Jewelry to Accent Your Special Day

For your wedding day, you want everything to be perfect. Don't forget that you will need to spend some time deciding about jewelry to compliment your wedding gown and the gowns for members of your bridal party.

Rings
With jewelry, as with other fashion trends, what's old often comes around again, new and exciting. So it is with diamond rings, which today feature cushion and Asscher cut diamonds which were all the rage in the twenties. The stones are distinguished by their square-looking cut that is especially good at reflecting light, which in turn, draws the eye's attention. These stones complement wedding bands that feature the "in" look of pavé diamond settings that often are two-tone. Pink and yellow diamonds, for both a twist and a more feminine look, appear to be here to stay. The pink ones look particularly lovely with a blushpink wedding gown. Colored diamonds are often referred to as "fancies." For those who have budget constraints, but love color, but have budget constraints, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets in pink tourmaline, pink freshwater cultured pearls, apple jade (rhodocrosite), rose quartz or cherry quartz.

More than 82% of today's brides will receive and wear a diamond engagement ring. Most pick the classic cut of round or brilliant, while the trend-following bride prefers fancy shapes like oval, pear, heart and marquise. Should you need to ask, recent survey results indicate that more than 80% percent of brides would like a "large" stone.

Ring Tips

1. Make sure it will fit. Your ring size will, most probably, not be the same for every ring. Different band widths make a ring fit differently. So, make sure the size is right, before you buy.
2. Treat your rings lovingly. Keep them clean. Use a store-bought cleaner, or, better yet, have a jeweler at your jewelry store clean your rings every so often. Most jewelry shops will do this for you at no charge, if you're a customer of theirs.
3. Size does matter. For example, a number of small stones adding up to one carat will not cost as much as a one carat stone.
4. Color and Clarity Matter. The clarity of any gemstone impacts on its price. The clearer, the better. The color of the stone also impacts the price. For example, with diamonds, deep yellow stones, called "fancy" are up there in price, white a stone that's a bit yellow will be much less expensive than a "blue white," or fancy.

Bracelets
The cuff's the thing, made in gold and in silver and often enhanced with gemstones. It's tiny rhinestones or beads that keep the cuff feminine looking and keep it from being too chunky looking. To keep the rhinestones company, designers are adding semiprecious stones. Family heirlooms and antiques are back in style to add a personal, sentimental look.

Earrings and Necklaces
There is no missing the "in-your-face," a bold fashion statement that is made by chandelier and pagoda earrings, both of which have made their way into the wedding jewelry market. The earrings can feature diamonds, pearls, or even glass beads, that are reminiscent of the Art-Deco look. Following suit, necklaces are equally bold, with cascading gemstones to set off dainty necklines. For the truly daring bride, one, two or more pendants and classic chokers made from multi-strands of pearls are the fashion statement.

In stark opposition to big and bold, classic dainty pendants, diamond studs, and unadorned wrists will always be in style.

Earring Tips

1. When you select an earring make sure you try it on to make certain that its weight is comfortable for you. Size and weight go together. Larger, heavier earrings may become uncomfortable to wear over several hours.
2. The most secure and most comfortable earring back is the "monster," a large, butterfly back. They are relatively inexpensive and will give you some extra insurance against loss.
3. Always store your jewelry individually. If stones bang up against one another, they may scratch. Separate, divider pouches, available from your jeweler are the best to use.

Necklace Tips

1. Necklaces, more so than earrings and rings, get noticed. A diamond necklace, no matter how small the stones, gets attention.
2. Larger pieces are best if worn in the evening. A heavy necklace may become uncomfortable after hours of wear, so its best to consider the weight of any necklace you purchase.
3. Always store your jewelry individually. If stones bang up against one another, they may scratch. Necklaces should be stored flat, "stretched" out and separately from one another. Storing a necklace in a pouch may get it tangled.
4. If your necklace becomes tangled, a straight pin is the best to use to get the knots out. If you don't succeed on your own, your jeweler should be able to help you.

No doubt, lovely jewelry will enhance what you are wearing, but keep in mind that you are the star attraction, not your jewelry. Choose carefully and wisely with the assistance of a qualified professional jewelry and you will enjoy your jewelry accouterments not only on your wedding day, but also for years thereafter.

Bridal & Bridal Party Jewelry

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