Ringing In Your New Life

The biggest question of your life has been asked and answered…..or you are dreaming of possibilities? Either way the good news is that you do have choices today, perhaps more than at any time in all the eons past. Why this is does not matter,  that it is certainly does since the choices can be overwhelming.

To diamond or not to diamond, if to diamond then to conflict free diamonds?……or to sapphires, to rubies, to emeralds, in which color, what shape, what size? This is enough to spin even the coolest head and those perhaps more than most. If you have practiced any yoga now is time for a quiet inhaled breath, if you have not practiced yoga well, just take a deep breath.  In the process of your engagement ring selection you will need this skill I promise. It is also useful in the wedding planning to come. Since practice makes perfect you now have an essential skill at your fingertips.

Moving beyond the fingertips, beyond the knuckles and on to that still too bare finger, where to begin? The nice news is that there is a process one which can smooth out the frenetic push and pull of too many opinions while you move happily along to your very own, personalized choice.  Not every choice will be perfect, none will be fatal and Thomas Alva Edison said it best: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” You are here and we’re here to walk with you so you don’t have those 10,000 ways that won’t work. We’ve come a long way since the early 20^th century so let’s get started.

First if you can go to your closet, open the door and look in. If your closet is beyond your reach right now, imagine it as clearly as you can. No matter the organization or disarray look at the colors before you, the palette. Those colors are the result of your choices, they reflect you.  Are they all colors of the rainbow and tinged by blue, or yellow or red? Or all full of violet? Black and white? Tan and umber? Do you like a green scarf near your face? Pink lipstick no matter what the fashion magazines hold each season? Do you never, absolutely never wear……..name any color?

The color that predominates throughout  your wardrobe is a great indicator of a color well matched to your skin and personality which means it is a great possibility for the color of the main stone in your engagement ring. The color you avoid wearing should be avoided in your ring as well.  This perspective uses all you have learned about yourself right up until today while still giving you a wide choice of stones since many stones are available in many colors. Sapphires are generally thought to be varying shades of blue but there are naturally occurring pink sapphires which, if they match your skin tone and clothes color choices can make amazing engagement rings.

The stone you choose is important as all the different stones have different natural strength, known in the industry as “hardness.” To avoid scratches from daily activities the gem in your special ring should have a hardness greater than 7.  Judged according to the Mohn’s Scale here is the ranking, the higher the number the stronger or harder the gem:

Size and shape combine for the total appearance of your engagement ring. As with clothes, shoes, eyewear and all personal accessories it is necessary to try on some of your personal favorite choices.

If you favor a bold presence contemporary designs abound in colored stones. Emeralds and diamonds with creative settings can be a striking choice.

If your preferred style is a vintage look and a matching set of an engagement ring and paired wedding band with a center stone of color  in the engagement ring can be your find for a lifetime.

Whatever your favorite style it is time to look for yourself. Begin online perhaps and then venture out into your local jewelery stores for a look see and perhaps even trying various styles on for yourself.  You can discover which local jewelers are able to make unique settings and which have access to the widest range of cut gems. With this information now at your fingertips your ring is yours to find.  Take another calming breath as you enter this exciting journey.

Jenny Houston is a professional blogger that writes for AllureBridals.com, a leading designer of wedding and bridal gowns.