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Greening the Jewelry Industry – Danforth Diamond goes GREEN! June 13, 2011

GOING GREEN is not merely a trend for yogis and hippies – it is a matter of social responsibility that will not dissipate into the abyss.   Companies and Corporations are now more than ever being held responsible for their actions towards the environment and their communities.  This is an issue that can no longer be ignored.

In 2006, the movie Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio brought the issue of diamond sourcing into the spotlight.  The demand for ethically sourced diamonds immediately increased and the jewelry industry was forced to respond.  The Kimberly Process which started in May of 2000 gained support beyond the realm of governments, industries and civil society as it became a household name.  Danforth Diamond supports the Kimberley Process and will not buy or sell conflict or “blood” diamonds.  This makes Danforth Diamond a registered StopBloodDiamonds.org jeweler. 

Danforth Diamond also offers a unique brand of diamonds called Harmony Diamonds which are natural diamonds that were mined from the earth; however, these diamonds have already been introduced into the jewelry supply chain and sold back to a jeweler, pawn shop or refinery for resale. RENEW, REUSE, RECYCLE. 

To learn more about Harmony Diamonds please visit: http://www.danforthdiamond.com/harmony-diamonds.

The jewelry industry has not escaped the pressure to embrace the green revolution.  However, with the strong focus on conflict diamonds and blood diamonds, the public tends to ignore the environmental impact of precious metal production.

An engagement ring is more than just a diamond – consider the mining and manufacturing process. Danforth Diamond wedding jewelry is refined, not mined! Danforth Diamond is proud to carry the Harmony Metals line because we believe in supporting the global effort to preserve our planet’s future.  When you buy an engagement ring or wedding ring at Danforthdiamond.com, you are also supporting this effort.  Every one of our engagement rings and wedding bands are part of the Harmony Metals brand. 

Love the earth as much as you love each other and purchase a ring made from harmony metal and gems!

To learn more about Harmony Metals please visit: http://www.danforthdiamond.com/recycled-metals.

Elizabeth Taylor the Jewelry Queen! April 27, 2011

Elizabeth Taylor was an inspiration, a beauty and a jewelry fanatic!  Her impressive collection of massive diamonds, exotic pearls, and rare vintage gems, most of which were gifts from the men that adored her, rivals those of most royal households. 

Over the course of her seventy-nine years, Elizabeth Taylor married seven different men and had many admirers who adorned her with jewelry.  Her collection includes, a diamond tiara given to her by Mike Todd (3^rd husband) and a 69.42 carat pear shape diamond set into a necklace given to her by Richard Burton (5^th husband). Taylor wore the diamond Tiara for the first time during the Academy Awards when her husband’s movie Around the World in 80 Days won Best Picture.  Richard Burton was known for surprising Taylor with gifts of jewelry at random.  His first gift to her was the 33.19 carat Asscher cut Krupp Diamond set into a ring.

She was not only a passionate jewelry collector, but Elizabeth Taylor was also very knowledgeable about precious stones.  She could decipher the origin of the stone and it’s characteristics at first glance.  Taylor discusses her love of jewelry in her book “Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry”.

It is rumored that Christie’s, a London based international auction house, will hold the auction of Taylor’s remarkable  jewelry collection along with pieces from her art collection, wardrobe and other personal memorabilia.  Her jewels alone are valued at $150 million.  Much of the profit from this auction will most likely go to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS foundation.

Even Kate Middleton must choose Dresses and Jewelry for her Bridesmaids! April 12, 2011

Kate Middleton has chosen five bridesmaids, ranging in age from five to twenty-five, to stand by her side as she officially becomes royalty. There is hype not only surrounding Kate’s gown but also surrounding the gowns of the bridesmaids. While some information about the wedding has been revealed, such the baker of the royal wedding cakes, we have received no information regarding the designer(s) of the bridesmaids’ gowns or the royal gown.

