement Ring"?
I mean, these things rings are inferior to the actual Tiffany ring in sooooooo many ways.
They are poorly constructed in lightweight "platinum" or "14kt. gold".
They have porosity all over the place.
They don't look like the actual Tiffany.
They don't feel like the actual Tiffany.
They are not of the same quality as the actual Tiffany.
It seems like any ring that has a 6 prong head on it gets labeled as a "Tiffany style engagement ring".
Why don't you decide. (Remember this is just off a picture. In real life you'd "see" the difference with your eye closed.)
Actual Tiffany Ring
Cheap "Tiffany" Knock Off
Decent "Tiffany" Knock off
Exact Tiffany Replica
Here is the finest Tiffany replica engagement ring on the internet. See the difference.
Custom Micro Pave Diamond Engagement Ring in Platinum!
Hey Folks,
Check out this custom made diamond engagement ring just completed in the factory.
You are looking at a custom built setting of solid 950 platinum, set with 48 (melee) round brilliant diamonds of .01 each (.48 carat total weight) in a intricate micro pave setting.
If you are familiar with this gorgeous style you will recognize this as being an exact replica of the now famous Micro Pave Diamond Engagement Ring by the popular designer, Vera Wang.
Personally, I think this is a beautiful and unique engagement ring setting for showcasing a well cut diamond.
It is not something that your going to typically see on the fingers of all of your co workers.
And it is a showstopper!!!!
Tiffany To Open Two New Diamond & Jewelry Stores In China.
Luxury retailer Tiffany & Co., plans to open two new stores in China during 2006. One store will open at Beijing's Oriental Plaza, and a second store at Shanghai's Plaza 66. Beijing is scheduled to open in May, and Shanghai could open towards the end of the year, the company reports.
"The Oriental Plaza in Beijing and Plaza 66 in Shanghai are ideal environments for a Tiffany store," said Darren Chen, group vice president at Tiffany & Co. "These convenient locations expand our presence both in Beijing and Shanghai, cities of growing importance as global business centers and as destinations for both domestic and overseas tourists."
Once the new stores open, Tiffany will have a total of two stores in each of those prominent cities. Tiffany currently has a boutique in Beijing's Peninsula Palace Hotel, which opened in 2001, and a boutique in the City Plaza shopping complex in Shanghai, which opened in 2004.
How do say "Bling-Bling" in Chinese?
"Bring-Bring"!
Buying Loose Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Wedding Bands, & Wedding Rings: Trust and Verify.
Marshall Loeb of Market Watch quotes our friend and colleague, Jay Mednikow with advice to consumers on how to safely shop for loose diamonds, engagement rings, wedding rings and bands, both in jewlery stores and through internet websites. It is advice we agree with 100% and worth following.
Few purchases are more mystifying for first-time buyers than fine jewelry. There's more information out there than ever - from jewelers' Web sites and online forums to nearly ubiquitous grading reports from independent labs. But buying expensive gems and precious metals is still largely a matter of trust between you and the jeweler.
First, educate yourself on the basics. For diamonds, that means the four Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat weight. For gold, platinum and silver, it means purity.
You can find helpful information on these fundamentals from the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The Gemological Institute of America, the most prominent diamond grading agency, provides tutorials on buying diamonds and colored gems at (GIA Education).
"It's less of a blind purchase than it used to be," says Jay Mednikow, president of 115-year-old Mednikow Jewelers in Memphis and Atlanta. "But a jeweler who knows what he's doing can take advantage of you if he wants to."
Thus, there is still no substitute for a reliable dealer with an established reputation. Many jewelers are GIA-certified gemologists and display their credentials prominently.
For diamonds, Mednikow recommends buying only those with grading certificates from GIA, the American Gem Society or another independent laboratory. If a jeweler says he can offer you an uncertified diamond at a discount, tell him you'll pay to have it analyzed since the cost should be only $50 to $300 depending on the size of the stone. Read warranty and return policies carefully and make sure all guarantees are written on your sales receipt - it's your legal contract.
You may have a hard time distinguishing between slight variations in color and clarity, but still trust your own eyes.
Mednikow recommends holding diamonds with a pair of tweezers over your finger or against a white background and under lights of different types and varying brightness. With shapes other than round-cut, which has standard specifications, and with colored gems, you will have to rely much more on the jeweler's expertise.
If you are buying a colored stone such as a ruby, sapphire or diamond, ask if it has been "treated" to enhance the color. Some processes are routine, like heating for sapphires and rubies and oiling for emeralds, but others are temporary or undesirable.
Up to half the gold jewelry sold in the U.S. bears a false karat rating, says Mednikow. Choosing a reliable merchant is your only insurance, although national retailers like Zales and Sears are diligent about the purity of their gold.
Loose Marquise Diamond Shape: What to Look For.
The Marquise Brilliant takes its name from a legend that the Sun King desired a stone to be polished into the shape of the mouth of the Marquise of Pompadour.
The Marquise Brilliant is a boatshaped modified brilliant. It is generally agreed that a length-to-width ratio between 1.75:1 and 2:1 is most pleasing. As with other fancy shapes, a certain degree of what constitutes a beautiful shape has to do with the consumer's individual taste. The ultimate shape of the finished diamond is determined by the rough and what parameters it allows. The typical Marquise Brilliant contains 56 facets.
Of concern to consumers when evaluating a marquise shape diamond is the appearance of a visual pattern called a "bow-tie" which looks exactly like that, right in the center of the diamond. It is true that an extreme bow-tie can be jarring and unattractive to the eye, but some amount of bow-tie is beneficial to the visual appearance of the diamond as it provides contrast brilliance and makes the stone stand out in sharper detail.
Minimal bow-tie indicated by the arrows.
An example of a beautifully cut marquise diamond is shown below.
Diamond Cleaning: Use Efferdent and Smile!
Saw this humorous posting today on Bridal Blog
Here's her story:
I keep meaning to stop in at a jeweler to have it professionally cleaned, but my mother-in-law to be (MILTB) told me this ridiculous slash terrifying story where she swears a friend of a friend of her cousin Phyllis did just such a thing and had her ring replaced with a fake. I realize that the chances of this story being true are infinitesimal, but I’ve yet to stop in and have it done, so clearly there is a tiny part of me that truly believes Phyllis’s friend’s friend. My MILTB went on to say that the BEST and ONLY means one should be using to clean a ring like mine is Efferdent—as in denture cleaner Efferdent.
So, today I did it. I walked into Duane Reade with purpose and conviction, found a box of denture cleaner and bought it. I was so excited to come home and try it out, I could barely contain myself. I heated up some water in a small teacup, dropped in the efferdent tablet, plopped in my ring and stood there watching the water fizzing for five long minutes. Even my dog looked up at me as if to say “you’ve officially crossed the line.”
When I couldn’t handle the suspense for one second longer, I fished my ring out of the icky blue solution, rinsed it off and Bing. Bam. Boom. Seriously, WOW. I may have been temporarily blinded. Dammit all if my ring didn’t look just as sparkly and shiny as the day I got it.
Now I just wonder if an Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner can have the same cleaning results for dentures?
Smile!
Plumbers AND Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend!
The Washington Post reports this morning that not only Diamonds but also Plumbers just may be a girl's best friend.
Say what? Well, sometimes plumbers just know. And after 24 years turning wrenches on the campus of Mount St. Mary's University, plumber Ronnie Bledsoe had one of those hunches about where a missing engagement ring might turn up.
Not just any old engagement ring, either, he was told, but a $20,000 rock that got sucked down an automatic-flushing toilet weeks ago.
The loss devastated Debbie Squiccimarri, a New Jersey high school teacher who was visiting the Emmitsburg campus Feb. 20 with her 17-year-old daughter, her sister and her niece when the ring vanished down a toilet in the Cogan Student Union Building.
"Everybody thought the big deal was how much it cost," said Squiccimarri, 43, who first slipped on the two-carat diamond ring after her fiance popped the question on Christmas night. But its real value was closer to the heart than the pocketbook: "I didn't feel engaged anymore after flushing it."
Bledsoe tore apart the toilet that day; Squiccimarri visited the campus's sewage treatment plant before heading home to Ramsey, N.J. Bledsoe even tore apart more pipes over spring break. No luck. Friends, especially ones with plumbing know-how, told Squiccimarri to kiss the ring goodbye.
But maybe, just maybe, Bledsoe figured, if the ring traveled the maze of underground plumbing to an L-shaped juncture under the fourth manhole from the building, where a new six-inch pipe opened, and spilled onto an 18-inch horizontal ledge before dropping down another eight-inch pipe drain . . .
The hunch paid off. On March 20, Bledsoe lifted the manhole cover, spied something bright in an inch of water and fished out the ring with needle-nose pliers.
Yesterday, ring and betrothed were formally reunited. Not a man of many words, Bledsoe said in a telephone interview yesterday: "I was really happy about it because I remembered how down she was the day she lost it." Squiccimarri said she gave Bledsoe a reward but did not want to publicize the amount.
Squiccimarri was visiting the campus on a frigid weekend when she blew her nose and lost the ring.
"I heard it go in. As soon as I moved to the bowl, it flushed -- and they're so loud, those flushes, it was like a freaky feeling when it went," she said. "I just screamed, 'Oh, my God! My ring!' "
She made a tearful call to her fiance, Frank Eufemia, 46, a former professional baseball player who teaches at the same high school.
"Is your arm caught in the toilet?" he asked her. "Because if it's not, stop crying." Later, he even joked: "Well, that was a short engagement."
Bledsoe, 70, of Gettysburg, Pa., said that about half a dozen rings have vanished on campus over the years, usually down sink drains. He estimated that Squiccimarri's ring traveled at least 250 yards from the toilet to the odd twist under the manhole.
"This is just one of those things plumbers understand," he said.
How does that song go? "Finding Love In all the right places"
Loose Baguette Diamond: What Is It & What To Look For.
A straight baguette is a relatively small, elongated diamond that usually is rectangular in shape. The cut is characterized by square corners with rows of step-cut or steplike facets parallel to the table. Baguettes do not conform to the Federal Trade Commission's" 17 -facet" requirement for diamonds.
Straight Baguette.
The name of the cut must proceed the word diamond. Baguettes today are most often employed as side stones, although they also can be the main shape in full-band rings or fashion rings. When used as side stones they serve to camouflage the shoulders of the center stone, masking it £rom the girdle to the culet. Baguettes can also be lined up to produce a continuous flow of diamonds on a ring, bracelet, brooch (i.e. circlet) or necklace.
Baguettes are usually channel-set, but sometimes prong set. Less-expensive baguettes are often channel-set into bracelets. Measured in millimeters more often than weight because their size must be precise for their function, typical sizes for today's side baguettes are from 1.5 mm to 3 mm in length. For larger, more important pieces, designers and retailers may order straight baguettes of 2.7 mm to 4.7 mm, for example.
The word "baguette" is a French word for a long, narrow loaf of bread. This shape, beginning in costume jewelry, is a fashion outgrowth of the 1920s to mid-1930s. During that time, interest in functionalism in architecture and the Bauhaus movement influenced the applied arts and dominated contemporary design. In the Art Deco period, many stones were cut in strict, geometrical shapes, typified by the calibre technique or elongated baguette. In contemporary times, jewelry houses like Bulgari have sustained their use and passion for the baguette. Nicola Bulgari once exclaimed, "We flirt with the baguette." The yield for a baguette from the diamond rough is 38 to 42 percent.
Baguettes are extraordinarily clear. If baguettes are to be used as side stones or as other matched pairs, they must be of similar quality, color and clarity to one another, and to the stone they are enhancing. The step-cut appearance is unforgiving and does not allow for little imperfections in the diamonds. Stay with VS clarity and higher. SI clarity must be examined to insure that the imperfection(s) are not eye-visible. A small chip is much more obvious on a baguette than on a heavily faceted diamond.
Loose Cushion Cut Diamond: What Is It?
The Cushion Cut is a generic name for the Old Mine Cut developed before the turn of the century; these days the name" cushion" is often used for colored stones cut in this shape.
A Cushion Cut is a square or squarish-rectangular cut with rounded corners and 58 brilliant-style facets that resemble a pillow shape, hence the name.
A hundred years ago, when Cushion Cuts were first developed, diamonds were not cleaved into two pieces of rough, as they are today; they were ground down as a single stone and the resulting polished was lumpy and thick. Cushion Cuts have very thin girdles and bigger culets than today's full-cut diamonds.
Designers are requesting Cushion Cuts with big culets, but, in general, the smaller the culet, the better the stone. Older Cushion Cuts return light in blocky patterns; newly cut ones return light in needlelike patterns.
MARKETS AND MARKETING
Cushion Cut diamonds are popular in matching pairs. They are especially being used in larger-carat earrings and also as a center stone in rings. Cushion Cuts first became popular again about ten years ago, and their popularity has increased as designers and antique dealers continue to use them.
Cushion Cuts offer a lot of weight at a moderate price. Larger Cushion Cut diamonds sell for about 30 percent less than full-cuts of the same weight, while smaller cuts sell for about the same. A 1-carat G/VS Cushion Cut stone will sell from $2,800 to $3,800. Two-carat and up stones sell in the $3,500 to $5,000 per carat range. The most popular sizes are .75 to 1.5 carats. The availability of 2-carats and up is a problem because of the high demand for larger stones, both by estate and antique dealers for replacement or repair and by manufacturers.
Look for good clarity and color. Because Cushion Cuts have very thin girdles, girdles on older ones are often chipped. Look for Cushion Cuts that are symmetrical; off-shape ones are difficult to use. Look for a medium culet that is not too heavy, unless you have a special reason to use this cut with a big culet. Pick a mounting that's appropriate for the softer reflections and refractions of a Cushion Cut. Old Mine Cuts were traditionally set in yellow gold or silver with a patina or oxidation; therefore, they look better set in matte metals rather than highly polished ones.
Engagement Ring Purchase onThe Internet: Is This A Good Deal?
Is the question being asked by a consumer this morning on Diamondtalk.com. He has seen a Princess Cut that is being listed on EIGHT different internet diamond websites at different prices!!
Discussion is here: Good Deal?
Here are the multiple listings for this one diamond:
Who really has this diamond?
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6209 $13847*SP
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6262 $13964SP
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42-7.27-5.21 $6276 $13996*
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6291 $14029
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6306 $14062*S
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6308 $14066*SP
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42*7.27*5.21 $6339 $14136*S
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-sl thk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $7198 $16051
This diamond is supplied by the manufacturer to many internet websites and is known as a "Virtual Diamond".
Little if any information is provided save for a few numbers off the lab grading report and the price. You are buying blind.
We have blogged on this topic several times. Same Diamond Listed All Over The Internet?
Virtual Diamond (VD) databases do not give you the necessary information you need, e.g.; photo's, Imagescopes, and light performance data such as provided by the Gemex Brilliancescope. As such, these lists are useless. Would you buy a Home this way? I doubt it. Why should your diamond purchase be any different. It's also big money.
This is a big purchase not only because of the money, but even more so because of the emotion and psychology behind it. You need to get this right the first time. Work with Internet websites that give you comprehensive information.
Diamond & Jewlery at Retail: How Much Money Is Involved?
The US jewelry retail industry generates annual revenues of about $44 billion from 28,000 specialty, department, and discount stores. Specialty retailers hold about 50 percent of the market. Wal-Mart is the biggest jewelry retailer in the country, followed by Zale, the biggest specialty jeweler with over 2,000 stores and kiosks. The industry is highly fragmented: the top 10 jewelry chains hold less than 25 percent of the market. Other large specialty retailers are Tiffany and Sterling, the US branch of British jeweler Signet Group.
Jewelry sales depend partly on consumer income. Small jewelers can effectively compete with large chains because price isn't the main factor determining retail sales. Profitability depends on the volume of sales because sales costs are high and fixed. Because gross margins are very high, often 50 percent, mass merchants like Wal-Mart have taken market share by controlling costs and cutting prices.
Jewelry is often classified as bridal merchandise (engagement, bridal and anniversary rings - about 35 percent of the market); fashion jewelry (rings, bracelets, earrings, pins, gold chains); and watches, silver flatware, and other giftware. Diamond jewelry and loose diamonds account for the largest share of total jewelry store sales (46 percent); gold jewelry for 11 percent; colored gemstone jewelry (rubies, sapphires, emeralds, etc.) 9 percent; and watches 4 percent.
Tiffany's Lucida Diamond: What is it ?
Tiffany & Co.'s Lucida is an exclusive patent pending diamond cut whose shape is a square mixed cut. It has 50 facets, a high crown, stepped facets, wide corners and a small table with a brilliant pavilion. The design of the cut maximizes the stone's sparkle and brilliance. A photo is shown below.
AGS-0 Ideal Cut Princess Diamonds have similar sparkle to the Tiffany Lucida, without the price tag!
Lucida Diamond.
Tiffany has added an eternity band and a three-stone ring as well. Lucida, which means the brightest star in a constellation, is available exclusively at Tiffany & Co. stores worldwide. The setting is copyrighted and the diamond has multiple patents pending.
