29 Jan

History of Engagement Rings and Wedding Bands

Schwanke-Kasten explores some history of engagement rings and wedding bands.

The tradition of placing a wedding band on the fourth finger of the left hand has origins dating back to Ancient Egypt. The history of engagement rings represents a sacred bond between a man and a woman, monogamy, and the strength of Love.

The history of engagement rings began in Egypt, and the nearby North-African lands. Lovers would express one’s undying love through braiding plants. The plants fibers were placed on their lover’s ring finger to signify immortal love. Furthermore, the choice of this finger on the left hand was due to the belief of a vein that connected this finger directly to the heart.

history of engagement rings - Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers

In Ancient Rome, engagement rings were used by suitors to tell others that a person was spoken for. The widespread art and use of decorative metallurgy meant that these rings became similar to ring styles we see today.

Middle Ages

However, one and a half millennia later, in Middle-age Europe onward through the religious wars from 1400-1600, the puritanical and American colonial days leaned toward a less gaudy and pretentious styles, the ring was outlawed by the religious powers for being obscene and worthless. Until the late 16^th century, suitors gave a simple and more utilitarian thimbles to their lovers. Once the bride married, she removed the bottom of the thimble and wore it as a wedding band.

In the 1700’s, as the style became more in-line with the notion of commoner jewelry. Both women and men began to wear modern circular wedding bands at all times. They would never remove the bands as a statement of the eternal bond. The exchange of rings between bride and groom became the standard after World War II.

Whereas the only type of pre-marriage ring in the times leading up to the actual marriage was a thimble, the engagement ring became a part of the marriage rituals in 1477 by Archduke Maximilian of Austro-Hungaria as he proposed to Mary of Burgundy with a ring set with diamonds in the shape of an “M”.

To show off status, wealth and desire, men would use engagement rings to persuade women. In 1217, the Bishop of Salisbury declared that these rings of seduction be legally binding. When a suitor gave a women a ring she became a fiancee.

Modern Day

Later on into the 20^th century, an ad campaign by De Beers cemented the diamond as “the” choice of stone for engagement rings. This brings us up to the modern wedding bands and engagement rings of our time.

28 Jan

De Beers Diamond Jewelry and the Chinese Market

De Beers – a name not only synonymous with diamonds, but also with creating demand from simple marketing, is at it again. From the origins

Named as the originator of the diamond engagement ring, De Beers created an artificial “need” through marketing and product placement in films and television to make a diamond engagement ring the standard. The campaign began in 1938 and continues today.

De Beers Diamond Jewelry Chinese Market

Now De Beers has got its eye on China. With billions of dollars of new wealth, China should be a steady customer to the diamond industry. Lately, sales of raw diamonds to China have dropped 15 percent. This is due largely to the Chinese economic slowdown has stifled the amount of diamond jewelry of all types purchased.

Upon the adoption of diamond engagement rings by the Chinese people 10 years ago, diamond sales to China increased at almost 20% per year from 2009-2013 and diamond engagement rings account for 10% of jewelry purchases in China.

More importantly, De Beers must find new customers in the form of young couples. Because they agree that using diamonds as gifts, they will show a particularly strong affinity.

Representatives from De Beers have said they intend to market the custom of gift-giving. Representatives want diamonds to be at the top of the gift-giving list. Most importantly, by associating diamonds with gifts rather than with a self-purchase, the Chinese will feel an obligation to find an over-the-top gift. Playing on social codes, and a strong marketing campaign, De Beers is sure to fill the void.

Schwanke-Kasten has a wide selection of diamond engagement rings. Visit the Schwanke-Kasten website for more.

Moreover, many have heard of the Forevermark brand and know of it’s quality diamonds and diamond jewelry.

25 Jan

Caring For Your Rings

RING CARE

Ring care for wedding and engagement rings is crucial for one of the most valuable and important parts of what you wear day-to-day. A ring that was properly taken care of will look as good as the day it was made. There are many materials to keep in mind when cleaning and maintaining the rings, and understanding how to care for each component is of the utmost importance. What will clean one part of your ring may damage another. In this article, Schwanke-Kasten suggests some of the more important things to remember when caring for your rings.

First and foremost – DON’T LOSE YOUR RING!

As you consider the seaside areas that are very popular with newlyweds, the metal detector brigade sweeping the sands each night and Ring Care Tactics from Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers morning seem to find more than a few wedding and engagement rings in the sand and surf. It’s very important to notice the fit of your ring at all times. Have you lost weight recently? Have you been working with slippery substances like, for example, suntan lotion?

