Archive for the ‘Help for Men’ Category

A gift of fine jewelry is perfect for any woman.  So when a man wants to please his lady, he needs to head to the jewelry store; not the discount store or the bargain bin, but the fine jewelry store.

The best way to choose a piece of jewelry is to pay attention to what she wears and what she says.  Do not buy her a bracelet if you never see her wearing bracelets, unless she comments she would love a bracelet because she does not have any!  In this case, you have a great idea for a gift.

If you have absolutely no idea what to buy, gold or pearls are really a safe bet.  Choose white gold, rose gold or yellow gold but make sure you get it right! Show a salesperson your lady’s photo and let her guide you what jewelry to buy.

Be sensible.  Buy jewelry in proportion to the woman or she will look ridiculous!  A petite woman can look silly in chunky jewelry and a thin gold chain will be practically invisible on the neckline of a larger or taller lady. 

Rings are special and are best reserved for a committed relationship.  But you need to get the size right.  Too small and she may think you are telling her she needs to lose weight!  Too big and it will be uncomfortable to wear.

Earrings are usually wonderful gift ideas, if she actually likes earrings!  Check whether she wears pierced or clip-on earrings and make sure you buy the right ones.  Why not sneak a peek at her current earring collection when she is not watching?

And when you are ready to buy, remember you can get the best jewelry bargain when you buy online.

If you are looking for the perfect engagement ring, you probably have a very clear idea of what you want.  It does not matter whether you want to surprise her at the proposal or shop together afterwards for the engagement ring, it can take more than one visit to one jeweller to find something close to what you really want. 
So why not build your own diamond engagement ring?

This is not as expensive as you might think.  And it will add a personal touch to the ring that you both hope symbolises your lifelong commitment to each other.  So why not create your own ring?

Some of the best jewellers online, all offer build your own engagement ring services.  If you want, you can buy a ring that is totally bespoke.  But most people find their perfect engagement ring setting in the wide selection of bands designs offered.  This keeps the costs down to a manageable level. 

The range of engagement ring settings includes the more popular styles of solitaires and trilogy styles, in bands ranging from narrow to wide.  And all of these can be made in your choice of metal.  So if you are looking for that very unusual rose gold engagement ring, or something in platinum, it can be done. 

And when you have chosen your setting, you can have fun choosing the perfect stones to set into it!  At the end, you will have a unique engagement ring that will be treasured by you both and your heirs for generations to come. 

Go on!  Treat yourself! 
Start right now to create your own diamond engagement ring.

Pearl jewelry is some of the most elegant and classic jewelry a woman can own.  It can be dressed up or down and can be equally worn with a crisp white shirt and pair of blue jeans or a sensational evening dress.  In fact, it is possible to transform a casual look into something very special just by adding some pearl jewelry.

And this is what makes pearls an essential jewelry piece for any woman.  A pair of pearl stud earrings is one of the true must-have pieces and with the current trends for different colors of pearls, there really is no reason not to have more than one pair!

If you are looking to buy a first pair of pearl earrings, string of pearls, or indeed any other piece of pearl jewelry, the best advice is to keep it simple.  If you have no idea whether you should buy Tahitian, Akoya or freshwater pearls, go with the most affordable white or cream pearls in the first instance and keep the pair of black Tahitian pearl earrings as something to aspire to.

Freshwater pearls come in a wide range of colors and shapes, according to which mollusc species cultivated them.  It is common for the small nucleus of freshwater pearls to be drilled out during the setting process, which means that freshwater pearls are often pure nacre.  This makes them robust and gives them a wonderful lustre.  With proper care and gentle cleaning, they should last a lifetime and beyond!  Pearls make great heirloom pieces.

What else comes in so many colors and shapes, is wonderful quality and likely to stay stunningly beautiful for a lifetime?  Whether you buy hand made bracelets, chandelier drop earrings or something else, freshwater pearls are a must have accessory! 

Check out the best deals in freshwater pearls before you forget!

White gold and platinum may look alike, but that’s where the similarities end. Platinum is actually denser and it retains its color without yellowing. For people with allergic reactions to metal alloy, platinum is the most hypo-allergenic.

The brightness of platinum complements the diamonds in the setting, which means that platinum is an increasingly popular for engagement rings and wedding bands. However, platinum is more costly than white gold and because it is such a hard metal it is also more difficult to size (rings).

So why choose white gold over platinum?

White gold is softer than platinum, making it easier to mould, shape, and to size! White gold is the better value for the wedding band so if you choose a white gold band, you can put more money into the diamond or other stone to complete the jewelry design.

Its relative softness also means that white gold handles scratches without compromise – they wear away. On the other hand platinum shows every sign of scratches. So if you are after an antique look or classic design, white gold is definitely the right choice!

The gold undertones in white gold gives any jewelry item made from it a warm glow that is pleasing to the eye and familiar as a symbol of love, elegance and discerning choices. Why not check out our white gold jewelry choices and save money with this hot trend look?

Buying presents can be very difficult. Finding something that is perfect for someone else is tough. And it can get even harder if you are buying for someone special. For many men, the thought of buying jewelry for their loved one fills then with dread. But it needn’t be like that!

If you have never thought of buying fine jewelry online, you may be surprised at the wide range of products available. This is because the low overheads of an online business translate into better bargains online compared with offline prices. And the ease of displaying products on a website means that jewellers are also able to offer a far wider choice online than in their bricks and mortar stores.

A bigger range and better bargains means that anyone wanting to buy fine jewelry should buy it online. And this is especially true for men, who generally buy less jewelry but more expensive diamond jewelry, such as engagement rings etc. The internet offers an unparalleled amount of information, covering every aspect of what type, style, stone etc., all of which makes buying that perfect fine jewelry gift much simpler!

And why not design your own engagement ring or pendant for that extra individuality? It’s so easy online!

As any man who has ever bought a diamond engagement ring knows, buying fine jewelry is expensive but can be a bit scary too.  You want the best you can afford but where do you go for advice?  How can you make sure you don’t waste your hard-earned cash on poor quality jewelry? 

First, find out what the purity of the metal is.  All gold is not the same.  Absolutely pure gold is called 24 karat (24K, 24ct).  But because gold is a soft metal, it can only be used in jewelry if it is alloyed with another metal for strength.  The more alloy is added the less pure the gold is.  18K gold is 75% pure. 14K, 10K and 9K gold respectively contain lower amounts of pure gold.  The higher the number of karats, the better (more pure) the gold is.

When buying diamond jewelry, remember, biggest is NOT necessarily best.  Diamonds are graded according to cut (round, princess, marquise, pear etc), clarity (the nature and extent of internal flaws, if any), color (white, fancy colored etc), and carat weight. All reputable jewellers can advise you about these qualities of your particular diamond.  Remember to ask though as the more knowledgeable you sound, the more seriously you will be taken and the better deal you will get.  If two diamonds are identical in clarity, color and both have a good cut, then the bigger diamond will be the more expensive.

Precious gemstones, such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds can now be created in a laboratory.  Whilst these “created” crystals might be chemically similar to the real, mined crystals, they are considerably less desirable, and very much cheaper than the real thing.  Nomatter how good a created crystal is, NEVER buy a diamond engagement ring with created stones just because you are looking for affordable engagement rings. No woman wants her engagement ring to consist of “fake” diamonds.  Always buy real diamonds. 

Set yourself a realistic budget bearing in mind you are buying a future heirloom.  As a rule I always set a budget I know I can afford – and then double it. Fine diamond jewelry should last several lifetimes. If you cannot afford to buy something you can see yourself wearing for a lifetime, wait until you can.