Wedding Rings

Wedding rings have been used as a symbol to represent emotions such as Love, Commitment, Happiness, Fidelity, Honor, and Eternity. A ring is in the shape of a circle, which has no break and no end or beginning. This signifies that it goes on and on; making it eternal. Rings were made from a variety of materials such as hemp, leather, bone, ivory and later stronger metals such as silver and gold. The ancient Egyptians and Romans believed that the vein from the fourth finger lead directly to the heart. That finger is known as the ring finger, and was called the “vena amoris” which is Latin for “the vein of love.” Science has disproved this theory, but it is romantic to think that our wedding rings are on a direct path to our hearts.

My husband picked out a Tungsten Carbide wedding band made by Triton, when we got married in May. We went to Elizabeth Diamond Company in Centerville to pick out his band and have mine custom designed. They have been so awesome to us, and I would recommend them to anyone who is trying to find a reputable jeweler. It’s so great to be able to walk into a jeweler and have them know your name. When Shaun picked out the ring he liked we did a little research on tungsten carbide. Tungsten Carbide is scratch proof and really good for men that are hard on their jewelry. We thought it would be perfect for Shaun. Little did we know that it can actually break…..and IT DID! Shaun bumped his ring on the vice at work and it shattered into at least 3 pieces. He was very upset and spent hours looking for the other pieces, but could only find three. We called EDC and told them what had happened and they agreed to replace it at no charge.

Every type of metal has different qualities. Tungsten Carbide is a heavy metal-ceramic alloy and is virtually scratch proof. On the Moh’s Scale of Mineral Hardness, Tungsten is between 8.5 and 9, Gold is 2, Platinum is 4 and a Diamond is 10. Tungsten is four times harder than titanium, and is incredibly hard to scratch. A quality Tungsten Carbide jewelry manufacturer will offer a lifetime warranty against any visible scratches. This material has become extremely popular for men due to its toughness, steely color, heavy weight and wider widths. Due to the high durability of a tungsten carbide ring, it will always look new, bright, and shiny.

Gold is the most popular choice for wedding bands. The difference in the color of gold depends on the metals that are used in the alloy mix. Yellow gold is made of pure gold mixed with copper or zinc. White gold is an alloy of gold and several white metals such as silver and palladium. Gold carats used for wedding bands are usually 9kt, 14kt, and 18kt. The higher the proportion of gold in the final metal is, the more valuable and expensive it will be. White gold is usually more expensive that yellow gold, but will need rhodium plating every year. 18kt wedding bands hold up to wear and tear better than the other carats.

Titanium is a natural element which is silver-grayish-white in color. It is the hardest natural metal and is three times stronger than steel and yet it is lightweight. Pure titanium is 100% hypoallergenic and is safe for everyday wear since it will not react to the skin. Titanium cannot be soldered and resized.

Platinum is a white metal and is usually used in its pure form. It is extremely long wearing and very white so it does not need rhodium plating like white gold. However, Platinum rings are significantly more expensive than gold.

Sterling silver is white-grey in color and is generally less expensive than all the other metals used in wedding bands. It is softer than gold, platinum, and titanium and is not recommended for wedding bands. It is also prone to oxidation and can sometimes turn to black. When picking out your wedding rings it is important to keep in mind your lifestyle to find out which type of metal is best for you.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. A Diamond is Forever. Do these lines sound familiar to you? “Diamond’s are a girl’s best friend” is a song that was sang by Marilyn Monroe and also appears in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. In 1880, John Rhodes formed the now famous De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd., to control the sales of diamonds throughout the world. They still control 65% of the world’s diamond trade. Sales of diamonds were dropping dramatically in the 1920’s and 1930’s so they created a new marketing campaign in 1947. Their slogan was “A Diamond is Forever.” This marked the beginning of a change in the history of the engagement ring. Marketing campaigns convinced families to hold on to their family diamonds, which created the demand for diamonds that De Beers was seeking. Jewelers were taught to instruct men that two to three months personal wages were an ideal price to pay for the diamond engagement ring for their prospective fiancée. This clever marketing campaign mixed with Hollywood glamour promoted the idea that diamonds are the only jewels to give your loved one as a sign of engagement.

I thought this was interesting, but I still love "BLING!"

A funny quote by comedian Ron White (This year I encountered something close to Truth in Advertising. The De Beers people used to say, "Diamonds are Forever." But now their ad says, "Diamonds Will Render Her Speechless." Why don’t they just come out and say it, "Diamonds--That'll Shut Her Up…..For A MINUTE!

Shaun and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary one month from today! :)