The Wedding Ring Blog

Rock n' roll jewelry that is larger than life!

This is not really about wedding rings, but I came across this pretty cool jewelry company based in New Jersey, so I just thought that I would share. Til Death 925 features some very “rock n’ roll” jewelry designs created in sterling silver. Some of the company’s creations have been worn by the one and only Brett Michaels – the lead singer of Poison. What I really like about Til Death 925 jewelry is that it has a larger than life feel to it.

Check out this skull ring.

Here’s a pretty cool star ring. I love the clusters around the center star.

Visit TilDeath925.com to see more of their jewelry designs.

See wedding rings at Weddings and Honeymoons’ Online Bridal Expo.

Who says that a bridal show has to be an all day event? This weekend, a video and free brochure download about choosing the right metal for wedding rings, engagement rings and bridal jewelry will be made available at Weddings and Honeymoons’ Online Bridal Expo. This unique virtual event will be online May 1 and May 2nd from 11am until 3pm EST. Consumers can view specially created video brochures featuring best selling wedding ring and bridal jewelry designs. And for those interested in learning more about platinum, Platinum Guild International will have an exhibit dedicated to the most premium of all jewelry metals. Registration for this online event is free, and all you need is a computer with broadband access, the ability to view Flash animation and Internet Explorer.

Sign up for Weddings and Honeymoons’ Online Bridal Expo.

 

The Wedding Ring Blog finds its wedding blog niche.

 

I just wanted to give a big thanks to those that have shown their support lately. Over the past two years, The Wedding Ring Blog has grown from just featuring a few wedding rings from leading designs to (hopefully) being a tool to use before shopping for your wedding rings. I’ll keep digging for some of the most interesting wedding ring news and theories to keep rolling along! Cheers!

Rings, rings, rings. And more rings!

 

Here’s a collection of rings that literally can be defined as everything from “soup to nuts!” Starting with a selection of fun animal cocktail rings, and moving through more traditional engagement ring and wedding ring sets, this is a fun collection of rings.

View the featured rings on Emitations.com.

New York Times article about platinum and palladium.

The New York Times features a story about how investors are beginning to pay more attention to platinum and palladium. The price of platinum has risen nearly 40% over the past year, and the value of palladium has more than doubled. However, palladium is still a much more affordable option and a better choice over white gold if platinum is not an option. But platinum is still the premium metal for wedding bands and jewelry.

via www.palladium-wedding-bands.com

Hearts on Fire launches mobile-enabled ads that lead customers online.

 

There seems to be two types of companies that populate the wedding ring and/or jewelry industry – those that are forward-thinking and embrace new technology or ways of advertising, and all the rest. Branded diamond company Hearts on Fire is combining the benefits of bridal print ads (a captive audience that needs magazines as a research tool because the Internet is not really a truly viable or easy source to use unless you may be purchasing online) with barcodes that direct consumers online for viewing and or sharing. So I guess we can categorize Hearts on Fire as not only a “forward thinker,” but as a company that also sees the value of tying together bridal print advertising with more then just a URL. Very nice!

Read Hearts on Fire launches mobile-enabled ads on NationalJeweler.com.

Looking for silver wedding rings? Try Argentium Sterling Silver.

 

The idea of silver wedding rings is becoming more and more popular. But when considering silver as a metal for your wedding ring, you may wish to consider Argentium Sterling Silver, which is a step up from regular sterling silver. Here are some basic facts about this metal:

• Argentium Sterling Silver stays bright and beautiful for years. 
• Argentium Sterling Silver is a naturally hard metal, which lends itself to greater strength than regular sterling silver. It is durable and can be considered problem-free by most standards.
• Argentium Sterling Silver is highly tarnish resistant – so its shine is long lasting. There is no need for additional professional polishing or excessive care. Warm water and a mild detergent are all that are required to maintain its appearance. Smudges can easily be removed by using a soft dry cloth only.
• It is a “green” metal – friendly to the environment. Chemicals are not required to correct potential fire scale (or fire stain) damage to metal which sometimes occurs when metals are heated during the manufacturing process.

View wedding rings that are created with Argentium Sterling Silver.

Read another article comparing Argentium Sterling Silver to titanium.

iPad and Tungsten Wedding Bands Contest on LarsonJewelers.com.

 

So if I was about to get married, what issue might be on the very top of my mind? The possibility of buying matching tungsten wedding bands? Or that iPad that I have been keeping my eye on? A tough choice. But why decide when you don’t have to?

Larson Jewelers gives future brides and grooms the opportunity to win both! If you are an individual that craves both cutting-edge gadgets and a wedding band that looks cool and sleek, then this is the contest for you. Enter at the Larson Jewelers contest page. And hurry – a randomly drawn winner will be selected on April 23.

Win Matching Tungsten Rings and an iPad!

Read the Larson Jewelers' iPad and tungsten wedding band contest press release on PRWeb.com.

Do tungsten carbide wedding bands contain cobalt?

Here’s a very interesting question that I found on a blog today – “do tungsten carbide wedding bands from Kay Jewelers contain cobalt?” It turns out that a consumer thinks that they may have an allergic reaction to cobalt, and is trying to avoid it if they can.

And here’s part of the answer – “Just call and ask the store. As far as I know they are. Cobalt is the binder for tungsten-carbide regardless of where you buy them.”

That’s actually a very good answer, although it might also depend on the individual manufacturer of the desired tungsten wedding band. In theory, someone out there may have developed another binding agent, but it's not like they can openly sell their tungsten formula. Since there is at least at this time an exclusive limited source due to several US Patents that restrict the availability of tungsten for wedding bands (and therefore has literally a tungsten stranglehold on the jewelry industry), if they use cobalt as a binder, then most brands will have had to follow suit since many purchase from this same company and pay a distribution royalty. Yes Virginia, there is a tungsten monopoly!!!!

My advice - if you have a possible allergy, stick with a precious metal like platinum or palladium.

Read all of Do tungsten carbide wedding bands from Kay Jewelers contain cobalt?

Texas jeweler holds three day wedding ring and wedding band event.

 

The wedding planning season is in full swing, so David Gardner's Jewelers will be holding their Spring Wedding Band Event on April 8th, 9th, and 10th in College Station, Texas. For these three days, David Gardner's will be offering an incredible selection of wedding bands from all the leading designers - including Novell wedding bands. Just be sure to call 979-268-0800 for your appointment. Let David Gardner's Jewelers uniquely qualified staff help you with these last big steps before your wedding day.

Dates: April 8th, 9th, and 10th, 2010
Hours: 10am-6pm.
Location: 911 University Drive East in College Station, TX
Contact: 979-268-0800 and www.davidgardnersjewelers.com

Read more on the Novell wedding band blog.

Affordable platinum wedding rings are within reach thanks to Novell.

Just added to Novell's wedding ring website are several new platinum wedding rings that are designed to be affordable. Novell has manufactured their precious metal wedding rings and engagement rings in America for over twenty years. And all wedding rings are made to order, so you can have a design made wider, narrower, in different metals (platinum, palladium, gold) and much, much more.

Platinum is a naturally white metal that can potentially last the test of time. A platinum wedding ring or engagement ring can literally become a piece of heirloom jewelry that can remain in your family for generations. When you scratch platinum, you don't really remove much metal, so you can have your platinum wedding rings refinished to look like new over and over. Keep in mind that nearly all jewelry will show signs of wear and tear over time in some manner.

Platinum wedding band with diamonds P1909-5GC

Platinum wedding band with diamonds P1910-5GC

Platinum wedding band with diamonds P1911-5GC

Platinum wedding band P1912-6G

Platinum wedding band P1913-6G

Platinum wedding band P1914-6G

Platinum wedding band P1915-6G

Platinum wedding band P1917-6G

Platinum wedding band P1919-6G

Platinum wedding band P1920-6G

Titanium metal wedding band by Wright and Lato.

Titanium metal wedding band by Wright and Lato

Posted using ShareThis

Disagree with a few points in an article about palladium wedding rings.

   

The one thing that I can’t stand about the Internet and blogs is the ability to spread inaccuracies or lead a consumer down a wrong path with an opinion. While searching “palladium wedding bands” on Google, I found this article about palladium in the top ten results - Palladium Rings & Jewelry Versus Our Local Jewelers. It is an essay that basically explains why palladium may not be as popular as it should be. While there is some very good information about palladium within this article, there are some facts about platinum and palladium that are not necessarily true. Here are few examples that I disagree with:

"...platinum will cost tons more because of current customer awareness and popularity."

Not exactly true. Platinum is a rare and scarce metal that has other uses than with jewelry. Because it is not abundant, increased usage in the automotive industry will drive the price up. I hate to say this; but that comment to me implies that just because consumers may be buying more platinum is why the price is so high.

“Truly, this precious metal (palladium) offers customers a host of benefits that white gold and platinum can’t touch!”

I can’t agree with this comment, either. As much of a fan as I am of palladium, this comment leads me to believe that palladium is the better choice over platinum altogether. Personally, I honestly believe that palladium is the better choice over white gold if platinum is NOT an option. But platinum is the premium metal available for wedding rings, wedding bands, engagement rings and jewelry in general.

