There are many kinds of sterling silver promise rings and there are many variations on them. One of the basic things to consider when purchasing a one is the metal type. They come in any metal from gold to platinum. The key factor here would be budget and preference. Unless you have an allergy to silver or you have some sentimental reason for wanting another type of metal, silver is a great choice. It has a beautiful, lustrous finish and is very inexpensive compared to gold and platinum. It is long lasting and will not tarnish if it’s taken care of. Also, if the silver is rhodium plated, then the rhodium acts a protective barrier not allowing the ring to tarnish.

Another major consideration when looking for silver promise rings is what types of stones to use if any. It is very common to use birth stones and they add even more significance to the ring. Diamonds are another very common stone to use in promise rings. The only problem with diamonds is the price. Using diamonds can make the price soar, but that’s not necessarily the case. There are ways to keep the price of a diamond one relatively low if you are smart about it.

Another variation can be in the shape. There are many shape variations amongst rings that are commonly accepted. The most common are Claddagh rings, Celtic knot rings, and heart rings. Although they are the most commonly used, there are many other types of rings.

So you read all of the magazines and are up to date on who’s doing what and who’s dating who in Hollywood. You read about all of that spectacular luxury designer lines like Channel and Versace. You know what they are talking about when they describe the “a line” gowns and ballroom gowns, etc. But when it comes to diamond jewellery designs, you’re a little lost. Sure, that’s totally understandable because for whatever reason, jewelry slang has just not become main stream. If you are looking to know what the latest trends are (in plain English) and who’s wearing them, read on!

Ok, the hottest thing going on right now has to be Chandelier earrings. First, what is a chandelier earring? A chandelier earring is one that drops off your ear suspended like a chandelier. Other common terminology for these earrings are drop or dangle earrings, although, a drop or dangle is not always a chandelier. Chandeliers most commonly start thin at the ear lobe, grow in width toward the center, symmetrically from top to bottom and then grown thing again at the top. Usually, they have the same structural form as two triangles put together with their longest sides together.

Great, now you know what a these earrings are, but whom exactly is wearing these spectacular diamond jewellery designs?

1. Salma Hayak was sighted wearing a spectacular pair of ruby and diamond chandelier earrings. They were so beautiful; they actually brought tears to my eyes. The tears were also brought on by the price tag that accompanied them! But not to worry, you can find great replicas of them for less than $100.

2. Miranda Lambert was also spotted wearing a spectacular pair of chandelier earrings when she announced her engagement to Blake Shelton. Again, the only sad thing that came to mind when I read that bit of news was that I would never be able to afford those earrings (or be engaged to Blake Shelton!). Don’t fret though, you can find sterling silver & cubic zirconia versions of her style for less than $50.

3. Jennifer Lopez was also spotted at the 2010 Cannes Film festival sporting her very stylish version Chandelier earrings. While hers are gold and diamond and cost more than… well just about anything I own, you can find great version of them for less than $40 online. J Lo has an eye for fashion, especially considering that these don’t follow the traditional shape of chandelier earring described above.

So have you heard about the new bib necklace? No, it’s not an accessory for you child’s bib so that they look super cool while eating! Bib necklaces are basically necklaces that sit on your neck and drape down to your chest. Essentially, they are the same form as a bib you would use for your child. A lot of people wonder, “What exactly would you wear this with or wear this to? This is too gaudy to be every day.” That is not true at all. If you want to go by what the celebs are doing, then just take a look and see that they pair a great bib necklace with a low cut tank top and jeans, spring dress, or an evening gown. It’s like all other fine diamond jewellery designs, you need to know what style matches with what look.

Here is some of the most recent bib necklaces spotted on celebrities:

1. There was a lot going on at the 2010 Golden Globe awards, but one of the things that got the most buzz was Eva Mendez’s turquoise bib style necklace. You will have to take a look at it yourself because no words can describe this exquisite piece of jewelry. Also, this great necklace took her understated outfit from run of the mill to spectacular. It was a very well played move on her part.

2. Jennifer Lopez was another hot topic, not just because of her new film, but because of the awesome necklace she wore to the premiere. Again, we see a stunning turquoise and gemstone necklace that makes her outfit just pop with those great accessories. J Lo for the longest time has been setting the bar in the fashion world, and it looks like she did it once again.

3. As discussed above, the bib necklace is not only being seen on the runway. In fact, Chyler Leigh’s style was shown on the cover of OK magazine. She wore a gorgeous spring dress paired with a stunning green stone bib necklace. You’ll see that she isn’t dressed for the Oscar’s but that necklace makes her casual spring dress pop. Oh, and you can find close versions of her necklace online without having to be on the cast of Grey’s Anatomy to afford it.

So, in this episode of Fine Diamond Jewellery Designs 101, we explored bib necklaces. Stay tuned for the next hot topic: American Diamond Jewellery.

Buying a promise ring is easy if you know what you are looking for. They are basically a ring used to symbolize a promise of some sort. They are most commonly used to represent love and commitment between partners.