According to legend, the bride and her bridesmaids would dress alike in order to protect the bride from potential kidnappers. In the middle ages, men would often capture a bride from a neighboring town if there was a shortage of women within his community. It seems that the royals have loosely followed this tradition by modeling their bridesmaids’ dresses after their own. Princess Diana’s bridesmaids, mostly young girls, wore white dresses resembling the royal gown, especially in the sleeves. Also according to royal tradition, the same designer is used for all dresses, which naturally weaves a similar touch through all the gowns.

Perhaps Kate will stick with tradition and model her bridesmaid’s gowns after her own! For now, we will have to wait and see!

Speaking of bridesmaids, we are often asked, “When is the best time to hand out bridesmaids’ gifts?” We suggest handing out your bridesmaids gifts during the rehearsal dinner! Waiting until the day of the wedding may put more stress on you, which is the last thing you need on your wedding day! Also, a very popular gift to give bridesmaids is jewelry that they can wear on the day of the wedding! Check out our bridesmaids’ jewelry at danforthdiamond.com. Jewelry, especially pearl jewelry, is a gift that is useful for the wedding day and your bridesmaids’ can wear beyond the wedding day.

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Holiday proposal goes “Hauntingly Well” at Disney World December 7, 2010

Dear Christy,

As promised, I am writing to share the news of the big night! It was a bit of a hassle because we had some time to kill between our dinner reservation and the proposal time…which was to be 6:26pm, in honor of my favorite Disney Character, Stitch (Experiment 626). We knew we wouldn’t want a wedding on 6/26 because that would be too hot, so I had to settle for time =). We got there, killed some time, I made up some lame excuse about the Holiday Haunted Mansion revealing an “exclusive” decoration inside at 6:30pm every night up until Christmas, so that kept us out of the lines. I asked to have our picture taken underneath Sandy Claws at the entrance, and she agreed, and then I turned to her and started quoting the famous line between Jack and Sally from the actual movie (My dearest friend, if you don’t mind, I’d like to join you by your side, where we can gaze into the stars and sit together….*drop to a knee* Now and Forever). It was a really special moment…Everything fell perfectly into my plan, any other night because of the crowds it couldn’t have happened. So I’ve included a few pictures which include the last picture we ever took as boyfriend/girlfriend that stood for the reason to get into the position I wanted for the proposal, the actual proposal, and her immediate reaction when she realized everything was for real and she started crying immensely, leaving her face contorted and in an “unflattering” pose to her, haha. Thanks again for everything, the ring is wonderful and she loves it! Getting so many positive responses from everyone when they see it, it’s amazing.

Best Regards,

Newly Engaged Christopher

Holidays are a Perfect Time to Get Engaged! December 1, 2010

The holidays are a perfect time for couples to get engaged. Usually, the holiday season brings visits from far away relatives and friends and they present a great opportunity to share the happiness of being newly engaged and to show off the engagement ring!

 This season some celebrity couples have jumped on the holiday engagement bandwagon. Prince William and Kate Middleton kicked off the season followed by Vanessa Minnillo and Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson. Much has been made about the Jessica and Nick engagements following one another so closely but I say so what. Let’s all try and play nice and wish them both some happiness. Poor Jessica has been under the microscope with every relationship she has had since the break up with Nick.  If she has found some happiness with Eric, that is great news!  I just can’t stand these nasty bloggers who seem to enjoy watching other people suffer. By the way how do they know who paid for the engagement ring and why do they care?

The holidays are supposed to be about good will so celebrating a happy occasion like getting engaged is a perfect fit. If you are planning on getting engaged this holiday season be sure to leave plenty of time to order the engagement ring and eliminate any stress involved with such an important purchase. Be sure to read up on choosing the right engagement ring settings and picking a perfect diamond.  Once you have done all your homework pick a good time to pop the question and have some fun!

Hollywood Engagements and Our Fascination with Them February 11, 2010

Big celebrity news on the web:

1. Kristen Bell is engaged to Dax Shepard and shows off her stunning three carat platinum ring at the Grammy awards.
2. Russell Brandt and Katy Perry out furniture shopping while she flashes her new engagement ring!
3. Miley Cyrus is definitely NOT engaged this was confirmed by Miley herself to Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet at the Grammys. Her ring was a cheap bobble she picked up for herself in London.