The Lucida diamond is made from the same rough as a well-cut round. Created by Tiffany's gemologists, the cut is similar to the Asscher and antique Cushion Cuts. Tiffany showcases the Lucida cut in a special four-prong ring shown below. The sculptural band has clean lines and soft curves that merge with the prongs in a sloping crisscross design, which, when viewed from the side, is reminiscent of cathedral arches.
Lucida Ring.
Lucida was designed and introduced by Tiffany in 1999. The retailer has positioned the collection to fit between its classic Tiffany setting and its cuttingedge Etoile collection and has become something of a status symbol. The worldwide launch was backed by an extensive advertising campaign that included four-page inserts, spreads and single-page units in fashion and lifestyle publications. The Lucida is available at 150 locations internationally, including Japan, France and London.
Each Lucida diamond is sold with a Tiffany Certificate. The inside shank of each ring is currently engraved with the following: Copyright, Tiffany & Co. Lucida, metal fineness and the phrase "patents pending." When the patents are finalized, the actual patent numbers will be engraved in the shank.
Click on the icon below for a stunning collection of the finest Tiffany style diamond engagement rings and Ideal Cut diamonds at outstanding values!!
X Prong Custom Filigree Round Diamond Engagement Ring by Vatche!
Hey Folks!
Check out this absolutely stunning new design by Vatche just finished for one of our customers.
This beautiful diamond engagement ring by Vatche is the famous X prong with a new twist; hand carved intricate filigree work!!
The ring is completely hand made in 950 heavyweight platinum and is accompanied by Vatche's Lifetime Guarantee!
The center round brilliant diamond is from our collection of wholesale loose diamonds listed on our website database.
This ring is now available for sale on our www.exceldiamonds.com website!
Enjoy the pictures!
Do You Know How To Buy Your Diamond Engagement Ring?
NOT as this couple unfortunately found out. Be A Smart Diamond Shopper
We totally agree. Here are our recommendations for your safe diamond engagement and wedding ring shopping:
1. Work with a reputable Jeweler; be it Brick & Mortar (B&M) or Internet. Check with your local BBB and the Jewelers Vigilance Committe (www.jvclegal.org)
2. Know what you're buying. Make sure your diamond has a lab grading report. The two most stringent, accurate, and consistent diamond grading labs are the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the AGS (Americn Gemological Society). Insist on them.
3. If you're more comfortable shopping with a B&M Jeweler, look at as many diamonds as you can and away from the diamond counter's high intensity halogen lights which tend to make even the ugliest darkest diamonds look D-Flawless.
4. If you're shopping with an Internet Diamond vendor, make sure that they can examine the diamond for you to determine if there are any red flags you need to know about which would dissuade you from buying the stone.
A great number of Internet Vendors sell of Virtual Diamond (VD) databases and never see the diamond you're buying. The diamond is drop-shipped directly to you from the manufacturer. We covered this topic in more detail here: Cyberspace Diamonds
5. Ask the Internet Vendor to supply you with as much information as possible, including photo's.
6. Be clear and understand the Vendor's Policies: Payment, Returns, Upgrades, etc. and any timelines or deadlines that might accompany these Policies.
7. Ask about and receive any paperwork that comes with the diamond.
8. Stay away from in-house Appraisals. Such Appaisals are inflated, will cost you undue high insurance Premiums, and is a practice that is frowned upon and not sanctioned by the reputable National Association Of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA). Best is to get an evaluation and Appraisal from an Independent Appraiser that does not work for a Jewlery store and does not sell their own diamonds and jewelry. Contact NAJA for a llisting and location of such Appraisers.
Shop Smart. This is a big purchase not only in terms of money but also in terms of emotional significance.
Good Luck!
It Is Safe To Buy Your Diamond Engagement Ring On The Internet.
According to recent statistics from comScore Networks, online sales are already up in 2006. Gian Fulgoni, comScore chairman, said in a January press release, “The 2006 year opened on a strong note, with solid growth of 33 percent in online nontravel sales versus the same period in 2005.” He went on to optimistically predict, “It’s clear based on what we’re seeing so far in 2006 that the strength in online sales will not wane anytime soon.”
According to a comScore press release: “The growth in 2006 online consumer spending follows a year of solid gains. Total online spending for the full year 2005, including travel, reached $143.2 billion, up 22 percent over 2004. Online nontravel spending in 2005 accounted for $82.3 billion, an increase of 24 percent over 2004 levels.”With this kind of money at stake, the question is not whether a business can afford to set up an online store. The question is whether a business can afford not to.
Sales of Loose Diamonds, Diamond Engagement Rings, Diamond Rings, and Wedding Bands by reputable Internet vendors are increasing at a rapid clip. Information on the Cut quality of the diamonds such as lab grading reports, photographs, and light analyses help consumers "see" the diamond on-line and provides very useful information to making an informed purchasing decision.
Keep in mind that buying your Diamond Engagement Ring through an Internet Vendor demands the same caveat Emptor and verification as does shopping with a Brick and Mortar Jeweler.
We discussed and covered several important DO'S and DON'TS just yesterday in this Blog Entry.
Buying Your Diamond in Cyberspace
To paraphrase Sy Sims: An educated consumer makes for a very good and happy customer.
Hey Guys: Can Diamonds Buy Women Love? Guess Again.
Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend. Right?! Well, fellas, not according to a survey just released by True, an on-line relationship service. They found (surprisingly?) that women value Love and a long-term committment-relationship more than diamonds and jewelry.
Read the results of their survey here: Love Or Diamonds?
Awesome Diamond Engagement Ring Testimonial!!
Here is an extremely heartfelt diamond ring testimonial that we just received from one of our customers, completely in his own words. It is testimonials like these that make our family diamond business so rewarding!
Barry,
Firstly, let me apologise for my rather lengthy silence after having promised a testamonial many months ago. I was beyond satisfied with the ring, and as a guy I can't say I've ever been very taken with jewellery of any sort nor had any previous appreciation of it, but the ring you crafted was exquisite in every respect (but I will get to that soon).
In actual fact my delayed response has probably been a good thing as its allowed me to witness just how the ring feels on my fiancee, how it looks under different light and how all different types of people seem to be awestruck by it. I realise that last comment may seem like hyberbole to someone reading your site, but I'm quite a level-headed engineer, not particularly partial to glamour...but 'awestruck' is perhaps the only factually correct word I can think of.
Perhaps I should start this at the very beginning. When I started my quest for the best diamond I could afford within my budget I started trawling through the web, and stumbled on diamondtalk.com My education began there, and all roads seemed to lead to Barry, and Excel Diamonds. Of course, I emailed and questioned numerous other sellers across the States, but no one was even close to matching the level of attention, patience and customer care provided by Barry - at all hours of the day! All my emails and little queries were replied to extremely promptly - at times I wondered if Barry ever slept! As I can only speak from my own perspective on how I sought to find the right vendor, I'll say what I was ultimately looking for was simple....INFORMATION. Before making such a purchase I wanted indepth data, graphics, photos and independent grading reports. Barry was more than willing to provide all of this (it's all on the website without even asking!), and really let the diamonds speak for themselves. I couldn't even find one vendor who even closely rivalled the willingness or ability to offer the level of service Excel Diamonds provided.
In the end I purchased a SUPERBcert Round 0.92 Carat F Super Ideal H&A SI1 diamond. As anyone who's going through buying a diamond knows you're constantly juggling the different parameters for the best overall effect, depending on your priorities. For me, my objectives were primarily brilliance and overall scintillation, then clarity and colour. Above all I wanted a fiery stone which would really sparkle. I couldn't see the inclusions at all as they were masked by the superb cut, and I couldn't have guessed that the colour was F..it was as white and colourless as I could have wanted. On top of that the cut was phenomenal. I can't describe the sparkle...it's like it's on fire...day or night, in low-light or shade. First-rate all round!
When I opened the box when the ring arrived, I was taken aback by the sheer craftsmenship. The Tiffany Classic Diamond Engagement ring in platinum was simply beautiful. I'll let my fiancee's reaction tell you about the diamond. When I proposed and opened the box, her jaw seemed to drop for a few seconds. I was expecting her to be more taken aback by the proposal, but I think the diamond was more shock-inducing! She was speechless while she was looking at the ring, but when she got her voice back she said it looked like something out of a commercial...and that it was just HUGE (and I was worrying it wasn't big enough!) She was overwhelmed for a few minutes, and even now from time to time I catch her staring at it hypnotically. This was over and above the reaction I was hoping for! So thank you, Barry, it was all down to you!
In the meantime since then, I've seen a number of people catch sight of the ring, and have them stare in amazement. Her friends are jealous, and even they stare at it for wayy to long! i just hope it's not giving other boyfriends or fiance's out there added pressure! Every time I look at it, i'm incredibly pleased I decided to go with Barry and Excel Diamonds, and I couldn't be happier with how my fiancee feels about it.
I can't thank you, Barry, enough for a truly first-class ring, and I can't recommend you highly enough either. I couldn't imagine how the service or the quality of his products could be any better, I was impressed every step of the way. I read many a testamonial like this for Barry before I found the diamond I wanted, and there's no other way to say it, every one of them was absolutely right!
Thank you for everything you've done, Barry.
Tim & Fumiko
p.s. Barry, please feel free to correct or edit any little mistakes I might have made!!
From Israel Comes The Divine Diamond
National Jeweler reports of the design of a special diamond shape that takes a page from a fiction bestseller to hopefully drive sales. This is the focus of Israeli diamond designer Shlomo Cohen, credited with developing the Princess Cut in 1982.
Now, taking the idea of the "Golden Ratio" or "Divine Proportion" popularized by author Dan Brown's phenomenally successful novel, The Da Vinci Code, Cohen has released "The Vinci Diamond," a 62-facet "pentacle" cut incorporating the Divine Proportion's precise ratios.
h its table. In the end, he met this challenge: Three pentacle shapes, conforming to the exact dimensions of the Divine Proportion, are visible.
"The completion of my work at the same time as The Da Vinci Code has enjoyed such amazing international success is a happy coincidence," Cohen said. "And, the fact a major Hollywood movie by the same name will soon be released is an added bonus."
The cut has been patented in Japan, Israel, Belgium and the United States.
Fad or a diamond design that will withstand the test of time? We have blogged on this topic previously here:
New Diamond Shapes: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?
"Promise" Her Anything, But Give Her a Diamond
Interesting article in today's GW Hatchet Newspaper discussing college guys giving their gals affordable "promise" rings instead of more expensive diamond engagement rings until they make the big bucks.
Article is here: Promise Rings
Our opinion? Promise her anything, but give her a Diamond.
Iran Affecting Diamond & Jewelry Prices.
Commodities prices roared to new peaks on Tuesday as fund buying restarted, triggered by fears over the nuclear stand-off in Iran and the impact of surging economic growth in China, investors said.
The oil market hit a new record peak, taking key industrial metals prices with it and propelling precious metals to their highest since the early 1980s.
"The fundamental factors are the intensifying of the political situation in the Mideast Gulf and the Chinese GDP figures, which got everyone back to thinking China is eating up global natural resources," a fund manager said.
China's economy is on course for growth of at least nine percent this year signalling accelerating imports of energy and raw materials.
Fears about Iran's row with the West over the country's nuclear program sparked oil's latest rise.
IPE Brent crude set a fresh high of $72.20 per barrel before falling to $72.03 at 0847 GMT.
Brent has rallied from below $60 in December, buoyed by a fresh flow of fund investment amid mounting concern over Iran and the possibility of U.S. military action against the world's fourth largest oil producer.
"If we look forward it's continued economic growth and a potentially disastrous situation in the Mideast Gulf," the fund source said.
Most commodity indexes, which between them have attracted around $80 billion of speculative investment into the markets, are weighted heavily towards oil.
Fasten Your seatbelts!
Watts & Schrieber Engaged?
Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber have reportedly become the latest celebrity couple heading for the wedding chapel after the King Kong star accepted her actor beau's marriage proposal.
The couple has been spotted shopping for engagement rings in Los Angeles.
An insider at top store Antiquarius tells America's In Touch magazine the couple were shopping for $400,000 rings earlier this month.
Mothers Love Diamonds.
Children, Mother's Day is fast approaching.
Mother knows best...when it comes to driving gift sales, as American moms are expected to motivate $13.8 billion in retail gift buying this year, finds the National Retail Federation (NRF) 2006 Mother's Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey.
Jewelry gifts are expected to account for $2.1 billion In Mother's Day sales, compared to the $1.7 billion spent on jewelry for the holiday last year. That's second only to the $2.8 billion that NRF's survey indicates will be spent taking moms out for brunch or dinner, up from the $2.2 billion shelled out for celebratory Mother's Day comestibles in 2005.
The average Mother's Day shopper expects to spend $122.16 this year, according to NRF, up from $104.63 last year. Popular gifts include: greeting cards, which 85.4 percent of respondents said they'll be giving mom this year; flowers, which 67.6 percent of respondents expect to purchase; gift certificates or gift cards, on the list for 31.9 percent of shoppers; books or CDs, which 25.8 percent plan to give; and electronics or computer-related accessories, which 6.7 percent plan on giving mom.
"Consumers certainly enjoy splurging on luxury items, such as fancy meals and jewelry, but greeting cards and flowers still remain favorite tokens of their appreciation," Phil Rist, vice president of strategy at BIGresearch (which conducts the NRF survey), said in an NRF release. "No price tag is too high when it comes to showing mom the love and appreciation she deserves."
Men are expected to spend more than women on the holiday, with the average male expected to devote at least $148.51 on mom, compared to the $97.72 women are expected to spend.
Moms aren't the holiday's only gift recipients, as 20.7 percent of respondents to NRF's survey said they'd be buying for wives this Mother's Day; 9.1 percent for daughters; 8.5 percent for grandmothers; 7 percent for sisters; 7 percent for friends; and 12.3 percent for other relatives.
Young adults, ages 18-24, are this year's big spenders, dropping $142.40 per person this Mother's Day, up from the $96.08 they put toward mom last year. Those aged 45-54 are expected to come in second, spending an average of $129.29 per person, followed by 25-34 year olds, who are projected to part with $122.39 each.
Belgian Gov't Reduces Taxes On Diamond Companies.
At the end of 2005, a new fiscal law was adopted that will make Belgium far more attractive to all companies doing business there —which means not only diamond companies, but firms from all business sectors and industries.
The principle of the new program relies on what’s been referred to as a “notional interest rate.” As of accounting year 2006, all Belgium-based companies will have the opportunity to calculate a totally fictitious interest rate on their equity. This interest rate — which is currently between 3.442 and 3.942 percent — will be deductible from the taxable profit, a measure that is likely to reduce the taxable profit of businesses to verylow levels. The effective tax burden, especially for larger capitalized companies, could drop from the usual 28 or 34 percent corporate income tax rate to the negligible figure of 6 percent in the best cases.
The new tax law does not have any stringent conditions — no employment condition, no investment condition, applicable to all companies, no limitation on activity — and will restore the balance between Antwerp and other competing diamond centers.
Kaushik Mehta of Eurostar Diamond Traders, however, has a different opinion: “It’s very good as you pay less tax. The notional interest will certainly help ease business in Belgium, but it’s still no match for Dubai, at least as far as their zero tax is concerned. Antwerp has other assets, such as a huge market, to compete with other diamond centers.”
The notional interest tax plan will also assist with respect to DeBeers Diamond Trading Company (DTC) and the Banks. The diamond industryr is typically a sector that requires large working capital and relatively small profit margins, and a substantial number of companies have capital booked as current account. Currently, this cannot be taken into consideration for the notional interest deduction and is booked as a loan. From this year onward, registration fees on capital increases of 0.5 percent are abolished and there is virtually no cost involved anymore in increasing the statutory capital. Therefore, it is useful to incorporate the loans/current accounts into statutory capital. This, of course, can substantially increase the equity of the company, which also results in an improved solvability toward third parties — this is equity against balance sheet total. Banks are, indeed, pushing diamond companies to move toward an equity of 15 percent-plus because traditionally the equity of Belgian diamond companies is very low. Also, for sightholders, DeBeers takes into consideration the financial strength of a company, which is reflected in the equity and solvability ratio.
Consequently, the larger the capital, the higher the amount of the notional interest deduction. This allows companies with larger capital to pay lower taxes on their profit and as a result have higher net profits, which, again, they can capitalize. The following year, the equity has grown with the increased net profits of the previous year on which the notional interest deduction is applicable. So, this creates a rollerball effect in which equities grow quicker and quicker and are constantly leveraged with the notional interest deduction the following year.
It’s been understood that the measure would also benefit smaller-size companies, depending on their degree of capitalization, as the law applies to all corporate entities. Percentwise, it can create the same result, but, of course, the nominal amounts are smaller.
The first cycle of the system will be completed within the year. Tax reduction is positive in that it spurs production and eventual tax revenue. The effects on consumer prices remains to be determined.
Buying Your Diamond Engagement Ring On The Internet: Why You Can't Rely On Just The "Numbers".
We have long advocated and blogged that buying a diamond on-line from an Internet vendor that does not actually have the diamond in-house can be dangerous to your psyche and pocketbook. The link is here: Buying Your Diamond On The Internet
This fact was once again driven home to us and one of our clients who requested information on two Pear shape diamonds listed on our Exceldiamonds.com website Exceldiamonds.com.
