Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Valentine Gift Guide

Valentine Gift Guide Don’t make the mistake of letting her down again on Valentine’s Day. Make the most of this handy guide to getting the lady in your life exactly what she wants this Valentine’s. Guys, you like to give the impression you know everything – it’s okay, we understand it’s just an ego thing. And you are afraid to ever seek outside assistance such as asking for directions, or following assembly instructions – don’t worry we realize those are just perceived threats to your masculinity. But if you’re smart, then read this 1-2-3 guide to Valentine’s gifts (don’t worry; you can do it in private!) and make this year’s day of love one she’ll never forget. First it’s flowers – simple as that. Roses might be red, violets may be blue, but if she wakes up to flowers she’s sure to love you! Flowers are your Valentine’s Day #1 must-give. You don’t have to go crazy and give her the equivalent of a summer meadow (although that wouldn’t be a bad thing), just a petite spray of color and aroma will do the trick just as effectively. Tradition has settled upon 12 as love’s magic floral number, and a dozen long-stem red roses are a sure-fire bet, but it won’t hurt you to be adventurous and arrange for a mixed bouquet that says “I love you” just as boldly as the tried and trusted rose. Stargazer lilies are as red and beautiful as any rose, and when combined with regal blue irises make an iridescent arrangement that will win the heart of any woman. If you’re not a leading expert on flowers, your local florist will help you out of use the expertise of the many online flower specialists. If you forget the flowers you can forget a blissful Valentine’s, so make sure it’s flowers up front on February 14th. Step two is jewelry. Here too you don’t have to act like a Rockefeller and spend a fortune on lavish diamonds and pearls. In fact quite often the smaller, more personal pieces of jewelry make a bigger impression when showing your loved one just how much you really do love them. Nothing expresses amour quite like a diamond, although a diamond pendant, diamond studs, or diamond earrings won’t break the bank but will melt her heart. Rubies are also a Valentine’s favorite, their rich, deep red hues perhaps more associated with the shade of Valentine than any other gemstone. For an added touch of panache look for something heart-shaped. Diamonds and Rubies are often cut into heart shapes, or arranged into heart motifs and designs. A glittering gemstone heart that shines as brightly as yours is never amiss on Valentine’s Day. Shopping online for Valentine’s jewelry will provide you with a far greater selection than you’ll ever encounter at the mall, and online jewelry specialists are traditionally far cheaper too. Of course this means you’ll need to plan ahead somewhat and not leave your shopping until the last moment, but every minute spent browsing for the perfect piece of jewelry for your partner will be worth a thousand kisses in return from her. Say it with silver, grace her with gold, show devotion with diamonds, or regale her with rubies… jewelry is the key to your loved one’s heart. The third and final part of a perfect Valentine’s Day is an evening out. You’ve just bought your lady a beautiful piece of jewelry; let her show it off by taking her to dinner. They say the way to a man’s heart is though his stomach, but that truism goes both ways. A romantic meal for two is the perfect end to what has been for her a perfect day. Of course you’ll need to think about making your reservations now to ensure a table, but it’ll be worth it. Trying to cook yourself is a nice gesture, but this is Valentine’s Day – don’t leave it to chance. Unless you’re Gordon Ramsay leave the cooking to the experts and instead devote your undivided attention to the most important lady in your life. And there you have it; the Idiot’s Guide to the Perfect Valentine’s Day. It’s simple and it guarantee’s to make Valentine’s a day neither of you will ever forget.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Choosing An Engagement Ring

Guys, this guide’s for you! So you’ve finally decided to take the plunge and propose to your sweetheart. Now comes the hard part: choosing her engagement ring.

An engagement ring is probably the second-most important purchase you’ll ever make (your house being the most important), so you need to choose wisely. This guide will help you make that choice and will hopefully result in you wooing her with the perfect engagement ring.

One word of caution before we begin: The perfect ring is probably the one she chooses herself. Who has a better idea of what she’s looking for, than her? I know what you’re thinking, it’s not very romantic to give her an “IOU for 1 engagement ring” when you propose, but buying a ring together can be just as romantic as surprising her with one. It’s all in the delivery.

One way to get around this problem is to present her with a stone when you propose. Then once she accepts she can choose the engagement ring setting herself. For more information on choosing the right stone, see our handy guide.

For those of you who’ve decided to do it the old-fashioned way, with a ring on bended knee, the following tips will put you on the right track.

Determine Your Budget: Before you go shopping, figure out how much you can afford to spend. The standard used in the diamond industry is two months salary. Depending on your situation, this may be a reasonable place to start.

Do Some Reconnaissance: Like all good soldiers you’ll need to do some reconnaissance before you go into battle. What color metal does she like? Yellow (gold) or white (silver)? What’s her style of jewelry? Is it modern or classic, flashy or understated? If you’re uncertain, note down the designs of her rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. You’ll be able to use these designs to determine her favorite style later.

A creative way to find out what she likes is to go window shopping together. Tell her you’re looking for some earrings for your mom or a new watch and steer her through the engagement ring aisle. But be discreet! You don’t want her to steal your thunder.

