Wedding rings

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As the history goes, the tradition to exchange the wedding rings comes from the ancient Greek culture. The ring as the symbol of the unity of soles and mutual love is put on a wedding finger because the artery in it goes straight to the heart, and the ancient Greeks used to call it “the life line”. Since then life changed a lot, but wedding rings as the fundamental attribute of a wedding exist from pre-Christian age till now. When other peoples could afford themselves to tie a flower on the wedding finger as the symbol of love and faith, the modern grooms and brides as a rule put on gold rings, though today it is not a postulate. Wedding rings can be made of different material - the main thing is the mutual feeling it symbolizes, and both the two people must like its design.

According to the tradition, the groom buys the wedding rings. But it makes great importance for the bride, too. A wedding ring is not just jewelry, but it also becomes the incarnation of any young girl’s dream – the happy marriage.

There is only one simple question left: how much one must spend for the wedding rings.

It will be just to the point to discuss the price of the future wedding rings before buying them. Your love is enormous, but unfortunately the budget is usually not of the same size. Tell your fiancée ahead how much you are going to spend for the wedding rings. If you cannot afford the most expensive ring for your bride, don’t be disappointed. Even if the ring is the symbol of your love to the bride, this feeling cannot be measured with any money. But what should you buy finally? Gold? Platinum? A ring of a traditionally classic shape or a ring of a unique style? The young people can find the correct answer only trusting their own taste. But they have to remember that they choose the wedding rings for life! Choosing and buying wedding rings, the groom and the bride should keep in mind that usually jewelry is not made of pure material. Most of the time it is a mix of different kinds of base metal for an alloy of, for example, gold and silver with cooper, sometimes with palladium, cadmium, nickel and zinc, or it can be an alloy of silver and platinum with cooper to give the jewelry special mechanic characteristics and the right color. The amount of precious metals in the jewelry determines its purity. Most countries use the metric system to identify alloy purity which is indicated by the number of the precious metals parts in thousands of the weight numbers of alloy.

That’s why choosing wedding rings, pay attention to the tags on them.

It is an omen of misfortune to use someone else’s wedding rings. An exception can be only the inheritance wedding rings from parents to their children.

Diamond

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Many brides prefer to get a diamond engagement ring. Diamond symbolizes soleness and eternal love between a man and a woman. As Marilyn Monroe used to say: “They are the best friends of any girl”. If the groom and the bride chose a diamond ring, they should take into account the five characteristics of the quality of the ring before buying it.

1. The shape and the quality of the diamond-cut. Thanks to this quality a rough diamond gets all the characteristics of a real diamond as the most valuable, the hardest and the most expensive gemstone. There are different shapes of diamond-cut. The most popular are the following five: round, oval, tear-shaped, “emerald” (rectangle with round corners) and heart-shaped.
2. The clarity of the diamond (absence of any drawbacks and spots). Small defects on the diamonds of the high quality are not apparent to the naked eye. The diamond without seen spots, which can be recognized only by the tenfold extension, is considered to be a diamond of a high quality and a great rarity, it is quite expensive. You will need a jeweller’s help. If the groom chose this or that diamond, he can always ask for a looking glass to observe it more thoroughly.
3. The color of the gemstone. Sometimes it is very hard to recognize the real color of the diamond because of its radiance, especially by lamplight. Diamonds of different color are very rear and quite expensive. In traditionally white diamonds one should observe the clarity of the color and level of the purity of the diamond. The diamond in which yellow is the dominant color is less expensive than any white diamond.
4. The total weight of the gemstone measured in carats. Carat consists of 100 points. So a 10 points diamond is 0,10 of a carat. If taking into account all the characteristics of a diamond, it doesn’t mean that the biggest diamond is the most expensive one. A perfect small gemstone can be much more expensive than a big one with a number of drawbacks and spots.
5. The certificate for the diamond which approves the genuineness and the quality level of the diamond. Don’t be disappointed if you find out that the diamond you chose is artificial, in other words a “man-made” one. This decreases its value insignificantly. The first four characteristics – diamond-cut, purity, color and weight - determine the price of the diamond. Choosing a bigger diamond you risk sacrificing its purity and color, and, vice versa, if you buy a perfect spotless gemstone, its size will be insignificant. The only right circumstance is to be absolutely sure about the quality and the value of the diamond that you choose.