Both diamonds weighed .81 carats, were VS-1 Clarity, were graded by GIA, and had different Millimeter Measurements . One was a "D" color, the other a "G" color. How do you make a decision? Tough way to spend thosands of dollars, isn't it?
We called in both diamonds from the manufacturer and did these photographs for our client. We want you to see the dramatic visual differences between these two diamonds. Both diamonds are beautiful but uniquely different in shape and light refraction. The .81 D color has a crushed ice look with good scintillation, and is a classic "Tear-Drop" pear shape; whereas the .81 G color is much more dispersive and has what Bill Goldberg would refer to as a "sexy shape". Both diamonds are very appealing and will make for a beautiful diamond engagement ring.
There is no "right" or 'wrong" answer or decision on these two diamonds, it's entirely subjective. You won't get this information from a drop-shipper who never sees the diamonds he sells and doesn't have a clue. Might work if you're buying a cuisinart from Walmart or a book from Amazon but not diamonds which are visual.
Which Pear Shape would you buy?
Remember to Wear Your Diamond Engagement Ring When You Go Shopping Or You Could Wind Up In Jail!
From this morning's London Times:
There are many reasons why Mr Science Notebook doesn’t wear a wedding ring. Chiefly, when he tried one on, he thought it “felt funny”. He doesn’t really do bling.
I shall now have to warn him against hanging around Canadian supermarkets. For, in such places, social psychologists lurk unseen, noting the presence or absence of such jewellery among unwitting shoppers. From behind the frozen peas the psychologists have observed that people who don’t wear wedding rings are more neglectful of their charges than those wearing wedding bands.
The findings, by Andrew Harrell and colleagues at the University of Alberta, were presented at a conference this month and in a news release sensationally entitled: “Absence of wedding ring connected to parental neglect”. I can’t better the description of this utterly weird experiment, so I reprint it here . . . “862 caretaker-children combinations were furtively observed in 14 supermarkets in Edmonton. Caretaker neglect was measured according to how often the caretakers or their charges, estimated to be between one and seven years old, wandered out of sight or were more than 10ft away from each other — too far to prevent most accidents.” Leaving a kid in a trolley while dashing to a neighbouring aisle was a no-no, for example.
On average, 14 per cent of caretakers — with or without rings — lost sight of their charges at least once. But young, attractive adults without rings were particularly lax. Among women in this category, 19 per cent failed the vigilance test. Among the men, it was 25 per cent.
Dr Harrell’s conclusion? The lack of commitment to marriage, signified by unadorned fingers, extends to a laissez faire attitude to the kids. Harrell implies that these customers might have been shopping for more than just Shreddies, and might have been distracted by “an interest in establishing social, sexual or emotional ties outside of marriage . . .” And you thought that chap dithering by your trolley had just lost his way to the beer aisle!
Am I alone in finding this an excessive leap of imagination? Have you tried keeping a boisterous six-year-old within 10ft of you? Might the neglectful caretakers not have been parents? Dr Harrell’s team was not permitted to speak to shoppers, so we don’t know. That wasn’t the only methodological drawback. “A few children spotted us and would ask their parents ‘Why are those people following us?’,” Dr Harrell says. “Their carer would usually ignore them.”
If one wanted to do a serious study on whether unmarried parents are more neglectful of their children than married ones, why the supermarket espionage? After all, in the pantheon of perilous environments, the home reigns supreme. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, children regularly burn, scald or poison themselves, start fires or fall down stairs or out of windows. They are treated in A&E departments, or by GPs, both of whom have access to family records.
Dr Harrell holds his hands up: “You’re right. We had to make do with the limitations of this study but we hope to look at such things in future.” Meanwhile, he stands by the unpopular thesis that unwed couples are probably more lax than marrieds: “Sometimes the truth hurts, and if it’s predictive of injury and death, then we have to say it.”
Hey, Harrell! Why don't you turn around, bend over, and see if you're hat's on straight. You'd be better off and so would we if you drove a Taxi.
Vatche Diamond Engagement Ring
Vatche Open Gallery Shank Pear Shape Engagement ring we just had done for one our clients. Center diamond is our SuperbCert Super-Ideal, Hearts & Arrows, .85 carat F color, VS-2 Clarity.
Bluenile 1Q Profits Down 9%
On-line diamond retailer Bluenile reported first quarter profits down 9 percent on Sales that increased 15% for the period ending April 2, 2006. The number of orders rose 12 percent and the average order was about $1,482.
The cost of sales rose 15 percent to $40.33 million. Expenses related to sales and administration rose 26 percent to $7.7 million, and capital expenses nearly tripled to $608,000.
Blue Nile reported first quarter results after the bell. Shares closed down 27-cents to $33.65.
During an investor's conference call, Blue Nile CEO Mark Vadon said Blue Nile's prices were "more aggressive" in the quarter and the company had lowered diamond prices to sell more. He also cited the increasing competition and costs for keywords in Pay Per Click advertising on the major internet Search Engines; Google, Yahoo, and MSN.
Website traffic rose during the quarter and the company plans an aggressive conversion rate strategy in 2006 to drive sales. Conversion rate improvements are related to attracting more buyers per click.
SuperbCert Diamond & Vatche Ring; A Match Made in Heaven!
Here is an absolutely breathtaking diamond engagement ring set by world famous designer Vatche, just completed in the Vatche factory for one of our customers. This particular customer requested that the platinum matching wedding band be fused to the diamond engagement ring.
The diamond is our gorgeous SuperbCert 1.07 carat Super-Ideal Cut Diamond!
Check out the photos (which do not do justice)!
Diamond Sales Increasing.
Consumer drive for diamonds hasn't waned in the past decade, with the Diamond Information Center (DIC) reporting 2005 as the 10th consecutive year of retail diamond jewelry's growth in the U.S.
Diamond jewelry sales rose in 2005 to $33.7 billion, up 7 percent from $31.5 billion in 2005. In addition to the growth of overall U.S. sales, which comprise more than 50 percent of worldwide sales, transactions grew by 3 percent and average ticket prices were up by 4 percent.
Diamond Engagement Rings in The Muck!
Stunning Ideal Princess Cut Diamond in Custom Ring!
Check out this absolutely magnificent SuperbCert Princess Cut Diamond ring we just finished in a custom made diamond engagement ring for one of our customers!
The SuperbCert Diamond is our .73 G VVS2 Princess Cut Diamond! The custom mounting is made by hand in 950 platinum with approximately .60 F/G (color) VS (clarity) excellent cut quality diamonds set around the band! The band was made especially thin (2.25 mm width) per the request of our customer and was reinforced on the top where the center diamond attaches to the shank.
You will find more of these gorgeous SuperbCert Princess Cut Diamonds at our ExcelDiamonds website.
Enjoy the eye-candy!
Gay Couples Go Traditional with Engagement Rings and Bands.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Tradition is a very powerful force.
The story is here: Gay Couples Go Traditional.
Will You Consider an "I-1" Clarity Graded Diamond?
Many consumers will shy away from considering an I-1 clarity grade diamond either because of what they have seen, heard, or read. In most cases, I -1 denotes inclusions that are visible to the naked eye. Valid when it involves a mediocre cut diamond as light return to your eye is minimal due to facet mis-alignment.
On the other hand, in a finely cut diamond, light refraction through the Table and Crown facets to your eyes is significantly increased and serves to "mask" your ability to see these inclusions in the face-up position from the normal viewing distance of 8-14 inches and will be "eye-clean" and look like a VS clarity.
As a consequence an I-1 / I-2 clarity grade in a finely cut diamond can represent excellent value and allow a consumer to go up in carat weight as well as Color.
An example of an eye-clean I-1 is attached below.
Hey Girl, Show Me your Diamond Ring.
You single gals ever feel this way?
1.33 Asscher Cut Diamond Engagement Ring!!
Here is an absolutely breathtaking diamond engagement ring we just completed for one of our customers!
The diamond is an incredibly brilliant, precision cut Asscher Diamond (1.33 G VS2), set in a completely hand made Cartier reproduction diamond engagement ring setting of our own exclusive manufacture!
We put together this brilliant diamond engagement ring at practically a wholesale price!
Here are the pics!
Custom Made Diamond Engagement Ring!!
Here is a gorgeous diamond engagement ring just completed for one of our customers.
The ring is a custom made hand filigree engagement ring by master designer, Vatche (www.dvatche.com).
The diamond is one of our exclusive SuperbCert Super Ideal Cut Diamonds!!
Here is part of what the customer wrote to us upon receipt of this ring:
I got the rings yesterday right on time. It was kind of surreal looking at my rings in my car at UPS's parking lot. I can't tell you how glad I am that I went with the filigree bands - they are simply stunning. The superbcert diamond (Judah - I am very glad I went with the round-cut) is very brilliant and beautiful. Overall the rings are exactly what I wanted and pictured my wife wearing some day. I've only had a couple of opportunities to look at the rings (since my soon-to-be-fiance was around all night), but that just goes to show what a good impression they've made on me all ready!
Diamond Engagement Rings
Engagement Rings
A tremendous amount of thought and emotion goes into purchasing that dream diamond ring or brilliant diamond engagement ring.
At Exceldiamonds, we understand the fact that not all diamond rings are created equal. Indeed, it is our commitment to perfection that drives our philosophy that a diamond engagement ring is meant to be cherished and adored as a timeless piece of art.
Our incredible selection of hand crafted diamond engagement rings in classic solitaires, Tiffany solitaires, and diamond accent rings and wedding bands are meticulously crafted to withstand the tests of time.
We put you, the customer, in full control of this brilliant diamond buying experience! You can actually build your own diamond ring and are not forced to select a pre-fabricated diamond ring that someone else put together for you.
Simply browse our selection of thousands of certified loose diamonds in all shapes and sizes. These GIA certified diamonds or AGS certified diamonds are available through our website at dirt cheap, wholesale prices! You will not find the same diamond listed for less money on any other Internet website, or we will match and/or beat the price!
Choose a loose wholesale diamond first, or decide to browse and select one of our fabulous diamond engagement ring mountings first. Many of our customers like to browse our ring selections first, just to get an idea of what is out there and what is available in the latest diamond fashion trends. You will find that our extensive selection of platinum and gold and diamond engagement rings appeal to all tastes and price points.
We also create custom made, hand crafted platinum rings and engagement ring mountings for our discerning clientele.
The most popular engagement ring you will find at a local jewelry store is a classic solitaire setting. Our famous Tiffany Classic Solitaire replica engagement ring setting has already garnered praise from thousands of diamond jewelry shoppers on the Internet. There is no finer Tiffany replica available on the market today. We are confident that if you take our challenge you will agree. The Tiffany setting is just one of many custom engagement ring designs that we manufacture in our New York City Diamond factory.
We will work with your budget to assure that you get your dream diamond engagement ring at the price you can afford to pay.
Whatever your choice, our objective is to provide you with a safe and secure shopping experience for purchasing your diamond engagement rings online. With Exceldiamonds you will save both time, money, and a whole lot of aggravation with our one stop diamond and jewelry website.
Amazing Discovery: Women Who Shun Diamonds!
Incredulous but True! A new species on Planet Earth!!
Read about it Here:
Found: Women Who Don't Want Diamonds!
Tiffany Comes To Wall Street
Tiffany is going to where the money is.
The company plans to open a store inside a historic building at 37 Wall St. in fall 2007. The store will serve as the building's only retailer, occupying about 7,600 square feet on the ground floor and mezzanine, Tiffany announced Tuesday.
Skyline Developers has restored the original façade of the building, a 25-store Beaux Arts-style structure designed between 1906 and 1907 by architect Francis Kimball for the Trust Company of America. The building, one of Manhattan's first skyscrapers, remains
one of the oldest high-rises on Wall Street and will be home to 373 luxury apartments beginning this fall.
Tiffany's first store opened on lower Broadway in 1837, before moving to a larger site uptown.
The new store will carry an array of Tiffany's merchandise including diamond engagement rings; Tiffany's Celebration rings; designs by Frank Gehry, Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso and Jean Schlumberger; as well as watches, gifts and accessories.
Two Tone Classic Tiffany Solitaire Diamond Engagement Ring!
Here are a few pictures of our custom made Classic Tiffany Diamond Engagement Ring in two tone (18kt./Plat.) that we just completed for our customer with a 3 carat round brilliant diamond in the center!!!!!!
One lucky lady is going to be wearing this on her finger very soon!!!!
Our Custom Tiffany Replica Diamond Engagement Ring
3 Stone Diamond Engagement Ring
Diamond 3 stone diamond engagement rings have become increasingly popular due to an extremely effective marketing effort by DeBeers. The truth is that three stone diamond rings are incredibly beautiful and desireable in that they represent the past, present, and future.
Here is an example of one of the most popular styles of 3 stone diamond engagement rings available today. This is the 3 stone diamond truffle engagement ring manufactured by Vatche. You can look them up at www.dvatche.com.
Accent Diamond Engagement Ring
Diamond engagement rings are available in all types. You can get the classic solitaire diamond engagement ring, like the famous Tiffany Classic diamond ring. Other options include beautiful diamond accent rings of various styles, like antique diamond rings, or more contemporary tension setting diamond engagement rings with accent diamonds.
Here is an example of a diamond accent engagement ring.
The platinum mounting is by www.dvatche.com.
The Center Ideal Cut loose diamond is a branded SuperbCert Diamond by www.exceldiamonds.com
Designer Ideal Cut Diamond Engagement Ring!
Here is another beautiful diamond engagement ring that we are shipping out today for one of our customers.
This customer ordered one of our beautiful SuperbCert Super Ideal Cut Diamonds to be set in a Vatche Royal X Prong Channel Diamond setting!!
(Previoulsy, I posted pics. of the Vatche Comfort Fit Diamond channel just completed and also being shipped out today. That style features a slightly thicker shank than the Royal X prong which has a more distinctive taper where it reaches the basket. Take a look at, and compare the diamond ring photos in these two threads and you will see the differences.)
Here are a few pictures of the result...which does not do any justice to the true beauty of this diamond engagement ring!!
Survey Highlighlights Importance of Diamond and Jewelry Branding
Diamond and diamond jewelry brands continue to see increased awareness among consumers, according to a survey of 2,571 members of the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council (JCOC) conducted from May 31 to June 12.
A media release from JCOC stated the leader of the branding pack is the Zale Diamond. It remains the strongest diamond brand since the survey was last conducted in October 2004. It is followed closely by Hearts On Fire, Radiant and the Leo Diamond. While consumers say a brand name is still the least important factor in driving the diamond purchase, they acknowledge that brands are gaining importance.
Among the changes since the 2004 survey: Hearts On Fire has gained recognition in the past two years; consumers are naming more diamond brands, such as Lucida and the Princess Plus; more respondents are saying they own a branded diamond, while a smaller percentage are citing a lack of awareness for not owning one; a larger percentage of respondents say they own branded diamond jewelry such as Vera Wang, Scott Kay and Escada; and consumers say they are slightly more willing to pay higher prices for branded diamond jewelry versus two years ago.
"It's extremely difficult to establish specific brand awareness with consumers," said Elizabeth Chatelain, president of MVI Marketing Ltd., founder of JCOC, in the release. "Although consumers are more willing to pay premium prices for branded products, making a jewelry line 'stand out' is not getting any easier. With the saturation of brands in the market, a name and logo is not enough to catch consumer attention. Each brand must develop a niche, a unique selling proposition, or a product attribute demanded by consumers."
While consumers were willing to pay more for a brand, they were also deterred from purchasing branded designer jewelry because of high prices, Chatelain said.
"The key to successful product branding is to design and deliver a unique product the consumer needs and prefers to other products available," she said. "Manufacturers and retailers can help consumers come to understand what exactly branded diamonds and diamond jewelry are, and that the consumer has increased flexibility in choosing."
An Expensive Diamond Two-Timer!
The UPI reports today that a woman who dumped her fiance when she suspected he was cheating can keep her $40,000 engagement ring, a Manhattan judge has ruled.
While jilted beaus are legally entitled to get their rings back because they're considered "conditional" gifts, Brian Callahan is not, because he was still technically married to another woman when he popped the question to Clyburn Parker, state Supreme Court Justice Rolando Acosta ruled, the New York Post said.
The couple first "met" in 2001 on an online dating service that listed Callahan as "divorced."
Callahan proposed to her with a 3.41-carat diamond ring in July 2002, the newspaper said. Parker moved north to live in Callahan's Upper East Side apartment, but their relationship went south.
Callahan demanded the ring back, and sued when she said no. It was then that Parker discovered he was still married.
While Callahan's divorce was granted in June 2002 -- before they were engaged -- it didn't become official until a judge signed off on it in September of that year.
So, the screwer gets screwed. Quite expensive!
Is There A Diamond Doctor In The House?
What does a couple getting a divorce do about removing their wedding bands? Silly question you say?
Well before you say "Ripley, I don't believe it!", Read this:
I Dare You To Take My Wedding Band off My Finger!!
