How to Choose Gold Rings for an Occasion

A ring can be bought to make a fashion statement or to mark important events in your life, such as wedding, engagement, anniversary or any other significant event. Gold rings are one of the options available to you. For this you would need to pick the right kind of gold ring and it can be a tiresome process, but if you keep a few pointers in mine then your process will be rather easy and enjoyable.

Consider the occasion you are buying the gold ring for. Rings are mostly associated with romance, so if you are in a committed relationship then you may go for a gold promise ring. If you are getting engaged then you should get a gold engagement ring that has a diamond or other precious or semi-precious stone as the centrepiece. If you are getting married then you and your partners could go for either a simple gold band or a more elaborate ring design with stones or engravings or both. Anniversary rings could be similar to wedding rings with engravings marking the date or anything significant.

There are many varieties of Gold Rings available for you to choose from. Most of the ring styles consist of a gold band with a precious or semi-precious stone as the centrepiece. The gold bands are usually smooth with rounded edges and some of them are combined with other metals like silver or platinum to get a two-toned ring style. Some of the gold rings also feature elaborate engravings. Diamond is the most preferred centrepiece stone, though some other styles also feature other precious and semi-precious that surround and accent the diamond, making it look larger. It makes the ring more attractive. Some gold rings also come with birthstones.

Spending a lot on designer gold rings can sometimes be counterproductive as more and more people are into simple but elegant gold rings. Diamond gold rings are the most expensive ones while ring styles that include rubies and emerald are equally expensive. There are affordable gold rings styles available too. Birthstones, onyx and other semi-precious stones are just as beautiful as diamonds and other precious stones.

Proper sizing and proper cleaning are the two important ways you can ensure that you ring remains beautiful for a longer period. It’s good to get a cleaning kit for your ring as it comes with a cleaning solution that is specifically designed for rings. The solution is strong enough to remove dirt and mild enough not to damage the ring. No matter what your wearing habits are, it’s always a good idea to designate a proper place to store your ring when you are not wearing it.

Sterling Silver Rings Buying Guide

A ring is a circular band made of metal worn as ornamental jewellery around the finger. They may be set with a precious or semi-precious gemstone such as diamond, ruby, sapphire or emerald. Sometimes the ring may just feature an elaborate intricate engraved design or a two-toned finish. Silver rings or sterling silver rings are popular among ladies and they are beautiful and go with almost anything. Sterling silver rings are shiny, versatile, durable and soft enough to be shaped into different types of ring designs. Sterling silver rings are known for their neutral nature and value. Sterling silver rings are a beautiful addition to your jewellery collection. They also make excellent gifting option.

Sterling silver contains 92.5 percent pure silver and 7.5 percent metal alloy, copper being the most preferred metal. Sterling silver is preferred over pure silver because pure silver is too soft for large silverjewellery pieces. Other metals are also used as a metal alloy. Sterling silver is known for its long-lasting durability, strength and beauty. It is for this reason sterling silver is used for an everyday ring such as an engagement or wedding ring. Sterling silver rings can be engraved with name or message to add a personal touch. Sterling silver rings are usually marked with an engraving, usually “925”, to inform the buyers about their authenticity.

Sterling silver rings are usually coated or polished with rhodium to become tarnish-resistant. Since rhodium is a member of the platinum metal family, sterling silver rings gets a high-gloss finish when coated with it.

Sterling silver rings are of many different styles, from simple sterling rings with feminine detailing to meaningful designs and engravings, these rings are perfect for everyday wear and are good choice for romantic gifts. Sterling silver rings with gemstones, diamonds or pearl can bring colour and elegance to any outfit. Choose from a wide a wide variety of stones such as birthstones, rubies or emerald.

When not in use sterling silver rings should be placed in a cloth pouch or individual compartment of your jewellery box to prevent scratching. Bleach, ammonia and chlorine can damage and discolour your sterling silver rings. Sterling silver rings should not be used while handling common household cleaning chemicals or while swimming in a chlorinated pool.

