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Men's Jewelry by Edward Mirell
Titanium has recently become the standard of choice in men’s jewelry. Traditionally silver, gold and platinum have been the “go to” metals but silently titanium has established itself as a formidable rival, showing up in everything from cuff links to rings and even money clips. So the question is, why buy titanium jewelry?There are a few reasons. So I spoke with Debi Wexler, one of the experts over at WhiteFlash.com to get the scoop on this mysterious metal. Here’s what she told me:
Titanium is a light grayish colored metal that’s strong like steel, but feels like aluminum. It’s strength lets it hold up well to wear and tear, while still being incredibly lightweight, and is highly resistant to corrosion and scratching… perfect for us guys that tend to be a little rough on on our stuff. (But keep in mind it is not indestructible.)
Titanium is also used in a number of industries including the military, aerospace and sporting goods, more proof of its strength.
Another alternative is Tungsten. Tungsten is a very heavy and hard metal for its size (it’s 4 times harder than titanium), but it can scratch easily. But tungsten will hold its shine and shape longer than any other jewelry available on the market.
A downfall of both of these metals is that because they are so strong they can NOT be re-sized, so if you’re buying a ring, you have to make sure you get your exact finger size before you buy.
In comparison to gold and platinum, titanium and tungsten are more cost effective. You can purchase several titanium or tungsten rings for the price of one gold or platinum ring.
Both tungsten and titanium are strong metals, but how would each react if you slammed your finger in a door? The titanium would bend and the tungsten could possibly crack. A tungsten ring would be safer for your finger.
Both metals have their own pros and cons but it is ultimately a decision made by you, depending on your preference. But whatever you buy, it’ll last a long, long time.
For more head over to www.whiteflash.com
Most popular and most expensive choice of wedding singers …Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. Source: AFP
THE Rolling Stones have been named the “‘world’s most expensive wedding act”‘ at an estimated cost of $10 million (£5m).
A poll to find out the most costly diamond studded wedding crooners saw Mick Jagger and co ahead of Elton John, Paul McCartney, Kylie Minogue and Leona Lewis.
If the million pound-plus fees for international superstars do not come within the bridal budget, up-and-coming stars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry were said to be available for around $120,000.
Tell us below who would you like to croon at your wedding?
A fraction behind were karaoke favourites The Proclaimers, who could belt out I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) for £100,000.
Rick Astley, who stormed the charts in the 1980s and whose Never Gonna Give You Up video inspired the internet phenomenon of Rickrolling, was also priced by the survey at $50,000.
The poll was conducted for TV channel Living by a financial analyst.
Calculations were based on information from agents and examining accounts, ascertaining how much it would cost to hire each act for a private performance.
The 12 most costly wedding singers, according to the Living poll:
1. The Rolling Stones (up to $10 million)
2. Sir Elton John (up to $4 million)
3. Kylie Minogue (up to $4 million)
4. Christina Aguilera (up to $3 million)
5. George Michael ($2.6 million)
6. Amy Winehouse ($2 million)
7. Sir Paul McCartney ($2 million)
8. Leona Lewis ($2 million)
9. Jennifer Lopez ($2 million)
10. Barry Manilow ($1.5 million)
11. Rod Stewart ($1.2 million)
12. Duran Duran ($1 million)
Jewelry Gift Idea For The Extreme Golfer
For any golf fanatic. More info can be found about this custom ring on Etsy.
18 couples share vows in joint Dallas wedding
Down the long aisle at Concord Church, set off this Sunday by a soft, white border draped from pew to pew, the bride walked with stately deliberation, the crowd’s applause ringing out as she glided toward her groom.
And behind her, at a proper distance, came another bride, then another and another, until there were 18 in all, taking the walk many must have dreamed about as little girls.
But few could have imagined this.
The 18 simultaneous marriages in the Oak Cliff district of Dallas sprang from a six-week teaching series for couples called “The Real Flava of Love,” led by Concord Senior Pastor Bryan L. Carter.
“We described it as six weeks to discover God’s plan for singles and how to really maximize the season of singleness,” Carter said. “The last lesson was ‘Let’s Just Live Together,’ which led me to deal with the whole issue of cohabitation, so prominent these days.”
