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engagement ring

Robbins Brothers Gets Into E-Commerce, E for Engagement

Filed under: Jewelry

Engagement ring specialist, Robbins Brothers, The Engagement Ring Store has gotten into the e-commerce business. The move is an acknowledgement of just how many men are shopping for rings online these days and how comfortable people are making expensive purchases online. Robbins Brothers has 10 freestanding stores in Southern California and Dallas/Fort-Worth, Texas and is a known brand in those markets, especially for their television commercials featuring real-life marriage proposals with gleeful newly affianced women. The company offers major bridal brands including Simon G., Ritani, Scott Kay, Coast, A. Jaffe and Tacori. Customers can also still come in to a store and buy or shop by phone. The website also offers live chat between the hours of 8am to 6pm PST, Monday through Friday and 11am to 4pm PST on Saturday.

"We're proud to be able to offer our customers the opportunity to purchase online," said Anthony Concotilli, Director of Digital Marketing for Robbins Brothers. "Our goal is to make their engagement experience easy, meaningful and stress-free. With E-Commerce customers can shop comfortably from their own home yet receive the personal attention they need."

To celebrate the launch, Robbins Brothers is offering free shipping on any online purchase along with a free pair of movie tickets on online orders placed by July 15, while supplies last.

Megan Fox Gets Engaged, Loses Ring

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping

megan fox and brian austin greenActress Megan Fox is off the market once again but her engagement ring is missing in action, CNN reports that the actress said yes to Brian Austin Green's most recent marriage proposal, four months after calling off a previous two-year engagement with him. He proposed on the beach at the Four Seasons Hualalai hotel when the pair were in Hawaii last month. Green proposed on the beach and she got so excited that she dropped the ring in the sand. Alas, even the dedicated efforts of the Four Season staff were not able to retrieve the two-carat sparkler which was reportedly from Excalibur Jewels in Beverly Hills (note to potential grooms, insure the ring before the proposal). Excalibur specializes in beautiful vintage jewelry and watches. Should Green need a replacement we might suggest this platinum step cut setting topped with a 2.02 carat F color VS2 brilliant cut diamond for $39,750. Just get down on one knee in a safe place.

Helpful or Trouble? Tiffany Rings up an iPhone App

Filed under: Gadgets, Jewelry

tifffany app
On Monday, Tiffany will launch its first iPhone app, not surprisingly focused on the acquisition of engagement rings.

The app seems to have the potential to be useful to those earnestly seeking engagement rings, and those looking make trouble for the soon-to-be betrothed.

I'd divide these categories roughly by gender, and say that this app could be the most useful for the menfolk.

He, who is most likely uneducated on the subjects of the on-hand impact of one carat versus two, not to mention shape, setting, metal or design, will be able to see rings in their actual size. (With price range.) Also, there's the "ring sizer" -- he only needs to snag a ring from the beloved for a few moments, place it on the iPhone screen, and line it up with circles corresponding to ring size. He can also make an appointment for a consultation right through the app.

Own the Twilight Engagement Ring

Filed under: Jewelry, Celebrity Shopping

Twilight New Moon Engagement Ring
Twilight Eclipse is set to hit theaters this June and now true fans can have their own little piece if it by buying their very own copy of the engagement ring Edward gives to Bella. Co-designed by Twilight author Stephanie Meyer and Infinite Jewelry Co., the ring appears just as it's described in the book: a domed-oval gold ring with brilliant cut diamonds. Handmade by artisans with an open-work gallery and 13 diamonds totaling approximately 1.06 carats, the ring is available 14k yellow or white gold for $1,979.

Infinite Jewelry Co. also offers two less expensive versions of the engagement ring, "fine" for $479 (CZ instead of diamonds) and "fashion" for $35 (CZ and gold plating), along with other Twilight-inspired jewelry pieces like Bella's bracelet and a necklace representing her broken heart.

ArtCarved Limited Edition Engagement Ring

Filed under: Jewelry

ArtCarved has gotten into the limited edition engagement ring business. They have announced a partnership with 100 authorized retailers to sell the individually numbered series of 250 rings. The ring's design, which has been nominated for several design awards, features tapered baguettes and pave diamonds that cascade down the shank. The shank of each ring is engraved with its own sequential number. It will come in platinum but it will also be available, by special order, in 18k gold or palladium.