Sterling silver rings tarnish overtime as they are exposed to the natural elements in the air. Polishing them every now and then will restore their shine and lustre. Use bleach-free or ammonia-free silver polish to remove any tarnish on your sterling silver ring. Also use a nonabrasive cloth to prevent any scratching. Microfiber cloths are best for cleaning sterling silver rings.

Platinum Jewellery - For a Timeless Bond of Love

Jewellery has been used since ancient times as adornments in the form of natural elements such as shells, bones, flowers and so on. Over time, gold and silver became prominent metals to make jewellery. Now, with the growing sense of fashion among the people, platinum has become quite popular as jewellery. With its pristine natural white colour and secure settings, platinum is the perfect choice to express feelings that last an eternity. Rarest of all the popular metals, platinum is an exclusive metal which projects individuality. Since platinum does not wear away or change shape with time, it holds precious stones securely. With 95% purity, platinum jewellery never fades or tarnishes and hence, scales high in the aspects of durability and resistance when compared to other metals.

Platinum jewellery looks pure and precious with exquisitely carved designs. With its remarkable pliability, platinum can be moulded according to the designer’s whims and fancies. This enables creation of intricate designs, which is difficult in other metals. This friendly metal is quite a favourite among the world’s greatest jewellery designers. Platinum is also hypoallergenic and can be worn everyday. Since platinum is extremely dense in comparison to other metals, it is a lot heavier. While buying a piece of platinum jewellery you need to identify the same by its hallmark indicating that it is high quality platinum.

Of all the pieces of jewellery, platinum rings are the most common ones. With respect to rings, the setting along with shape and cut of the stone plays an important role. These features provide any piece of jewellery with a unique and distinctive style of its own. Some of the sought-after setting styles with respect to rings are prong, cathedral, bezel, tension, bar, channel, flush and pave.

You can get a wide range of platinum jewellery such as earrings, rings, bracelets, pendants, bangles, chains, necklaces and much more. While picking out a piece of your choice, look for stamp of ‘Pt 950’ hallmark for authentic platinum jewellery. Every piece of jewellery is accompanied with a tamper-proof quality assurance card that marks it from rest of the jewellery. In order to ensure that there is no duplication, original platinum jewellery is also stamped with a Unique Identification Number.

Since, a piece of platinum jewellery is much more than a mere ornament, it has to be maintained well. You can maintain the exquisiteness of platinum jewellery by getting it polished and cleaned from time to time. You can also get your piece of jewellery resized or adjusted in accordance to your needs. For maximum protection, store them separately to avoid scratches or wrap them in a flannel cloth. Since, platinum jewellery is ideal for everyday wear, you can immerse them in a mild lukewarm soap solution and gently rub it with a soft cloth. It is always better to remove the piece of jewellery while handling stuff like bleach and other strong chemicals for in order to prevent any unwanted damage.

Pick the Right Gold Pendant for Your Necklace

A pendant is defined as a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, usually attached by a small loop to a necklace. The use of pendant’s dates back to the time of Pharaohs when they used to wear a scarab beetle pendant to show their power and wealth. Earlier pendants were made of shells, grass or rocks. Nowadays pendants are made of precious metals like gold, silver and platinum. Sometimes precious stones such as diamond, emerald or rubies, semi-precious stones or pearls are used as a centrepiece. When you’re looking for a gold pendant to use with your necklace, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind.

Gold jewellery is always sold by carat. Pure gold is 24Kt, but it’s not a popular while making jewellery because it is extremely soft and not durable for daily use. Gold pendants are usually made out of 18, 14, 12 or 10 carat gold. The lesser the carat, lesser amount of pure gold the pendant has in it. 18 carat Gold Pendant would be the ideal choice as it would have 75% pure gold in it. 12 and 10 carat gold are the lowest grade and contain more of non-gold elements that some people may find it to be of allergic nature. Gold is a hypoallergenic metal and it can be worn even on sensitive skin.