Whenever you perform activities that could cause yours hands to sweat, either pay close attention to your rings, or better yet, remove them completely. Today’s world brings many different ways that ring could slide right off unnoticed, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Make sure the ring size is correct too. You may need to resize your ring.

When washing dishes, always remove your rings. You can purchase ring holders made specifically for this situation. They look like upside-down mushrooms. Place your rings over the “stem”, and you will never have to fish your ring out of the plumbing .

Another common way people lose rings is while dressing and undressing. Make sure you put your rings on last after your blouse, shirt, or other topwear. Fibers can pull them off and they will remain unnoticed as they slip through the clothing and onto the ground.

Do Your Research

If you want to properly conduct ring care yourself, do your research. Make sure you know exactly what reactions your cleaner will have with the ring. What may be fine for gold may be destructive to gems, and vice-versa. Even things like make-up and hair products can damage these materials.

Bring it to Us

Have a professional jeweler steam clean your ring. It only takes a few minutes. The ring will perfect as the day it first went on your finger, especially if your ring has etchings of any kind, for those crevasses will need special attention that a home solution may either not clean adequately, or scratch the surface and mar the ring entirely.

Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers can help you to take proper care of your ring so it can become an heirloom to be passed down through generations of your family. Ring care is important.

24 Jan

Ring Size – How to Find It?

Finding out the ring size for you intended finance can seem like a daunting task!

Here are some sneaky ways to find her ring size.

Talk to her family and friends:

Friends or family members often know what her ring size is! If they don’t know, they could be the right person to nonchalantly ask her. A friend (or family member) could also take your girlfriend engagement ring shopping “just for fun” and later report the ring size to you.

Pretend you’re buying for someone else.

Tell your girlfriend you’re buying a ring for another close woman in your life (mother, sister, niece, etc.). Casually ask here what her ring size is for reference (be sure that the pretend recipient is someone whose hands is similar in size). You could go so far to take her ring-browsing with you. If you’re in the Milwaukee area, call Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers first, schedule a visit, and tell them what you’re doing so they can try to determine her size as she’s trying rings on.

Grab one of her current rings.

Look in her jewelry box and find a ring she rarely wears. Make sure you can borrow it for a time and take it to Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers (or your local jeweler) and get the proper size. Grab a ring that she wears on a similarly sized finger. The ring finger of her right hand is the optimal choice (if she’s right handed).

While she’s sleeping.

Some guys say this is the best method. Wrap a small strip of string around her ring finger. Do it on her dominant hand (the hand she uses to write with). The dominant hand is going to be as much as a half size bigger so this step is important.

Play a game.

Make up some kind of game to get her to reveal her ring size. For example, tell her that you just heard about new, fun game that says if you take your shoe size and divide by two and then add three, it will sum up to your ring finger size. Note this is NOT actually revel the ring size. Having her go through this exercise, however, is a sneaky way to get her to tell you what her true ring size is.

24 Jan

Diamond Cut – 4 C’s of Engagement Rings

The 4 C’s of are the main criteria you should use when purchasing a diamond engagement ring, which are cut, diamond color, diamond clarity, and carat weight. Let’s begin by exploring the first C, the diamond cutting.

Source: Wikipedia

Many consider the diamond’s cut as the most important of the 4 C’s. The cut has the biggest impact on the stone’s brilliance. Light play within the diamond is what we refer to as brilliance. There are a variety of different diamond cuts to choose from, and the different cuts will alter the look of your finished product. In 2005, the International Diamond Grading System released the GIA cut scale which is a uniform system used to determine the grade of round-cut diamonds.

Ideal Cut Diamonds

Ideal cut diamonds reflect nearly all light that enters the stone through the top which maximize the brilliance of a diamond and yields the highest possible grades of symmetry and polish.

Very Good Cut

Diamonds that sacrifice a little brilliance for a larger size. These are a cost-effective option.

Good cut

Quality diamonds, but do show a significant lack in brilliance.

Fair or Poor cut

Fair or Poor Cut Diamonds lack the ability to reflect a sufficient amount of light. They are usually shallow or deep cut and inexpensively priced.

Explore some of the best diamond cut by visiting with Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers.

Diamond cutters will train for years and years to be apt at cutting diamonds. The slightest mishap can have detrimental affects to the structure of the diamond as well as the value. Definitely make sure that you check the diamond’s, if it is a GIA certified diamond, cut grade. GIA Grading cards will give you valuable information regarding not only the cut of the diamond but the rest of the four c’s.

