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Tag: engagement rings

  • Wedding Rings: Tips To Pick The Right One

    Tis the season to shop for wedding rings.

    With the holidays coming up, now is the time for many couples to get engaged or purchase wedding rings for their upcoming spring wedding.

    If you are ready to pop the question or splurge on a set of rings that you plan to wear for the rest of your life, you better pick the right ones.

    Here are some tips to help.

    Remember The Four C’s
    One of the most important things to consider when shopping for a diamond ring of any kind is the four C’s. The four C’s are color, cut, clarity, and carat. Diamonds are available in a variety of colors, including black, blue, green and even brown. Colorless diamonds are the most popular. Clarity is used to describe any flaws the diamonds may have, obviously, a flawless diamond is best. Cut is the shape of the diamond and carat is the size.

    Be Realistic
    If you can afford a large and flashy ring, rethink buying it. Sure it might get a lot of attention and make you the talk of your social circle, but will she be able to wear it enough to show it off? Large and bulky rings are going to be uncomfortable and hard to wear. They could get caught in clothing and even be painful. If you can’t wear a large and flashy ring, what’s the use in having one? A large diamond is fine, but make sure the setting is functional.

    Set A Budget
    It can be easy to get carried away and spend more money than you plan or can really afford on a wedding ring. Before you start shopping, set a budget for yourself and let the jeweler at each store know what that budget is. Then he or she can present you with rings that only fall within your budget and you won’t be tempted to spend too much.

    Shopping for the perfect wedding ring doesn’t have to be difficult or intimidating. Use these tips to make it more enjoyable and memorable.

  • Signet Jewelers Acquires Zales in $900 Million Deal

    Much hubbub has been made lately concerning the return of monopolies in the US capitalist structure. First, there was the news that Comcast was buying Time Warner in a $45.2 billion deal. Then, there were rumors that Apple was seeking to purchase or merge with Tesla. And now, in perhaps the most nefarious merger of all (at least for hopeless romantics and mindless dupes), Signet Jewelers has announced that it will purchase Zales Corp. in a deal worth roughly $900 million.

    Signet Jewelers is based out of Bermuda and operates more than 1,400 stores in the US under the names of Kay Jewelers and Jared The Galleria of Jewelry. Along with those 1,400 storefronts, Signet also operates 500 more stores in the United Kingdom.

    With its acquisition of Zales Corp., Signet will take control of 1,680 stores in North America. Those stores include Zales, Gordon’s, People’s, and other, smaller outlets.

    While the deal is still to be approved by the stockholders of Zales Corp., the logistics of the deal have already been determined. Signet will pay $21 per share of Zales stock, a 41 percent mark-up on Zales $14.91 closing market-price on Tuesday.

    The deal will total $1.4 billion. However, Signet will have to pay off approximately $500 million in debt Zales suffered in the wake of a 2009 liquidity crisis. While this figure seems quite large, it could have been worse. Zales recently recorded its highest profits since 2007, earning $10 million in income.

    “This transformational acquisition further diversifies our businesses and extends our international footprint, opening the door to greater growth and innovation across the enterprise.The addition of Zales to the Signet family is consistent with our long-term growth strategy and leverages our combined operating expertise to create better choices for our customers, new opportunities for our employees, and makes us a more attractive partner to our vendors. In addition, it allows us to better optimize our balance sheet, creating long-term value for our shareholders,” stated Signet CEO Mike Barnes.

    Once completed, the deal will make Signet the owner of 16 percent of specialty jewelry sales in the United States.

    Image via Twitter

  • Engagement Rings- The Pros And Cons Of Valentine’s Day Engagements

    Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular times to get engaged. Not only is the mood already set, but you can kill two birds with one stone by buying your girlfriend an engagement ring on Valentine’s Day. Chances are you will already be enjoying some place romantic, so why not get down on one knee and make it official? Before you pop the big question, consider the pros and cons of a Valentine’s Day engagement.

    Timing
    For the rest of your life or at least your marriage, you will have to make sure Valentine’s Day gifts are good enough to cover the holiday and your anniversary. You will also have to fight the crowds at restaurants, hotels and theaters and all of the other young lovers who are trying to wow each other with the same romantic gestures. Are you sure you are up for it?

    Cliché
    Yes, a Valentine’s Day engagement sounds romantic but it also sounds a little cliché. How many couples do you know that were engaged on Valentine’s Day? It almost makes it seem like a copout, considering you will have to do very little to set the stage for the engagement. When you look back on your engagement or share the story with your children in 15 years will you still think it’s romantic?

