engagement rings Archives | Schwanke Kasten

30 Mar

Cushion Cut Diamonds

A cushion cut diamond is the perfect answer for those torn between round brilliant and princess or square cut diamonds. Cushion cut diamonds were once the standard cut for diamonds, before round brilliant cuts took over. With their soft, rounded corners, cushion cut diamonds bridge the gap between round brilliant cuts and princess cuts. At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we have a beautiful array of GIA certified cushion cut diamonds for your engagement ring or jewelry piece.

Cushion Cut Diamond Engagement Ring from Rahaminov

PROS & CONS of Cushion Cut Diamonds

Jewelers and recipients alike, enjoy this design for its classic and timeless aesthetic. Furthermore, gemologists have determined these cuts to have the most dispersion of light, or fire. Additionally, the jewelry market typically prices round brilliant cut diamonds higher than cushion cut for two reasons.

Demand
Less waste

However due to the deeper cut needed for this design, you will need to overcompensate with a larger stone than anticipated.

4 C’S

CUT:

Chunky vs Crushed Ice: Jewelers refer to these two terms when talking about the back facets and light reflections. If the light reflections appear in broad flashes, it refers to “chunky” aesthetic, if it appears as broken glass

"Crushed Ice" Cushion Cut — “Crushed Ice”

Length-to-Width Ration: Cushion cuts can come in “square” ratios as well as varying rectangle ratios. We should mention that you ought to avoid a length to width ration between 1.06 to 1.10.
Standard vs Modified Brilliant Cushion Cuts: Beginning in the 1920’s, diamond cutters added an extra row of facets beneath the girdle. However there is minimal affect on the beauty or structural integrity of the diamond.
Depth and Table: look for a cushion cuts with a depth and table under 70%. As well as symmetry and polish that is very good or excellent.

CARAT WEIGHT:

As we previously mentioned, cushion cuts tend to appear smaller than their round counterparts due to the depth of the cuts. That being said, if size is an issue, you may have to go larger than anticipated.

COLOR:

Cushion cuts show more color than round brilliant but this effect is negated by their brilliance and dispersion. However, we suggest looking for cushion cuts with color grades of I or higher.

CLARITY:

Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers tell shoppers to choose clarity grades of SI1 or higher as the integrity of the stone is not compromised as well as the aesthetic.

Email, text or call Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers today to learn more about cushion cut diamonds and how to set up a free consultation with one of our highly trained sales associates.

05 Jun

Yellow Diamonds – Colored Diamonds

Enter into the exciting and highly exclusive world of fancy colored diamonds, where the traditional notions of diamonds being colorless shatters that concept. The first color diamond Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers will explore with you, is the yellow diamond; also known as the canary diamond.

Yellow Diamonds – A Canary Delight!

In the Superman comics, the hero crushes a lump of coal (carbon-based material) so hard that it produces enough heat and pressure to form a diamond for Lois Lane. While coal, under immense heat and pressure does not create diamonds, although they possess similar atomic makeups. However, when nitrogen enters the rigid structure of the composition of diamonds, they absorb blue light and give off a yellow shade in the visible light spectrum. The amount of nitrogen present in a yellow diamond will affect how light or dark the color is. Moreover, this logic of wanting more nitrogen, an impurity, naturally present in a yellow diamond is the opposite of a flawless white diamond. Additionally, gemologist give recognition to fancy color yellow diamonds a secondary hue such as orange or brown.

Yellow Diamond Engagement Ring from Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers

The GIA grades yellow diamonds slightly different than traditional white diamonds. Diamonds Pro sums it up nicely, “if the white diamond color scale [D – Z], were to continue past Z – all the way to a rich, yellow color – you’d have a Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond”. Essentially this means that the best quality yellow diamond will be fully saturated with yellow and have no traces of whiteness.