And that culminated in a challenge: If you aren’t honoring God by your behavior, move out. And if you want to get married, get married — the church will pay for it all, the gowns, tuxedos, rings, even the wedding cakes.
“I told them, ‘We’ve already made arrangements, and we’ll have you married in 30 days,’ ” Carter said of that Sunday morning. “I said, ‘Meet me at the church at 3 o’clock and we’ll provide more details.’ “
Carter admitted he was a little apprehensive. What if no one came? Turns out, that wasn’t a problem.
“We ended up having about 30 couples. We interviewed and assessed each one, we did eight hours of counseling. The goal was to get people awakened, to see if they were really that compatible. And we ended up with 18 couples.”
Among them were Raymond Adams and his fiancee, Heidi Mathis-Bayley.
“We were planning to get married next August,” Adams said before the ceremonies, “and we still plan to have something for families and friends. But the economy caused a situation for us to move in together.
“We were struggling with the morality of that. And Pastor’s sermon was incredible — very thought-provoking, very convicting. He said we had a choice we had to make: whether or not to be obedient to God’s law.”
As the couple left church and crossed the parking lot, each had the same question: “Did you hear the sermon?”
“My fiancee said, ‘We’re coming back,’ and I said, ‘I’m glad we’re on the same page,’” Adams said.
“When … (Carter) was speaking, I knew this was what we wanted to do,” Mathis-Bayley said. “It wasn’t like we were being judged. It was just making the decision to live the way God wants you to live.”
And that’s what the crowd of families and friends wanted, too.
When Carter spoke of a lifetime commitment, the crowd cheered. When he prayed for protection against divorce, they cheered even louder. And when he introduced each couple at the end of the ceremony, everyone in the sanctuary, more than 1,000 people, stood and applauded.
Denise James, who married her fiance, LaPrie Townsend, stood in the long line of brides outside the sanctuary before the ceremony began, excited about the significance of this special day “and thankful to God for the opportunity.”
“Marriage was definitely in the works for us,” she said, “but it just wasn’t financially feasible.
“But when God presented this opportunity, we knew we had to take it.”
The marriages cost the church about $8,000, Carter said. But he was thrilled to be a part of something no one at Concord had seen before, and something he hopes other churches emulate.
And though some might be surprised to find unmarried, cohabiting couples at a church, Carter wasn’t.
“Cohabiting has become so acceptable in our culture — there’s no longer anything wrong with it,” he said. “The only things that did surprise were the demographics of the couples, who were both young and older.”
Most were 20- or 30-somethings, but others were considerably older. One couple, a widow and a widower, started out as friends and ended up a part of this grand wedding.
Some of the couples weren’t even members of Concord. They were guests, and that was fine with Carter, too.
“We were using this as an outreach,” he said.
But the response was great enough to keep church staff scrambling for the last four weeks.
“I told my church I had this vision,” Carter said, “but no one knew exactly how we’d work this out.”
But Sunday evening, everything was perfect. The couples exchanged their wedding rings simultaneously and made this a wedding to rememeber!
Hungry? There’s a cake for that.
iPhone Wedding Cake!
The iPhone Wedding Cake (only on AT&T)
The coolest thing about this cake is that the bride and groom chose some of their favorite hobbies & interests and made them into the apps on the iPhone cake. Who could design such an intricate cake you ask? Well it shouldn’t shock you that the cake was made by Charm City Cakes (made famous by Ace of Cakes). They can pretty much make anything you want (instruments, animals, yachts, etc) into cake! If you can think of it they can make it out of cake!
These watches are beautiful, elegant, highly exclusive, and a pain to actually read. The idea is actually not that they are primarily used as watches (the wearer likely has other means for that) but that these watches are jewelry. The Bertolucci Gioco watch, nicknamed “Hypno” by Bertolucci themselves, is limited to just 5 pieces in either 18k rose or white gold. The dials are a vision of vertigo, with a twirling stepped segmentation of gold layers until you get to the mother-of-pearl face below. The curious dimensions of the case are fantastic, and make for reading the time most frustrating.