While I find all of this engagement news interesting what is really important is that these stars are setting some trends about jewelry style. We all watch what jewelry the stars are wearing because the designs are usually unique and stunning and something that we can adjust to work for the not-so-famous of us.

Trends and styles emerge that are worth adapting. The main issue is often getting the price point down while still maintaining the integrity of the basic design.  Once this is accomplished an affordable alternative to a very expensive jewelry item can usually be purchased. After all imitation is the best form of flattery!

Telling Everyone You Are Engaged April 27, 2009

By Jill Renee, President of DanforthDiamond.com, a leading authority on wedding rings, engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right diamond, engagement or wedding ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

A Danforth Diamond Engagement Tale September 4, 2008

Every so often, Danforth Diamond recieves letters from customers who desire to share their engagement experience.  When we checked the Danforth mailbag in August, we came across this intriguing tale about a couple who became engaged on the Great Wall of China.  The contents of the letter have been reprinted below for your enjoyment. A close up of the ring is below, click the image to view the ring on our site.

Mert and I are now officially engaged! After many pretend proposals, Mert this time pulled out a real ring and proposed to me on my 30th birthday on the Great Wall of China and OF COURSE I said YES! What an amazing day. Mert arranged a private tour of the Summer Palace and the Great Wall, both magnificent places in Beijing! I didn’t suspect a thing, figured it was all for my birthday! He played it cool the whole time.Â

Along our journey of the Great Wall, we reached the 18th tower (out of 20) and I didn’t want to go any further b/c it was hard already, & getting to the last 2 towers was going to be crazy, it was already hard to breathe as it was and we had a LONG way back. Mert and I climbed to the top of the tower, he gave me a hug and I felt his heart pounding like crazy and I said, “why is your heart pounding so hard…we’re definitely not going any further…” then he said “for a good reason”, then said some wonderful things that I will cherish forever and asked me to marry him and pulled out a GI-NORMOUS diamond that he’d been carrying around all day. We shed some tears out of shear bliss and excitement…there was barely anyone on the wall, the first sighting after the proposal was a group of people who turned out to be from NBC Utah…I screamed out “we just got engaged” and they congratulated us and asked if they could interview us for Utah tv…It seemed like all a blur, we told our story while they filmed. After she gave us a business card and we will be able to view it online!Â

I said, “why is your heart pounding so hard…we’re definitely not going any further…” then he said “for a good reason”

We then started our big hike back to the cable cars…they were closed…then we climbed down to the 6th tower, where the chair lift and slide (yes I did say a slide down the hill from the Great Wall, obviously which wasn’t there in the 5th century BC?) were also closed.Â

We were beside ourselves…we would have to walk all the way down the hill down a trail…It had been such a long, exciting, and cardio-filled day and we couldn’t imagine going any further…did I also mention, we hadn’t seen a soul on the Wall for a hour or so…we sat down for awhile, caught our breathe and finally decided to tackle the hike down, then all of a sudden a sweet Chinese man popped his head out and said Ne Ho (Hello)..he worked at the chair lift/slide…we begged (with sign language since they didn’t speak english) and money to let us on either ride down, he asked this other guy..they said no…then long story short Mert showed his Olympic ID (which has gotten him and sometimes me in for free everywhere) and they did some convincing to the people at the bottom and finally they let us take the chair down! they didn’t accept our money…we were pretty thankful and what a beautiful ride down.

What a day, what a birthday, what an amazing life! We both feel so blessed to have met each other and thank God for each other every day!Â

Thank-you for sharing in our happiness!

What  a story!  You can check out the couple’s video interview on the local news here.  If you have a special engagement story you’d like to share, we’d love to hear it.  Email us at experts [at] danforthdiamond [dot] com.  And be sure to check out our collection of diamonds and engagement rings so that you can find the perfect ring to include in your story.

Clever Tips for Finding Your Girlfriend’s Ring Size May 19, 2008

You want to propose and give her an engagement ring that fits, but you don’t know her ring size. A great deal of thought goes into the preparations required to make your proposal unique, memorable and error-free. In most cases, months are spent selecting the engagement ring, coordinating the exact place and time of the proposal, and rehearsing the words that come closest to expressing what the heart feels on the day the question is finally asked. And just like the glass slipper in Cinderella, the ring must fit to confirm that you are indeed the handsome prince she has been waiting for.