Colored Diamond Scale:

Faint, Very Light, Light, Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Intense, Fancy Vivid/ Deep/Dark

Gemologists estimate that one out of about every 10,000 carats of diamonds are a natural colored diamond. Furthermore, 60% of those natural colored diamonds are yellow. So, while they are common among natural colored diamonds, they are still exceptionally rare among the grand scheme of things.

Yellow Diamonds - Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers Engagement Ring in 18k white gold with diamond halo

At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we are fortunate enough to have a gorgeous example of one set in a beautiful engagement ring. This 1.39 cushion cut, fancy yellow diamond is set with 0.56 carats of round diamonds on the halo and down the shanks in 18kt white gold! We would love to see you propose with this stunning diamond engagement ring! Additionally, stop by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers to peruse our exceptional collection of diamond engagement rings in Milwaukee and Whitefish Bay.

10 Apr

Princess Cut Diamonds

Your true love is your princess; it’s only fitting to propose your undying love for her with a princess cut diamond engagement ring? This beautifully and interestingly square cut diamond is actually the second most popular style of diamond cut, below round but above cushion! At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we decided to share with you all there is to know about princess cut diamonds

Princess Cut Diamonds History:

Surprisingly, diamond cutters have been only creating this style of cut for around 40 years to 50 years. Although it is hard to pinpoint, gemologist argue that a man named Basil Watermeyer created the cut as the Barion Cut in the 1970’s, however this was a combination of an emerald cut and a marquise cut. Others point to Arpad Nagy, a London Based diamond cutter, who created the what was then known as the “profile cut” back in 1961. started seeing demand for this style around the 1970’s. Israeli diamond cutters, Betzalel Amber and Israel Itzkowitz popularized Nagy’s cut several years later under the name Princess Cut, which was a “fancy French inspired cut”.

The Cut:

The princess cut was designed to have a modern, clean and feminine look to it. It is actually a modified square cut stone. Typically, princess cut diamonds appear as square, sometimes rectangle. On the profile, the stone has an inverted pyramid shape with four beveled sides. These stones typically have between 60 to 70 facets. Furthermore, because they retain, on average, 80% of the original rough stone, they are prone to having more inclusions than a round brillian cut. Which is not a negative, this allows the uniquely cut ring to have a very interesting and gorgeous light play to it!

The Cost:

Because Princess Cut Diamond only lose 20% of the rough stone when being cut (compared to 40-50% of a round diamond) they are a less expensive cut when all other factors are held constant (i.e. the 4 C’s).

Similar Cuts:

Cushion Cuts – have larger facets than princess cuts which increase their brilliance and highlight the clarity. However, they do not have as sharp of a sparkle and have an older, more vintage feel. Furthermore, they do not have as sharp of edges as princess cuts.

Round Brilliant – The most popular style of ring tends to look bigger when comparing the same carat weight stone. However, due to the cutting process, they are more expensive when all factors are held constant.

Asscher Cut – Similarly cut to a princess cut but with step cuts (a commonly found on emeralds, hence the name, emerald cut).

Famous Princess Cuts

Chicago Cubs World Series Rings features two princess cut diamond, among others.
Emily Ratajkowski – When choosing an engagement ring, she couldn’t decide between a princess cut or a pear cut, so she got both!
Cameron Diaz
Snooki – Everyone’s favorite Jersey Shore socialite has an engagement ring with a princess cut center stone.

Snooki Engagement Ring - princess cut diamonds — Snooki Engagement Ring

At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, our professionally trained sales team and GIA-certified gemologist are eager to help you find the perfect diamond for the perfect engagement ring. Visit Schwanke-Kasten in one of our two convenient Milwaukee Locations (Downtown Milwaukee and Whitefish Bay).

15 Mar

Diamond Halo Engagement Rings

Simply put we love diamond halo engagement rings! The added sparkle and light play are indescribable with words! In fact, diamond halo engagement rings are the second most popular style of engagement rings, behind solitaire rings.

