Archive for April, 2010

We tend to follow our favorite celebrities, idolize them and watch their every move. Popular culture is now influenced by the lifestyle of the rich and famous, their choice of clothing and yes- even their engagements.
An engagement ring can represent more than just a personal taste- it can be the embodiment of our persona.
Which famous celebrities recent got married and what does their engagement ring might suggest? Here are our exclusive conclusions:

Scarlett Johansson- Johansson got recently engaged and married to actor Ryan Reynolds. Just like Johansson, the engagement ring decorating her finger is young, gentle and classic. Don’t be fooled by the humble look of the ring- it cost over 30k!

(From Ringenvy.com)

Katie Holmes- Holmes infamous marriage to Tom Cruise began with a very unique oval shaped diamond ring. Katie is known to have an exquisite taste when it comes to fashion and luxury, which is no surprise that her five carat engagement ring is unique. The ring has platinum rose gold settings with an antique vintage feel.

(From Ringenvy.com)

Eva Longoria- Our favorite desperate housewife recently wed NBA’s basketball player Tony Parker. Their relationships had its ups and downs but one thing is certain- Longoria’s engagement ring is absolutely stunning! Eva’s ring is almost as noticeable as she is since it’s so large and dominant. Eva sure does love luxurious pieces!

(From Ringenvy.com)

Ashley Simpson- Simpson may have been very young at the time she married Pete Wentz but it seems that when it comes to her taste in jewelry- there’s nothing juvenile about her. Her breath taking engagement ring cost a whopping 100k$ and it’s a true stunner, just like the lady who wears it.

(From Ringenvy.com)

Jessica Alba- Alba is notoriously beautiful which is why the only appropriate choice of an engagement ring for Mrs. Alba had to be the top of the top. Alba has received a stunning ring from her boyfriend Brad Cafarelli and it was a beautiful sign of commitment between the loving parents.

(From Ringenvy.com)

Beyonce- Nobody loves to live well like Jay-z which is why no one was surprised when Beyonce received a 5 million dollar ring from her beloved rapper. The ring is a Lorraine Schwartz stunner and we are convinced that this 18 carat flawless diamond is so massive that it can be seen from the moon.

(From Ringenvy.com)

Whether you’re decadent, humble or esthetic loving person- your engagement ring can reveal a lot about your nature.
We may not be able to splurge 5 million dollars on our dream engagement ring but no matter which ring you choose- always makes sure that it reflects your true character.

Unless you use the banned Nickel or the expensive Palladium alloys. “White gold” is actually yellowish Alloy that was dipped in the chrome-look Rhodium bath to cover it (see photos). This is a thin cover
Called “Flash cover” and it is only about 0.002 mm.
These jewels need maintenance once or twice a year depending on the wearing conditions.
It is a common procedure and takes 15 minutes and can be applied on any other metals that require the removal of starches and dirt!

18k “White” Gold, rough metal, not covered.

18k Gold ring after finish and Rhodium dipping.

Pure gold is too soft to hold valuables like Diamonds with claws (prongs) therefore the Gold Alloys were invented. 58.5% pure gold in any alloy will be called 14k Gold, 75% of pure Gold is 18k Gold, 24k is pure gold, %100.
Since Gold is a yellow metal “18k White gold” is an alloy of Gold (75%) and Nickel (8%) or Gold (75%) and Palladium (15%).

10 to 15% of women are allergic to Nickel released to their skin while wearing a jewel. This will result in different skin rash levels.

Metal prices as of 13th April 2010

Pure Platinum      US$ 55      per Gram.
Pure Gold           US$ 37      per Gram.
Pure Palladium    US$ 16.4    per Gram.
Nickel                  US$ 0.025  per Gram !!!

It is clearly seen that using Palladium to make the alloy white will significantly increase the price and put it close to Platinum price.
The use of Nickel is banned by countries like Switzerland and controlled by regulations in the EU community; there is yet any Nickel use regulation in the USA.
European regulations limit the amount of nickel that could be released from any item which is intended to come into prolonged and direct contact with the skin.The regulations entitled “The Dangerous Substances and Preparations (Nickel) (Safety) Regulations 2005″ clearly require that any finding component that pierces the skin may not release more than .2 micrograms of nickel per cubic centimeter per week, and that no other jewelry component release no more than .5 micrograms of nickel per cubic centimeter per week.
Nickel exposure is tested under BS EN12472 and BS EN 1811:1999. The first of these separate tests replicates two years of wear under normal use, and the second tests for subsequent exposure to nickel.
We at Diamonds-USA.com use only “Nickel free” metal alloys as required by the EU regulations.

