With the spotlight always shining on the celebrities new rumors are swirling that Penelope Cruz and boyfriend Javier Bardem are about to tie the knot.
What is even more evident is the fact that Penelope Cruz was seen wearing “a knuckle-sized sapphire surrounded by small diamonds on her ring finger” at the 47th New York Film Festival, as descirbed by People Magazine.
This may be highlighting the fact that many celebrities are drifting away from the Traditional single large Diamond Engagement Ring and drifting towards birthstones or other popular gemstones. However the public has not yet been informed if they are in fact engaged. This could have just been an attention seeking move to wear this flashy ring on her wedding finger. Although with thier history this could in fact turn out to be her engagment ring.
Unfortunately their is no photo of this extravagent ring on their site yet but for their full story follow this link at People Magazine.
Go here more ideas on Alternative Engagement Ring Designs
Obviously not every person is the same. This is why one size does not fit all and one design does not suit all.
- Color
As stated before by learning your partner’s jewelry taste you should be able to determine their favourite jewelry color. If they only wear silver colored items then you may lean towards a silver colored metal such as Platinum or White Gold. If yellow gold is their color then you are left with an easier choice, simply a Gold Ring.
If however your partner likes wearing both colors equally as much then you could always go with a two tone ring comprising of equal parts of white gold or platinum and yellow gold. This single two-tone ring will then match any other gold or silver colored jewelry items they wish to wear.
- Match their Jewelry
By matching to their jewelry taste not only will you be guaranteed to pick a design that they love but their new ring will also match the rest of their jewelry that they already wear. Take notes to see if they only wear small intricate pieces. If this is the case you would not go out and purchase a really big ring with a huge diamond that would look out of place on their hand. Instead choose a ring that will match the style of the rest of the jewelry on their hand while still being of excellent craftsmanship to stand out tastefully.
- Match their Hand
Another point to note is that only larger hands or long fingers can usually make a ring with a big gemstone or gemstones look good. If the wearer’s hand is smaller then go with a finer design with smaller diamonds or gemstones. This way the ring won’t seem to dwarf the hand that wears it and it will look more natural.
- Match their Lifestyle
This brings us to another point. You really need to consider the lifestyle of the person wearing the ring you wish to purchase. For instance a man who performs a lot of physical labour would not suit a ring with a large gemstone sticking out of it. It would get damaged too easily. If he wishes for a diamond ring you should go for a ring setting where the diamond sits enclosed in the ring and is protected. Also the ring should be of a solid construction and built with a really strong and durable ring metal to withstand knocks and hits. Read more info in our Ring Metal section to match a ring metal to their lifestyle.
- Putting it all Together
In agreeing on a final design you really need to bring all the steps outlined in this guide together:
- Start with the ring size as some designs are not available in all sizes.
- Get a good knowledge of what some engagement rings and wedding band designs look like
- Learn your partner’s personal preference through their taste in jewelry.
- Make a choice if you want to buy all your rings at once with a matching ring set or buy each ring individually.
- And finally suit each ring you buy for your partner to their lifestyle, hand, finger, other jewelry and their personality.
Remember trends in fashion may come and go but your rings are intended to be worn for the rest of your lives. Make sure you choose a design that truly suits the person wearing it and is just not a design based on a fad that will pass. Spend time on choosing properly and you and your partner will still be happy with your decision for years to come.
While the wedding finger itself varies between different cultures, nationalities or through personal preference, an important point to note is how both the Engagement Ring and Wedding Band will be worn.
There are a number of possibilities that can occur:
- The Engagement Ring may be left on the Wedding Finger and the Wedding Ring placed on top – thus sealing the atmosphere of the engagement into marriage
- Otherwise the Engagement Ring is temporarily removed and the Wedding Ring is placed on the Wedding Finger – thus making it closer to the heart. Then the Engagement Ring may be:
- Worn on top of her Wedding Band
- Worn on the forth finger on her other hand
- Yet another possibility is to choose a special Engagement Ring and Wedding Band set that are given separately but can then be joined together by a jeweler to form one ring.
Out of all the possible combinations you must realize that the Engagement Ring and Wedding Ring may be worn next to each other at some time or another. It will then be in your best interest to make sure that both rings match to allow for every combination to be worn if desired. To allow this both rings must obviously be the same ring metal or at least the same color, fit snugly and look appropriate next to each other.
Then of course there is also the possibility that you wish to match wedding bands between the bride and groom. It is much easier to match these two rings as they will never be seen sitting on the same finger next to each other. In fact sometimes one will wear a silver color and the other a gold band with the same design.
Companies realize these matching concerns and it is possible to purchase 2 ring sets containing either:
- An Engagement Ring and a Wedding Band
- Or two Wedding Bands, one each for the bride and groom.
Also 3 ring sets are available for the Engagement Ring and matching Wedding Bands.
By using these set designs the purchasing of your wedding bands can be greatly simplified with one purchase and you may gain an even stronger bond within your marriage by having matching rings.
Now follow this link to Finalise your Design Choice and choose a Ring Suited to Your Partner otherwise follow this link back to the Ring Guide
If your partner already has a large collection of jewelry then this is a great opportunity to see what they like or dislike. Take note of their favourite or most commonly worn jewelry pieces and note the characteristics of them. Also have a look at the remaining items in their jewelry collection and notice the items that do not get worn very often. This could indicate some dislikes or maybe represent items that do not match their personality.
However don’t worry too much if your partner does not own many jewelry items or never wears any at all. Many men fall into this category but there are also some women who choose not to wear very much jewelry as well. You can still discover your partner’s jewelry taste through some clever tactics.
One way to discover their likes and dislikes in jewelry is to stroll by a jewelry store together and casually peer into the window. Ask them what they think looks good and if they would wear it. Try and make it subtle otherwise they might get suspicious. A better option would be to start a jewelry conversation while flipping through magazines or when celebrities appear on television or in movies.
You could even ask their friends or parents what their taste in jewelry is, however be careful of talking to people that cannot keep secrets. The more people that know you are looking for a ring for your partner the higher the chances are that they will find out, ruining your surprise.
Through some careful observations and questions you should be able to learn your partner’s jewelry taste. Build a list of characteristics you should be looking for when choosing a Wedding Ring for them. Some suggestions are either gold or silver colored, small or large, intricate or solid, diamonds or other gemstones, and either subtle or bright and flashy.
Now follow this link to Decide if You Want Matching Rings or return to the Find Your Perfect Ring Design page.
Once you have decided on which Engagement Ring or Wedding Band design you require you need to choose which metal your ring should be constructed with.
In fact you may make this decision before or while choosing your design as each ring metal provides a different color, weight, durability, feel and cost towards your ring. And these characteristics may in fact be the basis of your decision in the first place.
The most common metals used in Jewelry are as follows. Click on each one to learn the advantages and disadvantages of them when used for Wedding Ring Designs and learn their overall properties:
When you have chosen your appropriate ring metal, click here to find an Affordable Supplier and get your Perfect Engagement Ring or Wedding Band at the best price! Otherwise click here to return back to the Ring Guide
