Posts Tagged ‘diamond rings’

In an age where machines and robots make much of what we see around us, the creation of a ring is a delicate and painstaking process that involves many steady hands. “Lost wax” casting, the technique illustrated in this video, is thousands of years old and is even mentioned in the works of Pliny the Elder. Although a machine or two make a few of the steps easier, the core process is basically unchanged.

Many stages of craftsmanship go into each and every diamond ring, and this video follows actual artisans as they create an 18 karat gold diamond ring, from its design to its casting in gold. The film is easy for a layman to follow, with clear and pleasant narration, and any new terms are immediately explained so there is no distracting jargon.

The one on one attention given to each ring is staggering in view of the volume of rings bought and sold every day, and the pride these artisans take in their work is plainly apparent. This video is a fascinating, eye-opening look into the world of fine jewelry, and it will give anyone a new appreciation of that tiny bit of gold that curls around their finger.

It could have been the fact that it was freezing outside or maybe just a case of the jitters. Regardless of the reason, Travis Pittman, a producer for KING 5 News station, popped the question to his girlfriend during a trip to the Washington Pier close to the Des Moines Marina last Saturday evening.

The setting was beautiful and everything was going well until he, on accident, lost the ring by dropping it into the Puget Sound.

The classic diamond ring was a half-carat on a white gold band with small diamonds inlaid into the band. At first, he tried to tell his bride to be, Kim Hopper, that he wanted to get married but did not have enough money to buy her the perfect diamond ring. He then proposed and presented her with the beautiful diamond ring. It did not take her long to say yes to his proposal. As he was slipping the ring onto her finger it came off and fell into the water.

Pittman is hoping that the ring is found safely and returned to him.

According to this month’s Los Angeles Times magazine, geometric shaped diamond rings are the hottest new trend in wedding rings fashion for 2010. The architectural innovative cuts of the diamonds such as the teardrop, the oval, the marquise or even the heart-shaped diamond rings are the latest attention grabbers to hit the wedding ring market.

Victoria Beckham via theantiqueengagementrings.com

The ever-fashionable, trendsetter Victoria Beckham, who’s known to own a variety of engagement rings have been spotted sporting a geometric shaped  marquise cut diamond lately. The 6-carat diamond engagement ring embraced with a trillion on each side is known to have cost over 1.8 million dollars and is alleged to be an “I’m sorry I cheated on you” gift from hubby football pro David Beckham.

Tiffany’s style engagement ring:

Seven diamonds engagement ring settings:

Wedding ring with 0.25 carat diamonds:

Princess engagement ring:Wide Tiffany replica:

Wedding or anniversary ring with side diamonds:Engagement ring with Princess side Aquamarines:Low Profile Embracing Ring:

3mm Knife Edge wedding ring with Pave set diamonds:

0.55 carat total weight pink sapphires side stones engagement ring:» More fabulous diamond rings under $999

» Mad Men’s Jewelry

Valentine’s Day is approaching and it appears that nothing can portray romance and love just quite like diamonds.
The act of giving diamonds is considered to be a symbolic act of love but the fact is that diamonds have become so largely important to our society that they are now referred to in many movies and not just as a symbol of love and romance.

Diamonds have been featured in the Hollywood cinematography as early as 1932, in the film “Night after night” when the hat-check girl remarked to the character portrayed by legendary actress Mae West “Goodness! What diamonds!” which Mae respond to by saying “Goodness have nothing to do with it, dear!”.
Ever since, the role of the diamonds began to consistently grow in Hollywood roles until the point where diamonds “grabbed’” the leading roles in several of them!
From a symbol of good wealth and romance, diamonds have also been a subject of heists and robberies in such classical movies like “To catch a thief” starring Grace Kelly and the “Pink panther”.

In the year 2000, diamonds played a leading role in the dark witty comedy by Guy Ritchie named “Snatch”. The comedy thriller told us the story of gangsters, followed by orthodox Jews, followed by Gypsies all on the pursuit for 80 carat diamonds.
Seven years later, in 2007, diamonds still had a leading role in the drama “The loss of a teardrop diamond” that revealed a story based on turmoil, romance and conflict followed by the lost of a precious diamond.

The most important movie ever made about diamonds was without a doubt the 2006 “Blood diamonds” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie is based on a true story that took place in Sierra Leone and reveals the life story of a man who made himself a key character in the conflict diamonds business.  The movie takes place during the Political unrest in Sierra Leone in 1999 and describes very accurately how conflict diamonds affected (and still affect to this day) the tense situations in Africa.
Besides playing a leading role in the awareness raising movie “blood diamonds”, DiCaprio is also a well known activist regarding the issue of conflict diamonds.

Although it’s nice and fun to have references to diamonds in comedies and thrillers as the embodiment of wealth or romance, we actually prefer the more elaborate witty thrillers and the important dramas that showcase what can happen when our lust for diamonds gets out of proportions.
Since diamonds have been following us in modern cinematography for nearly 100 years, it’s safe to presume that diamonds will continue to play leading and supporting roles in films for many years to come.
Why the Hollywood industry is so obsessed with diamonds is uncertain but what is certain is that we enjoy films with references to diamonds and we are curious towards which roles the diamonds will continue to portray in the future.

What is your favorite diamond movie?