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This was my first diamond buying experience and Liza at Whiteflash helped me every step of the way. I bought a 6 Prong Tiffany Style Engagement Ring with a Super Ideal Cut ACA Diamond. I now have a very happy fiancée. Whiteflash were friendly and professional throughout the whole process. I will be using them again and thoroughly recommend them to others.
Thank you,
Mac
cross-posted from Whiteflash News: Top Popular Pavé Diamond Settings – part 2
When buying for a exclusive diamond setting, you can easily get overwhelmed by the hundreds of styles vacant, and the terms exploited to describe the settings. Help is at this point! These five diamonds settings are used primarily for the lesser stones, the melee diamonds, which decorate the engagement ring band. Although the small gems used in these settings are not as pricey as the bigger rock that anchors the ring, the settings themselves can be complicated and require hours of labor, which of route can make the setting more costly as anyway.
Pavé Setting |
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This setting consists of many small gemstones set closely together,
held in place by nearly invisible metal beads, creating the effect of a continuous surface of diamonds. |
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Halo Setting |
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Combining the security of a bezel setting with the sparkle of pave-set stones, this diamond setting surrounds the center stone with a collar of small stones, creating the illusion of a larger diamond.
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Channel Setting |
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While not often used for a center diamond, the channel setting is popular on eternity bands and for the smaller diamonds on the band of an engagement ring. In this diamond setting, a row of small gems are placed into a metal channel that holds them in place, creating the illusion of an uninterrupted line of diamonds.
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Flush Setting |
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As its name implies, in this diamond setting the stone sits within the surrounding metal, although it does not have the collar that typifies the bezel setting. When used on the band of the ring, it creates a sleek, contemporary look that still sparkles and dazzles
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Champagne Setting |
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A creative and different diamond setting, this style sets small diamonds directly into the metal of the band, creating sparks of light like bubbles in a glass of champagne.
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Cross-posted from Whiteflash News: 3 Things You Didn’t Know About 3-Stone Settings
What you didn’t know about three-stone settings: the three stones represent past, present and future, they can be customized and personalized, and they can be given for any occasion. More about it:
| 1) They are Not Just For Engagements Unlike diamond or solitaire engagement rings, which are used almost exclusively for proposals, and bands, which are strictly wedding rings, a three-stone ring, also known as a trinity or trilogy ring, can be given as a gift to a loved one on many occasions. Any moment that you want to treasure forever with your loved one is an occasion for a three-stone ring. Some people celebrate the birth of their first child with a three-stone ring; with the three stones representing the two parents and their beloved baby. Some even reset the original diamond from their wife’s engagement ring into this more elaborate setting as a surprise third anniversary gift. |
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| 2) Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow The three stones of the ring represent the past, the present and the future. This is why a three-stone setting can be a timeless, romantic gift for any occasion, from a birthday to an engagement or anniversary. Giving a loved one a three-stone ring tells her, “I treasure our history together, celebrate this perfect moment, and look forward to a long and happy life together.” |
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| 3) Have it Your Way The three stones of this classic ring offer endless opportunities for creativity and customization. The three stones need not all be the same—a traditional princess cut diamond would be accented nicely by a small baguette diamond on either side. Some people opt for colored stones such as sapphires and rubies to accent the central stone, choosing gems with personal significance to the couple. In the most popular three-stone setting, the central stone is significantly larger than the two stones on either side, although other size variations are available. Most three-stone rings are sold with the two smaller stones already set; the customer can purchase a larger diamond to set in the center setting or have his own diamond set instead. |
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| No matter the setting or style, a three-stone ring is a classy way to maximize the “bling factor” without breaking the bank, a creative way to break out of the solitaire engagement ring trend, and above all, a timeless way to say, “I love you.” |
Dear Whiteflash.com Sales Team,
I absolutely LOVE the Whiteflash A Cut Above® diamond! The hundreds of hours I spent researching definitely paid off, and Whiteflash did NOT dissapoint. I went to many vendors both online and in person, including Tiffany & Co, and this is hands down the nicest diamond I have seen. I’m so glad I trusted you and bought this diamond. I know my girlfriend will fall in love with the super ideal cut diamond when I ask the question, and I will feel extremely confident presenting it to her.
Thank you very much for your time, service, and excellent product!
Aaron
Cross-posted from Whiteflash News: Top Five Diamond Settings
When shopping for a unique diamond setting, you can easily get overwhelmed by the hundreds of styles vacant, and the terms used to portray the settings. Help is at this point! These five settings comprise the mainly public methods of setting t the central diamond into the ring. Generally engagement rings utilize a variation on these basic settings.