22 Jan

Tips for Choosing Your Wedding or Engagement Rings

The purchase of wedding bands and engagement rings is based purely on two things: personal style, and budget.

Once your budget has been determined and it’s time to go shopping for these special gifts. We at Schwanke-Kasten have listed some pointers for you to help make your purchase as easy and as tailored to your tastes as possible.

1) If you’re buying an engagement ring, have a look at the style of jewelry your partner tends to like most. Do they like unique art pieces? Are they a fan of gold or white gold? Start by thinking of your partner and what would really ‘wow’ them.

2) Once you’ve had a look at the different styles, one or two of them may make a big impression on you. Window shopping before the actual purchase will show you the various selections. The Internet is an invaluable way to peruse the wedding bands all over the world, and artists who create unique pieces. When you have a general idea of what you like, it’s time to do some actual ring shopping. Don’t leave this until the last minute, as it takes time to try on rings, and upon selection, to have engraving and other customization done. Upon engagement, you should begin looking for rings as soon as possible to ensure that they satisfy your wishes, and are ready.

Wedding Bands

3) Once the engagement ring has been selected, the proposal has been made, and you got that answer you were hoping for, it’s now time to search for wedding bands. Go window-shopping together and take input from both yourself, and your partner. Stop by one of our Schwanke-Kasten locations so we can help you navigate the conversation! Since the engagement is established, you can share the fun of choosing your rings together. Your partner will most likely look for a wedding band that complements their engagement ring. If the engagement ring holds a uniquely cut diamond, the wedding band should be a simple one to not overload the engagement ring. Look for a band that will interlock or physically fit alongside the engagement ring. For a more standard cut stone, some creativity will compliment it nicely. A band with a diamond pave, for example.

4) Wedding bands do not have to match, so consider the style of yourself and your partner. It’s not a problem if you like platinum and your partner prefers gold, and it does not deviate from any sort of tradition. Custom wedding bands that blend both of your styles are a choice that many choose so they can express their own styles while mingling with the style of their partner’s ring. These rings are forever, and so should reflect the two of you. If you look for a custom ring like a braided multi-metal band, it will take 1-3 months to construct. In any event, even with completely different styles, some elements should be shared to truly make them a ‘set’. Even just the same engraving on both rings should be sufficient.

Size is important

5) Choose rings that are comfortable. Sizing is important. You are going to wear these rings for the rest of your life, and they should be chosen to reflect your lifestyles. If you are active in sports or work with your hands, a minimally intrusive band should be considered. There are ring bands that are designed for comfort that are just as beautiful as any other band.

Ring selection should be an enjoyable process,

Have fun! Get the rings that are perfect for you, just as perfect as your partner. And congratulations!

15 Jan

Find Her Ring – Engagement Ring Styles

How Do You Find Her Ring?

Congrats you found your soulmate! You know what comes next. You need to find her ring! Which ring works for her? Where it’s going to happen, what you’re going to say, how you’re going to keep it a secret from her, and – of course – which engagement rings to buy.

There may be some anxiety about the engagement ring. Let’s face it: it’s not something you typically buy and you likely feel way out of your comfort zone. But buying her the perfect ring doesn’t have to be stressful. Consider these tips on how to make the best decision possible.

Engagement Rings Jewelry Box

Go into stealth mode: It’s time to to secretly discover what kind of jewelry she generally likes. What’s her style? The best way to approach this step is to sneak into her bedroom and look at the jewelry she already owns. Take a camera with you and snap some photos of the items in her jewelry box, particularly her rings. Make sure you get some good close-ups.
Get into the loop: If you’re going for a “complete surprise” approach you may have to think about who to include (or not include) in this step, but the goal here is to talk those people in her life who know her best, particularly those people who know her sense of style. Connect with her mother, her sisters, her best friends and ask them what they think she’d like. Visit the Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers website and review the engagement rings together to help with the process.
She knows what she likes: You may be in a situation where she know’s it coming. Perhaps the surprise isn’t IF you’re going to ask the “big question,” but WHEN and HOW. If this is the case you may want to consider letting her give you some input and suggestions about the engagement ring. Go window browsing together and show her the engagement rings at one of our Schwanke-Kasten locations, and let her give you some ideas about what she likes (and doesn’t like).

Schwanke Kasten - Wedding Rings

From Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers