My Pink Diamonds

He has popped the question. You have said “Yes!”. Before you phone the wedding planner and start searching for the perfect wedding dress, you are going to design your own engagement ring. There are many advantages to having a custom made jewelry engagement ring. Firstly, and most importantly, you will have exactly what you want, down to the finest details.
* Vintage or contemporary design. After trawling through magazines, jeweler’s windows, and possibly the net, you will probably realize that you are drawn to a particular style. Some girls make a conscious decision to have their engagement ring styled from a particular jewelry era and other girls will want the very latest style. Many contemporary designs right now are very reminiscent of the Art Deco style with the center setting or stone being square. The contemporary twist to this is to have a modern cut diamond like an Asscher style.
* Multiple stones or solitaire ring. A solitaire ring is a spectacular way to showcase a magnificent diamond. Solitaires are also great for girls who are into more simple styles. Having said this, a solitaire stone can have many varieties to the setting from understated to highly intricate. Multiple stones can be utilized in many ways. Many current styles are using smaller stones to decorate shanks and bands. Multiple diamonds can also be a great way to get a sparkling ring at a lesser cost. A solitaire diamond is nearly always going to cost more than smaller diamonds added up to a similar weight.
Various engagement ring settings:
* Bezel. This is a practical setting, enclosing the stone in metal very securely, and drawing visual attention to your stone. Some girls prefer bezel settings as claws can be more prone to catching, and getting banged or bent.
* Claws or cathedral. Claws, also known as prongs, give maximum visibility to a fantastic glittering stone, allowing light to pass through from all sides. The claws need to be substantial enough to keep the stones secure. A cathedral setting still uses claws to keep the stone firmly in place, but it also has the two sides of the ring rising up to the center setting, allowing for a more secure setting. Both claw and cathedral settings involve the center stone having a certain height or being raised from the band.
* Pave settings are a fantastic way to way to add glitter to any ring. Normally involving smaller stones that are firmly inlaid within the band, this gives a more subtle sparkle. Pave settings can be used to decorate the shanks of an engagement ring and make for beautiful settings for wedding and eternity rings.
* Channel settings involve the stones sitting down flush in a groove between the two sides of the metal. This is quite a modern setting, contrasting between metals and stones quite distinctly
* Raised or flat ring settings. Are you going to be a lady of leisure or do your hands see a lot of action? Some girls find flatter settings to be more practical for active lifestyles. However, any well built ring should be able to withstand a certain amount of living.
Saying to a custom jeweler “design my own engagement ring” is for many girls a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the engagement ring of their dreams. Custom made jewelry not only allows you to have a unique ring but to have every tiny detail finished to your requirements.

It’s gorgeous – your dream wedding dress and at last the search is over.

Ah , but what about the jewellery and the tiara to match it? Maybe you’ve never worn a tiara before and do you need a necklace , bracelet , earrings to go with it as well?

Usually the most important planning is for the dress and then the jewellery is chosen to go with it. Only occasionally as a jeweller have I met brides who have chosen their jewellery and then embarked on a search for a dress. I once spoke to a young woman who was looking for a wedding ring and I asked when her wedding was. She replied that she hadn’t met a man yet – she just fancied having the ring first – but that’s another story…

So here is a general guide to buying your wedding jewellery – of course all these guides and rules can be broken – if it feels right for you , then that’s OK.

The necklace is usually the easiest to decide on because you will already know what sort of thing you like. If the design of the dress is very elaborate , then choose a simple necklace and let the shape of the necklace follow the neckline – for instance , a “v” shaped dress looks good with a necklace. A gentle scooped neckline looks good with a round shaped necklace. An off-the-shoulder dress can look stunning with a choker or collar necklace. If the dress is more plain in style then the more elaborate the necklace can be. In this case , a matching bracelet or drop earrings can also complement the outfit. Brides with long necks can wear an elaborate necklace and long drop earrings very well. With a shorter neck , it’s best to wear necklaces a bit lower.

The tiara is the hardest to decide on – it’s not something you can wear every day as you can with the necklace , earrings and bracelet. It’s a good idea to try on as many tiaras as you can and see what suits the shape of your face. When you begin trying them on you may be surprised to discover that what you had been certain about , isn’t right for you. Generally , tall , curvy girls can look really good in a bold , large tiara and can take a tiara of 3 inches / 7 cms high. Smaller girls look best in a more dainty tiara with a height of up to 1.5″ / 3 cms.

A lot of my customers worry about how to wear a tiara , thinking there are definite rules – but there aren’t , it just depends how it looks. Most tiaras are malleable to some extent so don’t be afraid to adjust the base so that it fits more comfortably. Do you wear the tiara at the front or the back of your head? Again that’s up to you – and possibly your hairdresser to decide – but they can be held in place via a small hole in the back or even with some tiaras via a pair of plastic combs attached at the back.

If your tiara is very bold or elaborate choose a simple necklace or even omit the necklace and keep the earrings to a simple stud. This will ensure that the focal points of your dress look just right. If the necklace is highly elaborate , then perhaps a flower or comb at the back or the side of the head rather than a tiara keeps the balance just right.

Finally remember this is just a general guide and once again , rules can be broken – because once you look in the mirror and smile , you know it’s right!

To see our range of tiaras , necklaces , bracelets and earrings , visit our web site :

http://www.zinniajewellery.co.uk