Memorial Service for Jewelry Designer Steven Kretchmer
A funeral service for jewelry designer Steven Kretchmer has been scheduled to take place 11 a.m. Sunday at the Lasher Funeral Chapel on 100 Tinker St. in Woodstock, N.Y.
Kretchmer, known for perfecting the art of tension-set jewelry, died in a motorcycle crash Saturday afternoon. He was 52.
A New York City memorial service is being planned for July 29, and a Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Scholarship in metallurgy is being created in Kretchmer's name.
Kretchmer, a Palenville, N.Y. resident, began making jewelry in 1969. In 1976, he received a bachelor of fine arts degree in jewelry and metalsmithing from RISD.
He then traveled to Milan, Italy, where he worked as a goldsmith, learning from master craftsmen. While in Italy, he met his future wife and business partner, Alma, and his stepdaughter, Claudia.
Fly Me To The Moon!
Beginning next year, Japanese spouses will have their love vows stored in space after buying platinum wedding rings. The move is an initiative of the Japanese arm of Platinum Guild International (PGI), a body that advocates the use of precious metal jewels, in its campaign to promote platinum wedding rings.
Reuters quotes a Japanese PGI official saying, "People do not link platinum with wedding rings the way they used to." The switch in customs is the new trend with Japanese couples, many of whom prefer simple weddings. In the past, platinum was the metal of choice among Japanese couples.
The promotion allows couples who buy a platinum wedding ring at stores involved in the promotion from August to December this year to write their vows of love on a campaign website.
All these messages accompanied with the pictures of the couples will be stored on a DVD. And a Soyuz rocket, is scheduled to to transport the heartfelt messages into space sometime next year.
Channel Set Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring
Previously, I posted pictures of two diamond engagement rings by world famous designer Vatche. I mentioned that they have two extremely popular channel set round diamond engagement rings in 18kt. gold or platinum. These are the Royal X Prong Channel Ring and the Comfort Fit X Prong Channel Ring. Although the differences between these two diamond engagement rings is subtle, there is one major difference in how the shank of these two rings are configured where it meets the basket. While the Royal X Prong diamond ring has more of a distinctive taper where it meets the center stone, the comfort fit is fatter on top without the taper. What suits your taste is a matter of personal preference. Both rings are quite beautiful and extremely sought after.
Here are pictures of the same configurations of these two Vatche diamond engagement rings...but for princess cut loose diamonds instead. Here too, you will notice the differences between both diamond rings.
Vatche Royal X Prong Diamond Channel Engagement Ring
Vatche Comfort Fit Diamond Channel Engagement Ring
Diamond Space Cadet.
Actress Mika Mifune showed off a platinum ring and a ticket for a "marriage in space" on Thursday as she participated in a campaign to send messages of love to the International Space Station.
The 23-year-old said she was happy to participate in the event, held in Takashima Times Square, in Tokyo's Shibuya-ku.
"I'm really happy," she said. I think my father (the late actor Toshiro Mifune) is in space now, and I'm sure he'll be pleased to see me happy."
The campaign, titled "Platinum Promise 2006" was planned by the International Platinum Guild, an international public relations organization for platinum jewelry. People who buy platinum engagement and wedding rings between August and December and apply through a special Web site get the chance to have vows of love for each other and photographs put onto a DVD. The messages will be blasted into space aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket in March 2007, and stored at the International Space Station. In April "space marriage certificates" will be sent to them.
Mifune was given the ticket for the No. 1 "marriage in space."
Mifune married George Takahashi, 47-year-old vocalist for the rock band The Tra-Bryu, in 1998, at the age of 16. They gave birth to a daughter, and have gained a reputation as a happily married couple.
When asked for the key to her successful marriage, Mifune said, "When we placed importance on conversation and banned the word "difficult," the bond between us grew stronger."
At the end of the event, Mifune read out the declaration of her love for her husband, which said, "I'm the happiest person in space. I'll love you for the rest of my life."
Later, she stopped by at a jewelry store in the Takashimaya Shinjuku department store and tried on a 4.4 million yen diamond platinum ring. "Buy this for me, Daddy," she begged as she faced television cameras.
It's 10 P.M: Do You Know Where Your Diamond Engagement Ring Is?
Ladies; make sure you don't lose track of your diamond jewelry. Here's why:
Loose Asscher Cut Diamond Set In A Vatche Engagement Ring
Here is an example of how beautiful an Asscher Cut Diamond looks when set in an understated, elegant solitaire engagement ring setting!!
The truth is that a well cut Asscher diamond has a life of its own and requires no jazz and filigree in the engagement ring to dress it up.
BTW, this is a diamond ring we just completed today and is being shipped to one of our customers for tomorrow delivery.
The loose diamond is a .89 D VVS2 Asscher Cut Diamond set in a stunning Royal X Prong diamond engagement ring by world famous designer, Vatche (www.dvatche.com).
Here is an actual photo of this completed diamond engagement ring for you.
Custom Made Diamond & Sapphire Halo Engagement Ring
Here is an absolutely breathtaking diamond and sapphire engagement ring just completed for a customer.
This is an incredibly up to date and in-style diamond engagement ring.
The center diamond is a 1.80 carat diamond.
The customer saw this exact setting (from a famous designer who shall be left nameless :) ) in a bridal magazine and fell in love with it.
However, to her chagrin, when she priced this ring from the designer she found the price tag to be prohibitively expensive (over $6500) .
She called us up and we began an exchange of many e-mails and phone conversations.
She cut out the photo of this ring from the magazine she saw it in and sent it to us.
We were able to manufacture a replica of this Eduardian style diamond engagement ring with superb craftsmanship and detailing in 950 platinum, at a fraction of the original price!!
The photo below is the result of our painstaking re-creation of this ring (took us about 4 1/2 weeks to build this ring in our factory).
We sourced beautiful deep blue Madagascar Sapphires for this ring and the filigree detailing (done by hand in our factory) is exquisite!
We hope you agree!
Click Here for more photos of this ring!
Leon Mege and SuperbCert Diamond Engagement Ring!
Here is an example of a beautiful custom diamond engagement ring that was hand made for a customer by master jeweler, Leon Mege.
The center Diamond is a round Super Ideal Cut, Hearts and Arrows Diamond by SuperbCert.
Zales Looking To Rebound.
Back in January 2006, Zales, a heavyweight merchant in the retail diamond and jewelry scene was reeling from its ill-conceived shift from its core customers towards a more upscale market.
Like Coca-Cola back in the '80's with its "New Coke" formula, Zales painfully discovered with its significant loss of market share that you can't abandon a classic or a business formula that had worked successfully for years.
Changing CEO's seems to have awakened Zales and made them smell the coffee.
Under new CEO Betsy Burton, Zales is getting back to what their clientele wants and has always wanted: diamond fashion rings, wedding and engagement rings, wedding bands, and bridal accessories and away from the avant garde upscale silver and gold designs.
This Holiday Shopping season which ranges from the beginning of October through Christmas will be a good indicator if Betsy Burton and Zales are back on the right track.
Knife Edge Diamond Engagement Ring by Vatche
Here is a photo of a diamond engagement ring we just completed and are shipping out today.
The center diamond is a .89 E VS2 SuperbCert Signature Ideal Cut Diamond.
The engagement ring setting is the popular X prong knife edge by Vatche.
To see more photos of this diamond ring, click HERE.
Tiffany Lucida Style Diamond Engagement Ring
Here is a picture of a beautiful diamond channel, diamond engagement ring that was manufactured by a different company and just completed for a customer. It is a bit similar to the authentic Tiffany Lucida ring but there are obvious differences, such as the accent stones and actual ring ring construction.
Tacky Engagement Ring Pictures
Diamond Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings, and Wedding bands should be things of beauty.
Ongoing discussion at Diamondtalk.com showing some really hideous rings.
The link is here: Tacky Ring Pictures
Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder.
How To Buy A Diamond Engagement Ring
Just saw this excellent article on buying a diamond engagement Ring! It's a must read.
About Scott Kay Diamond Engagement Rings
One of the stars of designer diamond engagement rings is master jeweler, Scott Kay.
Scott Kay is one of the better known designers of platinum jewelry and stunning diamond enagagement rings. While his actual designs may be very similar to other designer engagement ring manufacturers, like Tacori, Verragio, Vatche, etc....his awesome tag line is certainly unique.
I love it everytime I read it!
Check it out:
Awesome marketing!
Pave Diamond & Diamond Halo Engagement Rings Are Hot!
The fashion trend of the moment are beautiful diamond rings with intricately set (pave style) accent diamonds. Diamond halo engagement rings are also very popular! Here are some examples of these diamond engagement ring styles.
Would You Buy A Diamond Engagement Worn By A Celebrity?
Good Question. Would you be influenced?
While luxury brands are eager to get celebrities to show off their goods, the impact may be negligible, according to a new study. In fact, the survey found celebrity endorsements are twice as likely to backfire as they are to produce immediate sales results among wealthy consumers.
The Wealth Report, compiled by the Luxury Institute, finds only one percent of wealthy consumers (median income of $250,000 and net worth of $1.5 million) will buy a luxury product based on an endorsement from a celebrity. Only five percent say endorsements would increase their consideration of such purchases.
Of those surveyed, 13 percent would definitely not consider a celebrity-endorsed luxury product, and 63 percent said celebrity endorsements do not affect their decision-making at all.
But the report finds celebrity endorsements do raise awareness of luxury products and services. Of those surveyed, 18 percent said celebrity endorsements help them become aware of luxury offerings.
In terms of products, celebrities have the greatest power in promoting fashion designers, with 30 percent of those surveyed admitting celebrity influence in this category.
Who Chooses The Diamond Engagement Ring?
Here are some new stats. just in, regarding who influences the selection of your diamond engagement ring. (Stats. are taken from Cond'e Nast Bridal Group and Bridal Association of America BAA, and national jeweler official surveys)
I picked it out myself......17%
My fiancee and I selected it together...............28%
I gave guidelines to my fianc'e................11%
I gave indirect hints to my fiancee..........13%
I had no influence...........................31%
Inspired By Tiffany Diamond Engagement Ring By ExcelDiamonds.com Gets Accolades On The Internet!
The Tiffany style replica diamond engagement ring that we manufacture in our own factory, was designed to be an identical replica Tiffany engagement ring in every respect to the actual diamond enagagement ring by Tiffany.
Over the course of time, Excel Diamonds has developed a well deserved reputation on the Internet, for manufacturing the highest quality Tiffany replica engagement ring at an outstanding value.
SuperbCert Replica Tiffany Classic Engagement Ring In 950 Platinum
Here is a recent testimonial from one of the many thousands of satisfied customers of SuperbCert Diamond and Tiffany inspired diamond engagement rings.
This testimonial for the Tiffany engagement ring by ExcelDiamonds.com was placed on a very popular diamond discussion forum on the Internet. Read the testimonial here:
Cartier Diamond Engagement Ring - Reproduction. Wow!
We just finished creating an absolutely breathtaking reproduction of a classic, vintage Cartier diamond engagement ring in our N.Y.C. Diamond and jewelry factory! The ring was done in heavyweight platinum and set with 18 of the most brilliant, hand selected diamonds, with top flight color/clarity grades. We even set a dark red ruby on the inside of the shank (bezel style), per the request of the customer.
Here is one photo of this masterpiece!
Find more photos of this ring on our ExcelDiamonds.com website.
Gorgeous 3 Stone Diamond Engagement Ring!!
Here are a few pictures of a simply stunning 3 stone diamond ring we just shipped out today for one very happy customer!!
The engagement ring is by world famous ring designer, Vatche!
Why Our 'Tiffany' Replica Setting Is The Best On The Market!
We get asked this question every single day.
Our Tiffany replica engagement ring is the most popular Tiffany style ring on the Internet.
We sell more of these exclusive custom settings of our own manufacture, than any other setting by far. We have thousands of testimonials in cyberspace for our ability to manufacture the highest quality Tiffany replica engagement ring on the Internet.
There are a few companies that make a similar claim of creating a 'Tiffany' setting with the best likeness etc. These companies might even be charging a few dollars less than our asking price for our Tiffany replica.
I guess this facilitates the question of whose setting is better...and what is actually the best value for the best likeness.
Although we only promote our product based on its own merits, and our thousands of testimonials are a testament to this, it is still important to point out some clear discrepancies between the Authentic Tiffany Ring/Our Tiffany Replica vs. some of the "better" Tiffany replicas on the market.
Indeed, there are many subtle nuances that go into the perfect manufacture of a 'Tiffany' inspired setting (the most popular solitaire setting of all time) . All of these factors and variables must be accounted for in order for a true Tiffany replica engagement ring to function like the authentic Tiffany, from both a structural/quality and an aesthetic standpoint.
If you read our lengthy description regarding our exclusive Tiffany replica, you will learn about the painstaking detail that goes into re-creating this incredble ring. All of these steps are crucial, in effecting a true Tiffany replica. Take a good look at the actual photographs we provide of our Tiffany replica and compare them to the original. Can you tell the difference? Now compare them with the orginal, as well as against some of the competing "tiffany" replicas. You will see noticeable discrepancies between the original/our replica vs. the other replicas.
True, some replicas are better than others. However, in order for it to actually be indistinguishable from the original Tiffany, down to the very last detail, every minute aspect must be accounted for.
Here is a recent consumer testimonial on a popular diamond information site (www.pricescope.com), where the consumer talks a bit about his research for the best Tiffany replica.
The consumer ended up purchasing a competing Tiffany replica from a different company and went on to make the following observation:
One word of advice to those who are presently squinting at their monitors to find the “best” Tiffany replica: the setting is really, really, really small. Very obvious, yes, but I found myself getting carried away with the extreme close-up pictures. In reality, I would wager that all the “main” replicas will look identical unless you do a side-by-side comparison with a magnifying glass.
Is this really true?
You decide.
I am enclosing 1 example below of this consumers Tiffany replica next to our own.
Do you notice any distinguishable differences in these head on photos?
Take a look at our SuperbCert Tiffany Replica on top. Notice the distinctive and beautiful clawed prongs with their unique taper. See how they are tapered to the diamond without the clutter of too much metal over the top of the stone. We accomplish this by carving a concavity into the inner portion of all 6 prongs, where the loose diamond is actually held in place. Our premise (as well as Tiffany's) is for there to be minimal clutter of metal over the top of your beautiful ideal cut diamond. To this end; we also create our ring basket to the exact specifications of your diamond...no extra metal..and perfect prongs geared to your specific stone!
Now look at the competing "Tiffany" replica. Sure it's decent. However, look at the prongs. These prongs are rounded off and flat, not clawed like the actual Tiffany diamond ring. This is indeed one of the hallmarks of the Authentic Tiffany. Now you might also notice how the prongs come up over the top of the stone a bit more than is necessary...
There are many more differences....
Are they somewhat subtle? Maybe.
Are they only noticeable under a "magnifying glass"?
Certainly not.
Is it worth it for you to spend a few dollars more on these distinctive differences, in order to get a Tiffany inspired ring that is truly indestinguishable from the authentic version?
Only you can answer this question.
Remember however, "you get what you paid for".
Excel Diamonds Custom 'Tiffany' Replica Is The Best, Part 2
Yesterday, I posted a blog entry here, to address a question we get every single day regarding our incredibly popular SuperbCert Tiffany replica diamond engagement ring.
We get asked all of the time, why it is that our 'Tiffany' diamond engagement ring replica has the best feedback on the Internet amongst all Tiffany style rings for its increible likeness and identical quality to the original Tiffany ring.
In my previous entry, as well as on our product description page I spend some time outlining the many nuances, both structural and aesthetic that go into the manufacture of our exclusive Tiffany ring design. All of these factors are critical in making sure that the outcome is exactly like the original.
There are many Tiffany replica engagement rings on the market. The fact that this solitaire setting is the most classic, elegant, and popular of all time has made it the most copied design of all diamond engagement rings.
Certainly, there are some replicas that are better than others. Heck, many diamond and jewelry stores seem to think any generic, cheap 6 prong diamond setting should qualify as a "Tiffany style engagement ring".
My point was/is, if you absolutely insist on an exact likeness to the original Tiffany in terms of quality and look, you have just narrowed down your search to a mere few companies (at best) of which there are definite distinctions between their products.
It is easy for a company to say they manufacture the finest Tiffany replica engagement ring on the market.
Our company doesn't just say it. We back up the rhetoric with comprehensive photos and descriptions of this diamond ring, not to mention the plethora of testimonials in cyberspace for this ring as being indistinguishable from the original.
This brings me to point of this posting.
You may ask yourself; if the SuperbCert Tiffany replica is so darned good etc. and is of the same quality as the original...and SuperbCert talks about not settling for the cheap, "dime a dozen" imitations....then, why buy the best replica if I can buy the authentic original?
Makes sense, no?
This is a great question!
We thought long and hard about this question when we initially conducted our research for the manufacture of this exclusive creation. Our desire was to fill a specific need, not to be the best "copycat".
The problem for the untold thousands of customers who wish to purchase the authentic Tiffany diamond engagement ring is twofold:
1. The authentic Classic Tiffany platinum diamond engagement ring costs a small fortune.
2. (..and this is the kicker..) Tiffany & Co. will only sell you there classic 6 prong engagement ring solitaire when you purchase it together with one of their diamonds. They WILL NOT, under any circumstances, sell you the ring by itself.
