Aliciamiyares.org – The guide to all things of fashion

Do any of you remember Marilyn Monroe sexily purring “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend?” Do you have any idea what that did the engagement ring market. Guys are still paying for that statement. Sure back in the 50s women knew it wouldn’t be sensible to wear such a large engagement ring but that didn’t mean a gal couldn’t yearn for it. Today a women wouldn’t feel in the least bit guilty about wearing such a diamond, in fact there are many a women that judge how well they are loved by the size of the rock they are wearing because they “know” what Marilyn knew, that “diamonds are in fact a girls best friend.”

When we see the engagement rings worn by stars like Madonna or Catherine Zeta-Jones we take notice and their choices influence the trends that follow. Celebrities are the leaders in setting fashion and jewelry trends. Madonna with her Edwardian engagement ring and Catherine Zeta-Jones’s antique styled 10 carat diamond ring has revived the desire to own a beautiful antique engagement ring. In fact it’s one of the hottest engagement ring styles in 20 years. The size of the diamonds in current styles has also grown from the average one carat to over three carats. That’s a pretty big rock that’s going to set you back a bit. But girls know they deserve it!

If you aren’t sure whether bigger is better than have a look at the jewels at this years Oscars which are said to total over $50 million dollars in value. Wonder how many vaults it took to keep those locked up for the night? With bling being the in thing one has to stop and wonder how the heck normal average working guys plan to pay for these rings. When their fiancés are asked the standard answer is “doesn’t matter I’m worth it. That’s great if your guy is earning a 6 figure salary but wait what if he’s not. What if he’s joe average living from pay day to pay day. What should he do move into the bush and give up his home, perhaps take up walking and sell his car?
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Tags: average, carat, diamond, engagement, engagement ring, girls, guys, it’s, matter, pay, pay day, quality, ring, rock, that’s, tre, women, women wouldn’t

January – Garnet

The Romans named this deep-red stone granatum, or pomegranate, because of its resemblance to the fruit’s rare, jewel-like seeds. Symbolizing faith and courage, garnets are believed to intensify affection and nurture the imagination.

February – Amethyst

A symbol of peace since ancient times, amethyst was once used to decorate the British crown jewels. Believed to promote tranquility, the stones are revered for their soothing characteristics.

March – Aquamarine

Named from the Latin words for water and sea, aquamarines were once worn by sailors to protect against seasickness. Today, the translucent blue stone is a symbol of courage and everlasting youth.

April – Diamond

During the Italian Renaissance, diamonds came to represent divine love from the translation dio (God) and amante (love). Today, diamonds remain the ultimate symbol of everlasting devotion.

May – Emerald

Due to its rich green hue, the ancients equated emeralds with spring and prized them as symbols of rebirth. The vibrant stones are believed to quicken the intelligence as well as the heart.

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Tags: amethyst, aquamarine, birthstone, birthstone meaning, blue topaz, citrine, diamond, emerald, garnet, opal, pearl, peridot, ruby, sapphire

Platinum has become a popular choice for jewelry due to its strength, durability, and marketing efforts of the platinum industry in recent years. Platinum is three times more expensive than gold. Jewelers aggressively market it because they make three times the profit on every platinum item they sell compared to gold. Platinum is a naturally white, lustrous metal that is long lasting. Sometimes the claims of strength and scratch resistance are overstated. Like all precious metals, platinum will scratch. A platinum scratch is different from white gold because it simply “plows” the metal instead of removing it.

Traditionally, jewelry manufacturers used platinum alloyed with metals from the platinum group metals (iridium, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium). With the proper mix of these platinum group alloys, platinum becomes one of the hardest metals making it a strong and durable jewelry metal. Platinum will not rust or corrode and the platinum family metals make it hypoallergenic and ideal for persons with sensitive skin.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines for platinum jewelry state that only items consisting of 950 part per thousand of pure platinum can be marked stamped “PLATINUM” or “PLAT” without more alloy information. From 750-950 Platinum, the platinum group metals must also be indicated. For example, PLAT900IRID for 10% Iridium alloy. Historically, the most common alloys in America were 95% Platinum with 5% Ruthenium or 5% Cobalt and 90% Platinum with 10% Iridium.

There is a misperception that the 950 platinum is better than the 900 platinum. However, pure platinum is very soft and the right alloy mix is what is important. Different alloys and different percentages produce better results for different jewelry purposes. Some alloy mixes work better for casting and some are better for handcrafting like bending the prongs over fragile diamond corners. Many artisans feel that PLAT900IRID is the best general-purpose alloy for diamond rings.

While platinum is best known for its use in jewelry, more than 60% of platinum is used for other industrial purposes such as catalytic converters in autos and pacemakers in the medical field. Because of its rarity and the rapidly increasing demand for this versatile metal, the price has soared in recent years.

The high price of platinum has caused some jewelry manufacturers to start using lower percentages of platinum and to use other alloy metals to lower the cost of the jewelry. Unfortunately, these new alloy mixes are reducing the very qualities that made platinum desirable. The new alloys produce more brittle platinum that is more susceptible to damage.
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Tags: appraiser, diamond, diamond rings, jewelers, jewellery, Jewelry, jewelry shopper, platinum, precious metals

If you are still young enough to admit you have birthdays and your birthday falls in April then you already know the diamond is April’s birthstones. Celebrities who already have a love affair with diamonds are even more apt to be seen wearing diamonds if their birthday is in April. There are many April celebrities that share the diamond birthstone with you.
But did you know that the diamond is also deep in mystical powers from ancient times? It is said to enhance ones competence, trust and love relationships.

Diamonds also have a long history in their medicinal qualities. During ancient times diamonds were believed to heal illness. Diamonds were first placed into the bed to warm the diamond to enhance their healing qualities.
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Tags: april, birthstone, celebrities, celebrity, diamond, estate jewelry, opal