The case is on the bigger side at about 42 by 49mm in size. Certainly a wrist borne statement. The exterior of the case is set with 177 Wesselton cut loose diamonds equaling 3.85 carats. There is also a version with diamonds on the dial as well as on the case. The small dauphine hands on the face are either gold or rhodium plated, and the watch has an AR coated sapphire crystal with a metallization engraved “Bertolucci” on its lower edge.
Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA quartz movement, and an array of leather straps in different colors are available. The crown of the watch is located on the caseback. There is a matching gold buckle on the strap. The top-of-the-line version has 527 diamonds all over the watch. I must admit that the timepiece design is intriguing and I’d feel inclined to speak to any woman I encountered that was wearing it. Shame that with such few pieces of this watch out there, that opportunity will likely never come.
Look like Lady Gaga with a Mask by Kiki de Montparnasse
Lady Gaga knows a good mask when she sees one. On the packaging for her “Poker Face; Remixes” album, Lady Gaga is seen wearing a Kiki de Montparnasse original.
The masks are handcrafted in Venice Italy exclusively for Kiki de Montparnasse, a high-end designer of intimate apparel and accessories with flagship boutiques in Los Angeles and New York.
The masks are the perfect accessory to wear to spark ones imagination. The masks are formed in all various shapes to suit all different moods. Wearing one of these masks to an elegant Halloween party would certainly create a statement with this blingy diamond faux mask.
Traditionally, masks have been worn in Venice during the annual celebration of Carnival. They have also been used for the purpose of concealing a person’s true identity, and not so that you could egg the neighbor’s house or trick-or-treat for candy. Historically, masks were used by members of Venetian society enabling them to step outside the confines of their accepted roles, whether to perpetrate an illicit act, such as gambling, or something more personal like a clandestine romantic encounter.
Kiki de Montparnasse masks are made in the time-honored manner by the same craftsmen who created the pieces for Stanley Kubrick’s film, “Eyes Wide Shut” . The collection offers an exquisite range of masks, including classic demi-masks, full face styles with a modern elegance, simple lines and bold metallic finishes. There are also masks fringed in silk or topped with feathers and animal masks including butterflies, kittens and unicorns. The masks are finished with either a lustrous silk ribbon or a hand-carved wooden handle for classic masquerade appeal.
If you don’t have a party to attend these masks can be worn to inspire an elegant romantic fantasy in the privacy of your own boudoir. Prices range from $175 to $550. Meow!
Rare Green Diamond Up For Auction At Sotheby's
The largest vivid-green diamond ever to appear at auction is one of the rare natural-colored diamonds and historical jewels being sold at the Sotheby’s November 17 sale at the Hotel Beau Rivage in Geneva. A total of around 400 lots are set to be auctioned off and could bring close to $30 million. The green diamond, shown above at right, is a cushion-shaped stone with a modified brilliant cut. It weighs 2.52 carats but because of the rarity of natural diamonds of this color it is estimated to sell for $3.1 million to $5.1 million. Shown above at left is another expensive rare stone, a pear-shaped fancy vivid-blue diamond with a modified brilliant cut. it weighs 5.96 carats and is expected to fetch between $5.5 million to $7.5 million. Other gorgeous colorful diamonds up for sale include a cushion-shaped fancy pink diamond weighing 6.63 carats and a a cut-cornered rectangular-shaped fancy vivid-yellow diamond with a modified brilliant cut, weighing 74.8 carats and mounted on a yellow gold ring.
The sale also includes pieces from the collections of Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia and society figure Daisy Fellowes. Many pieces signed by Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, Harry Winston, Tiffany and Co., and Van Cleef and Arpels, and other jewelry houses past and present will be up for sale. A sapphire and diamond demi-parure, circa 1900, was inherited from Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna by her daughter Princess Elena of Greece and Denmark, Grand Duchess of Russia, and has been consigned by its present owner, a member of a European imperial family. The set is estimated to sell for $137,000 and $176,000. The group of jewels–which left Russia just before Pavlovna’s flight from St. Petersburg during the 1915 Revolution–includes a brooch set with an oval Burmese sapphire within a border of cushion-shaped diamonds, and a pair of matching ear clips.