Cathedral Setting
This dramatic and elegant setting takes the classic cathedral as its inspiration, with arches from the band to the center stone accentuating the diamond while simultaneously keeping it secure.
Bezel Setting
An eye-catching diamond setting, the bezel setting encircles the center diamond in a metal rim, or collar, that extends slightly above the center stone. It is one of the safest, most protected settings for a diamond and is perfect for the bride with an active lifestyle.
Prong Setting
The most popular for solitaires and for the center stone of many rings, this diamond setting uses metal prongs to set the center diamond in the head of the ring and to hold it securely in place. A four-prong setting allows the diamond to reflect the most light, while some people prefer a six-prong setting.
Petal Setting
Similar to the prong and cathedral settings, this delicate diamond setting uses small loops, or petals, to accentuate and protect the center diamond. It is especially beautiful when paired with a colored gemstone.
Bar Setting
This diamond setting, which works best with a rectangular-shaped diamond, uses two or more metal bars to hold the center diamond or the band stones in place while making a dramatic and bold style statement.
Cross-posted from Whiteflash News: Top 5 Diamond Earring Trends
Whether you are buying earrings for yourself or as a gift for someone, diamond earrings are the stress-free choice—they always fit and they always look great. No matter the shape and style, earrings, especially diamond earrings, flatter the face by elongating the neck and drawing attention to the eyes. This fall, look for these five top trends:
1) Gold As seen on the Fall 2010 runways of designers from Balmain to Oscar de la Renta, gold is the new “it” color, and naturally, that applies to jewelry as well. Although gold has long been a favored earring choice for its hypoallergenic qualities, this season’s picks incorporate the drama and opulence of yellow gold in a more prominent way than ever. These intricate yellow gold and diamond hoops put an elegant spin on the classic hoop earring.
2) Drops Although you may see photos of celebrities with shoulder-grazing statement earrings, those giant pieces are often too ostentatious and uncomfortable for everyday wear. Drop earrings are an easier way to bring the style home. These elegant Diamonds By The Yard™ earrings suspend small diamonds on a delicate white gold chain that can enhance any outfit.
3) Jewelry With a Conscience From those ubiquitous yellow LiveStrong™ bracelets to the Cartier Love™ bracelets worn by many celebrities, the tide has turned in recent years to jewelry that calls attention to (and raises money for) various humanitarian causes. Earrings are no exception. Wear your heart on your ear with these diamond, white gold and pink sapphire studs from the Dreams of Africa™ line. 100% of the profits from these conflict-free diamond earrings will be donated to the World Centers of Compassion for Children International, bringing financial relief to children in Africa who are affected by the illicit diamond industry.
4) Pearls AMC’s award-winning show Mad Men™, set in the glamorous world of a 1960’s advertising agency, has ushered in a worldwide trend for early 1960’s sophistication. Along with Grace Kelly-inspired outfits and hairstyles comes a newfound appreciation for the simplicity and luster of pearl earrings. These fabulous earrings kick the glamour up a notch, suspending iridescent black pearls on white gold and diamond chains.
5) Studs When it comes to diamond earrings, studs can never go out of style. Even the smallest sparklers shining from your ears lend your entire outfit an air of sophistication and subtlety. These diamond earrings are especially glamorous, as they encircle the center stone with a jacket of smaller stones that maximize the “bling factor” without breaking the bank.
Dear Whiteflash.com Sales Team,
We received the wedding bands over the weekend and as expected absolutely love them!!! Thanks again for all of your help, it’s greatly appreciated.
It has been a pleasure buying from Whiteflash again, we have recommended you to all of our friends over here in Aus!
Kind Regards,
Daniel
Dear Whiteflash.com Sales Team,
I contacted whiteflash about two loose diamonds classified as ‘Virtual Selection’ that they had access to. My research had led me to diamonds with certain specifications that I found on their website, and from the GIA certificates that they had a copies of. When I expressed interest, I was contacted a Whiteflash.com diamond consultant. She helped me narrow down the selection to one, and also presented me with some other options. She was very helpful in determining diamond geometry that would please me, and set up a shipment of the diamond from a warehouse (to their company).
The diamond was evaluated by whiteflash, and closeup ASET, firescope, and regular light microscope images were taken and sent to me. With my approval, they mounted the diamond in a Legato Shared Prong Engagement Ring. A week later, they sent me professional photos of the ring, and shipped the mounted diamond to me via overnight shipping. I was stunned by the quality.
