Men’s Rings 101: Tips For Choosing Men’s Diamond Rings

Hire a skilled jeweler? Not necessarily. These tips will help any man understand the diamond ring market, and what to look for when shopping for that valuable asset for your fingers.

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1) What is your budget?

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Big LCD screen for the Superbowl….or diamond ring? New car smell spray…or diamond ring. Ok, men, you will have to accept that a ring is a wonderful, timeless addition to your life that can not only be passed down, but will be a symbol of status, identity, and will add an element of class to admirers. You don’t, however, have to give up the budget for New Car Smell spray to afford a good looking diamond ring. Like buying a car or house, it is always important to start out with a preferred budget in mind. Unless you require the equivalent attention of big star rappers who could fund the continuation of diamond apparel singlehandedly, most other men won’t be impressed by how much is spent or to what level of “bling” the ring has. Less is more in contemporary trends; unless you are the rapper.

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2) What styles are out there?

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There are quite possibly more styles of men’s diamond rings available today than you could entertain yourself with over a lifetime of search engine pages. Determining your style preference in a diamond ring may be easy depending on how defined your style of dress is. Do you favor the traditional, vintage, unique and strange, or modern? Just about every style is reflected through the various metals and diamond setting options available. Remember, a lifetime could be spent on search engines with all the options out there. Begin by narrowing searches down by your choice of style– and every man has style. In beginning your search, you may need to get to know the diamond world a little better. To start with, refer to this diamond ring mini dictionary.

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Men’s Diamond Ring Mini Dictionary

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Diamond Definitions

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• 5 C’s (or 4 depending on who is counting)

  • Cut- What type of cut does the diamond exhibit? Different cuts show of different colors and brilliance.

  • Clarity- The presence (or lack thereof) of inclusions or defects. Most diamonds have some type of tiny imperfection. A better clarity score means the less likely there are carbon spots or even cracks. Typically a diamond clarity score of FI, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, and IS2 will be beautiful stones with virtually invisible imperfections.

  • Color- Unless the diamond is naturally a color other than white, color score refers to how white a clear diamond is. White diamonds are scored on “how white” they actually are. D is the whitest score and Z is the most yellow.

  • Carat- Maybe the most important factor in women’s jewelry, the carat measures a diamond’s natural weight. The heavier the diamond or total diamond weight, the more costly it will be.

  • Certificate- Not always considered a diamond “C”, the diamond certificate is a document that proves the previous four Cs to certify that the diamond is what it is. These certificates are issued by the Gemological Institute of America of the American Gemological Laboratory.

• Channel Set Diamonds- Probably the most popular setting of men’s diamond rings. Channel set diamonds are diamonds set in a band with a seeming invisible setting.

• Prong Set Diamonds- A setting in which a stone is held in place by little metal claws or prongs. Normally made with very thin metal.

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Metal Material Definitions

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• • Gold- Still the most popular choice for rings. Commonly made in 9kt, 14kt and 18kt options. There are many different gold colors available, the most popular being yellow, white, and rose golds.

  • Platinum- A brilliant white metal, hypoallergenic, and very endurable. Considered the most elite (and expensive) form of metal, platinum is so hard that it cannot be nicked or scratched, and will remain beautiful throughout time.

  • Silver- White-grey in color, silver is one of the least expensive choices, but still elegant and popular choices for dress jewelry and wedding rings. Silver can tarnish, and may turn black with age. It also will be prone to scratches from everyday wear.

  • Karat- Not to be confused with carat. Carat is a precious stone’s weight, like a 1 carat diamond. Karat is the purity of a precious metal with mixed alloys. A 14 karat gold ring would mean there are 14 parts gold to 14 parts alloy content.

  • Titanium- Silver-grey-white in color, and is the hardest natural metal in the world. Also resistant to scratches and damage unlike gold and silver. Titanium is very lightweight, and available in many different colors.

  • Tungsten- Heavy grey-white metal is a soft heavy metal that is virtually indestructible. More affordable than platinum, tungsten is growing in market popularity.

  • Stainless Steel- Less expensive metal that is resistant to corrosion. Stainless steel can be polished to resemble a more expensive metal.

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3) Find a Reputable Jeweler

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It would be easier for an experienced jeweler to explain diamond rings for men when a) he or she has the inventory there to describe to you and b) because there is too much information to explain in this short article. Good jewelers can provide friendly and informative advice, and are normally able to interpret your budget and design preferences to something they have in stock. There are also many certified jewelers found online that have their own online inventories.