Here you can learn more.

Platinum rings

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The purity is the main characteristics of this kind of precious metals. Platinum jewelry contains 95% of the precious metal compared with white gold which is an alloy of a number of different other metals. The pure platinum never causes allergy reactions.

The elegance of white is purity, rarity, value and beauty – her are a couple of many words that can describe the most wonderful human feeling – love. The same words describe the quality of the most precious natural metal – platinum.

Another important characteristic of platinum is its rarity. There are just a couple of natural fields of this unique precious metal in the whole world. The quantity of extracted platinum a year is 13 times less than the quantity of extracted gold. That’s why it is not affordable to absolutely everyone. This is the indicator of a high status and perfect taste of its owner. It is well-known that jewelry made of precious metals fray as time goes on. Platinum jewelry lives much longer than jewelry made of other precious metals, and require less care because platinum is one of the strongest and wearproof metals. Thanks to the high firmness of platinum a scratch just moves metal but it doesn’t take it away. The bright white color of platinum never gets dull because this is its natural color.

Modern jewelers work with platinum with great pleasure making unique elegant jewelry. The white color of the metal emphasizes the glare of the diamond and also matches with the sovereign shine of gold. The astonishing inner glare, the natural white color and the unique characteristics of platinum always attracted people with exclusive standards. Today platinum jewelry is of great demand on the market. Many people prefer white jewelry which will perfectly finish any business suit or an evening dress.

You make a great choice buying platinum jewelry. And the high price of the ring is just the assurance of its highest quality. Platinum can tell almost everything about you – about your taste, style and your personality.

You can buy platinum rings right here.

Metaphysics of gemstone

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The secret world of gemstones is a mysterious microcosm that always keeps absolutely silent and at the same time tells a lot about the Universe. How can we learn your unbeknown language? Puzzles of an unknown life, which is full of magic metamorphoses, are solved under a calm mirror, behind a quiet membrane. When listening more carefully, one can hear a wonderful story about this magic creation of the Nature.

From the earliest times people highly estimated the wonderful qualities of gemstones attributing a magic power to them. People always kept gemstones with them as amulets and talismans. Amulet was considered to protect its owner from any evil, and talisman – to bring luck to its owner. Gemstone mysteriously influenced the fate of its owner bringing him happiness, love, wealth or evil and even death. People used to name some gemstones and even make poetic legends about them. The biggest gemstones of great value have their own history which is sometimes even tragic. Sometimes gemstones happened to save their owner’s life: for example, ruby that is put into a poisoned liquid easily changed its color telling the owner about the danger. Ruby was considered to strengthen the natural power of a person: it could turn a brave and generous person into a hero, and turn an evil and dishonest person into a fatal demon. Big ruby is extremely rare, that’s why it is very valuable. The price depends on its purity and the beauty of the color. In the gemstones classification ruby as well as rough diamonds and emeralds is in the front line.

The most popular and favorite gemstone in the Earth is rough diamond. The significant features of the rough diamond are its unique hardness, the characteristics of light reflection, and the astonishing color play put the rough diamond in the exceptional place among any other minerals. Achromatic and bright blue rough diamonds are the most expensive. Rough diamond possesses some unusual power. According to the old tradition, it must bring luck to its owner, and protect him from wounds and illnesses giving him its own qualities – power, hardness and purity.

Gemstones inspired poets and writers for creation of wonderful literal masterpieces.

Garnet is the stone of beloved people. To give anyone a ring with garnet meant to confess in love, friendship and faith.

People of different castes wore particular gemstones.

For example, amethyst used to be the favorite gemstone of church priests. A cardinal was given a ring with amethyst when he was entering the ministry, and in all the catholic countries it was called “Episcopal stone”. Purple amethyst, according to the medieval beliefs, brings luck, protects from magic and illnesses, and keeps from drunkenness.

