Men’s Engagement Rings

We all know that diamonds are a girl’s best friend but,  what about the guys?  We’ve looked at customs of other countries when it comes to engagements and marriage.    In some countries, men and women wear wedding bands from the date of engagement and in other countries not only does the bride to be receive a ring the groom to be does as well.  Engagement gifts for men vary widely from wrist watches, cars to an actual engagement ring.

We, here in the US, tend to think of a diamond engagement ring as something solely to be given to the bride to be and that’s great but, again what about the guys?  Most men prefer not to wear jewelry for a whole host of reasons from finding it a bit effeminate, to their profession and/or they just find it uncomfortable.  I can relate to the latter as at times wearing a ring, a bracelet or necklace even gets on my nerves and I love it.   So, its no surprise that men would prefer not to wear jewelry.

So, what does one do?  Well, I would say let your man choose his perfect wedding band.  Men’s wedding bands can be custom made just like your diamond engagement ring.   And Dora Bands has a whole host of men’s diamond wedding bands or men’s gold, men’s titanium or men’s platinum wedding bands.  With Alexa Rose you have almost an endless supply of ideas from which to draw.

We’ll help you select an existing style from our showroom or we’ll help you create your groom’s wedding band.    As a side note, if you have a family diamond we’ll re-set it for you in either a new diamond engagement ring, new diamond pendant or your own custom design.  The hardest part will be finding the perfect ring or piece of jewelry.  So, do not be afraid to ask us about options or being a bit creative.  We’re glad to help.

When you think about it, one has almost as many options for a men’s wedding band as one does for a diamond engagement ring.  Call us today at 480.656.0652 or email us (Sales@alexarosejewelry.com).  We look forward to working with you.

Diamonds, a solid investment or just pretty stones?

In today’s world, what makes a good investment?   In today’s world’s its hard to say – in the not to distant past the answer would  have been everything!   However, investing in anything takes practice, patience and certain level of expertise.  We routinely receive questions regarding investing in diamonds and/or when purchasing a stone what should one sacrifice?  In the latter situation, when purchasing a diamond(s) it all comes down to personal preference.  When you’re sitting with someone looking at stones be certain to start weighing out the different options and ask questions.   This will help you determine what is most important to you.  

However, in the industry,  the cut is always the one aspect we deem the most important and we routinely encourage our clients to heavily factor in the cut when making a decision.  It’s the cut that really provides a diamond with its brilliance and the sparkle.  The cut affects how light is refracted with in the diamond.  If the cut is too shallow or too deep, light either escapes or is trapped, thus affecting the over all appearance of a diamond.  This is true for any cut of diamond (princess, round, cushion, square, emerald cut, etc). 

Further, when you’re looking at diamonds, keep in mind that its your decision.  We’re hear to guide you through the process.  So, we come back to the basics, do your homework- search on-line for information on diamonds, many companies including ours – have an on-line diamond search that provides an excellent starting point.   Familiarize yourself with what your preferred shape of the diamond, do you want a princess cut, an oval, a marquis, an emerald cut, an asscher, etc.   Once you’ve established what you would ultimately like to end with in your engagement ring, you will be able to establish a budget for your purchase. 

Now, to the more interesting question of investing in diamonds.   As I have noted in previous posting, diamonds are not typically the best investment.  Diamonds and diamond jewelry should be more of an emotional purchase – a purchase to commemorate a special occasion or to celebrate the beginning of a life shared.   In you are investing in diamonds, seek out an expert’s opinion.  Diamonds that are of investment grade quality will be your larger diamonds/stones that are nearly perfect and carry quite the price tag as well.  Diamonds like art or antique vehicles fall into a category of passion investing.   We would strongly recommend seeking an expert’s opinion if you are even contemplating going this route. 

In the end our best recommend, like art, buy a piece of jewelry because you love it not because you’re expecting a return on the investment.  The return on the investment is the enjoyment of the piece and joy of giving a gift that is appreciated. 

As noted, we’re here to help you – please feel free to comment on this article or call us directly with any questions or concerns at 480-656-0652 or email us at mary@alexarosejewelry.com.

Wedding Spending up 5.2 % – Engagement rings, cakes and the all important reception.

As the economy continues to weigh on everyone minds, I found a study that is quite interesting.   

For 2008, brides wedding budget’s actually jumped 5.2% from 2007  but for the first quarter of 2009 the numbers dipped a mere 0.09%.   Many brides and grooms are skimping on certain ceremony costs like the photographers, wedding planners, caterers, and invitations.  Many couples are asking family friends to photograph their wedding, opting for a less expensive caterer and even doing the invitations themselves.   While this may not bode well  for some in the bridal industry it does for others. 

Items that brides are opting to spend more money to ensure their wedding gown is preserved properly, spending more on the band at the reception, ensuring that they have a day-of -the wedding coordinator and the center pieces at the reception.  It would seem that couples are making decisions that best suit their own personal style.  Isn’t this how it should be? 

We’ve seen quite a few couples,  who are opting to design their own engagement ring, skipping on the additional band for her and spending a little more on the groom’s band.   Many soon-to-be brides have commented that they really do not feel it is necessary to have an additional band, they would rather spend the money on their soon-to-be husband’s ring especially after he spent so much on the engagement ring. 

Our experience has  been that couples are opting to do it their way rather than the traditional route.  Further, couples are well informed and have been coming in knowing what they are looking for and what they desire.