The first step to buying a one is acknowledging what you are promising. Sounds silly, but it will help to give you direction since there are so many rings to choose from. You can find one to symbolize anything from friendship to pre-engagement. So the first step is finding the style of promise ring that most closely embodies the sentiment you are trying to convey. If you are trying to convey love, then a heart promise ring is very popular. If you are trying to convey friendship, then perhaps a Claddagh ring could be perfect for you since the hands symbolize friendship.

Once you have chosen the style you want, then the metal is the next step to look at. Most promise rings are available in many options. You can normally choose from silver, gold, platinum, or palladium. Slightly less common is tungsten or even alloy. While they are less common, you certainly can still find them. If you are shopping on a budget, then sterling silver is a great option for you since it is relatively inexpensive when compared to gold, and especially platinum.

The third thing to consider when searching for yours is what stones you want if any. When it comes to stones, you can get just about lost because they are so many options. The most common would be diamonds, especially in rings that are meant to symbolize love since they are so long lasting. A diamond will convey just how serious you are about the promise you are making. Another more sentimental option is the receiver’s birthstone. This is especially common if it’s a parent giving one to a child to symbolize the promise of everlasting love.

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Harry Winston. If Albert Einstein is the father of modern physics, then Harry Winston can be called the father of jewelry. It’s not so much because of the man himself, but also because of the legacy he left behind. A few things made the Harry Winston Company stand apart. One of them biggest events was when Harry acquired the Hope Diamond and donated in 1950’s. Another factor that has escalated the Company’s fame is the fact that Harry’s son Ronald is famous for being the man that loans jewelry to the stars.

Ronald Wilson is credited for being the man that lends jewelry to the stars for the Academy Awards & the Oscars. In the more recent years, Harry’s name is made famous by the feud between Harry’s sons over the Harry Winston Company. Although it must be said that no amount of controversy can take away the fact that Harry Winston Jewelry is still regarded as the most beautiful, luxurious and unobtainable. He is considered the jeweler to the stars.

The designer’s most famous diamond ring jewellery items are amongst the most astounding. One of the most well known is the “Pumpkin Diamond Ring”. This incredible ring was showcased by Halle Berry when she accepted her Oscar for best actress of the year. Its centerpiece is a five carat orange diamond, the world’s largest orange diamond valued at over three million dollars.

There are so many other famous Winston pieces of jewelry that have touched the lives of so many. Here are some of the major highlights:

* Richard Burton purchased Elizabeth Taylor a 69.42 carat diamond engagement ring designed by Harry Winston

* Paris Hilton received her Winston yellow diamond engagement ring from Paris Latsis.

* The famous necklace in the 1998 movie Titanic, worn by Gloria Stewart, was also a famous piece

*Ben Affleck purchased 6.1 carat pink diamond Winston ring in his Proposal to Jennifer Lopez

With an amazing history like that, it’s easy to see why Harry Winston is considered the most famous jewelry designer in the world. In reality, he does not just make Diamond Ring Jewellery, but creates a legacy which will be carried on as long as Hollywood exists.

Now, am I saying that cubic zirconia stones are valued as much as diamonds? Am I saying that they are better in design or look? No, I’m not saying any of those things. What I am saying is that they are good enough. If you’ve ever seen an AAAAA CZ diamond then you’ll know how gorgeous these things are. They may not have the diamond look, but boy do they have a hot look! Specially if you clean it and maintain it regularly, the piece of jewelry will keep its fire, beauty, and brilliance for many years from the date of buying it.

If you put a real diamond and a fake diamond (CZ) next to each other can you tell the difference? Unless your a gemologist, professional jewelry, or a woman who just loves diamonds you won’t be able to tell the difference. Only a trained professional eye can tell the differences, and that’s one reason why these stones are so cool. They are colorless, just like most diamonds. They are flawless, have a nice shine, and look great on rings, earrings, bracelets, and everything else…

Princess Cut with Pave Silver CZ Engagement Ring

Princess Cut with Pave Silver CZ Engagement Ring

Brilliant Cut Rhodium Silver CZ Engagement Ring

After all, if it looks about the same, then chances are people are going to think it’s the same. While people might notice that your “Romex” just doesn’t quite sound right, they probably won’t know if you have the gold plated version of your favorite stars 24 karat gold bib style necklace! The famous saying holds true, if it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and walks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Since rings sit on your finger and people don’t walk around with microscopes to check out if they are genuine, you don’t have to dream about celebrity styles any more. Here are few hot items you can get relatively inexpensively that will have people thinking you are a star…..

Jennifer Lopez has long been considered an icon in fashion. Not only does she have her own clothing, she has her own fragrance lines, purses, accessories and just about anything you can think of. Needless to say, she certainly sets the bar on what’s hot in celebrity diamond jewellery. Although, it’s not just diamond rings she is famous for. She was spotted at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival wearing a spectacular pair of Chandelier earrings. While J Lo’s where probably not silver and cubic zirconia, you can find almost exact replicas for about $40 online, in silver and CZ. Trust us; nobody will know the difference (except your wallet).

