Posted on January 7th, 2016
Getting engaged is one of the most exciting moments in life. Brides and grooms may find it challenging to choose an engagement ring that is beautiful, symbolic of their love, and is a style they will want to wear day in and day out. An additional point of stress can be finding a wedding band that complements and sits flush to the engagement ring. But with the right kind of support and expertise, you should have no problem finding an engagement ring and band that look beautiful together.
How do I know what type of wedding band I need?
First determine whether a straight wedding band will sit flush with your engagement ring. If your ring has a center gemstone that is elevated and sits above the band, then you can likely choose a wedding ring that is straight. Mark Broumand has many stunning straight wedding bands that will sit close to your engagement ring. Your engagement ring may be part of a matched set as designers often create wedding bands specifically for certain engagement rings.
What if a straight band won’t work?
If a straight wedding band will not work with your engagement ring, then a contoured wedding band may be the right option. This type of band matches the curvature of your wedding ring. It is contoured at the front and straight in the back in order to match the contours of your ring. Contoured wedding bands are quite common, allowing your rings to sit flush on your finger, and work well with many different styles of engagement rings.
Notched wedding bands are another option for a great fit with an engagement ring. Rather than bending around the ring like the contoured wedding band, a notched band allows the rings to fit together like the pieces of a puzzle.
When your ring has very fine details around the gemstone or the center stone is an elongated shape such as oval, marquise or emerald, then you may want to go with a band that is contoured and notched.
Are there other options?
Mark Broumand will always make sure your ring needs are met; it’s possible that a custom band may be the ideal choice for you. Though the process of creating a custom band requires time, you will end up with a beautiful band that complements your engagement ring. Visit MarkBroumand.com today to see all of the options for rings you will want to show off for years to come.
Posted on December 13th, 2015
Christie’s auction house is synonymous with opulence, and it is only fitting that the organization has auctioned several record-breaking diamonds throughout the years. The diamonds in its record books represent all the colors of the rainbow, but the pink and blue paragons are the things daydreams are made of. A paragon is a perfect diamond — flawless and without inclusions. In the 16th century, a mass of twelve carats was sufficient to qualify for this designation, but today the threshold lies at 100 carats.
The Sweet Josephine
Surrounded by a halo of clear diamonds, the Sweet Josephine cushion cut pink diamond center stone is glorious enough to leave royalty in awe. Its facets reflect the light brilliantly out of the pure pink 16.08ct heart. While the band is platinum, rose gold prongs hold the stone in place while complementing its hue. 
(Photo Credit: Christie’s)
On November 10, 2015, Sweet Josephine broke the record for the highest final sale price for a pink diamond at auction. The anonymous new owner paid $28.5 million for the honor.
The Winston Blue
The world’s largest flawless blue diamond, the Winston Blue, is the color of a crisp blue. The 13.22ct diamond is pear shaped and is flanked by glittering, clear diamonds on each side. Christie’s dubbed it “The Blue,” but its new owner renamed it the “Winston Blue.”
(Photo Credit: Forbes)
On May 13, 2014, the Winston Blue sold for $23.8 million. That is a sale price of nearly $1.80 million per carat, the most a blue diamond has ever sold for. No need to dream about owning a fancy color diamond. These options below are rings that are exquisite yet attainable.
The Vivid Pink
Fancy-colored diamonds are sometimes on the small side, making them ideal for multi-stone bands like this round brilliant cut diamond wedding band from Mark Broumand. Smaller does not have to mean less extraordinary, and the Vivid Pink proves it. At 5.00ct, it is not the largest diamond Christie’s has ever sold, but the cushion cut stone astounds with its cherry blossom pink hue. Clear diamonds twinkle like snow at its sides, and yellow gold prongs add a final kiss of color to the piece.
The Vivid Pink continues to hold the highest price per carat record for a pink diamond. It sold for $10.78 million, or $2.15 million per carat, on December 3, 2009.
Many diamonds sold at Christie’s end up in a collector’s display, but your diamond engagement ring will be daily reminder of love and commitment. It does not have to break records to be worth more than all the diamonds in the world to you.
(Photo Credit: Jewels Du Jour)
Posted on November 15th, 2015
People in all cultures have worn jewelry since before time was recorded. In fact, our ancestors may have decorated themselves with jewelry before they wore clothes. They made their ornamentation from bones, feathers, seeds and other natural materials. Rings today are just as unique, especially when custom designed by expert jewelers.
Rings Represent Eternity
Historians believe rings were the first types of formal jewelry. Because circles have no beginning and no end, they came to symbolize eternity. The first rings were likely worn as talismans and may have had magical powers attributed to them. Later, rings were used for identification as well as religious and commemorative purposes. They were even sometimes intended to be seen by the public and convey a message of eternity.
An Engagement Ring Is a Promise
Prior to the second century B.C., one ring sufficed for both engagement and marriage. Around this time,
ancient Romans began giving their brides-to-be two rings. One was a gold band to be worn in public, and the other was an iron band to be worn at home. Whether gold or iron, the betrothal ring represented a pledge to marry. Historians once thought that ancient engagement rings served as part of the bride price in which girls were purchased and owned by their husbands-to-be, but that is now regarded as a fallacy.
Engagement rings came into greater use in the Middle Ages as church authorities mandated that couples wait until marriage banns had been posted. As wearing an engagement ring spread to other cultures through the ages, the rings evolved from simple bands of metal. Colored gemstones were fashionable until contemporary times when beautiful, clear diamonds became signs of love and promise.
The Promise of Diamonds
Now, nearly all engagement rings include one or more diamonds. Each diamond is unique, but it takes an expert to facet the uncut stone so that it flashes with light. The faceted diamond is then placed in a setting that further enhances its beauty. The sparkling engagement ring is then given to another as a promise of lasting love.