Finding the ring size of your bride-to-be without making your intention to propose obvious can require imagination, ingenuity and a stroke of luck. Having a ring she currently wears on her ring finger can ease the burden, but most women keep their ring finger sacred and free of jewelry that would provide an exact ring size. To help, we provide the following list which contains a few sneaky ways to figure out what the size of her ring finger is.

Trust In Friends To Help

Most of those close to you and your bride-to-be are more than happy to help you on your quest to find her ring size. Think about her best friends, coworkers, and even her mom to get the ring size information. This can easily be done if they allow her to try on their rings, go window shopping for jewelry, or have them simply ask.

Covertly Capture the Ring’s Size

If you are fortunate enough to have a bride-to-be that enjoys jewelry, then make it a point to “borrow” a ring-finger ring once it is removed. In some cases, the wearer won’t notice that the ring is missing if it’s only gone for a few hours while you’re having the jeweler obtain its size. However, if the ring-finger jewelry is only removed for brief periods (such as while showering), a model or imprint will have to do. To capture the ring’s size, simply trace the inner circle of the ring on a piece of paper or make an imprint of the ring in a soft material such as soap, clay or bread and return the ring to its former location. In this way, a measurement can be made without the physical ring being present.

Use Paper or a String to Guess the Ring

If your bride-to-be is a heavy sleeper, then it may be possible to wrap a thin strip of paper around her finger and mark where the paper overlaps itself. This method will provide a fairly accurate ring size. A twist could also be to tie a string to her finger to make sure she does forget something you deem important. Insist on having the string tied to the ring-finger, and when it is removed pocket the string. This is crafty and works best on a very unsuspecting bride-to-be.

Bring It Up in Group Conversation

If all else fails, then simply comment (or have your friend comment) on a ring that belongs to someone else. This may get the ring size conversation going in your direction. Fabricate as necessary by talking about the similarities of the ring in question with your (mother’s / grandmother’s/ sister’s) ring; ask what size it is and if you can see it; allow your bride-to-be to try it on; comment on the stones; anything to get the ring conversation going. You don’t have to get the exact size now; you can subtly revisit and finish the discussion at a later time when the two of you are alone.

Both you and your bride-to-be deserve perfection from start to finish, and hopefully, these tips will help you to make sure the engagement ring is sized perfectly. By taking the time to secure the right ring size you open up more options on your ring selection and ensure that she is showing off her engagement ring immediately following the proposal. The time spent finding out the right ring size is sure to pay off big dividends on your proposal day.

Danforth Diamond Goes 3D with Diamond Engagement Rings February 15, 2008

Leading diamond company adds 3D viewing for diamond engagement rings

Midlothian, VA – (PRWeb) – February 15, 2008  Danforth Diamond, a leading provider of diamond engagement rings, is proud to announce the addition of 3D view for their engagement rings to allow for an enhanced buyer experience.

As more and more buyers are deciding to purchase their wedding rings and diamonds online, the demand to know exactly what they are buying is growing. While some companies have created digital 3D representations of their rings, Danforth Diamond has created 3D images of their actual rings. No digital representations.

“We [Danforth Diamond] wanted to make sure that our customers knew exactly what they were getting by shopping with us,” Jill Renee, president of Danforth Diamond said. “Our 3D diamond engagement rings are the perfect way to see exactly what you want to buy to make sure you get the diamond engagement ring that’s perfect for her.”

With twenty of their most popular diamond engagement rings, and more to come, Danforth Diamond has placed themselves on the cutting edge of online ring sales. With this move they hope to provide a service that is appreciated by both their loyal customers and the new ones they gain every day.

About Danforth Diamond

Danforth Diamond is a leading online provider of diamond engagement rings, wedding rings, diamonds, and other jewelry. Their selection of white gold, platinum, and palladium engagement rings is unrivaled and offers options to fit every style and budget. Visit Danforth Diamond online to learn more at: http://www.danforthdiamond.com .

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