History

In fact, halo rings can be traced back to the Georgian era in Europe (1714-1837), where round diamonds and pearls were surrounded by smaller stones. During the Victorian era (1837 – 1901) the style grew even more popular with the rise of colored gemstones as engagement rings. Finally the modern sense of a halo ring arose during the Art Deco Movement.

Benefits

Aside from adding additional fire, sparkle and light play, the biggest benefit of a diamond halo engagement ring is to enhance the size of the center stone. This benefit is a great way to stretch your engagement ring budget!

Milwaukee Diamond Halo Engagement Rings

At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we have a full range of semi-mounted engagement rings as well as ready to go ones! Additionally, we are also able to fully customize an engagement ring to your liking! Here are a couple of our favorites!

martin flyer diamond halo engagement rings

Classic Round Halo Engagement Ring

Accentuated by 41 micropave set diamonds in a halo and on the shanks, this round brilliant cut, 0.71 carat, I color, SI2 clarity diamond center stone is a thing of beauty! Beautifully made by Martin Flyer as a part of their FlyerFit range, this ring is set in 14k white gold and sized as a 6.5. The suggested retail is $5000, including the center stone.

Rahaminov Cushion-Cut Engagement Ring

World-reknowned diamond jewelers, Rahaminov consistently create remarkibly beautiful diamond jewelry. This stunning cushion-cut brilliant engagement ring from Rahaminov is almost as beautiful as your true love! Additionally, the GIA certified center stone is 2.01 carats, F color and SI1 clarity. Accompanying the center stone is a melody of diamonds totaling 0.64 carats that form a halo and continue down the shanks. Furthermore, the designer set the ring in platinum and in a size 5. Moreover, this ring is valued at $43,575.

Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers' in-house Marquise Cut Diamond Engagement Ring

SK Marquise Diamond Engagement Ring

We especially enjoy unique engagement rings, which is why we created this gorgeous one-of-a-kind engagement ring , set in 18K white gold, has a Marquise center diamond with 1.57 carat weight, D color and SI1 clarity. Additionally, the side diamonds have a 1.43 total carat weight. Valued at $16,500.

Pear Cut Engagement Ring by Martin Flyer

Pear Cut Halo Engagement Ring

Recently, a lot of celebrities (i.e. Paris Hilton and Cardi B) have been opting for the ever-fashionable pear cut engagement rings. Furthermore, this Martin Flyer ring mounted in 14k white gold, the center stone is 0.70 carats, E color and SI2 clarity. Moreover, the designer set 38 micropave diamonds around the ring. Valued at $5,000. Price includes center stone and sized as a 6.5.

Schwanke-Kasten in Whitefish Bay and Milwaukee

Stop by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in Milwaukee and Whitefish Bay today to explore our wide range of beautiful and unique diamond engagement rings. Additionally, our highly trained sales team is eager to make this as enjoyable and personalized as possible!

05 Feb

2019 Valentine’s Day

Rings, bracelets and necklaces, when worn, they have no beginning or end, which is why symbolically they make sure great Valentine’s Day gifts! At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we’ve curated a 2019 Valentine’s Day gift guide to find a gift worthy of the beauty of your true love.

2019 Valentine Day Gift Guide

Roberto Coin

Timelessly beautiful with exceptional quality, the prolific Roberto Coin is one of our favorite jewelry designers. Incorporating the ancient legend of a ruby touching your skin will grant you prosperity, happiness and love, in every piece, it only makes since that Roberto Coin jewelry is perfect for Valentine’s Day! One of our favorites, the Princess Flower Collection. Diverse and chic, with plenty of opportunity to make sets, the Princess Flower is gorgeous. This piece in particular, the Princess Flower Diamond Drop Earrings are set in 18K yellow gold, and feature a medium diamond “Princess Flower” dangle on a levered back post closure. They have a .35 ctw diamond, and each has the signature hidden ruby. Valued at $3,100.00.