All through the process I was kept in contact with. The customer service is the best I have dealt with. The results of the transaction are one very satisfied customer, and one very happy fiancée.
Thank you,
James
Cross-posted from Whiteflash News : Choosing Diamond Pendant
The one of the classiest and most romantic gifts you can present is Diamond Pendant Necklace, and one that is perfect for any occasion. Because it is not loaded with the symbolic meaning of the solitaire diamond ring, a diamond pendant is a great way to show anyone special in your life—wife or girlfriend, mother or daughter—how much you love her. The following are a few of the major categories of diamond pendants from which you can choose the perfect one for your special gift.
Solitaire Diamond Pendant Like the ring with the same name, these diamond pendants suspend a single diamond with a simple setting on a chain. Some solitaire diamond pendants come ready with the center diamond, while others are sold as an empty setting, allowing you to choose your own diamond to fit into the necklace. For the girl with streamlined, glamorous taste, there is nothing like a solitaire pendant to match the one on her finger.
Diamond-Accented Pendants These simple but beautiful pendant necklaces, available in white and yellow gold (and even sterling silver) use well-placed diamond chips to add a dash of sparkle and style without an overwhelming price. Their durability and affordability make them the perfect choice for a little girl’s first piece of real jewelry—a piece she will wear with pride long into her adult life.
Pavé Pendants These statement-making diamond pendants take a simple shape, like a flower or heart, and sprinkle it with a shower of tiny diamonds, creating a sparkling diamond surface. Since they are available in many styles and materials, pavé diamond pendants are perfect for the girl looking for one-of-a-kind beauty to wear around her neck.
Halo Pendants Seen on almost every celebrity who has walked the red carpet in style, this classic diamond pendant suspends a center diamond inside a halo of smaller stones, often in a pear or teardrop shape. A halo diamond pendant is the perfect companion to a stunning pair of chandelier earrings and a perfectly elegant dress. This amazing Halo pendant with the diamonds by the yard chain.
Heart-Shaped Pendants One of the most popular diamond pendant necklace styles, the heart pendant is a simple expression of love that is equally appropriate for your mother, and your girlfriend. It’s perfect for a romantic anniversary gift as well. Hundreds of styles exist, ranging from the sweet and simple to the dramatic and abstract. Many of them utilize diamonds in pavé or bezel settings, marrying one of the greatest symbols of love, the heart, to its natural partner, the diamond.
So you’ve popped the question, the answer was yes, and now your life is all about choosing flowers, halls, cakes, dresses, and…oh wait. That’s her life. All you have to do is show up with the rings. Assuming you’ve already purchased an engagement ring, this guide will take you from “Will you marry me?” to “I do” in five simple steps.
1) Take a look at the engagement ring on your fiancée’s finger. Is it white gold, yellow gold, or platinum? What shape is the shank? (The shank is the round part that encircles her finger—it can be round, sharply angular, or something in between.) How intricate and complicated is the design, or is it a simple solitaire?
2) Choose the metal for your wedding bands—keep it the same as the engagement ring, whether that is white gold, yellow gold, or platinum. (For men’s rings, some lower-cost alternatives to platinum may be available.)
3) Choose the shape for your wedding band—again, keep it the same as the engagement ring so it will match and lie comfortably next to the engagement ring.
4) Choose the style. Wedding bands can be a perfectly simple metal band, or they can have etched designs, embedded diamonds, or unusual shapes. Some engagement rings come with a coordinating wedding band that will perfectly accent the design or theme of the larger ring—a matched set is always a safe bet. An engagement ring with an unusual twisted shape will often have a matching wedding band that will follow its curves. Otherwise, follow this rule of thumb: match the size and setting style of any diamonds on the wedding band to the style of the stones on the band of the engagement ring.
5) Choose your own wedding band. Assuming you don’t have something else in mind for your own band, repeat steps 1-3 for a man’s ring. So for example, if you chose a plain platinum wedding band with a half-round shank for her, you can’t go wrong getting yourself the same thing (in your size, of course!)
If you are the kind of guy who can spend hours poring over the nuances of ring design and loving every minute of it, you may want to get more creative with your wedding band. After all, it is the visible symbol of one of the most important moments in your life. But if you are already suffering from a ring-induced headache, then follow these simple steps to a stress-free wedding band shopping experience. Oh, and don’t forget to pick up your tux!
Conflict Free Diamonds – DreamsofAfrica.org
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Bride's Choice Awards 2011