We, the modern generation, are more pragmatic and do not believe in magic and mystery, but still like to decorate ourselves with shiny minerals – the magnificent gifts of the Nature. Jewelry is an exquisite and valuable gift, they are never out of fashion, and they always create a feeling of joy and happiness. The magic qualities of the mineral are considered to strengthen if it was presented to its owner. Otherwise it gets stronger with time. But a stolen gemstone will never bring happiness to its robber. To give someone a gemstone means to show how much you are attached to the person. A ring, a nickel, earrings, a coulomb, a bracelet with gemstones will always bring joy to its owner and remind about the feelings of the person who gave such an expensive gift to him.

Wedding ring

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During the earliest times people didn’t know how to make clothes for themselves, but they were absolutely sure that they needed decorations. The first person on the earth felt that a decoration would make him a difference between the others - it worked like a merit badge. In African tribes, which still keep the system of primitive society, decorations made of bones, metal, stones, just like the stars on shoulder-straps, can tell about the community of a tribe, the hierarchy position in this tribe, merits and deserts. A girl who wore earrings, bracelets and beads showed if she was ready to make a family.

The ring probably originated from ancient Egyptian civilization – the time when decorative-applied craft became an art. Rings quickly became a sign of a privileged status. Only those who had power used to wear them – pharaohs. For ancient Greeks the ring was a sing of a high social status. The ring had the same meaning in the beginning of Roman Empire. Later in Rome the popularity of different jewelries and decorations increased so much that the ring became a social decoration.

Emperor August let doctors wear the ring, and in the year 197 of our era Septimium North – soldiers. In the I century of our era according to the civil law of Roman Empire it was enough for the marriage if there is a spoken or a written agreement between both sides - the groom and the parents of the bride. The agreement came into force from the very moment when the groom gave a metal ring to the parents of the bride. Then the young girl was no longer a bride but gained the status of his legal wife. A marriage agreement, so-called “futuratum”, with an engagement ring was of great importance for a lawyer in ancient Roman Empire. The wedding itself was organized only to have the society to know that two young people made a family.

The ancient Roman tradition is very interesting: instead of a coin, as earlier, the groom gave a ring to the bride as the symbol that he took the responsibility to take care of the financial wealth of his future wife. A ring is a symbol of “Gradually”, from century to century the quality of the material for making engagement rings improved. In the II century people used bronze rings, and in the III century – gold rings.

Romans used to wear engagement rings on the wedding finger on the left hand thinking that its artery goes straight to the heart. The antique epoch is know as the time of paganism, but gradually in Roman Empire and Lower Empire more people admitted Christian religion. Christians kept the antique symbolism. They also adopted the wedding ring for brides from the Romans. In the IV century Christians used it as the obligatory attribute of any marriage. Also a ring as the symbol of infinity and eternity is of great importance in the Christian science. The material image of the circle of eternity - a ring – gained an important sense in Christian ceremonies.

Christian vow of faith

In the IX century the Pope ratified the law about the use of the ring as the symbol of love and soles unity by the Christians. The most important event for any Christian happens in the church – the Earth embodiment of the realm of heaven. Only a holly union in the church, which means committed in heavens, is real and inseparable.

In the XVI century in Europe Trident Cathedral made a decree about the exchange of wedding rings on the wedding ceremony. According to the rule of the wedding ceremony, after the priest baptized the ring, the groom and the bride were supposed to exchange them tree times – the Father, the Son and the holly Spirit – as the symbol of the dogged resolution to unite their lives for better and worse. The bride got a gold ring, the groom – a silver ring which was considered to be brave and honest as the groom himself. But the ancient tradition of Futuratum still existed, that’s why in European countries the groom had nothing to do but to buy two rings for his future wife – one for engagement, the other one for the wedding in the church. As the proof to marry and to be a perfect husband the groom gave a beautiful engagement gemstone ring to the bride, but for the wedding itself the young people choose simpler rings because the church was against any luxury.

