Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and diamond rings Sale Brings in Over $36 Million

Kate Hudson and the $39,000 diamond engagement rings

Black Diamond Rings- Plea over lost triply precious ring

kim kardashian tape

Kim Kardashian tape, Blood Diamonds, and the Felicity of Stupidity

“See, a part of me saying, ‘keep shining’/

How? When I know of the blood diamonds/

Though it’s thousands of miles away/

Sierra Leone connect to what we go through today/”

–Kanye West, “Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix),” Late Registration, 2005.

by Tolu Olorunda | Posted October 2, 2009 found at thedailyvoice.com

It’s always amusing, sometimes flattering, to watch overnight celebrities make a fool of themselves–without even knowing it. For years now, we’ve witnessed the cringe-inducing stupidity of Hollywood celebrities who, we’re told, deserve more respect because they are much smarter than the parts they play in interviews. They’re just playin’ dumb, their handlers assure us. (Continue reading…)

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Editor’s Rating: 4 / 5 

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When Cartier Was Likes of Liz diamonds

The Cartier show, with baubles from estates and personal collections, remembers when luxury goods set the tone rather than become lost in the background

LUXURY once denoted stuff that was costly and hard to obtain. The noun bespoke well-upholstered and Gatsby-esque lives played out against a backdrop of mansions and servants and among others who, as Holly Brubach once observed in The New York Times, “ordered their trunks from Louis Vuitton, their trousseaux from Christian Dior, their Dom Pérignon by the case.”

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Bruce Weber, From “Cartier, I Love You,” Teneues, 2009

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Carriage-trade luxury went south a while ago and with it went the carriage trade itself. On the way out, it passed a new class of people who — although they might never be able to afford an apartment at 740 Park Avenue or a summer place in Dark Harbor — had acquired both the ability and the hankering to purchase themselves little nothings from Vuitton, Chanel or Dior.

And thus, even in a recession, the client most crucial to luxury goods purveyors is no longer a Rockefeller but a Real Housewife of New York.

And that may account for the decision made by Cartier, the 163-year-old French jewelry house now owned by the Richemont group, to take a populist tack when celebrating its United States centenary. Gathering baubles commissioned over the last century by the celebrated, the rich and the swell, Cartier has installed them in its Fifth Avenue flagship for “Cartier … 100 Years of Passion and Free Spirit in America” (opening May 1) a rare chance for hoi polloi to get a close look at how the other half once lived.

“Cartier is a true luxury brand,” Frédéric de Narp, president and chief executive of Cartier North America, said last week, adding that “there is no fashion at Cartier, there are no seasonal products. There is just the timelessness of something valuable cherished for generation after generation.”

Yet like most of its competitors, Cartier long ago expanded its scope to include perfume and eyewear, stuff that lacks the recherché glamour of an emerald parure but that does a lot for a company’s bottom line.

It is true that people are left in the world who recognize where to go when they suddenly find themselves in need of a diamond tiara, but they are few. Even before the economy got Madoffed, the pool of clients had dwindled for the sort of baubles the ultrarich once bought to amuse themselves.

And so, particularly at a time when strapped consumers are questioning both their buying habits and the durable value of last year’s “It” bag, there is a certain pleasure to be gained from ogling the keepsakes of boom times, when people with plenty of money — but also time and taste — dropped into Cartier when they felt the itch for a jeweled card case.

Borrowed from clients, estates or else the vaults of Cartier’s Swiss archive, the show is replete with objects like the Duchess of Windsor’s lorgnette and the diamond and panther brooch created for the Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton.

There is a bracelet of carved emeralds and rubies made for Ganna Walska, the marginally talented opera singer whose genuine gift was marrying well and often (six times). There is the jeweled handbag Condé Nast’s wife had engraved with her home address (1040 Park Avenue) in the possibly delusional expectation that it would be returned if ever mislaid.