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4) Know your size.

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You might be able to bypass this step if you go to a physical store that sells men’s diamond rings. These places normally have sizing rings just to help you find the right size. On the other hand, you won’t have this luxury if shopping online, and it would be best to start off prepared by knowing what size ring you wear. Some jewelers provide their own ring sizers. To do it the old fashioned way, take a strip of paper at least ¾ inches in width, wrap it around your finger to the point it overlaps, and mark that spot with a pen. Measure the strip from end to marked point in millimeters, and use the following chart to determine your ring size.

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This graph is provided by namenecklace.com.

The following .pdf can also be printed out for assistance: http://www.namenecklace.com.au/files/Determine_Your_Ring_Size-NameNecklace.pdf

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About the Author

Author has a unique interest in Men’s Diamond Rings, especially the ever-increasing choice that today’s man has in fine jewelry.  Find that special unique ring for you or your loved one today.Men’s Diamond Rings.

Michael Webb’s 500 Lovemaking Tips Hot Lovers Tips New Webs

Making Scents of the Top Perfume Categories

The fragrance industry did more than ten billion dollars in sales last year. People love perfumes. They like scents in everything they use. In our society, we use perfumes in almost every product we make. Perfumes are in our soap and our cleaning products. We use perfumes to freshen our air, our bodies, and our pets. We cannot escape these scents in our society. People have used perfumes for thousands of years, and until recently; all perfumes were made of completely natural ingredients. In recent years, perfumes have become less expensive. As a result, more and more people are able to purchase them in a variety of products. However, as these two things have happened, they have lost most of their natural ingredients and become more synthesized. More than ninety five percent of the chemicals that come in perfumes today are synthetic. As this has occurred, perfumes have been placed into seven basic categories.

The first perfume category is floral. Floral perfumes make up more than half of all fragrances on the market today. They are, quite easily, the most popular category of perfumes. Floral perfumes are very feminine and are typically associated with romance. There are several different types of floral perfumes. Floral green perfumes are characterized by things like iris and galbanum. Floral fruity perfumes offer things like cassis, pineapple, apricot, peach, and apple hints combined with flowers. These are the newest category of floral perfumes, as they have only been introduced to the market in the last ten to fifteen years. Floral fresh perfumes are spring like fragrances. Hyacinth, lily of the valley, orange blossom, hinted with bergamot or other citruses usually make up the base of these perfumes. There is also a basic floral category within the florals. Rose and jasmine are the two most popular basic floral perfumes, but ylang ylang, narcissus, tuberose, iris, and carnation are also popular bases within this category. Another category is floral-aldehydic. This group is often called florientals. They are intense floral perfumes. They were popular around the turn of the century, but they made a huge comeback in the nineteen seventies.

Another popular perfume category is the Oriental scents. These are the heaviest of all of the scents. These fragrances are most popular in Europe and the United States, despite their name. They are considered to be evening scents, and many people consider them to be very sexual scents. As with the florals category, there are a few categories within this scent. Oriental-ambery scents usually have a citrus and vanilla base. These became popular in the early nineteen eighties. The bases can also be combined with green or herb like elements for a bit of a twist. Another category is the Oriental-spicy category. Clove, mace, and cinnamon are the usual bases for fragrances in this category. Lots of florals fit in this category, too, though. Jasmine, ylang-ylang, or various salicylates are popular, and they lend these scents a feminine touch. Many masculine fragrances are based on an Oriental-spicy combination.

The citrus scent is another category of popular perfumes. These are among some of the oldest scents known the perfume world. Many masculine scents fall within this category, but they are gaining some popularity in the women’s fragrance market. All of the scents in this category are energetic and sporty. They make great summer scents. There are three categories within citrus scents, but they are poorly defined, as it is not a well-explored category of perfume. It is just becoming a popular one for manufacturers to cater to. Citrus fantasy is one category. This is a highly imaginative category that a number of unisex scents are currently working with. Citrus fresh is another category. This is the oldest category, and it utilizes traditional citrus scents as a base. The final category is citrus-green. The green elements of this category help to brighten the fragrance to some degree.

Chypre is also a popular perfume category. This is a complex category, blending woody, mossy, and flowery scents with leather and fruit. This is a dry fragrance with little hint of sweetness. This is a fragrance for elegant, classical people who prefer their lives to be slightly out of the norm.

The world of scents can be difficult to make sense out of. Once you do, however, you will be choosing your fragrance like a pro in no time.

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