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Buying Green Engagement Rings June 14, 2007

Posted by Jill Renee in : Buying Engagement Rings, Engagement Rings, Green Weddings, Jewelry Care , 6comments

I get lots of questions posed to me, but the one that I seem to be hearing a lot of lately is in regards to Earth friendly, or “Green” jewelry. Most recently I received an email from a gentleman that was concerned about picking out an engagement ring for his girlfriend as she was very passionate about the environment and he didn’t want to spoil his proposal by giving her a ring that would cause a conflict in her life, given her beliefs on mining. He had been doing research on Earth Friendly jewelry and came across Danforth as a supplier, and had questions about Green gold, synthetic stones, and Palladium.

This was my answer to his dilemma:
Your dilemma is not so unusual and I have been wondering what I can do to be a responsible member of our fragile planet in regards to jewelry and diamonds.Recently, one new option has been brought to my attention. Some jewelry manufacture companies have been using recycled precious metals to make their jewelry.

This metal was previously mined and made into jewelry and then remelted and turned back into pure metals to once again be alloyed and used. The challenge here is to choose a responsible refiner who only uses earth wise methods for refining. In the past harmful chemicals were used in this process but now new methods have allowed the refining process to be clean and environmentally friendly. Palladium is a metal that is also mined from the earth but the company that mines the Palladium that we use is right here in the and they are earth friendly. We can also purchase recycled Palladium. I am making a decision to offer a line of rings that are made from recycled metals only. These rings will require no mining to get the metal. The metal will be totally recycled. I think your girlfriend could feel proud and good about wearing one of these rings.As far as diamonds go I am committed to sell only conflict free diamonds from responsible vendors who comply with the Kimberley Process and all of their guidelines. Another option would be to purchase a synthetic diamond. Charles and Colvard is a company that sells moissanite which is man made silicon carbide that closely resembles a diamond. You can easily research this online. Of course there are other man made options that you could also use. If you would like to purchase a recycled ring let me know and I can help you with the setting. I only sell conflict free diamonds so I cannot help you with the synthetic stones. Hope this helps you with your decision.

Thank you and Best Wishes
Jill Renee

Wedding Bands:The Forgotten Wedding Accessory June 11, 2007

Posted by Jill Renee in : Jewelry, Palladium Jewelry, Wedding Jewelry , add a comment

You picked out the perfect engagement ring. She said yes. You’ve picked out invitations and reserved the location and you almost forgot the wedding bands. It’s easy to see how you could, given that the tradition of wedding rings, especially for men, has really only been popular since the early 20th century, but it’s another way to add a personal touch to your wedding.

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with getting classically simple gold bands, you can match your personal taste by getting platinum, palladium, and even diamond wedding rings. In addition to the material used to make your wedding bands, you can even decide the design of them, with styles ranging from traditional, simple bands, to more elaborate designs involving complex carvings, inscriptions, and even inset diamonds and other precious gems.

While finding the diamond engagement ring of her dreams was a big step, finding the wedding bands that fit your personality and let the world know that you’ve found the one person in the world that makes you happy is just as important. With all the craziness that goes with planning a wedding, it’s important to remember that even the little things, like picking out your wedding bands, should have the same amount of thought as picking out her wedding dress.