Cubic zirconia is one of the best diamond substitutes to use in an engagement ring. It is a synthetic stone that is basically a zirconium dioxide which is manufactured for the most part in the colorless form for use in engagement rings. It can also be made in any color under the rainbow. But it’s claim to fame is its similarity in looks to that of diamond. It is also relatively inexpensive costing only a few dollars a carat at retail for any size stone.

So this makes it a great diamond substitute for an engagement ring where the center stone must be big but cost is an issue. A clean, well cut and colorless diamond in the 2 carat to 3 carat range would easily cost between $12,000 and $35,000 per carat depending on the clarity. The man made version would cost $10 or $12. This makes cz ideal for making travel jewelry that women can wear that look just like their own expensive baubles but without the risk of loss.

Cubic zirconia is easily manufactured in this size range and is pretty much colorless. Some couples like that initially purchased their engagement ring mounting and set it with a cubic zirconia in the hopes that they will be able to afford the diamond of their choice in the future. White gold cubic zirconia engagement rings have become popular for this reason.

Cubic zirconia is of course not as durable as diamond and will scratch and chip over time. But this can easily be remedied by unmounting the chipped stone and mounting a new one. Sometimes, it might be necessary to change the head of the ring because it gets damaged during the unmounting process, but a skillful jeweler will usually be able to just bend a prong and out the stone will come.

Mounting a cubic zirconia is less of an issue than mounting a diamond because you always want to mount your diamond as perfectly as you can so that it does not wiggle and move around in the setting. Diamond is very hard and if it is allowed to rotate in a mounting because it is loose it would eventually cut its way out of the mounting and fall off. You do not want to lose your diamond this way.

Cubic zirconia takes a polish very nicely and look good for a few years well because of its relative hardness and its optic character. It reflects and refracts light in a similar way to that of diamond and most people will not be able to tell that it is not the diamond by looking at it face up for a brief moment.

People would look that’s a lot of diamonds of course will be able to spot some differences. Diamond has a specific face up character and pattern of reflections when it is ideal cut that cannot be replicated in a similarly cut cubic zirconia. Nevertheless, the unique properties of this synthetic stone make it an ideal choice to use in gold cubic zirconia engagement rings even if it for a short time before upgrading to a diamond.

Ever since the price of gold on the international market has gone over $900 per ounce, many people find it hard to justify mounting a cubic zirconia that costs barely 5 dollars into a mounting that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. So in the last few years sterling Silver cubic zirconia engagement rings have become quite popular among brides who value style over substance. Sterling Silver has in effect become the new gold and brides don’t hesitate to experiment with various styles of engagement rings using cubic zirconia set in sterling silver.

For instance, a conservative bride might feel apprehensive about purchasing a princess cut diamond costing many thousands because she’s unsure that the square style actually suits her. So she might try a few cubic zirconia princess cut engagement rings, purchasing them for $30-$70 a piece to find out if she would really like the style of a princess cut diamond. And if she doesn’t like the style that she would want to know what combination of princess cut diamond and mounting would best suit her sense of what an engagement ring should look like on her.

Of course, there are different qualities of cubic zirconia. Being a Man made stone, the production can be on a massive scale with minimal quality control or it can be more attentive to cut and polish and overall clarity of the final product. The latter is what we normally see mounted in a cubic zirconia engagement ring.

There are a few manufacturers that have been making cubic zirconia for a long time and are recognized as the foremost producers of cubic zirconia across many quality levels. One of the best known is swarogem which is the gem division of what most people know as Swarovski Crystal. This gem division produces many different qualities of cubic zirconia in a rainbow of colors and cuts for the beading trade all the way up to designers that demand certain types proprietary colors and cuts for high quality cubic zirconia engagement rings.

Fashion rings have always been that section of accessories meant to draw attention. They are meant to stand out in a way that conveys a certain style or look that the wearer wants to exhibit. Fashion rings may be the huge right hand rings that adorn independent minded women. They can be made of practically anything from precious metals, exotic metals, resin and even wood.

Fashion rings may or may not have scale. Scale can be important for a piece to look extravagant despite it being made of inexpensive materials. Take for instance the extensive collection of rings by Anjelique De Paris. These are made mostly of resin with inlaid silver and other gemstones. The use of resin allows for large scale rings with lots of color and a costumey but very fashion forward look. The same applies for their resin fashion earrings that showcase a big dash of color with an innovative use of silver and gold either as inlay or as flakes set in clear resin.