The problem, especially with policy # 2, is that the loose diamonds sold by Tiffany, although quite beautiful and typically of ideal cut quality, are NOT the most beautiful and brilliant diamonds money can buy. They are also so prohibitively expensive that you may as well take out a mortgage to buy one.
Educated diamond consumers are well aware of the fact that they can get a more beautiful and precision cut diamond (such as a Super-Ideal Cut Diamond), elsewhere, at a far greater value. Often, this allows them to get a bigger, whiter, and cleaner diamond, for the same money (or even less), than a lesser diamond from Tiffany.
However, these customers would still like to purchase the Tiffany engagement ring, which is noted for its timeless elegance and ability to promote the beauty of a well cut center diamond.
Here is where the consumer gets stuck and a "need" created.
Sure, they would love to purchase the original Tiffany setting. They cannot do so however, without literally paying for the privillege by purchasing the diamond from Tiffany at an exorbitant premium.
These customers just want to be able to create and build the diamond engagement ring of their dreams, with the type of setting they want, the type of diamond they want, at the best possible value.
That is where our company comes in with the exclusive manufacture of our unrivaled SuperbCert Tiffany replica.
Sure, we would love to sell you one of our own Signature, Super-Ideal Cut diamonds to set in our Tiffany replica ring.
However, we make no stipulation that you purchase both the loose diamond and diamond ring setting from our company.
We are more than happy to manufacture our replica Tiffany diamond engagement ring to the exact dimensions for a diamond you already own, or one that was purchased elsewhere.
The bottom line is this;
Sometimes the very best identical replica, presents a far greater opportunity and value than the authentic original!
Asscher Cut Diamond Engagement Rings Surging!!
We have seen an incredible surge in sales of Asscher cut diamond engagement rings, so far this holiday season!
Well cut Asscher diamonds have gained tremendous popularity amongst consumers, because of their amazing brilliance and elegant facet structure.
Here is a diamond engagement ring with a center Asscher diamond that we just shipped out yesterday to one of our customers.
Who Actually Created The Famous & Classic Tiffany Diamond Engagement Ring?
While there is no argument that Tiffany has been selling the unrivaled Tiffany Diamond engagement ring for decades; the question of who actually created this timeless classic which has become a key part of the diamond culture, has been debated for quite some time.
Many historians and jewelry manufacturers point to the late master jeweler, Ferdinand J. Herpers and the firm that survived him, from about 1865 to 1900.
Ferdinand J. Herpers came to Newark in 1846 and worked as a journeyman for Durand, Carter and Company (1857-1869) and others before establishing his own small shop in 1865, where he made settings for other jewelers as well as his own complete jewelry.
He is credited for some gorgeous and important jewelry pieces, although never really known for his creation of what was to become the all-time favorite solitaire setting; the famous Tiffany Classic Engagement Ring.
Not unlike many jewelry designs and various other merchandise, certain designs and concepts never actually "take - off" until adopted by a company with brand and name recognition.
While the engagement ring by Tiffany is certainly created with a timeless elegance other solitaires can only aspire to, it did not become famous until it was successfully marketed by this world famous jewelry icon.
The Tiffany classic diamond engagement ring has become so incredibly popular throughout the ages, it has actually spawned a million copies and replicas of all types.
In fact, today, anyone who sells a cheap and generic 6 prong engagement ring, is apt to classify it as a "Tiffany style engagement ring".
While these cheap knock-offs certainly don't do justice to the authentic Tiffany ring, an attempt is still made to place the Tiffany "hallmark" on these products.
Our company manufactures a custom Tiffany Replica Diamond Engagement Ring which is viewed by many (including our several thousand customers of this specific ring since we introduced it just a few years ago..) as the highest quality Tiffany Replica engagement ring on the market.
Famous SuperbCert Signature Tiffany Replica on the finger of one happy customer!
Explore the quality and likeness of the SuperbCert 'Tiffany' inspired diamond engagement ring for yourself!
Just Completed Custom Sapphire & Diamond Engagement Ring
This beautiful ring features a deep blue (natural) Madagascar Sapphire (1.20 carats) in the center and flanked by two matching emerald cut diamonds (.60 total carats).
An exquisite ring for a discerning customer!
Here are a few pictures of the ring.
Do you agree?
For more photos of this ring click here:
What Is A 'Euro Shank' on a Diamond Ring?
I have had a few people ask me recently what a 'Euro shank' is on a diamond ring or diamond engagement ring.
'Euro', from the word European refers to the bottom portion of a ring setting that is flat instead of rounded.
You will find many of the newer diamond engagement ring designs and certainly many high end jewelry designers creating engagement rings and other ring settings with a Euro shank.
This gives the ring a certain 'look' which many people love and many people don't care much for....
Here is an example of a diamond ring by Designs by Vatche with a Euro shank.
Diamond ring by Vatche
Unique & Important Custom Diamond Engagement Ring
Check out this breathtaking diamond engagement ring we are showcasing.
Center diamond is a GIA (EX/EX) certified 2.56 F SI1 diamond.
Click on the picture above to link to our product page with additional photos of this beautiful diamond engagement ring!
Unique Ideal Cut Princess Diamond Engagement Ring Set
We recently sold a beautiful AGS-0 Ideal Cut Princess Diamond to a customer in a classic solitaire engagement ring. The customer then went and had two matching diamond bands created to sit flush against the solitaire diamond ring. He just sent us two pictures of the finished ensemble (with a nice testimonial e-mail..;)) and it looks beautful!
See for yourself:
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Hello Barry,
I just wanted to wish you a great New Year! Princess #24605 (AGS000 1.028 I IF) is just a fabulous diamond. It still takes my breath away when I see it. I have attached some pictures that you may enjoy. Post them if you would like. They are a testament of the drop-dead gorgous stones you guys have. I have not presented this to the very lucky lady yet. Maybe very soon!
Thanks so much for all your efforts!!
Sincerely,
Michael
Create A Custom Diamond Engagement Ring With CAD Technology Only at Excel Diamonds!
At ExcelDiamonds.com we have the ability to create one of a kind diamond jewelry and diamond engagement rings to mimic your exact tastes and desires. We will create the engagement ring or jewelry item of your dreams using the latest in 3-d CAD software technology. You will see your vision come to fruition before you very eyes!
Do you want a special design for your diamond engagement ring?
Perhaps a custom made wedding band to contour to and fit snugly against your engagement ring?
Whatever your choice, we can make your dream a reality!
Please take a look at our custom made diamond engagement ring section.
Here are some 3d CAD photos of an exquisite custom made wedding ring set for one of our customers. The rings being manufactured are of the popular and famous designer engagement ring line by Vatche.
Call us toll free at 866-829-8600
Or contact us at sales@exceldiamonds.com
SuperbCert -Exceldiamonds 'Tiffany' Solitaire Engagement Ring Is The Best On The Market
We just got this awesome testimonial from a customer of ours who recently purchased our famous SuperbCert-Exceldiamonds Custom 'Tiffany' Inspired Classic Solitaire Replica Diamond Engagement Ring.
This guy not only compared our SuperbCert 'Tiffany' Classic Soliatire Ring against some of the better known Tiffany replica engagement rings on the market, he actually took one of them for a test drive before returning it for a refund and purchasing our Tiffany replica engagement ring instead!
The ring he returned in favor of our own SuperbCert 'Tiffany' setting, was a 'Tiffany' inspired engagement ring by Whiteflash.com
The following testimonial was originally published on pricescope.com and is located right here.
Kudos are due to WF, BTW, for providing this customer with a beautiful diamond and excellent customer service! It's really nice to see 2 reputable diamond Internet vendors (our company & WF) working together to provide a mutual customer with an excellent shopping experience!!
Here is this gentelman's experience, completely in his own words:
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I've been laying low the last few weeks, just lurking on Pricescope. The reason for this is that I had my fiancé’s setting changed, and I was trying to avoid thinking about diamonds, her ring, settings, etc, while the ring was being redone. I’m rather thorough, so I’ve typed the full history of my ring buying experience here. If you just want to see the pictures, scroll down to the bottom. If you want to read of my experiences with SuperbCert and Whiteflash, please do… The pictures at the end are worth the wait!
As some of you know, I had a fairly lengthy search for the perfect diamond and setting. I started my search last September and finally made a decision around Christmas time… Here is the thread I posted a few days after we got engaged:
http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=55690
As the title of my thread states, I just got my ring back today from SuberbCert. I had them reset my stone with their Tiffany setting. Before I go any further, a brief history of how I got here for those unfamiliar with my story…
I had debated for months on the setting almost as much as the stone. I wanted a 6 prong Tiffany Replica, and looked closely at the SuperbCert (Excel Diamonds) setting, as well as the Whiteflash and Nice Ice Tiffany reps. The SuperbCert setting was always my first choice—I felt it was the closest match to an actual Tiffany band, and the fact that each ring was made to order really impressed me. I also like how they make the matching Tiffany eternity band. This was the combination that I’d always envisioned for my fiancé.
Anyhow, after months of kicking tires, and over analyzing things to death, I realized that I needed to go ahead and pull the trigger, or I’d miss my self-imposed New Year’s Eve deadline to propose. I looked at a few stones with Barry at SC and spoke with Whiteflash about a few stones as well. Eventually, I settled on a stone from Whiteflash (an AGS-certified, 2.37ct, E, SI1, round brilliant). At that point I’d made up my mind that whoever I bought the stone from, I was going to have Superbcert/Exceldiamonds make the setting, as theirs was clearly my favorite. Unfortunately, I soon realized that in order to get the ring in time for NYE, I was going to have to go with a single vendor. After some thought, I determined that the stone was more important than the setting. I chose my first choice of diamonds and second choice of settings, and ordered the diamond and 6 prong Tiffany setting from Whiteflash.
Before I go any further, I must preface things by saying that I could not be happier with the customer service I received from WF. Leslie and Vera were incredible at dealing with my idiotic questions, constant changing of my mind and general uncertainty of just about everything. I ordered the ring from them while I was on vacation in Hawaii, and actually faxed them the paper work from the hotel. They turned the ring around in record time, and it was waiting for us at the FedEx station in New Jersey when we got back from our trip. The ring was fabulous—and my fiancé was blown away by it the next day when I proposed to her.
However, I wasn't 100% happy with my choice of the Whiteflash 'Tiffany' setting. It’s a gorgeous setting, however, it’s just not the right setting for me. I started getting buyer’s remorse (as I frequently do when I make large purchases) and could not stop thinking that I should have bought the Superbcert setting instead. I contacted Barry at Superbcert after the New Year and told him that I had purchased the ring from WF instead, but was having second thoughts about the setting. He was understandably disappointed that I did not purchase everything from him, however, he truly surprised me when he accepted my mea culpa and agreed to set the stone I had purchased from WF in their Tiffany setting.
I was nervous about calling Whiteflash to return the setting. Like most of you, I have had a few run-ins with Best Buy or other giant retail stores, trying to exchange things. Often “no questions asked” return policies are total BS—and are generally met with disdain, dirty looks, and often the returns are rejected for some technicality. I had WF shave the band down to make it thinner and was nervous that this would disqualify me from any refund. I have to say that WF was amazing at handling my return. I called Vera directly and explained that I was very happy with the ring, but that I really wanted the Superbcert setting and was going to make the change. I also asked if WF could laser inscribe the stone for me after they unmounted it. In addition I asked that they ship the stone directly to Superbcert for me, so I wouldn’t have to pay shipping twice on the stone. Surprisingly, Vera said “no problem” to all of my ridiculous requests!? What happened next was truly impressive. I shipped the ring back to WF on Monday. They received the ring on Tuesday. They also unmounted the stone, laser inscribed it and shipped it out overnight to SC in the same day! Pretty amazing. Vera actually called the woman who does the laser inscribing into the office on her day off, so that they could make sure that they got the ring shipped out that same day! Wednesday morning I emailed Barry in NY and verified that they’d received the stone, which they had. Now it was time to wait!
I received the ring back this AM from SuperbCert, about 3.5 weeks after they’d first got it… And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait! The ring is GORGEOUS. The package arrived at my office via UPS this morning about 10 AM. I immediately drove into the city to my fiancé’s office and met her for coffee and gave her the ring back. She’s been in minor depression with the ring gone. I proposed, gave her a fantastic ring, and then took it back a week later to have the setting changed. Hah! During the last 3.5 weeks, we’ve gone to a 30th birthday party, 2 weddings, and a baby shower. What a time to be without her ring! Anyhow, we survived it and she is blown away right now!
We went to Tiffany’s after work with the guise of searching for an eternity wedding band. Their salesman asked which Tiffany’s location we purchased Lin’s engagement ring from ( I lied and told them the 57th street location in Manhattan)! I then matched it up with the Tiffany eternity setting (it fit perfectly) and even had them take out one of their 2.0ct engagement rings to “see what it looks like with a smaller stone.” With the 2 rings side by side, Lin nudged me and smiled, and the salesman remarked how my ring was much nicer than the one he took out. The stone was not only larger, but better quality. Ha! At no time did he think it wasn’t an actual Tiffany setting… shhhh
Ok, so that’s just about the end of my LONG story about my quest to find the perfect ring for my amazing fiancé. This was my first diamond buying experience on the Internet (I buy a ton of other stuff on the Internet all the time), and for some reason I was much more timid than I normally am (which is saying something). I feel incredibly fortunate to have discovered a resource like Pricescope, and had the unusual experience in working with 2 top-notch vendors in Whiteflash and SuperbCert!
Thanks to everyone that’s helped me along the way…. And now, onto the pictures!!! Oh, and sorry for the poor picture quality... I'm borrowing a friend's digital camera, since I er, misplaced my charger for mine. Oops... I'll take some better ones tomorrow, when there is some actual daylight!
How To Sell Your Diamond Engagement Ring
Did you ever find the love of your life, get engaged, proposed with a gorgeous diamond engagement ring, and subsequently broke up?
Well, for many of you who did, it is often an agonizing question of what to do with the old engagement ring. Many people who get stuck with a valuable diamond engagement ring from a previous engagement cannot psychologically and emotionally wrap their minds around the idea of recycling the diamond ring for the next woman. Indeed, both men and women share very strong feelings about not using the old engagement ring for the new gal.
Bad vibes...
Bad karma...
Recycled goods...
No sentimentality....
Whatever the motivation...the arguements to be made both ways are many and varied.....
So what do do with a diamond engagement ring you no longer have any use for???
A gentelman recently had the very same problem..
Here is what CNN reports: (CNN) — Joshua Opperman thought he’d met the woman he’d marry and spend the rest of his life with. But when they broke up a few years ago, he was left with a broken heart, an expensive ring and an idea that he’s turning into a business.
Opperman said he was depressed after the split and even more depressed when he tried to sell the engagement ring he’d spent most of his life savings on.
“I tried to sell the ring back where I bought it and they wanted to give me 32 percent back,” he said.
The 29-year-old real estate broker decided to open the online jewelry auction site “I Do … Now I Don’t” after reading an article about other people in the same predicament.
Here is the ingenious solution he came up with.
Platinum Engagement Rings.
Platinum is the Rolls-Royce of precious metals and the metal of choice for diamond engagement rings, wedding rings, and wedding bands.
Some of the World's most beautiful diamonds such as The Hope Diamond and the Star of Africa are set in Platinum. Platinum consumption has risen by more than 700% since 1990. Platinum in its pure state is too soft to work and wear as jewelry and needs to be alloyed with another metal to harden it and improve its workability.
Two excellent alloys used by American manufacturers and jewlers are iridium and ruthenium.
It is interesting to note that standards differ from country to country with European standards differing a bit from those here in the States.
Jurgen Maerz, Technical Director of the Platinum Guild, USA has put together a very informative article on Platinum, its characteristics, effect of alloys on workability, and applications to the manufacture of jewlery. The article is here:What I didn't know about Platinum
Easy to read and understand, Consumers in the market for a Platinum Engagement Ring should take a few minutes to read this article and familiarize themselves with the King of Metals.
"Pre-Owned" Diamond Engagement Rings.
Hey, Barry, what in the world are you talking about? "A Diamond is Forever"! This is Love, Honor, and Committment!
Certainly this is very true, but unfortunately relationships are not.
Over 250,000 couples got engaged this past Valentine's day but statistics show that 50% of these couples will break up or get divorced within 10 years.
So what to do with the Diamond Engagement Ring? Trying to sell it back to the Jeweler you bought it from will in the best case scenario get you 35 cents on the dollar.
Well, CBS News reports this morning that Josh Operman might just have the answer. Josh has started a webste called "I Do, Now I Don't" which is based on his own break-up experience.
Full story is here: Goodbye, My Love!
Custom Engagement Ring Design
Custom design your very own diamond engagement ring online!
Recently, I
We create our custom diamond engagement rings by working closely with our clients and listening to their ideas and thoughts about what they want. They will usually send us images, drawings and/or clippings of the engagement ring designs they had in mind.
We will then incorporate those ideas into a 3D CAD life-like animation of their vision and work with them step-by step to turn their dream into a reality.