And among the other giddily refined oddments is Mary Pickford’s vanity case, Mrs. Cole Porter’s tutti-frutti dress clips, J. P. Morgan’s perfume bottle, the Triple Crown trophy, Mrs. Vanderbilt’s jeweled car travel case and Grace Kelly’s poodle pin. From Elizabeth Taylor’s legendary trove is a ruby and diamond suite that her husband Mike Todd gave her (at poolside, as captured on a film clip that is part of the show). Also there is La Peregrina, a pear-shaped pearl that was discovered in the early 16th century, owned by Mary Tudor, the Spanish queens Margarita and Isabel, and purchased at auction in 1969 by Richard Burton for $37,000. Cartier set it with diamonds, pearls and rubies in 1972.

“We are all about stories at Cartier,” said Mr. de Narp, an assertion seconded by Ms. Taylor herself.

“Of course I wear my jewelry!” the actress said in an e-mail exchange. “I wear the important pieces as well as the simpler ones that I love as much. ‘’ Wearing an exceptional gem “gives me a real high,” she added, and playing with jewelry is among her preferred pastimes, “because each piece tells a story, taking me back to a special person or time or place.” Stones have a life of their own, said Ms. Taylor, whose authority on the subject is incontestable. “There’s something mystical about them. They have their own vitality.” Amazon Jewelry

For Cartier and other luxury goods houses, as Mr. de Narp said, “We are in a defining moment because people are disoriented and need reassurance,” by the economic downturn. “They need something rock solid,” he added, like rocks.

read also : diamond trends

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 Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite Objects from the Cradle of Civilization Opens in Chicago

Bust of a King, Kish East, Sasanian Period (AD 224 - 637), Photograph by John Weinstein © The Field Museum. The Kish Expedition excavated seven buildings whose walls were embellished with elaborate stucco decoration. The figure shown here is that of a Sasanian king, identified by his crown as either Shapur II (A.D. 310-379) or Bahram V (A.D. 420-438).

 CHICAGO.- The Field Museum presents Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite Objects from the Cradle of Civilization, on view through July 5, 2009. A rich array of jewelry from the ancient Near East, Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite Objects from the Cradle of Civilization, will be featured in The Field Museum’s new T. Kimball and Nancy N. Brooker Gallery this spring. Since ancient times, jewelry has been worn as adornment, memento, and a sign of status. The exquisite artifacts presented in this exhibition, some more than 7,000 years old, illuminate the culture and customs of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Levant, Persia and the Islamic Middle East.

The Field Museum is pleased to partner once again with the National Jewelry Institute, organizers of Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry. This prestigious exhibition features artifacts from renowned collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Princeton University Art Museum and the Israel Museum. In addition to the breathtaking jewelry, the exhibition features maps and illustrations that place the jewelry in historical and cultural context.

Additionally, several key pieces from The Field Museum’s collection will be on display complementing the exhibition. The Field Museum’s remarkable collection of 23,000 artifacts from the 5,000-year-old city of Kish, Iraq has been viewed and studied by scholars worldwide. These pieces were excavated between 1923 and 1933 by scientists from both The Field Museum and Oxford University. From at least 3200 BC through the 7th century AD, Kish held an extraordinary position in Mesopotamian history.

This exhibition is free with paid general admission to The Field Museum. Ticket prices can be found online at www.fieldmuseum.org/plan_visit.

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10 romantic celebrity diamond engagement proposals

So you’re finally ready to settle down and make that marriage proposal? There’s no better time to do it than engagement season, which, lucky for you, is now! Get inspired by these uber-romantic celebrity proposals.

Brandon Routh popped the question to Courtney Ford while on a picnic.

Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict

(InStyle.com found at cnn.com December 16, 2008) — Although the set of a slasher movie seems an unlikely place for romance to bloom, that’s just where it happened for actors Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict. Shortly after shooting began in 1999 on their film “Hollywood Horror,” the co-stars started spending time together.

Seven years later, on Christmas Day 2006, Hardrict, 32, told Mowry, 30, that he wanted to give her a promise ring. Then, as her entire family looked on, the “Lincoln Heights” actor yelled, “Psych!” and got down on one knee to present her with a 1.5-carat diamond engagement ring.