Choose the Metal: If she prefers yellow metals, yellow gold is the ideal choice for her. If she prefers silver metals, you have a choice between white gold, platinum or titanium.

If you’ve chosen gold, you’ll need to choose the purity or karat (kt). Gold comes in three purities: 10kt, 14kt and 18kt. 10kt gold contains 41.67% pure gold, 14kt gold contains 58.33% pure gold and 18kt gold contains 75% pure gold. The higher the purity, the more expensive the ring, so you need to factor this into your budget.

Platinum and titanium are 95% pure, so you don’t need to make any choices about the purity of these metals. For more information on the different metals, check out our Guide to Choosing a Metal.

Choose the Stone: A diamond seems to be a no-brainer, but some women these days prefer other gemstones in their engagement rings. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, tanzanite, tourmaline, and aquamarines can be just as stunning as diamonds and they have the added benefit of costing less. If you're set on diamonds, make sure you check out our Guide on Choosing a Diamond.

Once you’ve decided on the type of gem, you need to select the size, shape and cut. Gems come in all kinds of shapes, including round, oval, square, rectangle, pear, heart, the list goes on. What’s important here is to choose a size and shape that fits with your sweetheart’s hand.

Longer gem shapes work better on longer, slimmer fingers, but a setting that's very delicate will get lost on larger hands, making the ring look smaller. Round and square shapes work better on shorter fingers. An elongated shape such as an oval or marquise make shorter fingers look sleeker but be careful not to overdo the look.

The kinds of gems your significant other wears now will give you an indication of what looks good on her fingers.

Choose the Setting: After you've chosen your stone, next comes the setting. Since you’ve already decided on the type of metal, you’re almost done! Those notes that you took about her favorite jewelry style will come in handy now. If she likes a “busier” look, you might want to go with an engraved band. If she likes a simpler look, go with a simple band. The length of her fingers will give you an idea of how thick the band should be, the longer the finger the thicker the band, usually.

The setting of the gem is the final choice. There are three main settings: the solitaire, which features the single gem set on the band with a number of prongs (the less prongs, the less cluttered the look); a solitaire with sidestones built into the band; or the three-stone setting, which features the main gem surrounded by another gem on either side. The choice of setting is down to the type of style you think she's going to like and how much you're willing to pay.

Determine her Ring Size: There are a few ways to find out her ring size. Does she ever wear a ring on that finger? While she’s not wearing it you could take it to a jeweler to size it, or if you don’t have much time you can trace the inside of it on paper and take that to a jeweler for sizing.

Is she a heavy sleeper? Wrap a piece of paper or string around her finger and measure that. Once you've got the length you can check out our sizing chart to determine the ring size.

Get a Second Opinion: Once you’ve decided on the perfect ring, seek a second opinion from a trusted source. It could be your sweetheart’s mom, sister or friend - just make sure they can be trusted with your big secret. Getting advice from your future mom-in-law is a great way to bond and you’ll be getting premium insider information too!

Buy from a Quality Jeweler: Make sure you purchase from a reputable jeweler who offers a solid return policy. Make some calls, read their customer feedback, ask them a lot of questions. By going with "mom and pop" jewelers and avoiding the big chains you’ll get better service and quality, since many of the big retailers sacrifice quality for quantity.

Plan Ahead: Selecting the ring, ordering it and having it delivered will take time. Saving up to pay for it will take time too. And if you want to have it engraved, you’ll also need to factor that in. Get started early so that you’ll have plenty of time to do it right.

Choosing An Engagement Ring

Guys, this guide’s for you! So you’ve finally decided to take the plunge and propose to your sweetheart. Now comes the hard part: choosing her engagement ring.

An engagement ring is probably the second-most important purchase you’ll ever make (your house being the most important), so you need to choose wisely. This guide will help you make that choice and will hopefully result in you wooing her with the perfect engagement ring.

One word of caution before we begin: The perfect ring is probably the one she chooses herself. Who has a better idea of what she’s looking for, than her? I know what you’re thinking, it’s not very romantic to give her an “IOU for 1 engagement ring” when you propose, but buying a ring together can be just as romantic as surprising her with one. It’s all in the delivery.

One way to get around this problem is to present her with a stone when you propose. Then once she accepts she can choose the engagement ring setting herself. For more information on choosing the right stone, see our handy guide.

For those of you who’ve decided to do it the old-fashioned way, with a ring on bended knee, the following tips will put you on the right track.


Determine Your Budget: Before you go shopping, figure out how much you can afford to spend. The standard used in the diamond industry is two months salary. Depending on your situation, this may be a reasonable place to start.


Do Some Reconnaissance: Like all good soldiers you’ll need to do some reconnaissance before you go into battle. What color metal does she like? Yellow (gold) or white (silver)? What’s her style of jewelry? Is it modern or classic, flashy or understated? If you’re uncertain, note down the designs of her rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. You’ll be able to use these designs to determine her favorite style later.


