Gold ring > Ten Things You Should Know Before You Go Shopping For That Special Ring

Ten Things You Should Know Before You Go Shopping For That Special Ring

by: Richard W. Wise

Rings symbolize lasting love, but there are so many choices to navigate ? gold or platinum? An original design or an antique? ? that it?s difficult to know how to pick the best ring. Learn the criteria for purchasing a top-notch ring, and like your relationship, if it is a quality ring, it should grow richer and more beautiful with age.

If you don?t know the product, know your jeweler. What you don?t want is a pretty face in a pin-striped suit. Ask questions, and if you don?t like the answers, move on. If you are shopping for gems, seek out a Graduate Gemologist with a diploma from the Gemological Institute of America.

Today?s wedding rings are available in a variety of finishes: polished, buff and sandblasted. Will they last? In a word, no. Precious metals are relatively soft. If you buy polished and she wants buff, they will both look about the same in a couple of years.

Gold or platinum?

Manufacturers are required to label gold according to its purity. Karat is an old standard that divides into 24 parts; 10k is 39% pure, 14k is 58% pure, 18k is 75% pure, 22k is 90% pure and 24k is 100% pure gold. 18k is the aristocrat of gold. Some U. S. jewelers will often tell you it is too soft. Though an 18k ring is a tad softer than 14k, over the years it will develop a rich, buttery patina.

Platinum is not labeled in Karats but by percentage of purity. In the United States the percentage of metal must be at least 90% before a ring can be legally labeled platinum.

A platinum ring costs at least twice the price of the same ring in 14k gold. Why? Platinum has greater density; a one-inch cube of platinum weighs 40% more than an identical cube of pure gold. Platinum is currently priced at about twice the gold price because it is used 90% pure and it is more difficult to work with.

Gold is the most plastic of metals, but platinum is the more durable. However, a heavy, high-quality ring made of either metal should last for many years.

Gem set, unique design or antique?

Be careful when buying gem set rings. Many of this type are manufactured offshore. They are cast all in one piece and the prongs that hold the stones are soft. Ask your jeweler about the manufacturing process. A yellow gold ring with yellow prongs set with white diamonds should be viewed with suspicion. High-quality rings are made in two parts with tempered die-struck prongs soldered in place. For diamonds, the prongs should be white. Beware of deals that sound too good to be true. After you replace a few stones, your great deal may turn into your worst nightmare.

If you want a unique design to symbolize your unique relationship, consider a handmade original design. Think they?re too expensive? Not necessarily. Most handmade rings are made by a goldsmith and sold directly to the consumer. Most commercially-made rings pass through several hands before reaching yours, gathering mark-ups along the way. Therefore, a handmade ring may be a better value for your money and often the craftsman will do the design work for free.

Should you buy an antique ring? By definition, an antique has been around a long time. Art-Deco period rings made in the 1920?s are very popular today. When you buy an antique you become its custodian. Jewelers will usually not warranty antique pieces so be sure to check before purchasing an antique ring. And these rings were made for women who lived a less active lifestyle. Be practical! That delicate lacy design will not last long on a woman whose hobby is rock climbing!

Most of all, these rings will be the single most enduring symbol of your love. You will wear them for many years while the wedding gown gathers mothballs in your closet. Whatever rings you choose, make sure you love them!

About The Author

Richard W. Wise is a Graduate Gemologist and President of R.W. Wise, Goldsmiths, Inc. His early interest in gemstones led him to write extensively about precious stones. For more information visit his website at http://www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Role of The Druid WOW

Role of The Druid WOW

by: Hunter Crowell

Of the many different character classes in WOW, each having a different accepted role, there is one lauded as superior by those who play them, and scoffed at by those around them.
There are a few responsibilities that must be filled for a group of adventurers to succeed in a dungeon.
There must be a ?tank,? someone who gets the attention of the monsters they are attempting to kill.
A healer is important to keep the group alive.
There are damage dealers who are primarily responsible for slaying the monsters in melee or from a distance.
Characters in charge of crowd control stall certain targets to make taking down others easier.

Each class generally fills one role with ease and can switch to another if it is needed.
The Warrior, for example, is first and foremost a tank.
Warriors are given the most abilities to generate and maintain the focus...

Role of The Druid WOW

Gold ring > Role of The Druid WOW

Buying Jewelry For Your Business Part 2 Buying Sterling Silver Jewelry

Buying Jewelry For Your Business Part 2 Buying Sterling Silver Jewelry

by: Sam Serio

Whether you presently own a retail or web based business and are looking for an additional profit center or you are thinking of starting a business, jewelry is a ?no-brainer? choice for a proven product category. The buying public, (particularly women) never tires of jewelry as the choices in color, materials, finishes and styles are endless and innovations are continual. Every generation reinvents jewelry for itself in much the same way that it reinvents music and fashion. Styles change but the basic facts remain the same. If you are a seasoned professional, please consider the following a refresher course. To the new comer, use this information as a foundation for your ongoing jewelry education.

The Facts About Sterling Silver Jewelry

Sterling silver jewelry is enjoying an unprecedented popularity with today?s fashion conscious public. You know how beautiful...

Buying Jewelry For Your Business Part 2 Buying Sterling Silver Jewelry

Gold ring > Buying Jewelry For Your Business Part 2 Buying Sterling Silver Jewelry

Music to Your Eyes: Diamond and Sapphire Engagement Rings

Music to Your Eyes: Diamond and Sapphire Engagement Rings

by: Taylor Henry

Sonny and Cher, Fred and Ginger, chocolate and peanut butter...some things are just meant to go together. And diamonds and sapphires are no exception. With so many choices, a diamond and sapphire engagement and wedding ring set can go down in your personal history with as much romance and excitement as Antony and Cleopatra...with a much happier ending, of course!

