Tuesday, May 5, 2009

The timeless appeal of white gold in diamond jewelry

Diamond jewelry for men and women is as old as the hills and mountains. Ancient kings, pharaohs and emperors have bestowed priceless stones in stunning settings and displays to the objects of their affection. But, whereas in the past, the trend was to place diamond jewelry in yellow 18k gold, currently, there is a dramatic shift. More and more people are discovering that yellow gold may look beautiful but white gold is an absolutely divine setting for diamond jewelry.




Its lustrous beauty and timeless appeal has made gold a much loved and sought-after metal since the beginning of civilization. Gold also has another intriguing quality. It can be mixed with small amounts of other precious or semi-precious metals to create lovely shades of color. From pink to yellow and white, the color of gold can change according to requirements. This further enhances the beauty and suitability of gold for making fantastic pieces of jewelry.




Ever since millionaire heiresses and business tycoons initiated the demand for platinum, there has been a corresponding increase in the demand for white gold. For one thing, folks who cannot afford cash-heavy platinum can always turn to white gold to create a similar but far more cost-effective jewelry. Besides, white gold looks really stylish and pricey when it is used as a setting for diamond jewelry. The white luster and shine of gold add to the brilliance of the shining stones. The resulting piece of art is captivating, to say the least. Another reason many people prefer white gold for diamond jewelry is because white gold has the uncanny ability to make diamonds look larger. This is more so when diamonds are rimmed with white gold as is seen in the popular bezel setting.




White gold is made when gold is mixed with silver or nickel and zinc. The finished gold is given additional sheen and luster by covering it with a very thin sheath of rhodium, which belongs to the platinum family. This gives white gold its sensational, sleek finish. Since rhodium is tarnish proof, the plating does a good job of protecting the gold underneath from scratches, wear and tear. White gold jewelry that is plated with rhodium may cost a little more, but it is worth it in the long run because the rhodium plating keeps the gold intact. Besides, you can get the ring re-plated when you notice signs of wear and tear.




Another intriguing feature of white gold which makes it exceptionally useful in diamond jewelry is its versatility. White gold can be combined with different shades of color, both in the stone as well as in gold itself. So, two-tone white gold diamond jewelry is wildly popular and exceptionally beautiful. This is one feature that is almost impossible to achieve in yellow gold because the yellow color of gold may clash with certain shades of the stone (pink, for instance).




White gold jewelry may be the epitome of understated elegance, but there is one aspect that wearers need to be aware of. White gold jewelry requires regular maintenance to keep it looking new. Otherwise, it will lose its luster in the course of time. But, for most users, the beauty of the jewelry more than justifies the cost and effort of maintenance.


Diana Evans offers you helpful tips on White Gold Wedding Band, Engagement Rings, and other diamond and gold jewelry. Please visit www.gddiamond.com for buying white gold diamond jewelry online at reasonable prices.

marriage proposal: proposal ideas

marriage proposal: marriage proposal

Article Source: www.articlesnatch.com

Making Cuts To The Guest List

Do you know who you are going to invite to your wedding?




That is a good question. Technically it is your wedding and you should be able to include, or exclude anyone you want, right? Well yes, technically, but weddings are like big social parties and you are the host. Many people want invitations and many people in your lives fall under the category of mandatory invitations. Usually immediate family members are invited. If you invite the majority of one group, like aunts and uncles, you really should invite them all.




Your wedding is your big day, and you really should be as happy as possible on that day, do not forget that. It is best to remember that you want to keep the peace not only leading up to your wedding but once it is over as well. This is why we invite people we might not want to spend time with usually; keeping the peace within a family is important especially when you are starting a new life with the one you love.




But how do you decide who to invite? How do you narrow down your choices? Here are some ideas:




Start by making a list. Write down a huge list of everyone you could possibly invite. This way you will have a number of maximum guests. Do not forget to include everyone your fiancé could invite! The initial list should include everyone you can think of that you may want to invite or who might want to receive an invitation. Don't worry if the list is way too long, you are going to cut the list down to who you absolutely want to invite and who you need to invite.




You may need help creating these lists. Make sure to get help from your fiancé and both of the families. Your fiancé will have to answer the same questions and list everyone who may be invited. He should also break them into groups. Your families may have requests on people to invite, friends of the family or business associates. Take everything into consideration in order to know who to invite.




Now that you know everyone you could possibly invite break your list into groups. Groups can be dividing into sections like cousins, second cousins, aunt and uncles, friends of the family, colleagues, etc. Now look at your lists and decide if their are any groups you would prefer to exclude from your wedding completely. Do you want to exclude all second cousins or all children from your wedding? Maybe you only want to invite children over a certain age or children in the wedding party. Once you look at all the possible guests in list form it is easier to see who you want there and who doesn't really warrant an invitation.




The colleague question. Decide whether or not you are inviting colleagues. If so, how many? Are you inviting many or all or just a few which you are especially close to? This is something that you may want to decide soon. When your engagement is announced people may wonder whether or not they are invited. If you decide against it you can certainly explain that you can only afford so many guests and family has first priority.




If your potential guest list is still too large you will have to think of other ways to cut it. Look at the people who are left on the list. Are there people who you barely talk to? How about people who you may have once been close to but now you barely talk to them. Sure, maybe once you thought they would see you getting married, but that was years ago. These could be people you do not need to invite to your wedding.


Pam Kazmierczak own Wedding Planning 101, an informational wedding wedsite where you can read articles detailing steps for planning a wedding.

marriage proposal: marriage proposal

marriage proposal: proposal ideas

Article Source: www.articlesnatch.com