Diamond Wedding Band
Diamond Wedding Band - Expert`s Advice on How to Choose One
Setting diamonds on the wedding band is reasonably new trend as opposed to its ancestors the eternity and anniversary rings. The difference between the three however is obscure and quite confusing. Both wedding ring and eternity ring symbolize eternity and the term “half eternity” ring applied to partially studded rings is self-contradictory. Eternity cannot be half - it is eternal. So let decide, for the sake of clarity in this article that the eternity rings are the one set with diamonds all around regardless the diamond size and anniversary rings are the one with 3, 5, or 7 equal and relatively substantial in size diamonds in a row. Now we are set to define the diamond wedding band: It is a band set with equal in size diamonds just on the viewable external side not further than half of the circumference.
How far down the sides the band is set is also regarded differently by the designers. If low price market is aimed at, the studded part doesn`t go very far and hardly covers 1/5 of the circumference. In cost centered market every diamond and putting it in its place (setting) increase the factory cost and lower the competitiveness of the price. Going half way on the other hand may not be the optimal option even if the cost is not an issue. Diamond pave may scrape the neighboring fingers or other rings worn there. The best ratio from cost-effective, aesthetic and pragmatic point of view is 2 to 3 standing for 2/5 studded and 3/5 plain. Obviously the number of diamonds is determined by their size and varies between 9 and 16. The most frequent cuts used in diamond wedding bands are round and princess.
Important: Although diamond wedding bands are much simpler to resize than the eternity rings the best is this to be done prior the setting. Resizing diamond wedding bands with any type of setting can loosen the diamonds a cause them to fall off later. This creates great deal of frustration for the customer and the jeweler and can be avoided if the band is manufactured upon order with the correct finger size, then set and finished. This way the join at the back is also avoided and the band has much higher overall durability. To be able to do this, the jeweler must have workshop capable of acting quick and the client to have the patience to wait few days. In the end of the day it will be well worth. My advice is not to go for diamond ring resized more than 2 sizes.
Yellow gold diamond wedding bands are something from the past. The white gold however is still the most used metal. This illustrates the conservatism of the jewelry market and it acts both ways. The jewelers are offering what the clients want; the clients want what they are offered and the information deficiency keeps everything new at bay. White gold is not really white. It is the same familiar rich yellow gold forced into whiteness by mixing it with bleaching alloy metals. The outcome is yellowish grayish metal which has to be rhodium plated for shiny white surface color. The metals really suitable for white diamond jewelry are the ones from the platinum metal group - Platinum and Palladium.
Platinum reappeared in the jewelry industry about 15 years ago and astonishingly quick established its name as superior to white gold. The only reason it didn`t shift the white gold default position was its much higher price.
Palladium was used many years as bleaching alloy metal for white gold. Its use as solo media was limited from complications in the casting procedure. Few years ago, the technology barriers were lifted and palladium is now gaining momentum. Palladium and Platinum are so alike that they are almost identical in appearance and mechanical properties. Palladium however is 40% lighter and a lot cheaper offering all the advantages of platinum at approximately a quarter of the cost hence rendering it the metal of choice for diamond wedding bands and for white fine jewelry in general.
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