Destination
W e dd i ng s
By Alison Setzer Choosing the right ring is the first step in popping the question and it can be overwhelming. With the help of friendly and knowledgeable sales associates, you will quickly realize that it’s not so intimidating. You’ve found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with… the rest is a piece of cake!
While there are certainly trends in engagement rings, the one constant is that the ring is as unique as the woman receiving it. The ring will be the everlasting symbol of your love and commitment, so it should reflect your relationship and your personalities. A very popular style for 2013 is a “halo” of diamonds surrounding the center diamond. To shake things up a bit, you could choose a princess-cut or cushion-cut center stone and even add a pop of color. Fancy colored diamonds are increasingly popular. Whether you pick icy blues to symbolize your last beach vacation or warm yellows as bright as the sun, these diamonds will give your ring a splash of color with the signature
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CHESAPEAKE BAY TRIPPER April 2013
So You’re Ready to Pop the Question?
sparkle of a diamond. Another p o p u l a r option for engagement rings is a vintageinspired style. Whether it’s an antique or a reproduction, a vintage ring adds personality and romance to the proposal. Kathy Dickinson, owner of Dickinson Jewelers, says, “We see more and more couples looking in our antique and estate jewelry collection for a truly unique engagement ring. Old mine-cut and European cut diamonds always attract attention, not to mention the incredible workmanship in these older rings. Antique engagement rings, especially when in platinum, never last long in the case.” Have you been looking non-stop and still can’t find the perfect ring? Design it yourself! Technology has made this option especially attractive and easy to obtain. With thousands of customizable options, cutting-edge 3D design software lets you have creative control to customize every detail of the ring. “We help a little, at least to get the ball rolling. But once the basic ring is up on the flat screen, with the touch of a button we work together to make any changes the customer wants and can easily price it in platinum, 18k, and 14k gold, giving the customer even more choices. A really nice feature of this technology is that the end result is a totally custom ring that is mindful of one’s budget,” explains Kathy Dickinson. Dickinson Jewelers has been using this new technology with its customers for the past year.
The Big Day Wedding bands play a big role in saying, “I do.” Platinum and white gold are the most popular metal choices for the bride. Platinum, while more valuable than white gold, is a pure white metal and naturally hypoallergenic. Its toughness makes it extremely durable and over time, it needs less maintenance and develops a beautiful patina finish. White gold is perhaps the more popular and more affordable choice for many brides today. Because gold is yellow in its natural state and mixed with other alloys like nickel to turn white, these rings require a little more maintenance to stay looking bright white. Most brides choose a band that compliments and doesn’t compete with the style of the engagement ring. Many designers offer a matching wedding band, so be sure to ask. At first you may