Adding other non-gold elements to gold is a must as pure gold is too soft to use. Adding palladium or nickel creates white gold, while adding copper will give you pink or rose gold. These are usually used for specialized jewellery. Gold plated pendants are popular among people because it is much cheaper than solid gold pendants. But since a thin layer of gold is only coated on top of a metal overtime the gold will wear off and you will need to polish it again.

Some of the popular types of gold pendants include:
Diamond pendant, where the diamond sits on a gold setting. When buying a diamond pendant, you will have to look at the cut, its carat and its colour
Pearl or coloured gemstone pendant feature a single pink, white or black pearl or a coloured stone such as sapphire, emerald or ruby that sits on a gold setting
Diamond and gemstone pendants are more elaborate of nature. They feature intricate gold setting design that holds the diamond and other gemstones. Some of the popular designs include the star design and the monogram design
Metal design pendants feature all-gold pendants with elaborate or simple designs that can be used as an everyday accessories. Some of the metal pendants can be engraved with a name or a message to make it a bit more personal

Find the Right Look with a Pair of Gold Earrings

Earrings are the most basic jewellery wardrobe piece and most earring styles go with anything.
The wide variety of earrings available in the market allows you to experiment with your looks.
Gold earrings are one such example. They have been around for ages and are perfect additions to any woman’s jewellery wardrobe. If you are looking around for a pair of gold earrings that boosts confidence and style, there are certain tips that you need to keep in mind.

Firstly the cost of a pair of gold earrings depends on how much gold the earrings contain. There are three types of gold earrings – solid gold, gold filled and gold plated.
Solid gold earrings are entirely made up of gold. The amount of depends on the carat, the highest being 24Kt. Lower carat gold earrings are alloyed with stronger metals such as nickel. Solid gold earrings are pieces of fine jewellery.
Gold filled earrings feature a base metal filled with a thick layer of gold. The gold in these earrings last longer because it is bound to the base metal.
Gold plated earrings have only a thin layer of gold plated on top of a base metal. And thus the gold plating wears away over time.

Secondly, choose earrings that showcase your personality. If you are an outgoing person, wear flashy, bold gold earrings or if you are old-fashioned go for vintage, conservative and simple gold earrings. The key part however is to not emphasize who you already are. You could always experiment with different styles to create a unique look for yourself.

Thirdly, style is everything. Focus on a particular style and match the earrings with the style and you will be able to strike the right balance. With earrings you can either tone yourself down or reveal a sense of fun. Having the right pair of gold earrings will help you subtly go against stereotypes and find your own signature style.

And finally, if you are buying a pair of gold earrings for an event, make sure that you pick the right one. Earrings are like your attire, it has to be appropriate. If you are attending a business meeting, go for a classic look with studs or if it’s just a normal day at work, go for stylish gold hoops. Again the choice is up to you, if you are looking to stand out, go for elaborate gold earrings.

Finding the right pair of gold earrings can go a long way. They are beautiful and give a timeless look. Choose from the wide variety available to you and find the pair that fits you perfectly for numerous occasions.

Blouses - For the elegant and beautiful you

A blouse is one of the staple wardrobe necessities. Blouses have had a series of changes ever since their origin. They’re worn to work, casual outings, formal meetings and other such events. In most of the countries, a blouse typically means a shirt that is tucked in and created with silk, cotton, chiffon, nylon and other such materials; some blouses have a collar while some don’t. Blouses are meant to be teamed with a trouser or skirt. But, in countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh a blouse refers to a saree blouse. These blouses are designed to be worn with a sarees and are available in different designs, materials, colors, patterns and prices. Also, there are readymade, tailor stitched and designer blouses.

Things to keep in mind while buying a blouse:

Blouse material: There are different types of blouse materials available in the market. Depending on your saree fabric, design and color, you can pick an appropriate material. Some of the popular blouse materials are silk, cotton, satin, net, georgette, tussar, jute, dupion, chiffon, lama tissue, crepe, kora cotton, velvet, munga silk, noil, organza and spun. You get readymade blouses as well as tailor stitched blouses in these materials – depending on your needs and requirements you can choose either a readymade or a tailor stitched one.