A creative way to find out what she likes is to go window shopping together. Tell her you’re looking for some earrings for your mom or a new watch and steer her through the engagement ring aisle. But be discreet! You don’t want her to steal your thunder.


Choose the Metal: If she prefers yellow metals, yellow gold is the ideal choice for her. If she prefers silver metals, you have a choice between white gold, platinum or titanium.


If you’ve chosen gold, you’ll need to choose the purity or karat (kt). Gold comes in three purities: 10kt, 14kt and 18kt. 10kt gold contains 41.67% pure gold, 14kt gold contains 58.33% pure gold and 18kt gold contains 75% pure gold. The higher the purity, the more expensive the ring, so you need to factor this into your budget.


Platinum and titanium are 95% pure, so you don’t need to make any choices about the purity of these metals. For more information on the different metals, check out our Guide to Choosing a Metal.


Choose the Stone: A diamond seems to be a no-brainer, but some women these days prefer other gemstones in their engagement rings. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, tanzanite, tourmaline, and aquamarines can be just as stunning as diamonds and they have the added benefit of costing less. If you're set on diamonds, make sure you check out our Guide on Choosing a Diamond.


Once you’ve decided on the type of gem, you need to select the size, shape and cut. Gems come in all kinds of shapes, including round, oval, square, rectangle, pear, heart, the list goes on. What’s important here is to choose a size and shape that fits with your sweetheart’s hand.


Longer gem shapes work better on longer, slimmer fingers, but a setting that's very delicate will get lost on larger hands, making the ring look smaller. Round and square shapes work better on shorter fingers. An elongated shape such as an oval or marquise make shorter fingers look sleeker but be careful not to overdo the look.

The kinds of gems your significant other wears now will give you an indication of what looks good on her fingers.


Choose the Setting: After you've chosen your stone, next comes the setting. Since you’ve already decided on the type of metal, you’re almost done! Those notes that you took about her favorite jewelry style will come in handy now. If she likes a “busier” look, you might want to go with an engraved band. If she likes a simpler look, go with a simple band. The length of her fingers will give you an idea of how thick the band should be, the longer the finger the thicker the band, usually.


The setting of the gem is the final choice. There are three main settings: the solitaire, which features the single gem set on the band with a number of prongs (the less prongs, the less cluttered the look); a solitaire with sidestones built into the band; or the three-stone setting, which features the main gem surrounded by another gem on either side. The choice of setting is down to the type of style you think she's going to like and how much you're willing to pay.


Determine her Ring Size: There are a few ways to find out her ring size. Does she ever wear a ring on that finger? While she’s not wearing it you could take it to a jeweler to size it, or if you don’t have much time you can trace the inside of it on paper and take that to a jeweler for sizing.


Is she a heavy sleeper? Wrap a piece of paper or string around her finger and measure that. Once you've got the length you can check out our sizing chart to determine the ring size.


Get a Second Opinion: Once you’ve decided on the perfect ring, seek a second opinion from a trusted source. It could be your sweetheart’s mom, sister or friend - just make sure they can be trusted with your big secret. Getting advice from your future mom-in-law is a great way to bond and you’ll be getting premium insider information too!


Buy from a Quality Jeweler: Make sure you purchase from a reputable jeweler who offers a solid return policy. Make some calls, read their customer feedback, ask them a lot of questions. By going with "mom and pop" jewelers and avoiding the big chains you’ll get better service and quality, since many of the big retailers sacrifice quality for quantity.


Plan Ahead: Selecting the ring, ordering it and having it delivered will take time. Saving up to pay for it will take time too. And if you want to have it engraved, you’ll also need to factor that in. Get started early so that you’ll have plenty of time to do it right.

Spring Celebration Jewelry Sale

From March 27th, Gracious Rose Jewelry is pleased to launch its spring sale of 2009, and customers who order any Gracious Rose products from graciousrose.com website will be excited about the quality and savings during this time. Visit graciousrose.com to enjoy the spring sale today! Treat yourself to something nice or shop early for holiday gifts for that special someone.

Graciousrose.com is encouraging customers to participate in the Spring Celebration sale and to check out promotions for bridal, holidays, graduations, and annual celebrations such as Mother's Day and Father's Day.



We at graciousrose.com are excited about the wonderful jewelry savings you will receive and the quality of precious jewelry pieces you will enjoy for times to come.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Gracious Rose - Gold & Platinum Catalog of Fine Jewelry Online

Gracious Rose is well known for it's High Quality Platinum and Gold Jewelry. We have a large selection of Diamond Rings in 14k white and yellow gold , 18k Gold and platinum we have beautiful Designer wedding rings and wedding bands at affordable prices. Ready to make a commitment to that special someone?
We have the finest selection of engagement rings and diamond semi mounts, bridal sets,, sparkling gold jewelry ,the hottest fashion jewelry and brilliant diamond jewelry. Our products are made by the finest manufacturers in the business and in our jewelry you'll find the finest quality diamonds and precious metals. When deciding on the perfect piece of jewelry, look no further than our impressive selection of high quality rings , diamond necklaces, diamond tennis bracelets, custom platinum items and religious jewelry.