    Reason
    If you are going to ask your girl to marry you, make sure it is for the right reason. Valentine’s Day can put a lot of pressure on couples and when you see other people buying rings and getting down on one knee, you may feel the need to do the same. If you are ready and have been considering engagement for a while, go ahead and do it, but make sure you aren’t buying that ring for the wrong reason.

    Cost
    Jewelry is a popular Valentine’s Day gift and this can either help or hurt your wallet. Many stores offer amazing Valentine’s Day deals and sales. Others, take advantage of the procrastinators and the desperate and will hike their prices up, knowing most guys won’t take the time to shop around or compare prices. If you have your heart set on a Valentine’s Day engagement, take the time to get a good price on the ring.

    Are you ready to leave the single life behind and put a ring on it? Valentine’s Day could be the right time, just make sure you consider all of these factors and others when deciding if now is the time to propose.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Engagement Rings: Tips For Buyers

    As if the holidays aren’t already stressful enough, December is also peak engagement season. That means thousands of men and some women are scrambling to find that perfect engagement ring to surprise their significant other with on Christmas day or during a special winter proposal. The good news is that stores are aware of this and they are offering great selections and prices this time of year.

    Picking out an engagement ring is no easy task and neither is popping that question. To make your holiday engagement go as smoothly as possible, make sure you are completely prepared before you swipe that debit card and get down on one knee.

    Every girl dreams of wearing a big diamond, but bigger isn’t always better or logical. Before you take out a huge loan you can’t afford or consider taking a second job to buy that big rock, think about how it will look and feel on your significant other’s hand. Is your sweetheart active? Will he or she need to take the ring off to work or exercise? Will the wearer constantly have to worry about hitting their ring or getting it caught on things?

    Choose a carat size that is big enough to be eye catching, but not so big that it becomes more of a hassle to wear than a joy. Ingle & Rhode recently released a line of diamond engagement rings that are ready to wear and affordable.

    Remember, just because you buy the ring, it doesn’t mean you have to pop the question. Sure, a Christmas engagement sounds special and romantic, but if you aren’t really ready, it could be a disaster. Don’t let the spirit of Christmas get you ahead of yourself or cause you to rush into a purchase or relationship you aren’t ready for. If you saved up to buy that engagement ring for Christmas but are having second thoughts, just put it in layaway instead.

    Many jewelry stores and retail stores like Walmart offer layaway year round for jewelry. If you have to buy it now, make sure you know the return policy. Even though it probably won’t happen, you might change your mind or she might not say yes. It’s always best to be prepared.

    If you have decided on a holiday engagement, take your time choosing your ring and preparing your proposal. Good luck!

    Image from Wikimedia Commons.

  • Ocappi Brings the Home Try-On Model to Engagement Rings

    If you’re looking to propose to your significant other, you’re going to need a ring. And there are three basic ways that you can go about picking out that perfect diamond.

    First, you can do the searching yourself and pick out a ring that you think your partner would like. Second, you can propose with the promise of a ring – to be decided upon at a future date. Lastly, you can simply decide as a couple that the time has come and go about picking out the ring together.

    If your inclinations lead you to option #2 or #3, online service Ocappi thinks you should be able to try that ring on at home.

    Ocappi offers an exclusive home try-on service for engagement rings. Yep, you heard that right.

    “With the creation of our exclusive One&Only Try-On Service, for the first time ever, you can try on rings from the luxury of home. This intimate experience gives you the unique opportunity to consider your favorite styles over a period of days. Our more personal approach will allow you to take your time, see how a ring fits in with your lifestyle, and be sure that it’s really the one.”

    Ocappi says that this process “transforms the selection of an engagement ring into the intimate and joyous experience that it should be.”

    The model is obviously based on the popularity of the Warby Parker model, which offers free home try-ons for eyewear.

    All you have to do it pick out a maximum of 6 rings that you want to try, and Ocappi will ship them via UPA 2nd day shipping. When the rings arrive, you have 5 days to think it over. When you’re done, simply send them back with a pre-paid return label and make your purchase online.

    Before you think about ordering up 6 rings, pawning them, and making your way to Mexico, you should know that the replica rings are set with cubic zirconium stones. What did you think they were? Stupid?

    [via PSFK]