Here’s a comment that I can agree with:

“Palladium rings are both harder for jewelers to work with and on…”

I have found that many jewelers do not want to work with palladium, and shy away from it. For someone that does not have a lot of experience with palladium, it will be a tough task to repair a ring that has been created with it. One option is to request that the wedding ring or engagement ring be returned to the manufacturer for refinishing or repair. That pretty much lets the retailer off “the hook,” so make sure that you request this. All jewelry will show signs of wear and tear over time, anyway.

Read all of Palladium Rings & Jewelry Versus Our Local Jewelers.

BlueNile.com brings the 21st century to price shopping for diamonds.

   

Price shopping for diamonds has never been easier. Wedding ring and engagement ring website BlueNile.com has unveiled a mobile application for pricing diamonds while on the go. Imagine the look on your jeweler’s face when you say – “but I can get a diamond just like it for THIS!” All you need is an iPhone® or Android™.

From BlueNile.com:

Now Blue Nile's diamond search goes with you. No matter where you are, you can use your iPhone® or Android™ mobile device to compare prices, quality, and search more than 50,000 diamonds instantly to find the one that's perfect for you.

Learn more about the mobile diamond application on BlueNile.com.

Palladium has a surprise showing in Weddingbee message board poll!

  

A few months ago, a future bride on Weddingbee’s message boards asked about choosing palladium, platinum or white gold for a wedding ring. Of the 49 votes that came in, most voted for platinum with white gold a close second. But the surprise to me was palladium finishing third with 22% of the vote. Why is this percentage such a surprise? Most jewelers that I deal with complain about palladium’s low visibility, yet of this small sampling, about one out of every five voted for palladium as their choice (or at least potential choice).

Of the brides or grooms that made comments about their decision most comments are very pro-platinum. Here are a few:

"I'm getting platinum and he's getting gold. Just our personal preferences."

"Mine are platinum, but he got palladium.  Same color as platinum, half the price."

"I think it depends on the style of the band. I was told by a friend who is a jeweler that platinum gets scratched up easily, and dulls over time, which isn't a problem because you can always get it polished to get the shiny look back..."

"We ended up w/ palladium for him: lighter than white gold and platinum, doesn't have to be redipped (white gold)."

"I'd say go with platinum and avoid the whole re-plating issue that comes with white gold... "

"...I do not want to be bothered with getting my white gold re-plated every 6 months like some people have to do."

"Both my future husband and I are getting white gold."

"I'd prefer platinum but it costs so much now!  I plan on looking at palladium rings when we go wedding ring shopping." 

Visit Weddingbee to read the entire palladium vs. platinum vs. white gold thread.

Tungsten wedding ring with dragon inlay!

 

Here’s a tungsten wedding ring that is pretty eye-catching. If you are currently looking for a Celtic wedding ring – and they seem to be pretty hot right now – but also want to combine your love of dragons, then this is the wedding ring for you. It’s a tungsten wedding ring with a Celtic-dragon inlay! A wedding ring that is definitely interesting and unusual (to say the least).

Argentium vs. titanium - the benefits of two metals.

 
  
I just noticed that some traffic has been driven to The Wedding Ring Blog by the following  phrase being typed into the search engines – “argentium vs titanium.” Therefore, I decided to offer a simple explanation of the differences. Ready? Okay, because here we go!

Argentium Sterling Silver can be considered a precious metal that is new to the wedding band and wedding ring scene. It fills the price point between lower-priced titanium rings and palladium products. Argentium Sterling Silver wedding bands and wedding rings are affordable, do not tarnish easy, and can easily be cleaned with mild soap and a soft cloth. All-in-all, it is worth asking your jeweler about wedding bands and wedding rings created with Argentium Sterling Silver. In fact, Novell is one manufacturer that does currently work with this metal. Argentium Sterling Silver wedding bands and wedding rings can also be sized.

Titanium is a sleek looking man-made metal that can not be considered precious. A titanium wedding band or wedding ring can not be sized, but I have noticed that a lot of e-commerce websites and manufacturers have a liberal exchange policy. This can be because unlike a precious metal, the market value of titanium does not seem to fluctuate much due to supply and demand; more titanium can always be made. And titanium wedding bands and wedding rings are very affordable. They also wear very well. There is a lot of flexibility with designs and colors, the latter which limits precious metals in some ways. Check out the selection of titanium wedding bands and wedding rings that are available on Amazon.com so you can get a good idea of the wide variety. Or if you are looking to strictly purchase in a jewelry store, Wright and Lato carries basic titanium designs as well.

Here's the argentium vs. titanium query on UK Google that inspired this post.