Martin Flyer

The FlyerFit collection by Martin Flyer, is the flagship line of engagement rings with matching wedding bands. These mountings come in array of beautiful traditional and nontraditional styles with gorgeous center stones that scream, “Our love is as solid as a diamond”. We also carry a number of ready-made engagement rings available online as well! Take the Round Brilliant Halo Engagement Ring by Martin Flyer, accentuated by 41 micropave set diamonds in a halo and on the shanks, this round brilliant cut, 0.71 carat, I color, SI2 clarity diamond center stone is a thing of beauty! The ring is set in 14k white gold.

Graymoor Lane Designs

We love the solstices! The romantic associations of when the sun shines the longest or being snuggled up with your true love on winter’s day. Graymoor Lane Design’s perfectly encapsulates that feeling with their Solstice Collection. Available online and at both Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers location, this beautiful Solstice Bangle Bracelet in 14k yellow gold features a leaf motif and is spring hinged. Value at $1,295.

FOPE

Based out of the heart of fine gold jewelry making, in Vicenza, Italy, FOPE brings impeccible designs time after time! As a family owned and operated jewelry designer, we are particularly fond of them. Using a beautiful and high quality basket weave style with their 18k gold jewelry designs, their pieces are designed to last a lifetime. We love their 17” Prima necklace with a Tri-Color Rondel, this piece looks great by itself or layed with other jewelry. Available in white or yellow gold and valued at $4,630.

Be sure to check out our 2019 Valentine’s Day Collection online on the Schwanke-Kasten website. Save up to 20% off of sterling silver jewelry until Valentine’s Day as well! Use the code: VALENTINES-DAY-2019 when checking out.

08 Nov

Holiday Proposals

Holiday proposals mark a special time when family and good friends gather together. If you are out-of-town with your significant other, and are coming home for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years, all are great occasions to “pop” the question. Whether you have everyone around the table for dinner or dancing the night away at a New Year’s Eve party, a quick “clink-clink” with a spoon on a glass gets people’s attention.

Not sure where to start in selecting an engagement ring … go to your love’s Pinterest page to see all the romantic pics of items they’ve been collecting. Next checkout our online engagement collection or stop by one of our stores. If you are looking for something completely unique, bring your ideas to our Whitefish Bay location and our onsite gemologists will help make your dream a reality. Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers carries a wide array of renowned ring designers, styles and materials.

Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, a locally owned store since 1899, has a full-service sales staff to assist you. Whether you are in the Milwaukee area or coming to town for the holidays just give us a call. We carry an expanded selection of ready-to-go ring designs; however, if you are looking to have a mounting created, the process takes about 3 weeks or so.

Make the holidays of 2018 something you both will remember forever with a holiday proposla!

09 Aug

Colored Diamonds – Natural Blue

It is a well-known fact that diamonds are among the rarest gemstones on Earth, naturally colored diamonds are even more so. So much so, that gemologists and geologists are still learning about how diamonds obtain color. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) just published a report on blue diamonds. The study, conducted by GIA, took place over two-years using 46 blue diamonds submitted to the GIA.

Colored Diamonds – Blue Diamonds, A GIA Study

Evan Smith, a Lead Researcher at GIA, estimates that 0.02% of mined diamonds containing the trace element boron. Scientists largely conclude boron is responsible for natural blue diamonds color. This explains why in recent auctions, blue diamonds are fetching record prices. Moreover, finding these diamonds with natural, solid inclusions is even harder.

The Process

Gemologists concluded in this article that blue diamonds form an estimated 4 times deeper in the Earth’s mantle (most form between 93 – 124 miles below in continental plates brought up by Kimberlite eruptions). Researchers hypothesize diamonds fuse with boron in the sublithospheric mantle (superdeep) from oceanic rock. Furthermore, they state oceanic rocks are subducted 410 miles or deeper over a billion years by plate techtonics!

In addition, geologists make inferences from inclusions in these diamonds. This information tells gemologist about the surrounding minerals and known locations of said minerals.