Antonio Pierce and Jocelyn Maldonado

Antonio Pierce, an NFL linebacker, met Jocelyn Maldonado during a celebrity appearance at an ESPN Fantasy Football Draft. Maldonado, a model at the event, instantly caught his eye. Pierce and Maldonado (who now hosts Mets Weekly) were inseparable over the next six months.

In February 2007, Pierce treated Maldonado to a helicopter ride above Manhattan, New York, before dining at Brooklyn’s The River Café. Famous for its chocolate Brooklyn Bridge cake, Pierce conspired with the restaurant’s manager to place the engagement ring atop the confection, which was covered with pink rose petals.

Backstreet Boy Howard “Howie” Dorough got more than he bargained for after hiring Leigh Boniello to be the band’s webmaster in December 2000. Boniello went on tour with the group and quickly grew close to Dorough.

Six years later, the couple attended a New Year’s Eve party at the New Jersey home of Boniello’s father. “I figured, what better timing,” says Dorough, “because all of her family was going to be there, including her 92-year-old grandmother.”

Just before the stroke of midnight, Dorough made a toast and presented Boniello with a custom-designed three-stone diamond engagement ring.

Brandon Routh and Courtney Ford

Three years before actor Brandon Routh donned those famous blue tights, he tended bar at Lucky Strike Lanes in Hollywood. During a party there in 2003, actress Courtney Ford repeatedly poured out the drinks he made her as a ruse to chat him up. “I kept asking him for another drink, telling him the one before was too strong,” she recalls.

In 2006, Routh purchased the 3-carat diamond ring that had caught Ford’s eye during an earlier visit to Neil Lane. But since the two were traveling for the Superman Returns press tour, Routh asked Gilbert Adler, one of the film’s producers, to hold the ring until they arrived in England. “Poor man!” says Routh. “He carried it around for two and a half weeks.” Finally, while picnicking in Glastonbury, Routh popped the question.

Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter

Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter became friends after meeting at a party in 2006 and Sanchez immediately pegged him as perfect husband material. She found out for certain that he felt the same way just two days before Christmas 2007, under a full moon at midnight, in a bay off the coast of the Puerto Rican island Vieques.

The two were seated in a double kayak, taking in the bioluminescent organisms shimmering in the water all alone, except for a tour guide in a second kayak. The scene should have been pure bliss, except that Sachez was concerned when their guide speedily paddled away.

“The guy knew to take off so Eric could propose, but imagine how I felt floating in this huge bay in the middle of the night with nobody around,” Sanchez explains. “I started calling back, ‘Senor, hello! Come back!’ until I realized something was going on.”

After an “amazing speech,” Winter pulled out a 4.3-carat brilliant-cut diamond ring by Michael Barin, Sanchez’s favorite jeweler. But her joy was soon laced with anxiety over the fact that such a costly bauble was surrounded by acres of sea. “I said, ‘Put it away, please. I don’t want it to drop in the water!’”

Anna Chlumsky and Shaun So

Actress Anna Chlumsky, 27, best known for her role in “My Girl,” was awaiting her seven-year anniversary with college sweetheart and army reservist Shaun So, 28, and hoping he might pop the question.

While they were having breakfast at a café in her neighborhood a week before their anniversary, Chlumsky described a cocktail ring a friend was selling. So, who had been carrying an engagement ring for two weeks in anticipation of the perfect moment, pulled out the 1-carat, cathedral-mounted, radiant-cut bauble and asked, “Does it look anything like this?”

Guiliana DePandi & Bill Rancic

It started out all business: Giuliana DePandi was interviewing Bill Rancic, first-season winner on “The Apprentice” and co-host of the Chicago, Illinois, TV show “In the Loop with iVillage.” But when the cameras stopped rolling in April 2006, a whirlwind — and adventurous — romance began.

Eight months later, when Rancic, 36, popped the question during a chopper flight over Chicago, complete with champagne, Giordano’s deep-dish pizza (DePandi’s favorite) and Michael Bublé tunes piped into the headset.