[via JCK Online]

Square Cut Diamonds Popular WIth Modern Brides

Filed under: Jewelry

Say the words engagement ring and the first thing that often comes to mind is the classic ring, the brilliant-cut round solitaire, most often set in a white gold mount on a yellow gold band. But the times are changing and other cuts are becoming the new trend. Bloomberg has a report on diamond cut trends for engagement rings. While the round is still the most popular shape, research from the Diamond Information Center reports that square cuts are now a full 30 percent of the market up from just nine percent in 1999.

Why the squares? Part of it is that celebrity brides have been spotted wearing cushion cuts, Asscher cuts and other more squared stones. Also today's advanced cutting techniques can deliver as much fire and brilliance from a square cut stone as a round one. The round stone also has the reputation of being both classic and perhaps a bit staid. A quote from Tracy Lantz of the Diamond Information Center used in the article gives another clue behind the trend. Lantz says that she received a round stone for her first engagement ring and now on her second marriage she wanted something different. I think the round is often the first engagement ring, the ring of the of the young bride whereas the older bride, with a craving for something different, and perhaps a groom with a bit more cash to spend opts for a squared cut such as the Tiffany Novo shown above.

Square cuts aren't exactly new, even Marilyn Monroe sung about them in the song "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" saying "square-cut or pear-shaped, these rocks don't lose their shape." The pear shape however, has fallen out of favor lately.

Kissing Diamonds

Filed under: Jewelry

Here's one for the romantics. Instead of having two diamonds side by side, the Kissing Diamonds ring sets them end to end (or, more properly, culet to culet) so that the shape of the diamonds from kissing lips. The design is available in a wide variety of styles with a solitaire or three-stone designs in a yellow or white 18K gold settings. The potential for scratching here seems pretty high but My first concern here is that the diamonds would chip but the stones seem to be carefully chosen and matched to avoid potential calamity.

Liz Hurley's Big Rock

Filed under: Jewelry, Celebrity Shopping

It's not the most exciting ring design I've ever seen but it's hard to fault the brilliance of Elizabeth Hurley's massive engagement ring. Vogue UK points us to a pic of the Chopard ring that Arun Nayer gave to her. It features a 15.09 carat Asscher cut diamond in a white gold setting with pave diamonds along the shank. The ring is from Chopard's Haute Joallerie collection and Chopard is also behind Hurley's wedding band of 20 square cut diamonds set in white gold.

Ten places to visit to buy a diamond ring

Filed under: Jewelry, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Where are the best places in the world to buy a engagement ring? Telextext Holidays has created the list for the top ten places to buy a diamond and perhaps even save a bit of money.

1. Antwerp-- The Belgian city is famous for its Diamond District and the area has a history of processing diamonds that dates back to the 15th Century.
2. South Africa--Kimberley is famous for its diamond mines.
3. New York--Not cheap, but it is the home of Tiffany's as well as many of the worlds top jewelers.
4. Australia--The Kimberley diamond mine is home of the Australian Argyle diamonds and is famous for pink diamonds.
5. Amsterdam--Like Antwerp, Amsterdam has a long history of diamond processing and the local factories offer guided tours.
6. Paris--Like New York, not so much a budget option as a romance option.
7. India--As we have mentioned before India's diamond industry is still in a nascent phase but the area of Jaipur offers a variety of semi-precious stones and unique ethnic designs at a reduced price (especially if you are a good haggler).
8. Canada--Canada is the home of beautiful conflict-free diamonds.
9. Botswana-- world's largest producer of gem diamonds and the most diamond-dependent country in the world.
10. Thailand--The low cost of manufacturing means that you can find a good deal on jewelry and there are plenty of factories in the country.

Of course if you plan to visit an exotic location to pick up your diamond you always need to do due diligence to make sure that your stone and ring are everything that the person selling them says they are. But having a romantic adventure to find the ring might make the event even more special.

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