We are also an authorized retailer for diamond engagement rings by Vatche.
Vatche also uses CAD software to create custom engagement ring designs.
Here is a photo of a recent computerized image of a custom Vatche wedding set rendered for one of our customers.
CAD renderings of proposed custom 3-stone emerald cut diamond wedding set by Designs by Vatche The "before shot"
Well, the rings were just completed in the Vatche jewelry factory (being sent to the Independent Diamond Appraiser shortly...) and here is what they look like!!
The "after shot"
Elizabeth Hurley's Gorgeous New Diamond Engagement Ring!
Chopard’s Creative Director and Co-President designed Elizabeth Hurley's engagement ring, a whopping 15.09 carat Asscher cut diamond, set in white gold and surrounded by a pave-set band, as reported by Vogue UK. Chopard also made the actress’s wedding band, a white gold ring set with 20 square-cut diamonds with a total weight of 3.91 carat.
Liz Hurley's incredible Chopard diamond engagement ring!
Hurley married Arun Nayer on Saturday. The couple picked the diamond out of the ‘Haute Joallerie’ collection at Chopard's Bond Street store.
Liz & Arun
Who Keeps the Diamond Engagement Ring if You Break Up?
A very sticky and uncomfortable situation to be sure.
Wisconsin is one of the few States that has a clear law on the books.
Read it here: It's Mine! No, It's Mine!
Whomever does wind up keeping this Diamond Engagement Ring hopes of recouping the original purchase price is but a dream. You will be lucky to get 50-60% of your original purchase price.
Gorgeous Cartier Reproduction Engagement Ring
This beautiful custom engagement ring design is a Cartier reproduction engagement ring in platinum.
The ring was created for an Asscher cut center diamond.
Can You Make A Diamond Engagement Ring out of this? Yes!
When San Francisco artist Sidney Mobell gets through with an ordinary object, it is no longer ordinary.
It glistens with gold and dazzles with rubies, diamonds and sapphires.
What about:
A 14-karat gold sardine can adorned with 55 full cut diamonds.
A solid gold mouse trap plated with a wedge of pave diamonds.
This $2 million, 23-karat gold-plated Monopoly board features 18-karat solid gold dice. It is the work of San Francisco artist Sidney Mobell and will be part of the "Jeweled Objects of Desire" exhibit at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum.
A jeweled-encrusted gold cell phone.
An 18-karat solid gold pacifier with eight round-cut diamonds.
Something everyone relates to — a jeweled Nokia cell phone.
And his most famous - a $2 million, 23-karat gold-plated Monopoly board with 18-karat solid gold dice.
Mobell's works will glitter at "Jeweled Objects of Desire," an exhibit that begins today at Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, Shreveport.
It comes here from the National Museum of Natural History's National Gem Collection, part of the Smithsonian Institution. Mobell donated 19 objects to the Smithsonian in memory of his wife, Ronni Grant Mobell, who died four and a half years ago.
It also includes work by other artists.
The exhibit is brought here through the local museum's connection with the Smithsonian's Affiliation Program, said Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne.
"The works reflect the artists' emotion, passion and character from every facet of the pieces," said Dardenne.
He suggests that museum patrons wear their one best "jewel of desire" for the reception!
The public is going to love this exhibit, said curator Mary Zimmerman.
"I am tickled to death about it," she added.
It does sound like fun.
Mobell, 80, was a fixture on the San Francisco scene as a jeweler with his own store in the Fairmont Hotel for 30 years. (He sold the store, but still has an office he reports to every day.)
"I was good," he said with confidence in a telephone interview.
He created beautiful jewelry that he sold to the cream of local and international society. Christina Onassis and Nancy Pelosi's husband have been among his customers, he said.
But it is ordinary objects turned gold that attracted attention, especially after legendary San Francisco columnist Herb Caen wrote him up.
"He wrote about me and the national media picked up," said Mobell.
Mobell is noteworthy.
He once created a gold baseball with "Giants" in diamonds written across it. And threw it out as the first ball for the game between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers at Candlestick Park on July 28, 1993.
The monopoly set is a full-size board, weighing 32 pounds and is encrusted with 165 gemstones. That includes 60 diamonds, 47 sapphires and 24 rubies. The 28 title cards are gold-plated and the tokens crafted in 18-karat solid gold, while 42 diamonds display the numbers in the dice.
It is in the "Guinness World Records 2007" as is a photo of Mobell with it and is valued at $2 million. "Most Expensive Monopoly Board" is its claim to fame.
Mobell got the idea for a sardine can while in the supermarket with his wife. His assistant of 30 years loves sardines. "My wife said, 'Let's get Ronny some sardines.' They were three for $1," said Mobell.
At home, he said, "This is going to be my next project." So he opened the lid with the key and took it the next day to his shop to have it created in 18-karat gold with 55 diamonds around the edge of the lids.
"My wife thought I was crazy," he remembered.
He made a gold fishing reel with diamonds, rubies and sapphires for a friend of his wife's who manufactures fly fishing reels.
The $100,000 reel is studded with 32 diamonds weighing 5.1 carats, 237 sapphires, and 253 rubies. The spherical inlaid design cast a kaleidoscopic effect as it spins, said Mobell.
By the way, it comes with a solid gold fish hook.
The solid gold mousetraps were first introduced on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon and seen in newspaper and magazines all over the world, said Mobell.
"I made five of those mousetraps," he said.
When the late Joan Kroc came to see Mobell, she told him she wanted a birthday gift for her husband, McDonald's founder Ray Kroc. "She said he had everything, what in the world could she give him."
"How about a solid gold mousetrap?" asked Mobell. ("You've heard the phrase, 'Build a better mousetrap,' but Ray Kroc made a better hamburger," explained Mobell.
Just the thing.
"She had it engraved, 'Happy Birthday, Ray. Thanks for catching me," remembered Mobell.
Can't afford the real thing? The Smithsonian is selling "Build A better Mousetrap..." computer mouse pad with a likeness of the gold one in a gift shop for $15, said Mobell.
Radio personalty Paul Harvey bought a hour glass that has diamonds shifting through the timer rather than sand. The glass section was constructed of scientific test tubes made for hospitals.
The hour glass is now part of the DeBeers Collection, said Mobell.
Works by other artists include a cob of corn made from gold with Chinese fresh water pearls for kernels created by John Hatleberg.
A diamond pomegranate brooch was designed and crafted by Martha Ann Gilchrist.
And, there are gemstones.
Among them: a flawless Brazilian quartz crystal ball measuring over 4.75 inches in diameter, weighing, 13.189 carats.
Is There Such A Thing As An 'Ideal Diamond Setting' or Perfect Engagement Ring?
Clients sometimes ask whether there is such a thing as an 'ideal diamond setting' or the 'perfect' diamond engagement ring.
The short answer is that a "perfect engagement ring" is the one that is perfect for you.
We all have our individual tastes and desires and there are many different styles of diamond engagement rings out there.
Some are busy, with all kinds of filigree and details, while others are subtle with graceful curves and a refined elegance.
Some people get excited over a tension setting, while others prefer the timeless look of a classic solitaire.
Some people get weak in the knees over a Tiffany engagement ring, while others think only a diamond accent engagement ring will do.
It all boils down to personal preference.
In my opinion, it is always prudent to secure a drop dead gorgeous loose diamond for your engagement ring.
Once you have done that, the objective of the ring setting is to promote the beauty of a well cut center diamond and not to detract/deflect attention away from it.
The center diamond is always supposed to remain the "center of gravity"....unless of course it looks like a piece of frozen spit..in which case you ought to get a very "busy" ring setting to take attention away from your crummy looking lifeless diamond..;-)
Here are some examples of diamond engagement ring settings.
Need a Wedding Date? Try 7/7/07
Looking for that perfect Wedding Day?
Here it is: 7/7/07. Better reserve that Wedding Hall right now and make your arrangements as this is the the most sought after date this year!
Experts anticipate that more than twice as many weddings will take place on 7/7/07 than on the corresponding weekend in 2006. This means that many couples are finding most venues and vendors booked solid. The popularity of 7/7/07 can be attributed to the symbolism associated with the number seven.
Wal-Mart agrees and is looking to cash in on the publicity.
Probably not the romantic setting most couples have in mind for tying the knot, but Wal-Mart, and G Squared, a Wal-Mart exclusive brand from Gartner Studios, are offering seven couples the chance to marry July 7, (7/7/07)-one of the most sought-after wedding dates in recent years-at local Wal-Mart Superstores.
The retail superstore will foot the bill for seven betrothed couples to wed in stores’ lawn and garden areas, in addition to receptions.
Seven "Lucky in Love Wedding Search" couples will receive wedding packages worth more than $5,000 each. The packages include the wedding ceremony and reception venues, 14 karat gold and diamond wedding bands for bride and groom, wedding invitation package, wedding and groom's cakes, l bouquets, digital cameras and digital photo frame, portable GPS, reception food, as well as a $1,000 Wal-Mart gift card.
The bride's ring will be a 14 karat Keepsake genuine diamond band, set with 11 diamonds weighing 1/8 of a carat. The groom's 14 karat Keepsake genuine band contains three diamonds weighing 1/10 of a carat.
Who woulda thunk it! Walking down the Wedding Aisle in Wal-Mart!
Times they are a 'changin.
These Diamond Engagement Rings Are Eco-Friendly.
Aimee Blanchette of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that as people continue to seek "greener" alternatives in everything from their food to transportation, more engaged couples are taking the plunge into conservation efforts for their wedding day, too.
Tim Reese, a farm supervisor for the Three Rivers Park District in Minnesota, said each year more couples inquire about what they can do to leave less environmental impact on their wedding day.
At Gale Woods Farm, a working educational farm in Minnetrista, Minn., a few couples have even served their wedding guests organic chicken and vegetables raised on the site.
Houdek and Pappenfuss: The Happy Eco-Couple.
Their re-cycled Gold Wedding bands.
They are planning to exchange vows in August at Gale Woods Farm, and their wedding plans include compostable utensils made from potatoes; organic, locally grown food; 100 percent recycled white gold wedding rings, and a solar-powered trailer to make popcorn.
The couple plan to save money by using less paper in their invitations and choosing a natural setting that requires few decorations. Papenfuss also chose a floral-printed dress that she can wear again instead of an expensive wedding dress that will be relegated to the back of her closet.
The couple even is offering guests the option to buy credits called "voluntary carbon offsets" from companies such as NativeEnergy to offset the environmental impact of their travel to attend the wedding. NativeEnergy uses the money it receives for projects that reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
"A wedding is a single event that definitely has a significant impact on the environment," said Houdek, an organizer with the Sierra Club.
"Symbolically, it's the day we start our lives together, and we don't want to do that in a way that isn't congruent with our values," Papenfuss added.
Discussions among brides about green weddings on online message boards recently prompted editors of TheKnot.com, a popular wedding Web site and magazine, to devote a recent issue and a section of the site to green weddings.
Christa Vagnozzi, senior editor of TheKnot.com, sees green weddings becoming a big trend. "It's more mainstream and people want to do more to protect each other and the environment. There's the celebrity influence, too. 'An Inconvenient Truth' and 'Blood Diamond' are about these issues."
Even daytime television is jumping at the chance to show support for the environment. "Days of Our Lives" characters Sami and Lucas will walk down the aisle in May with a story line that incorporates pesticide-free flowers and biodegradable wedding favors.
Geri Wolf, owner of the Style Laboratory, an event planning service in Minneapolis' Uptown, said the most common eco-friendly wedding requests are for organic food and flowers.
"People are wiling to pay a premium to know that their food hasn't been kissed with chemicals and herbicides," said Cynthia Olson, owner of Never Enough Thyme, a Minneapolis catering business that accommodates organic requests. Recently, Olson has also been asked to use environmentally friendly linens and detergent.
I say, Guys, Mazel Tov to both of you and if you really, really want to make an "impact" statement on Eco then I suggest that you get Al Gore to be your Best Man at the Wedding.
Gorgeous Oval Diamond Ring Design!
A recent customer of ours had us create this 3d (CAD) rendering of his proposed oval diamond engagement ring design. I think it is incredibly beautiful, as it meshes flowing lines and curves in a tension ring setting look, without the problems associated with real tension settings.
I think this schematic is brilliant and a great way to promote the beauty of a well cut oval diamond.
We are currently working on creating the real thing!!
Feel free to share your thoughts.
Build Your Diamond Engagement Ring. | How It Works.
There are many diamond and jewelry websites advertising a "build your own engagement ring" feature.
Exactly what does this mean?
Usually, this is nothing more than allowing the customer the ability to select their loose diamond and match an engagement ring setting to it, without being forced to choose a completed, or pre-fabricated engagement ring.
Although this glorified way of "building your ring" is obviously better than having to choose a pre-made engagement ring (where you need to be satisfied with all of the variables and specs. on both the stone and ring), it is nonetheless not the perfect way to actually build your very own custom engagement ring.
To find out more, watch my latest video!
Not Insuring Your Diamond Engagement Ring Is A Stupid and Dumb Mistake!
There, did I get your attention now?
It amazes me that people do not purchase insurance on their engagement rings right after they buy them.
Insurance for your loose diamond, or diamond engagement ring, should be part of your budget for the ring in the first place; that is how important it is.
You wouldn't think twice about driving your car without insurance, right?
Well, some of you will say, driving a car without insurance can get you into hot water, whereas wearing a diamond ring without insurance won't...right?
Wrong, bonehead!!
I'm not talking about getting pulled over by a cop...I'm talking about protecting your investment!!
In many cases, your car doesn't even cost as much as as your diamond engagement ring and is not nearly as easy to lose, or have stolen from you!
Your engagement ring is not only sentimental, it is also quite valuable.
Engagement rings get lost and stolen every single day.
An engagement ring can get lost or stolen just as easily when you are wearing it, as when you are not.
Unfortunately, people get mugged all of the time. People also lose their rings. Consider, you are at a fancy restaurant and you go to the sink to wash your hands. Many times you will take off the ring while you are washing up. If you would only know how many phone calls we have received over the years from devastated gals who had inadvertently left their rings behind on the sink counter after washing in a public place, only to return and find the ring lost/stolen.
A car might get lost/stolen when it is left parked in a garage or on the street. However, it is hardly a likely scenario when you are actually driving it.
Not so with an engagement ring, where it is possible for your diamond to pop out of the prongs (given the right knock on a hard surface..etc.) and be lost forever, even as you are wearing it.
An engagement ring is one of the most expensive, sentimental, valuable and memorable items you will ever own.
If you lose it, misplace it, or have it stolen, you and your spouse would be devastated.
In fact, I have (unfortunately) actually seen marriages suffer as a result of such an episode...and especially when there was no insurance coverage on the engagement ring.
This is one of the first things I instruct our clients to do after they purchase a diamond engagement ring from our company.
GET INSURANCE!
It is really not that difficult today to secure insurance on a diamond engagement ring.
Many people choose to add the coverage of the ring to their existing home owners insurance policy, as a rider or "addendum" to the plan. Others, choose to purchase a separate and entirely exclusive insurance plan for their jewelry and engagement rings.
Either way, insurance rates today on diamonds and jewelry are very competitive and there are many really good insurance companies offering comprehensive insurance policies to protect your diamond ring investment.
Speak to your insurance broker or agent to find out which policy is right for you. The insurance policy will take into account the purchase or appraised value of your diamond engagement ring and ensure that you have adequate coverage in the event of loss or theft.
To all of you who have already purchased your diamond engagement rings and have procrastinated on getting the ring insured; I implore you to do this immediately.
Believe me, I know the feeling of euphoria when you first put that beautiful diamond engagement ring on your finger. You are elated and all you wish to do is stare at that beauty all day long.......
The "mundane" task of securing insurance for the engagement ring, suddenly becomes the last thing on your mind and you push it to the recesses of your consciousness as just another item on your "to do list".
This is a HUGE MISTAKE.
G-d forbid your ring gets lost or stolen...(and it only has o happen once), you would be completely devastated.
Please take my advice and make this (insurance coverage) your second highest priority after securing your diamond engagement ring.
........Your first priority is to fall in love with the ring and express appreciation to each other for this token of your love..;-)
The Disingenuous Attack Against Diamond Engagement Rings
These articles are a bit like the herpes virus; every so often they crop up again and die down, but not before they nag the reader with a "a sour grape" and dour attitude regarding the accepted practice of giving a woman a diamond engagement ring as a symbolic token of love and one's hand in marriage.
A recent write up by Meghan O'Rourke in Slate, re-hashes the argument that giving an engagement ring is somehow sexist, patronizing and downright stupid.
"Why should an engagement ring be symbolic of a union/marriage any more than a bouquet of flowers, or something far less expensive?"
"Why should some poor guy subsiding on a "hand to mouth" salary, have to dole out 3 months of his paycheck for a diamond engagement ring as a prerequisite for his girlfriends hand in marriage??"
What does the poor shlub (the guy) get, anyway??
Why shouldn't the same "fallacy" of the engagement ring apply to him as well...and why is he left holding the proverbial bag, with 3k (or more) out of his pocket??