10 Jul

Rahaminov Diamond Engagement Rings

Like Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, Rahaminov Diamonds is a family-owned and operated business that has, for over 70 years. In fact, they have supplied the fine jewelry world rare and marvelous diamonds in the form of diamond engagement rings and incredible jewelry.

Award Winner – Rahaminov

Having won numerous awards, including the prestigious 2016 Grand Prize JCK Jewelers’ Choice Award, Rahaminov routinely creates rare and breathtaking diamond jewelry. This is because they expertly crafted engagement rings which highlight and enhance the diamond’s unique shape.

It is through their exquisite designs, unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail, Rahaminov Diamonds became an internationally recognized diamond house. On another note, they are based out of Los Angeles. Moreover, by showcasing their impressive inventory of rare and important diamonds, Rahaminov routinely brings their jewelry to life.

Ingrained in their mantra is the belief that the diamond is as rare as the woman who wears it. Women design Rahaminov jewelry for women. The diamond inspires the design.

By stopping by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in Whitefish Bay, you can view our beautiful collection of one-of-a-kind Rahaminov jewelry pieces. Furthermore, Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ is a preferred retailer in Wisconsin. More importantly, we look forward to many years to come! That being said, if you are not sure where to start, check out Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ article on diamond education.

12 Apr

Martin Flyer Engagement Rings

Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers is thrilled to have the iconic Martin Flyer as one of our exclusive engagement ring designers. Since 1899, Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers has helped Milwaukee families find the perfect engagement ring.

Founded in 1945, Martin Flyer has become a renowned by jewelry designers for producing classic and bridal diamond jewelry. For more than 70 years they have stood by the motto: “The Quality You Expect, The Personal Service You Deserve.” This mantra is still a cornerstone of their focus today and resonates with Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ approach to engagement rings. They have provided generations of customers, “outstanding service, craftsmanship, and delivery of heirloom quality jewelry at competitive prices”.

Experience artisans using the finest materials handcraft Martin Flyer jewelry. Nevertheless, their pieces truly signify, “forever”. Stop by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in Whitefish Bay to find the timeless engagement ring that matches your everlasting love!

What makes Martin Flyer different from the others is when they create your engagement ring, they ensure that it will MATCH the wedding band. Martin Flyer patented the FLYERFIT® Technology to perfectly fit your wedding band with the engagement ring. All styles are available in platinum, as well as 14K and 18K white, yellow and rose gold.

Most importantly, we want to make shopping a breeze for you. Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers has a wonderful selection of designer jewelry rings for you.

21 Nov

Wedding Gifts – Affordable

When it comes to weddings, the costs can add up – airfare, tuxedos, hotels, meals, etc. But it is all worth it! At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we have a great selection of bridal jewelry and wedding gifts for all budgets!

Sterling Silver Cufflinks – Starting at $135.00

Timeless and effortless, especially if the groom (or wedding party) are business professionals. Our round or oval sterling silver cufflinks can be personalized with the groom’s initials. For the frequent traveler, we make St. Christopher cufflinks, the patron saint of safe travels.

Pearl Earrings – Starting at $155.00

Organically beautiful, pearls have been loved for centuries. Generally associated with new beginnings, pears are frequently the gemstone of choice (along with diamonds) for bridal jewelry and make great wedding gifts. These pearl earring drops, in particular, have an 8mm freshwater pearl set on either 14k white or yellow gold earring.

Everest Watch Pouch – Starting at $25.00

An extraordinary deal from Everest Horology Products for the watch fanatic groom or bride who is a frequent traveler! We’ve also got watch winders and custom straps to personalize your beloved timepiece at Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in Whitefish Bay!

Birthstone Earrings – Starting at $390.00

If the bride’s wedding is in a special month or enjoys her birthstone, then consider purchasing her a jewelry piece that features the particular birthstone! Our Ava Earrings Collection beautifully features an array of birthstones along with diamonds, while set in 14k white gold!

Stop by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in Whitefish Bay or Milwaukee to see more beautiful jewelry in person. Visit us online if that it is more convenient!