The fashion ring was very much evidence throughout the ages. These used to be primarily worn by kings and nobility to show their officialdom at the court of the king. Up through the middle ages into the Victorian, Edwardian, Georgian and Art deco periods the fashion ring changed in style and purpose as did the times and circumstances of populations.

Today, the diamond fashion ring is one of the staples of most women’s jewelry wardrobes. Apart from bridal rings like engagement rings and wedding bands, diamond fashion rings have an entirely different purpose. This was evident in the right hand ring campaign of De Beers that encouraged fashion jewelry rings made up of diamonds set in many interesting ways for women to express their individuality outside of their marital identity or beyond a marital identity in the case that they were unmarried or divorced.

At the other end are cheap fashion rings like anjelique De paris and the wholesale fashion rings that you see in the jewelry district in New York City. Although gold is not cheap these days there are some very good designs in gold fashion rings that are reasonably priced because of the way the metal is worked. Typically the rings are bulked up on the surface and hollow underneath to provide a big look for only a few grams in gold.

The metal of choice nowadays is silver and silver fashion rings rule the roost now that gold may as well be called unobtanium because its price has skyrocketed to the $900 mark. Silver is evident in the work of designers like David Yurman. He was one of the first designers to pioneer the use of silver in high design jewelry and successfully charged prices for his pieces in silver that approached the retail prices of generic gold jewelry of a similar look.  Now that gold is high many women and men have made silver their metal of choice for all manner of fashion rings and even engagement rings.

Jadeite is one of two minerals commonly referred to as jade. The other mineral is called nephrite however they both look close to the same thing and it is impossible to tell the difference between the two without examination of their spectra lines, specific gravity, or refractive index. Jade earrings may be made from either material and not much effort is made in the trade to identify one from the other nor is much effort spared to identify dyed vs not dyed material.

most of the jade you see in the budget jewelry has most probably been dyed or enhanced by with dye to produce different colors. Natural colors include apple green and dark green to black, light purple, reddish orange, gray and brown. There is also dyed jade that is not representative of any of the natural colors of jade like the Tacori blue bridal hairpin created especially for Anne Hathaway’s character in the film “Bride wars” with five faceted turquoise blue jade petals that encircle a white topaz gem stone set in sterling silver.

A jade earring can thus come in a multitude of colors, usually they are cabochon cut but may also be faceted like the hairpin described above. Jade is abundant in larger sizes but for earrings they are usually small cabochons or carvings because they are heavy stones and so when designing them into earrings you have to take comfort into consideration. Jade is also formed into beads and used to make wire earrings like the sort that you see in beading magazines and craft magazines.

All it takes is some silver wire and various types of jade like moss in snow jade, kingfisher jade and Yunan jade. Green jade earrings are quite popular because the green shades found in jade go well with sterling silver. Jade hoop earrings are also popular because they are reminiscent of the familiar Chinese disc shaped jade that look like a flattened donut with a hole in the middle. Jade stud earrings are usually made from matching jade cabochons although I have seen many small matching jade carvings made into stud earrings.

Jade is a much tougher gem than most others because of its mono clinic crystal system which does not cleave that easily when stress is applied to the jade. This makes jade ideal for carving because it can take an enormous amount of shock from grinding implements without shattering. Some of the best looking jade drop earrings are the ones where the jade piece dangling at the end of the earring is a beautifully carved Buddha, dragon or serpent.

In earrings some women prefer various jade colors over others so there is quite a variety from red jade earrings, lavender jade earrings, to pink jade earrings and yellow jade earrings. You will often find the different colors combined into one earring. Some of the popular combinations include green jade and black jade along with white jade and orangey red jade as multiple dangling beads hanging off of silver wire. Pink jade is often combined with purple jade, white jade and apple green jade for a more pastel colored look. Intensely colored purple jade earrings are obviously color dyed but look great faceted or as cabochons.