“Bill told me we were going to look at Christmas lights,” says DePandi. “It was dark in the helicopter, so I didn’t really get a look at the ring until the next day, when I went into shock for the second time,” she says of the 4-carat cushion-cut diamond in a micro pavé setting Rancic helped design.

Jeri Ryan and Chistophe Eme

“He was hot!” Shark star Jeri Ryan, 39, recalls of first glimpsing her future husband, Christophe Emé, 38, at a food-related charity event four years ago. “He looked good in his chef’s hat, and he had this ornery little spark in his eye that I really enjoy.” After dating for two years, the couple opened Ortolan, their celebrated French restaurant in Los Angeles, California.

The proposal came soon after. “One night, Christophe covered my eyes and took me into our bedroom,” recalls Ryan. There the die-hard romantic had placed candles, champagne and a canvas painted with the messages “And you come with me forever” in French and “Grow old along with me” in English. Emé then presented Ryan with a made-to-order cushion-cut solitaire set in pavé diamonds.

Jason Priestley and Naomi Lowde

Fate has looked after Jason Priestley. On Valentine’s Day 2000 the actor met Naomi Lowde, a makeup artist from Hertfordshire, England, while walking back from a play rehearsal in London. “I was smitten,” says Priestley, now 36.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum and Lowde, 27, immediately began dating, and in 2002 they moved back to California together. That’s when fate took another turn: On August 11, 2002, Priestley was driving his race car on a Kentucky track when he hit a wall at 180 mph. Though he sustained three skull fractures, a broken back and a bleeding artery in his neck, he pulled through.

“It was a tough time, but it was also magical because we kept each other’s spirits high,” says Lowde. “We pushed two beds together in the hospital and put Swifty, our French bulldog, in the middle. We were together 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for three months.”

In May 2004 Priestley arranged another trip to London, England — to the very street corner where he and Naomi first met, where he presented her with an emerald-cut, three-diamond ring by Steven Pomerantz.

Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas — and for Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell, that’s not a bad thing. Nearly four years ago the two ran into each other poolside at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. “I was working on a documentary, and Jerry offered to help,” recalls Romijn, 35. “He spent a week operating the microphone, but later he told me he would have done anything. I don’t think he really cared about the project, if you know what I mean.”

For their first date the couple went to see the Blue Man Group with friends, and O’Connell had Romijn in stitches. “It was this whole Jerry show in my ear. That’s how it is with Jerry. You get sucked into it!” Evidently: A year and a half later, on September 18, 2005, O’Connell, 33, proposed to Romijn in New York with a diamond ring from Simon G.

“I got down on one knee, asked her to marry me and said, ‘You better say yes’ a couple of times — there was a little bit of a pause on her part,” says O’Connell.

Romijn’s take? “Not true!”

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Diamonds can be your best friend

When markets plunge and money starts losing its value, investors start looking for other places to park their money. Can diamonds be the next big thing?

By Lim Yi Hwa found Saturday December 13, 2008 at http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/12/13/business/2704415&sec=business

THEY say diamonds are forever, but in reality this iconic phrase was coined by a copywriter from an advertising agency for its diamond company client, De Beers, in 1948.

Made popular by movies and songs, diamond owners and jewellers insist that diamonds are more than just a piece of jewellery.

There are many famous diamonds such as the Hope diamond and the Taylor-Burton diamond (Richard Burton bought this 69.42-carat pear-shaped diamond as an engagement present for Elizabeth Taylor), just to name a few, but the story behind each stone makes it a money-can’t-buy piece.

What exactly makes diamonds a great investment?

Simply put, “a diamond is always worth more than its cost,” says Laura Chow, vice-president (South-East Asia) and regional director of Lazare Kaplan.

 

Laura Chow and Stephen Choong with some of the diamond items and rings (inset) being sold by Lazare Kaplan

“The emotional value, be it an engagement ring or a heirloom passed down from generation to generation, proves to be priceless to their owners. There are two types of diamonds – industrial and gem quality. It takes 200 tonnes of ore to get one piece of one-carat gem quality diamond. The rest are meant for industrial uses like cutting, drilling and polishing. That is why larger pieces are so rare and expensive,” she says.

Making the cut

According to Chow, people invest in gold bars but they can’t wear it as an accessory. “Would you wear a block of gold to a party? A diamond is an investment that can be worn and not lose its value,” she says. She insists there is a diamond for every budget. Her advice to buyers is to tell the jeweller your budget and expectations.

There may be some aspects one will have to sacrifice to get a larger stone for a certain budget, like clarity or the colour of the stone. However, Chow stresses that it is the cut that makes the diamond.

“A good cut like the Lazare ideal cut can visually boost the colour of the diamond by two levels because of its sparkle,” she says. She also adds that some discreet customers prefer to buy a smaller stone that is flawless compared to larger pieces that may cost only half the price of the flawless piece.

Chris Koh, head of PR and media for The Diamond House, agrees that diamonds are indeed becoming a strong trend for investors as it shows higher and more sustainable yields compared to gold.

“It is clearly visible that with the current market demand for ‘investable’ diamonds, the consumers are more receptive to purchasing diamonds,” he says. He adds that The Diamond House has clients who buy jewellery as accessories and for investment.

According to Chow, the prices of diamonds have risen considerably within the last two years. The value of a five-carat diamond with a D colour and VVS grade has risen by 130% and larger stones like a 10-carat diamond has increased by almost 225%. She also stresses that it is wise to invest in larger stones as they are getting rarer and harder to find. “Customers have been telling me that they regret not buying larger stones before the prices went up,” she says.

Sparkle and shine

Stephen Choong, executive director of DeGem Masterpiece Sdn Bhd, says most people have a common misconception about the prices of diamonds. “Unlike gold, diamonds don’t have daily reports on their prices. Maybe that’s why some people think that diamonds have no resale value. That perception is based on short-term investment whereas diamonds are long-term investment. A five-carat diamond a few years back would have cost RM200,000-RM300,000. Now you will not be able to buy that same stone for less than half a million (ringgit),” he says. He adds that diamond resale values are based on the 4C (cut, clarity, colour and carat) international standards.

DeGem also offers to upgrade their customers’ certified diamonds. Choong says it has been buying gems back from their customers and the company also accepts gems not purchased from DeGem, depending on the quality and rarity of the trade-ins.

“We will evaluate based on the condition of the diamond, so it is important to keep your diamonds in tip-top condition. It is, however, important to note that the pricing is based on current market demand,” he says.

According to Choong, the resale value of the diamonds depends on the brand of the jewellers who made it. Internationally-known brands usually command a higher premium. He says quality, design and workmanship of the piece also play a significant part in the evaluation. In rare cases, the value of the diamond also depends on its owner, especially if he’s a celebrity.

Chris Koh says his clients also request for rare gems such as rare-coloured diamonds in specific sizes, special categories of diamonds like the Golconda diamonds. “Our clients are well-informed and we can obtain and fulfil ‘rare’ requests,” he says, adding that The Diamond House shares information with its customers so it knows what is going on within the jewellery industry as well. Clients are interested to know the price, trend and business news within the jewellery industry.

Most clients buy diamonds in set jewellery form. Koh advises that loose stones be set in jewellery form to prevent damages due to manhandling of the stones.

Chow thinks diamonds should be worn to be appreciated and they have better value as mounted jewellery. Theoretically, he says, if someone invests in a diamond today and sells it 70 years later, this vintage piece will fetch a significantly higher price because of the steady price increase of diamonds every year.

Safety measures

If one has investments worth million, one would most probably want to insure them. Choong says most insurance companies are not too keen on insuring diamond jewellery. He adds that wearing them would lower the chances of theft. Laura Chow thinks that diamonds should be worn and enjoyed and confesses her own jewellery is put in a safe in her home that is bolted to the floor when she is not wearing them.

Koh adds that the one thing one should remember about jewellery care is the “Last on, first out” rule. Always wear your jewels last before leaving the house and the first thing you remove when you arrive home. He says: “Never clean your jewellery with toothpaste as it contains abrasive substance and will damage the claws and the polish of the gold or platinum. Always send them back to your jewellers who will be more than happy to clean them for you while checking for loose stones on the jewellery.”

So, whether it is square-cut or pear shape, these precious rocks don’t lose their shape (or value). No wonder they say diamonds are a girl’s (and investor’s) best friend!

found September 17, 2008 at Time Out NYC

…a non-diamond engagement ring that is classy and old (ish), and won’t set me back three months of unemployment? I’m thinking white gold set with an aquamarine, maybe.
Frank
Jackson Heights, Queens

 

Little King Diamond | engagement ring in New York

Little King Ltd.
This intimate shop is chock-full of unexpected baubles. Is she (or he) a fan of the Chrysler Building? Get a ring featuring the iconic landmark in your choice of metals. Going fancy? Check out a beautiful light blue sapphire in palladium (a metal in the same family as platinum) for $3,000 or a rose-gold and pink tourmaline ring with an intricately etched band for $720. But be careful of aquamarine, warns gemologist Jennifer O’Sullivan: “It’s a very soft stone and may not withstand a lifetime of wear and tear. Sapphires are much stronger and come in all shades of blue.”
319 E 9th St between First and Second Aves (212-260-6140, littlekingjewelry.com)

Fichera and Perkins
If you book it too quickly down University Place, you might miss this dim store tucked away in the middle of the block. Lou Fichera and Ron Perkins have been in the same location for 34 years, putting the sweethearts of “some very guilty men” in forgiving moods. Please your sweetie with a traditional Irish claddagh wedding ring from the ’40s with a deep purple amethyst for $495.50 University Pl between 9th and 10th Sts (212-533-1430)

 

Ilana fine Jewelry New York

Ilana Fine Jewelry
Just a few doors down from Fichera and Perkins, Ilana Fine Jewelry has more vintage and estate gems, such as a teardrop opal ring with diamond accents from the ’50s for $1,450. If you inherited grandmother’s jewels and they need some TLC, bring them here where the repair services can resize, restore and renew those family heirlooms.
42 University Pl between 9th and 10th Sts (212-473-1057)

Gold Label by Tina Tang
Is your lover more modern chic than retro artsy? Visit this downtown cool design studio and find an 8mm sky blue topaz in 14-karat white gold, a new take on the old standby, for $550. Designer and former Wall Street equities trader Tina Tang appeals to the green set, as well, by donating a portion of her proceeds to tree-planting organization American Forests and offering eco-friendly packaging and wrapping.
48 Greenwich Ave between Charles and Perry Sts (212-645-3124, goldlabelbytinatang.com)

 

Doyle and Doyle NYC engagement rings

Doyle & Doyle
For the Gemini gem-lovers out there, a unique flip ring comes with black onyx on one side and a rose-cut garnet and diamonds on the other for $575. A three-stone ruby ring framed in diamonds with a yellow gold band is $1,800.
189 Orchard St between E Houston and Stanton Sts (212-677-9991, doyledoyle.com)

Clay Pot
Opened in Park Slope in 1969, long before the stroller invasion, this family-run store boasts a large bridal collection from more than 75 independent designers. Michele Mercaldo’s Sapphire Fade Band features sapphires across the spectrum, from pale blue to deep navy, set in a palladium band for $1,765. Or surprise your diamond in the rough with Melissa Joy Manning’s Diamond Slice Ring—a dark, raw diamond in a hammered gold band for $1,080.
162 Seventh Ave between Garfield Pl and 1st St, Park Slope, Brooklyn (800-989-3579, /clay-pot.com)

Cog & Pearl
This other Park Slope gem features handmade goods—from tees to home decor—and a nice selection of jewelry from independent designers. The owners handpick featured designers like Liza McLaughlin, who created a charming ruby solitaire with a twisted band for only $80. All the rings in the store are under $300, many of which are suitable for an understated, unique engagement ring. Many designers are happy to do custom work, too.
190 Fifth Ave between Berkeley Pl and Union St, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-623-8200, cogandpearl.com)

Also on the internet:

Amazon Diamonds Jewelry & Engagement rings

Etsy (etsy.com), the Amazon-like site for crafters, sells wares from virtual storefronts, so you can start your married life on a lazy note by never leaving the couch.