No need for the blues, with sapphires you can branch out into a variety of melodies. While sapphires are usually associated with the deep blue only a sapphire can exude, sapphires cover a large portion of the rainbow from purples to reds to oranges and yellows. Imagine the glitz and glitter of a brilliant white diamond surrounded by a sparkling ruby sapphire...there's something you'll enjoy looking at for years to come! And if you love the idea of a colored diamond, such as a pink or yellow, you can find the...

Music to Your Eyes: Diamond and Sapphire Engagement Rings

Gold ring > Music to Your Eyes: Diamond and Sapphire Engagement Rings

5 Quick Ways To I.ncrease Your E-zine's S.ubscriber Base

by: Gary Baker

Welcome to all of you out in netland.

If you have been doing any type of "m.arkeing" o.nline at all, then you have heard over and over again the importance of having your own o.pt-in l.ist.

Without a doubt, if you don't start and continue to build a solid l.ist, then you fail...period.

So with this article, I would like to give you a few ways to add a batch of new s.ubscribers to your l.ist and NOT spend one penny to do so.

Lets, get right to it shall we...

1. Give Incentives

Give people an incentive to s.ubscribe to your e-zine. Offer them a f.reebie if they s.ubscribe. It could be a f.ree e-book, f.ree report, f.ree advertising, etc. Make sure the f.reebie will attract your target audience.

2. Joint Venture

Joint venture with a similar e-zine. Combine your s.ubscriber bases together and publish one e-zine. Edit and publish each...

5 Quick Ways To I.ncrease Your E-zine's S.ubscriber Base

Gold ring > 5 Quick Ways To I.ncrease Your E-zine's S.ubscriber Base

Gold Doesn't Just Glitter

by: Mark Nildern

Most people appreciate that gold is a highly valuable

precious metal, and admire it
for its ornative qualities.

Is there is a woman today (at least in the western world)

who doesn't have at least one piece of gold jewelry?
It

may only her wedding band.
We know that wars have been

fought over
it, people have died for it, people are

consumed by greed for it,
others have betrayed friends and

family
for it, once
we examine the history of this lovely

metal. Gold represents wealth and power in the minds of

most people.
Some of the more practical ways that gold is

used every day is what
we want to have a look, however.

Deployment systems in air bags in motor vehicles, for

example, use gold-plated sensors to send a signal to the

air bag alerting the need to deploy.
Gold
was...

Gold Doesn't Just Glitter

Gold ring > Gold Doesn't Just Glitter

Give Charming Elegance To Your Home Decorating With The Special Wood Curtain Rods

Give Charming Elegance To Your Home Decorating With The Special Wood Curtain Rods

by: Adam Peters

To provide a complete wildlife touch to your home settings, wood curtain rods are the best decorating items. Not only the rods add to the beauty of the homes but they also hold the curtains in a unique way. It is because of the perfect fittings of the curtains in the wood curtain rods that the curtains flutter softly and gracefully to give a pleasing aura to the rooms.

Technical specialties of wood curtain rods

The wood curtain rods are made of walnut, teakwood, mahogany, oak or other hardwood that make them durable. The rods usually have a tobacco finish and the finials of the rods are available in either small or large sizes. The wood rods are available as either smooth rods or as fluted rods. While the smooth rods are usually of 1-3/8? diameters, the fluted rods are of 2? diameter.

The rods in general are available in three different...

Give Charming Elegance To Your Home Decorating With The Special Wood Curtain Rods

Gold ring > Give Charming Elegance To Your Home Decorating With The Special Wood Curtain Rods

It Really Is Only 'Early Days' In The Internet Gold Rush....

by: Richard Grady

One of the questions that I am getting more and more used to hearing lately is:

'Is it too late for me to start an online business?
Have I missed the boat and have all of the best opportunities been and gone?'

My reply is always along the lines of, 'Absolutely not - there is still a wealth of opportunity online and even if you start your online business tomorrow, you are still well ahead of the majority of people'.

I genuinely believe that this is the case but I know that many people do feel that they may have missed the boat and that there is nothing more that can be done online that isn't already being done by someone else.
If you are one of those people, read on....

I attended a corporate function last week - non Internet related - and had the chance to talk with a large number of UK business men and women.
These people...

It Really Is Only 'Early Days' In The Internet Gold Rush....

Gold ring > It Really Is Only 'Early Days' In The Internet Gold Rush....

Why Working on Cruise Ship Could be the Best Thing You Ever Did!

by: Neil Maxwell Keys

How would you like to be able to visit some of the worlds most exotic, beautiful and far away places that few people will ever get to see? Including the Bahamas, the Caribbean, the Far East, Australia, Europe, Canada, and USA?

Imagine waking up each day in a different, exciting and unique tropical island, the sun shining, the weather hot, the sea crystal clear - and...

Why Working on Cruise Ship Could be the Best Thing You Ever Did! Gold ring

Gold ring > Why Working on Cruise Ship Could be the Best Thing You Ever Did!

Gold ring payday loans Ten Things You Should Know Before You Go Shopping For That Special Ring

Gold ring Ten Things You Should Know Before You Go Shopping For That Special Ring suv