Men of today are more open to fashion forward styling than ever before. Today’s man is more confident and expressive in his choice of jewelry and younger men are particularly going for edgier looks in mens silver rings. Some of the trend in mens silver jewelry include blackened silver, unusual stones from included quartzes and black diamonds to fossils. Some of the designers that come to mind are David Yurman and John Hardy. They both have mens silver rings that show a radical departure in styling from the cheaper run of the mill silver rings. They also use stones like black diamonds and black sapphires along with unusual textures and finishes on the silver. The use of blackened silver and animal skin textures like crocodile and rhinoceros to form part of the design redefines the typical mens silver ring. It introduces edgy styling with unusual elements that appeal strongly to men who are looking for something different.

Men’s silver rings are all about texture, theme and elements. Exotic stones like tiger iron and pietersite makes an earthy statement that is subdued yet natural and not too shiny. Similarly mens silver earrings that are not hoops show similar aspirations with the use of black diamonds for an elegant but definitely male look that is edgy yet subdued because the diamonds are black. Mens silver diamond rings are quite popular because of the price point and because sterling silver is more easily styled with organic designs that suit black pave diamond settings.

Mens sterling silver rings designers are also big into rock and roll styling. Designers like Stephen Webster likes to wrap his themes around mens silver onyx rings with his “Rock Star” ring in sterling silver and black onyx. He is one of the pioneers in this type of jewelry design. His other mens sterling silver ring designs include his signature silver thorn rotating band and thorn sterling silver ring reasonably priced in the $250 range. Mens silver wedding rings are also his specialty with his rayskin band with black sapphires and his square heartbreaker thorn band. His themes are a bit more bare edged than more conservative designers like John Hardy,

Mens silver signet rings are more about the texture on the shoulders of the ring. Signet rings can be plain or with a stone on top. the plain rings may have a design on top like some mens silver Celtic rings have the classic Celtic knot motif or the claddagh motif. Because mens signet rings are square and typically wide, all that shoulder real estate is put to good use by sporting some interesting textures like stingray skin textures or a simple engraving. What makes the textures work is the blackened silver or the use of black antiquing to to add relief to the textured  silver surface.Men of today are more open to fashion forward styling than ever before. Today’s man is more confident and expressive in his choice of jewelry and younger men are particularly going for edgier looks in mens silver rings. Some of the trend in mens silver jewelry include blackened silver, unusual stones from included quartzes and black diamonds to fossils. Some of the designers that come to mind are David Yurman and John Hardy. They both have mens silver rings that show a radical departure in styling from the cheaper run of the mill silver rings. They also use stones like black diamonds and black sapphires along with unusual textures and finishes on the silver. The use of blackened silver and animal skin textures like crocodile and rhinoceros to form part of the design redefines the typical mens silver ring. It introduces edgy styling with unusual elements that appeal strongly to men who are looking for something different.

Men’s silver rings are all about texture, theme and elements. Exotic stones like tiger iron and pietersite makes an earthy statement that is subdued yet natural and not too shiny. Similarly mens silver earrings that are not hoops show similar aspirations with the use of black diamonds for an elegant but definitely male look that is edgy yet subdued because the diamonds are black. Mens silver diamond rings are quite popular because of the price point and because sterling silver is more easily styled with organic designs that suit black pave diamond settings.

Mens sterling silver rings designers are also big into rock and roll styling. Designers like Stephen Webster likes to wrap his themes around mens silver onyx rings with his “Rock Star” ring in sterling silver and black onyx. He is one of the pioneers in this type of jewelry design. His other mens sterling silver ring designs include his signature silver thorn rotating band and thorn sterling silver ring reasonably priced in the $250 range. Mens silver wedding rings are also his specialty with his rayskin band with black sapphires and his square heartbreaker thorn band. His themes are a bit more bare edged than more conservative designers like John Hardy,

Mens silver signet rings are more about the texture on the shoulders of the ring. Signet rings can be plain or with a stone on top. the plain rings may have a design on top like some mens silver Celtic rings have the classic Celtic knot motif or the claddagh motif. Because mens signet rings are square and typically wide, all that shoulder real estate is put to good use by sporting some interesting textures like stingray skin textures or a simple engraving. What makes the textures work is the blackened silver or the use of black antiquing to to add relief to the textured  silver surface.

Sterling silver bangles have followed the stackable rings trend, you can’t just stop at one. The bigger the stack, the more fabulous the look. Texture and colors are what brings a silver bangle to life. Multiple silver bangles create huge opportunities to fashion a look that is at once dramatic but classy and bold but elegant. David Yurman incorporates this principle of stacking silver bangle bracelets creating a fresh look by alternating open and closed bangles while at the same time mixing and matching gemstones for a multicolor look while retaining a uniform texture.

You can see this in his color candy collection where he combines semiprecious end stones with pave set matching precious stones. So for instance in one solid silver bangle the center stone will be a blue topaz and the side stones will be sapphires. In another the center stone will be pink rubellite or pink topaz while the pave accent stones will be rubies. In the third sterling silver bangle bracelet the centerstone will be citrine while the accent stones will be yellow sapphire. All these different color bangles can be stacked together or separated each from the other by a closed plain vintage silver bangle or plain silver bangle.

Stackable bangles need not be as dressy as David Yurman’s collection. John Hardy’s bamboo style silver bangle jewelry is a set of  3 closed round bangles that you just slip on one after the other. Similar style bangles can also be found in Elle jewelry collections. They are wonderfully finished bangles that have a casual elegance to them and run between $300 and $400 for the set of three. Similar style bangles can also be found in the Elle jewelry collections. Judith Ripka’s sterling silver bangle brackets have a completely different look in that they are skinny slip on bangles in her classic Etruscan styling with small dangling gold charms that give them a playful yet classic appeal.

Unusual treatments of sterling silver through oxidation makes possible to produce silver bangles in shades of gray.sterling silver bangle bracelets form the Soho company is made in sterling silver but it is in subtle tones of silvery gray. The proprietary finishing process begins with oxidation and the application of texture to the silver. Then the silver is covered with a patented finish that looks like a clear enamel, with the silver visible and also reflective below this layer, in three shades of gray. Some have single or double stations of diamonds set in bright finished sterling silver for a quality look that one could easily mistake for platinum or white gold.

Silver bangles have become quite the fashion and item and though not as comfortable as flexible bracelets, they have more design scope because they don’t have to contend with the job of having to be flexible, but they do have to contend with closures and overall comfort since they are hard pieces of jewelry. The simplest type of sterling silver bangle is the one that is thick silver wire capped at the ends with a design and it opens and closes by flexing open and closing by pressing the heads together. A 925 silver bangle will work like this without durability issues because pure silver is quite flexible as solid silver bangles go.

From this basic bangle, sterling silver bangles have evolved into wide sterling silver cuffs with elaborate design and gems and everything in between. One of the most successful American jewelry designers, David Yurman, started his empire based on the bangle by using his signature cable look which is simply multiple silver wires twisted together and impeccably finished with end caps that can be plain sterling silver or studded with gemstones and accented with yellow gold. In a manner his cable is a solid silver bangle but is made up of multiple strands of thick silver wire and this actually makes it more durable in terms of opening and closing the bangle to get it on and off your wrist.

Silver bangle bracelets is another form of a bangle except that its one piece structure is broken up into two to four solid pieces connected by jump rings so the look of a one piece bangle is somewhat preserved but the clasping mechanism is simpler than the bending and twisting that you have to go through with a one piece open bangle.

Sterling silver bangle bracelets also have some more flexibility in terms of style because the designer is not restricted to the end caps for applying gemstone and other embellishment. The designer can apply gemstone and gold accents around the entire bracelets because it will be free to rotate around the wrist unlike the open ended bangle which usually must be in the upright position for the end cap gemstone setting to show. The silver bangle bracelet fits into the lifestyles of women who would like to wear an open silver bangle bracelet but don’t have the manual dexterity to open and close the bangle in order to remove or put it on.

The mens silver bangle has also taken center stage in the category of mens bracelets however not all men like the stiffness of a single piece bracelet that they must pull open to get off. The trend for mens silver bangles started with the health benefits touted by magnetic bangles that looks like a regular mens solid silver bangle but has a magnetized copper or other metal strip running through the interior which has the health giving benefits. A man’s silver bangle is usually a wide silver bangle whose opening remains turned on the bottom while the top part has some simple design motif on top with gemstones or diamond added for a more formal look.

Sterling silver chain is one of the essential basics that help women compose a look for their neck wear. I think we can all agree that Y necklaces are now out and sterling silver chains are now in from inexpensive generic rope and snake chains to Davis Yurman’s proprietary box and curb links. Silver’s combination of being affordable yet precious has gotten the attention of consumers hungry for budget prices jewelry that is not costume. Indeed costume jewelry sales in neck wear have fallen off and one of the reasons is the great looks now available affordable silver chain necklace and pendant combinations. It is all part of a trend where consumers are wanting to purchase products that keep their value over the long term.

Sterling silver jewelry appeals to a wide range of customers from designs that can be simple $20 Y necklaces to designer branded items with gold, gemstone and even diamond accents that run in the thousands of dollars. Something as simple as a link is what forms the basis of many of the designer looks in the necklace category.The iconic brands like Hermes and Gucci have their own style of links that have long been classics and indeed status symbols. These links are considered bold yet elegant and often worn in layered formats as are some of the bib necklaces from David Yurman.

Mens silver chain is one of those categories that for the most part sticks to the classic looks that are bold and classy, yet distinctly masculine in the larger gauges. Take for instance David Yurman’s classic box chain that is a jeweler’s take on the commercial box chain in that it has rounded edges for a rather sleek and svelte look. In the smaller gauges it is worn by women who may not necessarily wear David Yurman’s jewelry but love the look of his basic chain designs. This simple box chain morphs from a delicate, feminine look in the smaller gauges, especially when it is multi layered into a robust man’s all purpose box chain that is sleek yet masculine and robust and goes well with any mens dog tag or pendant. As mens silver chains go, it is one of the hottest designs around. This box link is also used in his mens silver chain bracelet collection and looks stunning in the larger gauges and is the best selling mens bracelet style in David Yurman’s collection.

Silver curb chains are the classic generic type of chain worn by both men and women. It comes in all gauges and is more durable and free flowing than a silver box chain. This link was and still is quite popular among men’s links as are such classic staples as Figaro and Figarucci links. Chain lengths run from the minimum of 16 inches to 20 inches for most women and 20 to 24 inches for most men’s long silver chain. Solid silver chain or 925 silver chain is the standard for silver because the metal itself is inexpensive so there is no reason to make a hollow version in silver unless it for stylistic purposes.

Charm bracelets have begun clawing their way back into jewelry mainstream fashion. The look has been around forever but with major retailers like Links Of London going big time into customised charm bracelets with their in store charm bar its no wonder that sterling silver charms have experienced something of a renaissance in today’s jewelry market. Silver charms on silver charm bracelets have been a great format for some years now with silver beads taking some of the thunder through brands like Pandora, Trollbeads and Chamilia.

A silver charm is no longer just a silver charm anymore. Women have been taking to silver charm collecting ever since the companies just mentioned have made it easier than ever for women and girls to have it their way with silver charm bracelets and necklaces. The new type of sterling silver charm bracelet is shaped like a rather thick snake chain. It is flexible and strong and allows silver beads to be strung on them held together with lockable spacers.

The variety of sterling silver charms is staggering. Chamilia has over 600 different kinds of silver charms that range from two tone silver and gold beads to murano glass and all sterling beads. Putting together a piece of jewelry has never been more fun. You get to mix and match all kinds of silver charms or beads melding colorful glass beads with dignified vintage silver charms that hark back to the Victorian era. You can also put charms with your birthstones or charms with Disney characters on them. The charms are reasonable to purchase and make excellent gifts for young adults. The sterling silver charms cost between $15 and $20 and the workmanship on these small beads is quite exceptional for such a small item. The two tone beads that add a bit of gold to the silver can run between $35 and $64 depending on the design and amount of gold. The all gold charms will start at around $200.

Chamilia also does a silver charms necklace using the same silver snake chain with spacers that allow you to center the beads at the drop zone around your neck. The necklaces come in assorted lengths so you’re sure to find the right length so that your silver charm beads will lay just right. The sterling silver necklaces themselves run from $40 and up depending on the length and the clasp works the same way as on their bracelet. They have to be quite durable because they must have anticipated that women will like to configure their bracelets and necklaces with different combinations of charms for different occasions.

For work, most women will stick to the all silver charms with maybe one or two charms with colored stones in them. For going out they will probably add some more color beads maybe some murano glass beads and some silver beads with Swarovski crystals in them. These are not the cheap silver charms of old but are more high quality because they are made in Italy. Many other manufacturers have latched on to this silver bead concept and have begun marketing their own wholesale silver charms to jewelers who cannot get brands like Pandora. They are also designing them to fit on bracelets made by the big three, Pandora, Trollbeads and Chamilia.

