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Rochester Wedding Vendors

Rochester Engagement and Wedding Rings

Finding Your Rochester Area Jeweler

Browse through 585wedding.com's participating jewelers. Ask friends and family for recommendations. If you are buying on credit, compare financing. But whoever you choose, make sure they are a trained gemologist. Check with the Better Business Bureau for consumer complaints.

Shopping Tips

  • Purchase the best quality you can afford. A smaller stone of better quality will hold its’ value better than a larger, flawed stone.
  • Compare like stones when shopping. For example, a poor quality stone at one store may be $500, and a much better quality stone of the same size may be $1,500 at another store. The first store may not be less expensive, the quality may just be different.
  • Make sure the gold you are looking at is karat gold jewelry, not electroplated. Your jeweler should be able to show you the difference.
  • Be wary of a large difference in price. Like the old adage, “You get what you pay for.”
  • Ask for their policy on returns, repairs, and service policies, as well as certification they may provide.
  • When purchasing a stone, get the store’s policies in writing.
  • Don’t buy jewelry as an investment. Buy it with the intention of making your fiance happy.
  • When you buy a stone, have the exact carat weight, color grade, clarity grade and shape on the bill of sale. Have another qualified gemologist-appraiser check the stone to be sure that it is as it was represented to you. If there is a discrepancy, take it back to where you purchased it.

Choosing an Engagement Ring Stone

Traditionally, engagement rings are solitaire diamonds. This is steadily changing. Many women prefer a stone other than a diamond for their engagement ring. The only restriction you should have in choosing a stone is the durability of the stone. Will it stand up to years of wear? Softer stones, such as pearls and opals, while beautiful, may not be the most practical choice.

Shapes of Stones

The six most popular shapes are: brilliant, oval, emerald, pear, marquis, and heart shaped.

How to Select a Diamond (The 4 C’s)

A diamond engagement ring is universally recognized as the symbol of engagement. In addition, they are valuable, and retain their value. And practically, they are hard enough to stand years of constant wear.
Cut: Although similar, this is not to be confused with shape. The cut refers to the amount and formation of facets which reflect the light. Brilliant shaped stones have the most facets, to reflect the maximum amount of light through the diamond. The better the cut, the better the diamond.
Clarity: This refers to the absence of flaws, or inclusions, in a stone. There are always minor flaws in a stone. However they should be so small as to not be visible, even through a jeweler’s loop.
Color: The most valuable diamonds have no color visible. Your jeweler can show you comparison charts for color.
Carat: Diamonds are sized by points, with a one-carat diamond equalling 100 points. Therefore, a half-carat stone, while it may not be exact, will be around 50 points.

Choosing a Setting

You may ask yourself, “How will these rings look on the hand?” Will the wedding ring complement the engagement ring on the bride’s hand? The size and shape of both of your hands will also play a part in your choice. Will a narrow band look good on her smaller hands, but get lost on his large hand?

How Gold is Measured

Pure gold is 24 karats, and is considered too soft to use in that form. When mixed with other metals it becomes harder and more durable. 18K gold is 18 parts gold and six parts other metals; 14K is 14 parts gold and 10 parts other metals. Check the band for two things: a karat mark and a trademark. The karat mark assures you that it is that quality of gold. There are other definitions dealing with gold:
Solid gold: does not mean 24 karat, or means the jewelry is not hollow.
Gold filled: the piece contained a layer of metal within a layer of gold.
Gold plated (electroplated): At lease 1/20 of the metal in the piece has a plate of 10K (at least) gold.

The Colors of Gold

The color of the gold depends upon what other alloys are mixed in with the 24K gold. There are four possibilities: Yellow gold (a mix of gold, copper and silver), White gold (a mix of gold, nickel, zinc, and copper), Green gold (a mix of gold, silver, copper and zinc), and Pink gold (a mix of gold and copper).

Finish

This is part of the styling of the ring. It can be matte, a soft, dull glow. High polish has a mirrored effect, diamond cut, which as cuts on the surface to give a bright appearance, or hammering, with indentations formed into the metal.

Choosing Your Wedding Rings

  • Keep your life-style in mind. This is a piece of jewelry that both of you will be wearing full time. If you wear jeans 95% of the time, perhaps a very ornate wedding ring is not for you.
  • Choose matching styles if you want to emphasize that you will both be as one now. If you have an engagement ring with an unusual design, or an unusual stone, you may want to incorporate that into his ring. For example, if your engagement rings is an emerald, you may want to have a small emerald set into his wedding ring.
  • Order your rings well in advance of the wedding date. Allow at least twelve weeks, more if the rings are to be custom-made.
  • Be sure your rings fit properly. It should turn easily around your finger, but not slip over your knuckle.
  • Consider the newer designs. These include braided styles, or rings with different two colors of gold.

     

Other Options for Wedding Rings

Silver, like gold, is too soft to use in jewelry in its pure form, so it is mixed with other metals. Sterling silver is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Platinum is gaining in popularity. It is shimmery white, much like silver, and is the strongest metal you can purchase. You may also choose to include gemstones in your wedding rings, such as sapphires, emeralds or diamonds.

Cleaning Your Rings

The best way to clean your gems and gold is to have them professionally cleaned, or clean them with a commercial solution. (Although beware of cleaning pearls in the commercial solutions!) Showering with your rings on will leave a soap film on them. You should clean your diamonds often to keep them sparkling and grease-free.
Store your clean jewelry in different compartments, preferably with each piece in a small plastic bag. Diamonds may scratch other jewelry. Also - every time you clean your rings, check the mounting of the stones on them. Once a year, take them to a professional jeweler to have them checked.

Insurance

Insure your rings immediately. Have the rings reappraised every three to five years, because they can increase in value. If it is valued over a certain amount, usually $500, it should also be included in your homeowner¹s or renter¹s insurance policy.

 

 

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