Blouse measurement: It is very important to wear a well-fitted blouse. An ill-fitted blouse looks very shabby and changes the whole appearance of the outfit. A tailor stitched blouse usually fits well as the measurements are taken for you, but, a readymade blouse comes in standard sizes. Therefore it is very important to pick a right size with perfect measurements. You can even alter the readymade blouse to your size.

Blouse design: There are different types of blouse designs and textures available – brocade, herringbone, jamavar, jacquard, matt, natural, soft, woven, wrinkled and many more. Depending on your style and personality, you can pick an appropriate design and texture that suits your saree as well as your taste. Also, you get blouses in different neck shapes, sleeve lengths and blouse lengths. Pick the best looking blouse that suits your saree.

Blouse price: Depending on the blouse material, texture and pattern the price of the blouse varies.

Brands:

There are many brands that design blouses and some of the popular brands are 9rasa, Mina Bazaar, Mrignain, IndiDori, Ira Soleil, moKanc, Inblue Fashions, Medhira, Neerus, Sareez and many more.

Where to buy blouses?

You can buy readymade blouses online or in retail stores depending on your convenience. Shopping online is easy, safe and convenient. Some online shopping websites have easy payment options and return policies to ensure that you have a satisfying shopping experience.

Blazers, a must-have wardrobe essential

Like how a woman’s wardrobe has a ‘must-have’ list, a man’s wardrobe also has a ‘must-have’ list. And, a blazer is one such must-have wardrobe essential. A man looks the smartest in a well-fitted blazer. How a man wears and carry’s off the blazer talks a lot about his style and personality. Blazers can be worn to work, on vacations, on dates, to parties and to a variety of special events. Blazers come in different sizes, fabrics and patterns.

Different types of blazers

Before buying a blazer, it is essential to understand the basics a blazer to avoid wardrobe disaster. There are different types of blazers that are worn to different occasions. Therefore, it is important to understand what type of blazer best suits the given occasion.

One-Button blazer: These blazers are more relaxed and playful and are perfect for summer use. One-Button blazers look impeccable when worn for casual evening outings, vacations and weddings.

Two-Button blazer: These blazers are ideal for job interviews and workplaces. Two-Button blazers are dressy and they do not appear overly formal.

Three-Button blazer: These blazers are ideal for semi-formal meetings, job interviews and business presentations. Three-Button blazers are widely used and give a classy and formal appearance.

Four-Button blazer: These blazers are usually worn for formal meetings and few conservative workplaces that demand a professional, dignified and formal atmosphere.

Blazers are available in different materials, such as: wool, polyester, corduroy, cotton, silk and tweed. Wool blazers are perfect for cooler months and they are quite heavy and require special care. Polyester blazers are easy to maintain and are relatively less expensive. Corduroy blazers are impeccable for winter months and are perfect choice for leisurely nights. Silk blazers are ideal for special and formal events, they are very delicate and require special care. Tweed blazers are heavy weighted and are available in different prints and colors. Blazers are available in different lengths – regular, short and long. Regular-length blazers are ideal for workplaces and are flattering for almost all body types. Short and long length blazers are chosen accordingly, depending on the occasion. One of the most important feature of a blazer is its color. Blazers are available in different colors and the most common colors are black, brown and navy blue.

Brands:

Blazers are quite pricey and are available in different brands. Some of the popular brands that design blazers are – Blackberry’s, John players, Arrow, Raymonds, Louis Philippe, Louis Vuitton, United Colors of Benetton, Zara, Guess, Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, etc.

Where to buy blazers?

You can buy blazers either from online clothing stores or from the retail stores. You should be extra cautious while buying blazers online, as you won’t be able to try out the blazer before purchasing. Also, shopping online is easy, safe and convenient. Some online shopping website provide easy return policies to ensure that you have a satisfying shopping experience.