Speaking of the sale, David Bennett, Sotheby’s Chairman of Jewelry, Europe and Middle East, said: “We are thrilled that we are able to follow on from our achievement of the world record price per carat for any gemstone at auction with the “Star of Josephine” this past May in Geneva by offering a magnificent Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond of 5.96 carats, as well as an extremely rare vivid green diamond – the largest to ever appear at auction.”
Lakers Receive Championship Bling
Earlier this week the Lakers received their championship rings and this year’s diamond studded rings are some of the flashiest yet. Several members of the Buss family and team captains Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant weighed in on the design for the rings. The rings are made of a special limited 15K gold to celebrate the 15th championship. Dr. Jerry Buss requested the 14 round diamonds circling the top of the ring to represent 14 championships with the small gold trophy on the top representing the 15th. The team captains requested that each player have their own face and jersey number on the side of the ring. On non-player rings the Los Angeles skyline takes the place of the face. Each ring is authenticated by a serial number and there are hidden etchings of the Lakers logo on the ring. The diamond-studded top echoes the shape of the Staples center. Each ring comes with a box that has two LED spotlights inside. The 2009 Lakers championship rings were created by Jason of Beverly Hills and are worth about $30,000.
Lakers Receive Championship Diamond Rings
From classic round to cutting-edge cushion, rate your sparkler with our savvy diamond guide.
Heart
The look: This century-old shape, symbolizing love and devotion, should be well proportioned for optimum sparkle. Kid Rock proposed to Pamela Anderson with a yellow heart-shaped diamond.
This choice says you’re: sentimental and dreamy.
Pear cut diamond
Pear
The look: Resembling a teardrop, a pear-shaped diamond has the fire and beauty of a round shape, but with a less conventional look. This shape can also make a wide finger look slimmer.
This choice says you’re: even-tempered and adaptable.
Oval cut diamond
Oval
The look: If you love the gorgeous sparkle of a round, brilliant-cut diamond but still want something unique, consider an oval. A fresh take on a timeless style, this new shape came about in the early 1960s. Actor Jerry O’Connell recently gave his betrothed fashionista, Rebecca Romijn, an oval-shaped sparkler.
This choice says you’re: risk-taking and creative.
Asscher cut diamond
Asscher
The look: Square with angular corners, this shape dates back to the late 1800s. If you look closely, you’ll see that it’s step-cut, meaning the facets are rectangular and seem to descend into the stone.
This choice says you’re: feminine and meticulous.
Round
The look: Also known as brilliant-cut, this tried-and-true shape reflects more light than any other, and is the most popular. Avril Lavigne showed her traditional side by wearing a round diamond engagement ring.
This choice says you’re: trustworthy and easygoing.
Emerald cut diamond
Emerald
The look: Inspired by the Asscher, this glamorous choice is also a rectangular step-cut shape. It has fewer facets than some of the other shapes, so look for an emerald-cut that offers maximum brilliance.
This choice says you’re: efficient and straightforward.
Cushion cut diamond
Cushion
The look: Rectangular with curved sides, the cushion-cut first hit big in the 18th century. A recent resurgence in popularity has given it a modern-meets-vintage feel. Ben Affleck gave Jennifer Garner a cushion-cut rock.
This choice says you’re: organized and daring.
Princess cut diamond
Princess
The look: This relatively new square shape, with a modern, understated feel, combines a sparkly, brilliant effect with a geometric step-cut. You can attribute its spectacular glitter to extra faceting around the rim.
This choice says you’re: decisive and fun-loving.
Radiant
The look: The diamond’s shape has the outer lines and cut corners of the emerald’s crown while enjoying triangular faceting like the round on the pavilion. It was designed to have the best qualities of both round brilliant and emerald cut diamonds.
This choice says you’re: trend settings and fashionable
Marquise cut diamond
Marquise
The look: The marquis shape is an oval with tips. It not only helps to make the hand appear longer and slimmer, but it also makes the diamond appear larger than it actually is.
The choice says you’re: unique and adventurous
Conflict Free Diamonds – DreamsofAfrica.org
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Bride's Choice Awards 2011