The real gutsy bloggers and writers who (invariably) put these disingenuous postings up for some targeted spider-food for the major search engines, will push the envelope a step further.
They will rally against the purchase of a diamond engagement ring by claiming that diamonds are "all from conflict sources" (see conflict diamonds) and that "little kids in Africa are getting their limbs cut off" so that women could enjoy the shiny diamonds they wear on their fingers.
In these predictable scenarios, polished loose diamonds, diamond engagement rings and the people who have the nerve to sell them, are all made out to be reincarnations of the devil himself.................and to what end?
Usually, to promote an entirely different agenda; not the least of which in many instances revolves around the promotion of their own blogs or website on the search engines.
Now to be completely transparent here, (just in case this wasn't already obvious to all of you readers) I also have a vested interest on this subject, being that our company is engaged in the retail sale of our loose diamonds and engagement rings.
Still, I'd like to go on record as saying that this whole approach and entire argument against buying diamond engagement rings, is of itself a crock of nonsense and one of the biggest scams going.
I will preface by saying that nobody should feel obligated to purchase a diamond engagement ring if they cannot afford one. Additionally, I think it is self understood that nobody is implying that one needs to purchase a diamond ring in order to get engaged...
First off; the argument that kids in Africa are being mutilated for these diamonds, by today's standards is a bunch of hooey. Yes, there were real problems with conflict diamonds until very recently. However, these issues have been brought to the forefront of the diamond industry by both tradespeople and consumers alike. Initiatives like the Kimberly Process and others, have ensured that diamonds are mined with the highest standards and can be guaranteed to be free from illegitimate sources and dubious origins.
Indeed, most companies selling diamonds and jewelry today, will have a clearly stated policy regarding their position on Conflict Diamonds and will usually have the ability to guarantee their diamonds against illegitimate procurement.
An excellent video tutorial on Conflict Diamonds (and what initiatives are being taken to deal with these issues) was created by Brian Gavin of Whiteflash and 'A Cut Above Diamonds'. Watch this informative video here.
The issue of Conflict diamonds has thankfully become the exception to the rule in today's marketplace.
Therefore, the scare tactics perpetrated by some of these writers, is unfortunate, misguided and incorrect.
Let's address the other angle used by some of these writers; namely, the idea that De Beers actually created a romance surrounding the gift of diamond engagement rings, which until that point had no greater social, emotional, or intrinsic value over any other functional or practical gift.
They will use this argument to support the idea that the gift of a diamond engagement ring is a market that has been "created and promoted" with all of the people who buy into it, nothing more than blind sheep drinking from the "cool aid".
This entire argument is not only an insult to the millions of consumers who have purchased diamond engagement rings as a token of their love all throughout the centuries, it is also patently untrue.
Certainly, De Beers may have had a hand in "building the engagement ring brand," so to speak. It is probably also true, that they have helped support, shape, and increase a consumer awareness in the magic and romance of proposing with a diamond engagement ring.
However, De Beers most certainly did not "create" the concept of a diamond engagement ring as the ultimate token of love and for the marriage proposal.
This "trend" if you will, predates De Beers by many centuries.
A recent blog entry on this topic by Issac at Janus thinking makes a few excellent and cogent points.
Issac says:
"The question is not whether or not whether De Beers created this market, but whether it is a ‘good’ market for those that choose to participate......
"Whether diamond engagement rings fulfill a human need - to commit, and to feel a moment of transcendence beyond our own lives…....
In short. It is. And they do.
But the luxury in these cases is not the ‘What’ of the diamond, but in the ‘Why’ of engagement. The gift is a symbol is in choosing make a personally costly commitment by giving something eternal, pure, and natural and individual…
If you can find a better symbol which is more ‘Why-level’ luxurious’ for the giver and receiver alike, then go ahead exchange it."
These are great points, in a concise and straightforward manner by an authority on "luxury products" in general and diamonds and jewelry in particular.
In the final analysis, here is what I would like to say to all the detractors of diamond engagement rings. Click on my video.
How Custom Engagement Rings & Custom Jewelry Is Created! {Pictures}
There are select companies selling engagement rings in both traditional ("Bricks & Mortar") jewelry stores, as well as Internet diamond stores, who actually have the ability to create custom diamond engagement rings to the exact tastes and parameters of their customers.
These companies utilize specialized software programs that can create a 3d rendering of an actual engagement ring, based upon certain applied variables and design elements.
The program will create an animated result with the desired diamond shape and specs., as well as any accent diamonds the customer may have indicated etc.
Once the customer is happy with the depiction of this engagement ring, final steps are taken and exact measurements and specifications applied.
An initial wax mold is then created from the final output. The mold is refined and ultimately used in the creation of the actual engagement ring in the desired precious metal type etc.
Companies who sell custom jewelry and custom engagement rings, offer this process to their customers. This is truly the finest way to turn a dream and vision into a reality!
Here is what a computerized rendering of a custom diamond engagement ring and matching diamond wedding band looks like:
Ideal Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring {Pics!}
Here is a beautiful collage of a diamond engagement ring just completed and being shipped out today for one of our customers. The diamond is one of our Signature SuperbCert princess cuts and the engagement ring setting is from Designs by Vatche.
Just thought I'd share some eye candy!
Engagement Rings By Verragio. Important Information
Verragio is a world class designer of diamond engagement rings of the highest caliber.
Verragio has garnered a stellar reputation for the quality of their rings, their impeccable attention to detail, and the unique hallmarks of their diamond settings.
One of verragio's staple hallmarks is the way that they use diamonds to accentuate the profile of the engagement ring.. They weave exquisite patterns of precious metal with ingeniously set diamonds, to a beautiful effect!
Almost no other designer of custom diamond engagement rings, does this as often and as well as Verragio.
However, I'd like to point out one very important detail to consider before purchasing a Verragio engagement ring similar to the one above.
As beautiful as the ring is, you have to decide first whether you intend to wear a wedding band or diamond eternity ring together with your engagement ring.
Keep in mind, if your desire is to wear your engagement ring and wedding band together at all times (as many women do), it almost doesn't pay for you to purchase a Verragio engagement ring of this configuration, since you will assuredly obstruct the focal point of the ring, which is the accent diamonds on the side (profile).
I've seen this scenario too often, where customers inadvertently ruin the beauty of the engagement ring by obstructing the hallmarks of the ring with the metal of the wedding band. This is because most people will opt to wear the wedding band on the outside of the engagement ring (away from the body) (it is more comfortable physically and psychologically, since it protects the engagement ring..) where it will cover the profile of the engagement ring from being visible to the viewer.
You may very well wind up quite upset if you don't make this a consideration in your deliberations.
Buying the perfect engagement ring is great!
Make sure it stays that way when you wear it together with your wedding ring or wedding band.
ExcelDiamonds' Classic Tiffany Engagement Ring Replica, Now $525!!
Since the inception of the creation of our now famous Tiffany Replica Diamond Engagement Ring, we have received accolades for this ring, from all over the Internet and have sold thousands of pieces.
We have been asked for some time whether we would be able to manufacture this exquisite Tiffany inspired engagement ring, in a less expensive precious metal than 950 platinum.
That day is finally here and we are pleased to announce that we are now manufacturing our custom Tiffany style engagement ring in Palladium!!
The price point is incredible!
Starting price for our Tiffany engagement ring in Palladium: $525
Starting price for our Tiffany engagement ring in Platinum: $1250
While the value offered for our heavyweight platinum Tiffany ring continues to be excellent and unrivaled, the Palladium option, represents a less expensive and equally stunning alternative!
My Mother In-Law's New Diamond Engagement Ring! {Pics!}
Well, my In Law's have been married for almost a quarter century now, and my Mother In Law recently decided to change her diamond engagement ring for an "updated version".
My Mother In Law has impeccable taste (she chose me..;-) and was looking for an engagement ring that would be classic/elegant and showy/substantial at the very same time.
She also wanted something "different" and removed from the classic round center diamond she had been wearing for so many years (her previous engagement ring is a 3 stone "DeBeers" round diamond engagement ring).
I suggested that we create a replica of the famous Tiffany "Legacy", Halo Engagement Ring, set with an Asscher Cut Diamond and came up with a few different mock-ups for her to consider.
In the end, she opted for this exact replica of the original Tiffany engagement ring.
We were working within a specific budget and I offered an outstandingly beautiful Asscher Cut Diamond in a GIA certified 1.50 I SI2. The SI2 inclusions cannot be seen with the naked eye and the I color faces up considerably whiter, as a result of the diamonds' excellent light performance!
The diamond also exhibits a beautiful 'windmill effect", which is quite exquisite in an Asscher Cut diamond.
We decided to manufacture the engagement ring in Palladium, which is becoming an increasingly popular and less expensive alternative to Platinum.
The engagement ring was to be set with hand selected G color VS clarity diamonds, with a total of .50 carats.
I was not overly concerned by the discrepancy between the color of the "I" graded center diamond and the G color surrounding diamond accents, due to the I color's excellent face-up appearance.
Well, we just completed the engagement ring today!
Here is the result!!
I hope she is gonna be happy when she receives this....
Pictures really don't do any justice to the beauty of this ring!
For Cowards..A Jewelry Ring Box That Will Propose For You
This company has invented this jewelry ring box that can actually propose for you!!
Too bad it cannot also photograph your girlfriends reaction ;-)
Yours for $198
Via: NJ Diamonds
Engagement Rings By Vatche. 2008 Designs Preview!!
World class designer of fine diamond engagement rings, Designs by Vatche, is now showcasing some new jaw dropping diamond rings for the upcoming 2008 season!
Vatche engagement rings 2008.
As the Authorized retailer for Vatche diamond engagement rings in New York City, we are particularly excited about some of these beautiful new engagement ring designs by Vatche!
I am confident that these new engagement rings are going to be immensely popular!
We are already accepting orders for these new diamond engagement rings and will be adding them to our website very shortly. Contact ExcelDiamonds or Designs by Vatche for more information.
Engagement Ring Gets Praise!
It's always gratifying and appreciated to get positive feedback from our Customers.
Here is an e-mail we received today from Ken C. who purchased our 1.57 G SI-1 SuperbCert Hearts & Arrows Ideal Diamond and had it set by noted Designer Mark Morrell in his beautiful "Flame" Setting.
"Hi Barry! As promised, here are some pics of my new ring. The diamond is just as you advertised and its absolutely beautiful and EYE-CLEAN!!! Thanks for all your help and i'll definitely use you guys as a referral. Mark did an absolutely amazing job, I hope you like em!!"
A Beautiful Engagement Ring We Just Completed {Pic!}
Here is a photo of a new and unique engagement ring we just completed and which we are now offering for sale on our website.
This beautiful diamond engagement ring puts a new twist on the traditional bezel set diamond engagement rings!
Should You Buy A Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring For Your Princess?
Princess Cut diamonds are very popular today and have a l@@k that differs considerably from that of the traditional round diamond shape.
What to look for?
Helpful discussion and advice going on at Diamond.Info
Princess Cut Diamond For My Princess!
A Beautiful Princess Cut Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring (Pics!)
Since we are already on the topic of beautiful princess cut diamonds and what they look like (see previous posting), why not take a gander at this gorgeous solitaire setting we just completed for a customer!
This princess cut diamond solitaire engagement ring, features a dazzling 1.51 F VS2 (GIA EX/EX) center diamond and a substantial platinum mounting with special "V" tips which are created to protect the corners of this ring setting!
Enjoy!
Beautiful Eternity Diamond Engagement Ring! {Pics!}
Here is another beautiful engagement ring just completed for a customer. The center diamond is a 1.00 G SI1 Ideal Cut Diamond. The side accent diamonds total .60 carats and are G/VS!
Beautiful Tiffany Legacy Replica Diamond Engagement Ring {Pics!}
We just completed this Tiffany Legacy Replica Engagement Ring for a customer of ours.
The ring is set with a beautiful cushion cut center diamond and is being shipped out today.
Tiffany Classic Replica Engagement Rings With 4 Prong Head
With the incredible popularity of our Tiffany Replica Diamond Engagement Rings and settings with the classic 6 prong basket, we are now looking at creating our Tiffany replica rings and engagement rings with a 4 prong basket that would resemble the basket on our Tiffany Novo Replica Diamond Engagement Ring.
Hopefully the fusion of the classic Tiffany solitaire setting replicas, with the 4 prong basket will be equally popular.
We hope to be introducing this option in the very near future.
You Want a "Prestige" Diamond Engagement Ring? Harry Winston is The "Name" You Want.
High net-worth consumers rated Harry Winston as the most prestigious jewelry brand, a recent survey conducted by the Luxury Institute found. Respondents in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey cited Harry Winston as having “a great reputation,” being “the ultimate for diamond design,” and being known for “quality and exclusivity.”
Buccellati and Van Cleef and Arpels tied for second place, while Graff placed third. Buccellati was also rated most unique and exclusive.
According to Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute, "The luxury jewelry industry is still very inwardly-focused. "This important segment of luxury can benefit from understanding how multi-millionaire consumers perceive jewelry brands on critical metrics that define what luxury truly is, and is not...True luxury leaders are unflinching in their desire to learn why consumers will, or will not, recommend their brands and then take positive action."
The survey was conducted online, using a national sample of 513 Americans with an average income of $789,000 and an average net worth of $15.1 million.
New Tiffany Legacy Inspired Engagement Ring With Sapphire and Diamond Accents
We just finished creating our new Tiffany Legacy inspired diamond engagement ring with a 2.00 carat blue sapphire in the center and sapphire and diamond accents stones! We are now offering this ring for sale on our website.
For additional pictures, pricing and information, please visit this link.
Of course, we also manufacture a custom replica of the authentic and original Tiffany Legacy engagement ring with graduated side diamonds.
Check it out and click on the photo to be taken directly to our website!
A Cushion Cut Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring (Pic)
This is a photo I just took of a solitaire cushion cut diamond engagement ring just completed today by us for one of our customers.
I wanted to share it with you.
Weird Engagement Ring
Came across this "unique" concept for a diamond engagement ring by Designer Tobias Wong shown on Yanko Design.
No Editorial comment necessary.
Engagement Rings Inspired by Ritani
We just completed this beautiful diamond engagement ring, set with an Asscher cut diamond for one of our customers. The ring is inspired by the Endless Love Designer Collection by Ritani.
Bride Calls Off Wedding Because of Greedy Fiance.
So reports The Times of India today.
The story is here: Get LOST!
Pray For Rain and Pass That Diamond Engagement Ring!
Alvin's Jewelers in Sandusky Ohio recently announced its "Pray for Rain" promotion, which promises a refund of up to $5,000 on engagement rings for couples who have at least 3/4 an inch of rain or 10 inches of snow on their wedding day.
Chad Owens, district manager of Alvin's Jewelers at the Sandusky Mall, said he's already had at least 20 couples register.
"We've got the umbrellas up in every store, and we're hoping to have quite a few winners," he said.
Would you say this promotion is all wet?
These Tiny Diamonds are not for Engagement Rings.
What is a Nanodiamond?
Nanodiamonds are made by detonating two explosive compounds, TNT and RDX, and then collecting the resulting soot - which contains diamonds approximately 4nm in size. But to make the diamonds fluoresce they have to be exposed to a high-energy electron beam from a van de Graaff accelerator, then heated to 800°C - a very costly procedure.
Now comes a new, cheaper process invented by Taiwanese chemists that makes nanaodiamonds fluoresce by bombarding them with high energy helium ions. This results in structural defects to the point that they fluorecse when hit by a laser light.
The practical applications are important. Nanodiamonds could be used as light beacons in chemotherapy by being attached to cancer cells and tumors in the body so that these medicines are more accurately delivered to the target zone.
Image showing the internalization of green fluorescent diamonds by a cancer cell.
Courtesy of RSC.org and Fann et al.
Carbon based nanodiamonds are water soluble, have good biocompatibility, and cause little inflammation. Research is ongoing to determine toxicity and how long these nanodiamonds will remain in the body before dissipating. Answers to these questions are necessary before full-scale clinical trials can begin.
When You Break Up: What To Do With Your Diamond Engagement Ring?
Good question. Both of you don't want it because of the painful memories. The guy is out the money and the gal has developed an allergic reaction to seeing or touching it.
What to do?
Here is a novel answer provided by two enterprising individuals: Take My Engagement Ring, Please!
Engagement Rings and Marriage Are Expensive!
Guys, if you thought your major expense ended with the purchase of her engagement rings, think again.
It is getting more and more expensive to get married. The wedding industry is an annual 73 billion dollar business with 2.3 million weddings in the USA alone with the average wedding costing $27852.00, a 48% increase from 1999.
More details here: Marriage Is Costly
Engagement Rings: Our Tiffany Legacy Replica With Diamonds and Blue Sapphire!
Many of you already know of our famous Tiffany engagement ring replicas, including the Tiffany Legacy Diamond Engagement Ring.
What you may not have known is that we can actually set our Tiffany legacy replica ring with a beautiful precious gemstone like this gorgeous deep blue sapphire we just set for one of our customers!
Look at this beauty!!
Center Sapphire is 2.55 carats.
Beautiful!!
Engagement Rings: Excel Diamonds Offers The Best Tiffany Legacy and Novo Replica Engagement Rings!