I Do Now I Don’t (idonowidont.com), on the other hand, is a celebration of failed engagements—but don’t let that dissuade you. With auctions of some impressive rings, this site can either blow your budget or yield a supreme deal.

 

Technorati Tags: diamonds, engagement rings, new york

60 years on… ex-mayor Willis gets the engagement ring she never had

Words and Picture: Mike McKenzie

Last updated 15:54, Wednesday, 22 October 2008

WILLIS Metherell got the shock of her life when she received the engagement ring she never had on her diamond wedding anniversary.

 

She Waited 60 years for here engagement ring. Photo CE Willis

DIAMOND SURPRISE: Stainton Metherell slips the diamond engagement ring onto his wife Willis’s finger

The former Copeland Mayor’s husband, Stainton, presented her with the ring on their special day last Thursday.

Because money was tight in the days after the war, and with rationing still in force, the couple agreed to wait a while before buying a ring. But with the trials and tribulations of starting married life and having children, they never got around to it.

Sixty years on, Stainton said: “I thought that, after all these years of married life, it was time to put that right.” And in front of a couple of close friends, including the couple’s original bridesmaid Beryl Hodgson (née Jackson), he produced the diamond ring.

Overcome with emotion, Willis wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big kiss.

The Copeland councillor had just returned home after a stay in hospital, so the couple’s planned anniversary party had to be cancelled. Instead they had a quiet family get-together to celebrate.

best engagement rings

Wednesday, 22 October 2008 found at pr-canada.net 

In the current scenario, the diamond engagement rings have gained a lot of popularity and it owes its roots to the Middle Ages.

All engagement rings come with diamonds from various sizes and no other stone can be replaced with it as such. It has been believed that the round and never ending shape of the ring symbolizes the never-ending love and devotion to a woman.

Diamonds were exceedingly valued by the Romans, who believed that they possess supernatural powers. They were assumed to fend off poisons, maintain sanity, and disperse apprehensions.

The Italians also maintained these values insinuating that diamonds facilitate eternal marital harmony.

Today the diamond engagement is perhaps the most popular type of engagement ring. It used to be tradition for the man to secretly purchase a beautiful engagement ring and present it to his beloved when he proposes her.

This phenomenon still persists however sometimes both the guy and the girl have a say in the kind of ring to be purchased. A movement was initiated in the 20th century to promote male engagement rings, but this never became popular at global scenario. There exists certain country, like Egypt and Brazil, where the male traditionally wears engagement rings, here the male’s engagement ring is commonly used as the wedding rings.

In general, Engagement rings are often used to signify commitment and devotion towards the prospective bride. They have a deep inheritance and are regular in many different societies, but are most popular in the United States and Canada. People here are highly influenced by celebrity behavior so when a celebrity shows off her diamond ring, it becomes a topic of discussion among the masses. And as a result of this demand for diamond ring rises in the market.

For most celebrities the diamond ring is especially designed for them by an expert jewelry designer. Such rings are tailor made according to the desire and preferences of the prospective celebrity. Nowadays individuals are also following the same fashion by getting their engagement rings custom made through the designer or the dealer.

Recently, a website www.myengagementrings.co.uk is launched which enables its prospective visitors/customers not only buy engagement rings but also allow them to customize their engagement rings only. They can use easy to understand tools and design their engagement ring according to their preferences, at the comfort of their home. Now you can choose the special ring for the special person in your life and even tailor it to suit it to your beloved’s needs.

Danny diamonds invites you to read more about the diamond engagement ring