Although Lindsay Lohan is the bad girl nobody wants to be associated with, let’s face it: bad press is better than no press. Needless to say, she’s been getting a lot of bad press for things she does, but the earrings she wore to the 2010 Cannes Film Festival got her some positive press! They are gorgeous little arrows, which we can’t confirm, but we are guessing might be Cupid’s! Needless to say, you probably won’t buy the designer version she had on, but you can find a pretty close version of those earrings online for about $35.

For so many reasons that this article won’t go into, many of us wish we were Samantha from Sex and the City. But since we can’t switch lives with her, we might as well look great in some look Samantha style jewelry. She was spotted wearing the hot spike bangle bracelet while filming Sex and the City 2. You can find very close variations of online for under $100.

Although it’s pretty straight forward about what it is (a precious metal) used for CZ bracelets jewelry making purposes, I’ll go into detail today. You don’t have to worry about the nitty gritty, but let me lay out 2-3 important facts:

1) It’s very very old. Silver is not something that was “invented” to be used for jewelry. There is a limited amount of it on this earth and it has been being used for 1000s and 1000s of years for various purposes. Some purposes include currency, decorations, ornaments, computer chips, and of course my favorite jewelry.

2) It’s only found in certain places, meaning you cannot just pick it up anywhere in the world. It’s a rare metal that is very limited. We don’t have an unlimited amount because it’s not man-made, it’s natural. You can find 925 silver in places such as countries in North America (United States, Mexico, and Canada) along with Peru and Australia.

I hope you learned something new about silver today!

Pear Cut Silver CZ Engagement Ring

Oval Cut Blue Cubic Zirconia Cocktail Ring

Marquise Cut Purple CZ Cocktail Ring

If you look back at the last article, you will see that we went step by step making a great pair of handmade gemstone earrings. Once you read that article, you will understand a little bit more the points to look at, but we will highlight them for you:

1. Gemstones: Nobody is going to take your ear and put it under a microscope to check out if your gemstones are real or not, but do keep in mind that there are “real” gemstones that are very bad quality. That means that you can buy gemstone earrings that look very bad. Don’t be fooled by the word gemstone. Take a look at the quality.

2. Silver. Beware on the word silver. Unfortunately, many times we’ve seen people using the word silver to describe color not the actual type of metal. So it’s possible that you think you are buying silver, but are buying a silver colored metal. It’s important to carefully read product descriptions.

3. If you recall, one of the steps to making your handmade gemstone jewelry was to file off the ends of your wire. If you are shopping in a store, you should run your fingers along the edges of the wire and make sure it’s well filed so that it’s not sharp and doesn’t catch on any of your clothes.

4. Take a look at the loops on the bottom of the earring wire. Make sure they are closed well. If not, chances are that your earrings will come apart. You would be amazed at what little force or movement it takes for the head pin to come off of the earring wire.

5. Check the head pin. The head pin holds the gemstones onto the wire with a little flat part on the end. If the “head” part of the head pin is thin or worn, then you run the chance of having the gemstones slide off. You should run your finger nail against the flat part of the head pin. If you see that it bends or cracks off then do not purchase them. If they are already weak or brittle, then you can only imagine what will happen

You will need the following supplies:
Cotton Cord
Clasp
6 to 10 pearls
Scissors

The fist step is to cut your cotton cord to approximately 24 inches in length. Thread the lobster clasp side of the closure and tie an overhand knot. With the scissors, cut the thread leaving a short tail. Your goal is to just make sure it doesn’t come undone. Just to be on the safe side, you can add a dab of glue, but you don’t have to.

Lay the cord down on a ruler and decide how often you want a pearl. You might want to mark the cord so that you can keep track of where they go. Make an overhand knot at the first mark on your cord, string on a pearl and then do another overhand knot. You can use special tools to make sure the knots stay nice and tight against the pearl, but again, it’s not necessary. You will need to continue the pattern just described with the total number of pearls you have chosen.

You can vary the length of the necklace by including more or less pearls but here are a few words of caution. Since you need to tie knots in front of and behind each pearl, you will need to make sure that you add a few extra inches for each pearl. Otherwise, you will end up with a bracelet or a necklace so short that it won’t fit. Also, keep symmetry in mind. Make sure you space them apart evenly, otherwise, your handmade jewelry designs will not look very nice. Finally, when you have the amount of pearls and the length you want, attach the other half of your clasp. Now it’s important to look over the necklace and check the quality.

A great variation on this design is to replace the cotton cord with any type of link chain. What you will do is put wire through each pearl. Then you will make loops at the ends, attaching the chain to the loop you make. This is a classic and beautiful design. You can also choose to put more than one bead at each station. For example, you can place a crystal, pearl, and then another crystal to spice up the look.