We now offer an extensive array of The finest Tiffany replica diamond engagement rings in addition to our already famous Tiffany Classic diamond engagement rings replica.
Check us out!
Our Newest Tiffany Novo Engagement Ring Replica Setting!
We are proud to add to our famous selection of Tiffany engagement ring replicas, with this latest replica of the Tiffany 'Novo' Classic Diamond Engagement Ring. Check out our custom made replica of this fabulous setting, with similar attention to quality, precious metal content...and of course..likeness!
Cartier Inspired 1895 Diamond Engagement Ring Style Setting
It is interesting that in the past several weeks, we have been asked by several customers to create an engagement ring styled and inspired by the famous and beautiful Cartier 1895 diamond engagement ring.
The original Cartier 1895 diamond engagement ring is an absolute all time favorite. Thus, for many consumers who cannot afford to purchase the original, we decided to manufacture our own ring which is inspired by the original.
The picture above, depicts our own engagement ring which we created and which is in the style of the original Cartier ring.
I Want My Diamond Engagement Ring Back. NOW!!
Canceling Your Wedding? Want that Diamond Engagement Ring back? Here are some tips and advice.
Canceling Your Wedding? Who Keeps The Diamond Engagement Ring?
Diamond Engagement Rings For Gay Couples.
California makes history this Tuesday June 17th when they become the second State to legalize same sex marriages.
Don't Let Your Diamond Engagement Ring "Float" Away
Insuring your Diamond Engagement Ring does not necessarily mean that you have to buy a whole new insurance policy. Most Insurance companies provide addendums to existing policies called 'floaters'.
More information here: Insuring Your Ring
Diamond Engagement Rings for Two Gay Priests
The Daily Telegraph reports that The Church of England's first homosexual wedding which recently took place under Church auspices with full traditional liturgy, rings, and wedding vows may result in the world wide break up of the Anglican Church.
More here: Church In Turmoil
A New Way To Lose Your Diamond Engagement Ring.
Remember when we were in grade school and Teacher asked us to hand in our homework and the class wise-guy responded by saying that "My dog ate my homework".
Well, The China Daily reports that a woman spoiled her boyfriends engagement proposal by eating her engagement ring.
The man surnamed Chen, a policeman from Fujian province, had hidden the diamond engagement ring inside a cake.
His girlfriend however, had no idea about it, and ended up swallowing the rock when she took a bite .
To make matters worse, she then fainted and had to be rushed to the hospital. The doctors were able to extract the ring. The woman has now accepted her beau's proposal and is happily planning her wedding.
Bon appetit
Butterfly Engagement Ring From Exceldiamonds.
We just completed this Custom "Butterfly" Ring for one of our Customers.
The ring is 18 carat white gold containing a center diamond of .70 carat, F color, VS-2 clarity, Ideal Cut graded by GIA. The side diamonds are .56 carat total weight of G Color, VS Clarity.
Our Cartier Inspired 1895 Engagement Ring Style Setting
Some time ago, I blogged here about how we have been getting many requests to create an engagement ring, styled after the famous and authentic Cartier 1895 engagement ring setting, for all those customers who were unwilling to take out a mortgage to buy an authentic Cartier engagement ring.
Well, we just completed our engagement ring inspired by the original Cartier 1895 diamond engagement ring!
Tell us what you think.
Your Engagement Rings Are Going To Get More Expensive!
The world's biggest diamond producer De Beers boosted rough diamond prices by an average of 5 percent this month, the firm said on Friday.
The price hike by the group's marketing arm, the Diamond Trading Company (DTC), came amid strong demand for diamonds in Asian emerging markets and tight supply, which led to price increases of 8.5 percent earlier this year.
A De Beers official said last month that buoyant diamond demand from China, India and the Middle East would more than offset expected slower sales in the United States, which accounts for half of the diamond jewelery market.
Coupled with steep price increases in the prices of Platinum and Gold, for many guys this might lead to downsizing the carat weight of their target diamond in order to stay within their budget.
Profiles In Courage: Fiancee gets Kidney Instead of Engagement Rings.
Today 22-year-old Demetria Valenzuela is to get a whole new lease on life rather than an engagement ring from her fiancee after he volunteered to give her a kidney.
Valenzuela has lupus and has spent nine hours on dialysis every day for the past four years. She and her beau have known each other for three of those years and have spent many evenings together watching movies.
Valenzuela's doctors told her she should ask relatives to be tested to find a compatible organ. Price volunteered to be tested and was found to be compatible. Valenzuela wants to marry, continue her education and have a child following the operation.
Does She Have To Give Back Her Diamond Engagement Ring?
The "EX" future Father-In-Law is demanding the return of her diamond engagement ring 1 year! after the relationships break-up. Does she have to return it?
What do you think?
Here is the actual true-life case: Give it Back, NOW!
Engagement Rings Too Expensive For You? Try This For Size!
Can't fool her with a Cubic Zirconia? Then try this.
Engagement Rings Under Water.
Next time you go on a boating trip make sure you check your engagement ring and other valuables into a safe and secure place.
Here's why: 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
We Are Back!! Buy Your Engagement Ring Online Today!
Work, Play, Life. Finding the right balance is key!
Well, vacation is officially over and we are back in full swing today getting out orders and accepting new orders for some of our beautiful engagement rings and wedding bands.
I really had an enjoyable time and some much needed R&R.
Orders for our Tiffany replica engagement rings are coming in fast and furious!
Get yours today :-)
Breaking Up Is Easy To Do.
Do you intend to break up with your girlfriend?
Your fear the sweaty palms, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, and queasy stomach. The screaming, crying, and hysterics.
Well guys, sweat and fret no more. Your salvation has cometh.
The Associated Press reports today that a free new phone service called Slydial will eliminate you having to have that nasty personal confrontation.
With Slydial you connect directly with another person's cellphone voice mail, bypassing the traditional ringing process that usually results in someone picking up on the other end.
You call (267) SLY-DIAL and are told to enter your girlfriends cellphone number.
After playing a short advertisement - unless you want to pay a subscription fee or 15 cents per call to skip ads - Slydial puts you directly into your target's voice mail. Then you make your break up announcement and you're hot to trot again.
Neat!
If You Love 'Em And Leave Them In Georgia, It Will Cost You A Bundle!
Story is here: Georgia On My Mind
Size Matters For Diamond Engagement Rings
We have begun noticing a recent trend which I find to be unusual given today's suffering economy.
More and more women are choosing bigger diamonds for their engagement rings.
Of the many couples who visited with us this week in our diamond showroom, approximately 45% of them were looking at diamonds totaling over 2 carats
I'm not sure exactly what is going on.....
The rich getting richer, or the poor getting poorer??
:-) :-)
Hey, I'm not complaining!
Engagement rings of prominence!
Why Is The Tiffany Classic Engagement Ring So Popular?
Famous Tiffany Classic Replica by ExcelDiamonds.com
More than any other designer engagement ring setting, the Tiffany setting has captured the hearts of millions of couples searching for the perfect engagement ring for their loose diamond.
What is it about the Tiffany six prong setting that has so captivated the masses, making it the most popular traditional solitaire diamond ring of all time?
There is more than one answer to this question. However, one in particular is the foundation for all others and is the basis of this article.
There is a very core difference in philosophy and objective between the designers of the Tiffany setting and the designers of other fashion jewelry rings like Tacori, Verragio, and Scott Kay.
Many of the manufacturers for designer engagement ring settings have the primary goal of commanding the attention of the viewer to the ring setting itself. They would like the observer to immediately notice not the center diamond but the actual engagement ring and to recognize it as their “branded” setting. To accomplish this goal they will often design ring settings that are extremely “busy” with a lot of filigree and detailing. Many of their creations also feature accent diamonds in different shapes, sizes, and configurations. These jazzed up and gaudy settings effectively overpower the center diamond and draw attention away from the diamond to the ring.
Now this is no big deal in an instance where the center round diamond is of poor to mediocre cut quality and appears dull and lifeless to the viewer. In this type of scenario, the ring setting becomes a positive diversion. However, in the case of an Ideal Cut diamond which has been crafted to achieve a high level of beauty and brilliance, it distracts the viewer from what should be the prize of the entire engagement ring ensemble; a magnificent and sparkling ideal cut diamond. ........(click on the extended entry to read more).........
Continue reading "Why Is The Tiffany Classic Engagement Ring So Popular?" »
Asscher Cut Diamond Engagement Ring Pictures
I just finished working up this Asscher Cut diamond for one of our customers.
Pretty, no?
The Finest Tiffany Channel Diamond Replica Setting On The Market!
I know...it's not nice to brag....
However, I just need to show you this fabulous Tiffany Channel Diamond Replica, we just completed and shipped out today to a (hopefully) happy customer!
When I saw this completed ring in our factory..I fell in love with it.
Of course, the size and beauty of the center diamond (can you guess) doesn't hurt either.
Accent diamonds are F/VS and are of excellent cut quality.
Check it out!
Tiffany Engagement Rings - Our New Tiffany Replica Setting!
Here are some photos of a just completed Tiffany replica engagement ring setting for one of our customers
Can A Cubic Zirconia Engagement Ring Annul a Prenup?
And give the divorced wife mucho more money in the settlement?
The Judge said NO!
Details here: Oh My! Say Can You See My Fake CZ!
Is Lindsay Lohan Engaged?
To Samantha Ronson?
Recession? Diamond Engagement Ring Sales to Hit 9 Billion by 2013!
So says The WeddingReport.com Bling-Bling, We Sing.
Engagement ring spending will total an amazing $6.1 billion in the United States in 2008, with another $2 billion in spending on wedding rings for brides and grooms.
This $8.1 billion bridal market will increase to $9.2 billion by 2013, a growth of 13.4 percent over the next five years. The majority of both engagement and wedding rings will contain diamonds with more than two-thirds of the rings being of white gold composition.
Other items in this report: Couples typically begin their engagement ring search 6 months before their wedding with ring style and budget the main factors, December is the most popular month to get engaged and Saturday the most popular day for the Guy to pop the question.
Happy Shopping!
Picture of Our Tiffany Style Wedding Ring Set!
Here is a photograph I just took today for a customer, of one of our Tiffany inspired wedding ring sets.
New Engagement Ring Inspired by Cartier 1895!
Here are a few pictures of our just completed custom Engagement Ring which is inspired by the Cartier 1895 engagement ring.
Just Completed Tiffany Inspired Legacy Ring For Oval Cut Diamond!
Here are a few photos of one of our just completed Tiffany Inspired Legacy engagement ring for an oval cut diamond!!
3 Stone Diamond Engagement Ring...AWESOME!
I just photographed 3 gorgeous loose diamonds side by side, for a customer who is interested in creating a 3 stone diamond engagement ring.
Here is the photo, I hope you like it!
Our New Inspired by Tiffany Classic Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring!!
We are proud to introduce our newest Tiffany style engagement ring!
This inspired by Tiffany engagement rings, classic princess cut solitaire, is designed to look, act and function as the original.
If our thousands of happy customers are any indication, this ring should be a winner!
Tell us what you think.
Click here to view this product online.
Scarlett Johansson Shows Off!
Her Diamond Engagement Ring.
The rest looks pretty good too.
Just Completed Tiffany Legacy Engagement Ring Inspiration! {Pics!}
Here is one of our just completed inspired by Tiffany Diamond Engagement Rings!
Specifically, this is our famous Tiffany Legacy Engagement Ring Style that we custom build to the discriminating specifications of our customers!
Pictures do not do justice to the beauty of this Tiffany diamond engagement ring replica!
Click here to view this ring online.
We Now Offer Inspired by Tiffany Novo and Tiffany Classic Engagement Rings For All Diamond Shapes!
We are now offering our famous and unrivaled Tiffany inspired replica engagement rings for all diamond shapes. We will create and set our inspired by Tiffany diamond engagement rings, with any center diamond shape you should purchase from our company!
Colored Gem Diamond Rings & Engagement Rings Are Big In 2009!!
Already, we are seeing a move in the direction of colored gems paired with diamond rings, to start 2009.
This trend covers not just promise rings and diamond rings, but even engagement rings with colored center gems are becoming popular for 2009.
We are getting requests for Tiffany Legacy Inspired diamond engagement rings, set with blue sapphires and other precious gemstones in the center.
With the economy faltering (let's hope it gets better..), people are looking to add some color to their lives!!!!
We could not agree more...take a look at this incredible eye-candy!
Our New DeBeers Inspired Forever Diamond Engagement Ring Inspiration!
We just completed this gorgeous diamond engagement ring, inspired by the classic DeBeers Forever Diamond Engagement Ring, for one of our customers.
Take a look!
Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring {Pics!}
One of our creations; a princess cut diamond engagement ring!
Excel Diamonds Quick Engagement Rings Video
I just put together this really quick engagement rings video with a cool software program I found online.
Tiffany Inspired Classic Engagement Ring Video
Just toying around with my new video uploads from this very cool website.
Take a look at this new one, featuring our unrivaled Tiffany Classic Replica Engagement Ring Setting.
Ritani 'Endless Love' Inspired Engagement Ring
Here are some pictures of an engagement ring we just completed and which is inspired by the Ritani 'Endless Love' Engagement Ring Collection.
The stones in the bezel, are yellow Sapphires.
We feature our Ritani inspired engagement ring on our website, here.
Funny Place To Put An Engagement Ring
Londons The Daily Mail reports that Reed Harris placed his girlfriend's engagement ring in a milkshake and planned to film her delight when she found it. The couple, from Farmington, New Mexico, eventually ended up at hospital where an x-ray confirmed what had happened.
Mr Harris then got down on one knee, presented his girlfriend with a copy of the scan and proposed. Luckily for him, she accepted.
'I felt nothing at all,' Miss Whipple said. 'I was racing my friends, so there was no way I was going to lose that competition.'
She said she thought Mr Harris was joking when he told her she had swallowed the ring he had placed in the milkshake.Unfortunately, Kaitlin Whipple, 20, managed to swallow the diamond band whole as she raced friends to finish their dessert at a Wendy's diner.
'I couldn't believe it,' she said. 'I kept waiting for him to get down and propose.' Two days later, the ring finally reappeared.
'It arrived this morning and I have never been so excited about my bodily functions,' Miss Whipple, who is a student, wrote on her blog.
'Haha. It's so beautiful and I love it. It was definitely well worth the wait.'
Despite the drama, Mr Harris defended his decision to put the ring in the milkshake. 'It's not that small a ring,' he said.
The couple are now planning to marry in June.
Guys, next time you go out to eat, put your jewelry away in a safe place.
Inspired by Ritani Endless Love Diamond Engagement Ring
Here are some photos of a custom made engagement ring we recently completed for one of our customers. The engagement ring was inspired by the famous 'Endless Love' Diamond engagement ring by ring designer, RITANI.
Diamond Eternity Ring to Match Tiffany Solitaire Replica
Here are 2 photos I just took of 2 of our most popular rings paired together!
Video Of Just Completed Custom Diamond Engagement Ring!
Over time, we have garnered a well deserved reputation for being an online source for the highest quality custom made diamond engagement rings, built to the discriminating specifications of our customers.
Here is a video of one of our just completed diamond engagement rings.
Enjoy!
Eric's Beautiful Custom Engagement Ring
Eternity Diamond Engagement Ring Video
Here is a video of one of our just completed eternity diamond engagement rings!
Get Your Diamond Engagement Ring Insured ASAP!
Here's why:
Age No Barrier to Diamond Engagement Ring
The story is here: A Diamond Engagement Ring At Any Age
Guys, Stay Out Of The Diamond Ring Doghouse!
J.C. Penny very popular "Beware of the Doghouse" spot won the 2009 World Retail Award for Best Digital Retail Advertising Campaign at the recent World Retail Congress held in Barcelona, Spain.
Launched in November 2008, the Doghouse campaign is centered around the Web site BewareoftheDoghouse.com, which includes a hilarious four-and-a-half minute video that serves as a warning to men who mess up by giving their wives bad gifts, like vacuum cleaners or exercise equipment.
And, as of June 16, 8,493 offenders had been banished to the doghouse. Don't join!
Inspired by Tiffany Bezet Diamond Engagement Ring
Tiffany has introduced a new engagement ring called the Tiffany 'Bezet' Diamond Engagement Ring. The Tiffany Bezet Engagement Ring, is an understated and classic bezel set solitaire diamond engagement ring, with timeless appeal. The Tiffany Bezet, is the type of engagement ring that will always be "in style" and will always withstand the tests of time.
ExcelDiamonds.com, has already garnered a stellar reputation online from thousands of happy customers who testify to the fact that nobody online manufactures higher quality Tiffany Inspired Engagement Rings on the market!
ExcelDiamonds has now introduced a beautiful Inspired By Tiffany Bezet Solitaire Engagement Ring, which is being offered at an incredibly low price. Do your homework and you will find that nobody manufactures higher quality Tiffany replicas than Excel Diamonds.
This Inspired by Tiffany Bezet Engagement Rings, is the newest in a fabulous collection of Tiffany Inspired Solitaire Settings from Excel Diamonds.com
Here, take a look at the photos and the provided link below!