Spring is approaching ahead in firm steps towards us and that means that we must prepare not only our bodies and minds for the warm seasons but also our wardrobe.
In recent posts we have already concluded that jewelry is an important part of every girl’s wardrobe so for the blooming season we should be prepared for all the right jewelry trends:

The romantic trend- ‘Alice in wonderland’ brought to our world not only a massive amount of merchandise but also the trend of romantic pieces.
Bows, bunnies, hearts, miniature kitchen supplies- everything goes and you can wear just about anything as a necklace or as a ring.
How to wear this trend? Well, since these pieces are so cute and trendy you can wear them with just about anything- you can go for the classic sweet look if you’re looking for an Alice total look or you can mix it up with casual pieces of clothing like a tank top and a nice pair of jeans.

(From Etsy)

The floral trend- The entire world went crazy for h&m’s garden collection and that might have launched the floral trend. What can be more appropriate for spring that patterns and shapes of roses, daises and butterflies?
We were happy to find out that our beloved floral prints are appearing not only on clothes and fabrics but also in pedants, cameos and earrings.

(From Etsy)

The Eco trend- Since spring is all about getting in touch with nature and with our environment it’s no wonder that the Eco trend is catching speed as well. Recycled pieces are all the rage not only in clothing but also in the jewelry department. Eco friendly jewelry are just as trendy and good looking asother fashion jewelry with the unique perk of being environment friendly .

(From Etsy)
Colors- when we thing of spring, pastel and almost angelic colors pop into our minds.  When spring times arrive we enjoy feeling like a butterfly ourselves and we wear lots of nude colors as well as pinks and purples. Since we enjoy wearing color so much, why shouldn’t we integrate it in our jewelry selection as well? Colorful gemstones are all the rage in the jewelry world therefore you should definitely consider adding a pink cocktail ring or a emerald pedant to your collection.

(From Marie Claire)

When it comes to applying hot trends always make sure to find your personal taste and tendencies in order to become a fashion dictator instead of a fashion victim.
Happy spring time!

Since the launch of Lady Gaga’s video with Beyonce for the hit song “Telephone” the worlds population can be divided to two groups of people- those who have seen the video and those who haven’t.
The video- filled with sponsorships, references to other famous moments in pop culture and provocations- almost made us forget that Gaga is also a brilliant style icon.

(From Boston.com)

When it comes to style, Gaga is a devoted artist – her performance cannot be completed without the right piece of jewelry.
In the 2009 VMA’s for example- Gaga decorated her impressive Jean Paul Gaultier gown with a massive tribal necklace and who can forget Gaga’s recent appearance at the amFar wearing a total look of white makeup and white pearls decorating her angelic looking face.

(From steadybloggin.com)

When it comes to jewelry Lady Gaga likes to make a splash- she only wears statement pieces such a massive gold rings and big plastic bangles.
Gaga loves to sparkle which is also why she usually integrates jewelry in her clothes like the amazing couture Armani dress she recently wore or her crystal bodysuit for the “Poker face” video.

(From bf-1.com)
If you wish to look as sparkly and as bright as Lady Gaga but not as outrageous, all you need to do is to interpret her current outfits for the “Telephone” video into wearable items that we can all use.
Take for example Lady Gaga’s risky chain outfit from the video that can be easily interpreted into a nice chain necklace that can be worn with a summer dress or with a cute top.
Who can forget Lady Gaga’s eccentric yellow tape outfit that can be interpreted into a fancy diamond ring or a yellow diamond pedant.

Making a statement like Lady Gaga is easy with the right pieces of jewelry. If you wish to make a performance gaga style, make sure you accessories yourself with a nice statement necklace or with a massive cuff bracelet.
If you wish to imitate Gaga’s fellow star in the Telephone video- Beyonce, you can accessorize yourself with a diamond Tennis bracelet just like the hot starlet did in the video.

The key to look like your favorite video vixen is by having fun with everything you wear. Make sure you choose jewelry you will enjoy and remember that nothing is as enjoyable like diamonds.