Slavic tradition of faith

In Russia only in the reign of Ekaterina the Great in 1755 the Holly Synod admitted the rite of the exchange of the wedding rings – engagement and church wedding. Before that in the day of the engagement and the church wedding (people called it “shaking hands on a bargain and agreement”) the groom gave a ring and a shawl to the bride and in the evening sent to her house sweets and many bottles of wine for the wedding party. In rich houses not a party but a ball was organized. Now the procedure is much easier. The groom bought the wedding rings and on the wedding gave them to his witness who passed them to the priest. Sometimes the ring was sent to the bride for the wedding eve together with the bridal veil, wedding candles and wax flowers. Engagement as a pre-wedding agreement still existed as a tradition. The name “engagement rings” is still kept from the times of the tradition of engagement. Weddings were committed in church in Orthodox Russia until the year of 1917. In the soviet country the wedding ceremony was taken to social registration desks. The only orthodox tradition that survived was to put the wedding ring on the wedding finger of the right hand compared with the catholic tradition to wear it on the left hand. There are no any special rules about what kind of ring is used for weddings. Wedding rings gain their status after the wedding. What to choose? You can buy plain classic rings or rings with similar decorative elements.

By the way, the fashion to wear rings-twins takes its origin from the XVI century. Only the young people decided if to buy similar or different rings. No any other material can be compared with gold in generosity, endurance, royal glare, and simplicity of manufacturing. Most of the time gold of the 585th and 750th titles is used to make jewelry. The title indicates the amount of pure metal in the alloy. White gold is the alloy of gold with silver, palladium, nickel and zinc. There are a couple of simple rules to keep a wedding ring shiny for a long time: gold has a negative reaction for substances that contain chlorine and iodine; it gets dull interacting with alkalies that can be found in, for example, washing detergents, creams and lotions. Temperature drop and any mechanical damages negatively influence gold.

Little silver

Platinum wedding rings are the alternative to gold rings. Platinum never fray and always keeps its glare. This is a very rare precious metal. 10 tons of platinum mineral must be manufactured to get 100 grams of pure platinum. Compared with other precious metals, platinum never causes allergy reactions and perfectly matches with other jewelry.

A platinum ring of any style will look luxurious. First mentions about platinum were found by archeologists in Ancient Egypt. Its name platinum gained in the XVII century – it meant “little silver”. In 1870 it was first used to make jewelry as frames for gemstones, diamonds most of the time, because gold frames gave yellow shadows to the stones. For jewelry platinum of the 950th title is usually used. It means that in the platinum alloy the percentage of other metals is minimal. It is much harder to make a chase on a platinum ring, but this chase will be eternal.

Tastes differ

As a rule grooms prefer classic wedding rings. Brides can choose decorated rings that consist of two kinds of metal, curved rings, diamond-cut rings, and with a gemstone. You can also buy a purl or a diamond ring for the bride. In Europe there is a tradition to give a diamond ring to girls for engagement.

Rough diamond is a legend, unusual and almost holly stone. Rough stone is considered to possess magic power, it accumulates its owner’s vitality, influences his fate, and it must be given to the person as a gift. Original rough diamonds look like pieces of regular glass. Diamond first appeared when in the XV century the royal jeweler Ludwig Bergen found the way of polishing rough diamonds one against another, and in the beginning of the XIX century the mathematician Golkovsky found a formula of the diamond-cut which is used till now. That time the diamond first started playing its glare and became the most wanted gemstone of all. Its quality is determined not by the size but the group of the characteristics of the diamond: carat grade, purity of the stone, clearness and color, and diamond-cut.

The most chic is the cut of memorial names and dates on the edge of the diamond. If you prefer a diamond of a unique design, which is one of a kind, you should go to a jewelry studio. You can choose a ring with a natural ornament or a fretwork of hands in the gothic style. The most important thing is not to forget that the ring will decorate your hand every day. Choosing a ring, besides the esthetic side of the question you must also take into account the level of the comfort it gives you in every-day life. And let the family love, just life the metal of the wedding ring, become more and more valuable with time!

Choose your own design of the engagement ring!