THE EXAMINER/THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2009
PAGE 9
L
ike the wedding itself, don’t rush
in when selecting your rings. Be it
the engagement ring or the wed-
ding bands, you’re going to be wearing
Ring roundup
them for the rest of your life, so take the
time to carefully select rings you’ll love
as much years from now as you do today.
Choose carefully. Much like your spouse, a
Today, it’s common for couples to shop
wedding ring is a lifelong commitment
for the engagement ring together, since
many know they’re going to be getting
Where their brides look for something to cious metals – twice the weight of
engaged.
match their engagement ring, men are gold – and extremely pure; most plat-
It’s dark and durable.
While couples may narrow down the
looking for something that fits their per- inum rings are 90 to 95 per cent plat-
Stainless Steel: Durable and hypoal-
choice together, at the end of the day the sonal style, such as wide bands, or
inum. This, along with its rarity, also
lergenic, you’ll find more stainless steel
man is going to the store solo to make carved or hammered textures. Their
makes it the most expensive. Its icy-
options than you will titanium. It has a
the big purchase. increased interests even include dia-
white color lends itself very well to dia-
more industrial look and won’t scratch
Today’s classic styles aren’t just a monds on the band.
monds and colored stones. Another plus:
or dent, so it’s great for guys who work
band and a stone. One of the most popu- As with all things wedding, it’s all
Platinum is hypoallergenic.
with their hands.
Palladium: A relative of titanium, pal-
lar settings today is a center stone with about the couple. Whatever ring you
White Gold
ladium is a strong metal that is similar
side stones, such as baguettes. choose, no matter how big or small, in appearance to platinum but lighter
Round stones are still the most promi- make sure your personal style is shining
White gold gets its color from alloys
and more affordable.
nent. through. Not sure which piece of finger
(nickel, silver) that are added for
But square shapes are becoming more
armor suits you best? We’ll try to shed a
strength. It’s beautiful for every skin
Shapes, sizes
and more popular.”
little light
tone, but the white can dull over time
Meanwhile, when it comes to the big
How much bling you get for your buck
may need to be re-plated. You can expect
center stone, round and square are the
is all a matter of preference.
Yellow Gold
the same cost for both white and yellow
dominant shapes. About 50 percent of
If you’re looking for clarity, your budg- Most rings are 14 to 18 karats – 24-kt
gold.
brides-to-be receive a round stone and
et may only go half as far as it might if gold is too soft for everyday wear. For
In addition to yellow and white, rose
30 percent receive a square shape, says
you went for size but took a few flaws on yellow gold, the price comes down ver-
gold is an increasingly popular color
Lauren Chase of the Diamond Informa-
the stone. sus platinum. Fair-skinned people may
that complements all skin tones.
tion Center. And the shape is where
they literally shine.
Pavé stones around the center stone not like how yellow gold complements Macho Metals
Square cuts like asscher and emerald
or on the band are a way to add sparkle
their skin, but the colorful gold looks
have more tables and give off a different
Some men are opting for metals that,
without expense.
type of shines than their curvier coun-
fantastic on darker-toned skin.
more often than not, would be found in
Women may get all the attention over
terparts.
the engagement ring, but men are step-
Platinum
their golf bag, not on their finger. For a vintage-looking stone, opt for a
Titanium: A different look altogether.
cushion-cut diamond, cut for increased
ping it up big in the wedding ring arena. Platinum is the heaviest of the pre- brilliance.
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