GayWeddings.com

Kudos to NY State for passing the Same Sex Marriage Bill this past summer! It is a very exciting time to be in New York.

Though people feel that now that the flood gates have opened and that same sex couples are knocking down the doors of City Hall to get marriage licenses, I give couples more credit than that. I'm finding that couples are getting married when they are ready for it --as it should be.

I believe that couples fall into several different categories, and that their new-found access to legal rights, in turn, impacts how couples approach their search for rings.

In my twenty five years experience as a jeweler, I have had plenty of requests to have something engraved in a piece of jewelry. The most popular have probably been engravings in rings. I suppose getting engagement rings or wedding bands are sentimental, but for some couples, getting their rings engraved deepens their bond.

We have all heard of silver, gold, and platinum, and you've probably heard of palladium, titanium and tungsten, too. But what exactly is each type of these metals, and -- more importantly -- how do you determine which is the right metal for you when choosing your wedding rings.

Gold

Most popular metal in wedding rings is probably gold. Gold is very durable and the variety of gold colors - yellow, white and pink (or rose) allows us to express individuality and tastes differently.

Jewelry -- like fashion -- sets its own trends. Whether it be bracelets, earrings, pendants or wedding jewelry, there are very noticeable trends emerging every day.

One of the biggest trends over the past several years has been a movement towards “organic” looks, not only in fashion wear, but in jewelry as well. Though the most classic, traditional polished rings are still beautiful, the new wave of jewelry is a richer “toned down,” matte finishing that gives rings a more organic feel.

It is obvious that, as the GLBT community expands its Marriage Equality laws, we will be faced with more and more issues we have not yet had to tackle, like the issue of who among two people of the same sex does the “proposing."

Obviously the rules of conduct are growing and developing as same sex couples feel more comfortable with newly found rights to marry, or at the very least, “get engaged." And, as we accept our relationship status more openly, interesting questions start developing.

When two people of the same gender decide to live the rest of their lives together and choose to wear symbols of their love for each other, what should those symbols be? Rings? Bracelets? Diamonds? Gold or platinum? Who proposes to whom, and does the other reciprocate?

As much as we all would love our gold and diamond jewelry to stay shiny and sparkly forever, the reality is that over time jewelry shows its “day to day” wear. To help save time, money and hopefully anguish, I will share with you some basic pointers on how to maintain a fresh and clean look and help preserve your rings for years.

Continued from "C is for Carat" and "C is for Cut & Color."

“C” is for CLARITY

Clarity is the “C” that grades a diamond's surface or internal inclusions and flaws which are caused throughout the diamond's growth or cutting process.

“C” is for CUT

Of the 4 "Cs," cut may be the most important visually. When a diamond is not cut or manufactured correctly, color and clarity suffer greatly.

The Cut actually refers to two different qualities: Shape (or Silhouette) and quality of proportions and dimensions. There is a wide range of shapes in which diamonds are cut: Round, Pear Shape, Emerald Cut, Princess Cut and Cushion to name a few. Each shape can be cut in different carat sizes. Most people will lean towards a certain shape, but I always recommend exploring several shapes before settling on the diamond of your choice.

As many beautiful ring designs as there are, there are just as many variations to our fingers. There are long and narrow fingers, short and stubby fingers, wide knuckles, no knuckles, fingers that graduate in size and so on. When shopping for rings, or even if we have a ring that doesn’t fit anymore, it is usually not a problem to get it sized.