Silver earrings used to be cheap looking and costumey but nowadays there are so many designers introducing innovative designs and fabrication techniques that have lead to silver jewelry in general looking much more attractive to consumers. From the lowly simple silver hoop earring to the high fashion two tone designs available from designers like Sara Blaine , Judith Jack and Judith Ripka, silver hoops have taken the high road and with great price points show no sign of slowing down.

Silver stud earrings from designers like David Yurman is often paired with semi precious stones like blue topaz and citrine and incorporate safety features in the posts and back so that his earrings are more securely fastened to your ear. Many of his stud earrings now use french backs because of his use of large stones and silver work make it difficult to get a secure fit with just a post and clutch. With his signature cable designs and two tone mixtures his sterling silver hoop earrings with the criss cross motif is a bestselling design. The hoops are lightweight but voluminous and these for the most port use posts instead of french backs to secure them. His silver drop earrings across various collection also use posts and clutches.

The silver earring has taken quite step forward design wise with the use of blackened silver as a major styling element that adds both character and panache to earrings. Designers like Judith Ripka generally do not use blackened silver. Her silver chandelier earrings feature designs with extensive detailed work in an Etruscan styling as do her silver dangle collections and is more suited for a bright white finish that will not detract from the texture of her pieces. Other designers like Sara Blaine and Diana Heimann on the other hand use blackened silver extensively in their collections and have made it part of their signature style in some their best selling 925 silver earrings collections..

Hammered silver earrings have become big sellers during the holidays because of their price and detailed good looks. These types of sterling silver earrings catch the light at every turn and are perfect for day-to-evening wear. They can be simple clip ons with a french back that hug the ear or they can dangle in free moving disc elements that rotate and attract a lot of attention. They can also be combined with diamond or pearls for a classy look without the high price.

Silver hoop earrings as they say never go out of fashion. Where would lovely ladies be without the ubiquitous hoop. It is at once the standard safe bet for office wear and by adding charm it transforms into a fashion statement. Gold hoops used to be the standard but with the spot price of gold at $900 plus your standard half inch hoop in white or yellow gold is going to be priced at the $200 – $250 mark for the most basic pair of gold hoop earrings. Sterling silver hoop earrings have indeed taken over since improvements in the silver alloy allows for as fine a polish and look as white gold. Vermeil earrings have also made strong showing with the rising interest in yellow gold.

Sterling silver cubic zirconia hoop earrings is a viable alternative to white gold and diamond hoops. Women lose earrings all the time and it is quite painful to lose one side of your inside out diamond hoops that can cost in excess of $2500 for a 2 carat pair. large silver hoop earrings on the other hand if they’re set with cubic zirconias in the same way as the gold ones look identical and have the same flash and swing that the gold ones do. It’s not surprising that large sterling silver hoop earrings sell at department stores like they are going out of style. Pricing is usually quite reasonable hovering around the $40 to $80 range depending on the size of the hoop. the small silver hoop earrings can be as low as $30 if they are the simple huggy style of earring with 6 or so cz stones. Silver heart hoop earrings have become popular as well with the younger teenage crowd. they often receive then as sweet sixteen gifts or birthday gifts.

Silver oval hoop earrings are a bit more formal and understated. Many women sport short bob haircuts and prefer the elegance of oval hoops because they add length to their face. Women with round faces and short haircuts love these types of hoops and even get then with inside out set cubic zirconias. The sterling silver oval hoop earrings also do not show mismatched ears as readily as round ones do. When earlobes point in different direction bigger rounder hoops tend to magnify this because their unevenness is more visible.

Mens silver hoop earrings are sold for the same reason. Many men like to wear small wide hoops in white gold or platinum and though they would look fine if they lost one hoop many men prefer to wear two hoops together. So men like plain silver hoops to take the place of their gold hoops when they are going to places and occasions that may result in the loss of a hoop. Earring hoop catches can be quite insecure if they are not well designed. They are usually friction based with a post fitting into a plier like loop that secures the post. the problem is that after some wear and tear the whole mechanism loosens up and allows the possibility of the earring slipping off without you knowing.