Question:

Is it true that some people wear their wedding ring all the time – without ever taking it off after wearing it for the first time at a wedding? – Carra — http://fullspeed.to/mypicture – be warned!     my essay "Who am I?" and NEW/UPDATED running/study/sleep diary! Before you buy.

Response:

I only take my rings off if I’m doing major cleaning in the apartment and using harsh cleaners, such as bleach, even though I’m wearing rubber gloves. Otherwise, I keep mine on all the time. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is it true that some people wear their wedding ring all the time – without ever taking it off after wearing it for the first time at a wedding? – Carra — http://fullspeed.to/mypicture – be warned!     my essay "Who am I?" and NEW/UPDATED running/study/sleep diary! Before you buy.

Response:

I only take my rings off if I’m doing major cleaning in the apartment and using harsh cleaners, such as bleach, even though I’m wearing rubber gloves. Otherwise, I keep mine on all the time.

Why bother? Matt didn’t even buy you a real ring anyway. What did you end up with a cubic zirconia in a gold plated setting? Ron Ng Knows!

Response:

Ron, please, if you find it necessary to be nasty to someone, please send a private post.  Not all of us are interested in your meanness. It doesn’t matter if the wedding rings cut glass and aluminum foil, if it’s precious to her (or him), none of us has the right do denigrate. I only take my rings off if I’m doing major cleaning in the apartment and using harsh cleaners, such as bleach, even though I’m wearing rubber gloves. Otherwise, I keep mine on all the time. Why bother? Matt didn’t even buy you a real ring anyway. What did you end up with a cubic zirconia in a gold plated setting? Ron Ng Knows!

–         He who sings, prays twice. To reply, change EYE to ‘i’ in my address.

Response:

Is it true that some people wear their wedding ring all the time – without ever taking it off after wearing it for the first time at a wedding? – Carra

I’ve been married almost 3 years, and I’ve only had mine off once every six months when it’s ring-check-up-and-cleaning-time.  It’s up to the individual, I guess.  Many of my friends don’t wear theirs unless they are going out – they take them off when they’re bumming out at home or when they’re sleeping.  My mom has been married almost 30 years, and I’ve never seen her without her ring on, so maybe I got my ideas from her. Tricia (married Howard 4-12-97)

Response:

Is it true that some people wear their wedding ring all the time – without ever taking it off after wearing it for the first time at a wedding? Yes – my husband (of 7 1/2 months!) has done this.  I put the ring on

his finger during the wedding ceremony, and it has never been off his finger.  My own wedding band has only been removed once, by accident, during our honeymoon (I was about to take a shower, and accidently took all my rings off, instead of just my engagement and family rings.)  My husband put the ring back on my finger afterwards, and it remains. BUT…my wedding ring is a simple gold band, without engravings or stones or a design of any sort.  There’s  no need for me to remove it really, for anything but electrical work (which I don’t do — for my own safety as well as others!<g) I do remove my diamond and ruby engagement ring for all sorts of things — when taking a shower, bath, when swimming, cleaning with strong solvents, etc., etc.  My husband does the same with his (gold signet) engagement ring. I believe my parents are the same — neither parent removes their wedding band, but my mother removes her diamond engagement ring for cleaning, washing up, showers, etc. Cheers, Barbara

Response:

What is this blessing of the rings tradition? Is it something done by a specific religion? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey Patrick, That is a good idea!  My fianc

Question:

:  You can get books at the library also on gems.  One word of advice : though, the *lighter* the gems are, the more *pure* and expensive they are. : Just a note on this — That’s not a universally true statement. In fact, for my favourite precious gem (which I have in my engagement ring *and* a family necklace), the darker, the more pure and expensive — I adore dark, pure rubies.  Part of the reason garnets are cheaper is because it’s nearly impossible for garnets to duplicate the rich, dark colour of a *good* rubies  (On the whole, garnets are likely darker – the ‘cheaper’ rubies can look less ‘real’ than a nicely cut dark garnet).   Oh, and rubies have a more pure red colour, than garnets for instance… By the way, I *love* my ruby engagement ring, never wanted a diamond and could have done without (except that we had our hearts set on buying my e-ring from a diamond cutters in Amsterdam *and* the ruby looks wonderful with the diamonds sparkling on the sides!) –Barbara, marrying Julian, June 19 1999 —                                                                 Dal Law,                                                                 Class of ‘99

Response:

One word of advice though, the *lighter* the gems are, the more *pure* and expensive they are. catherine marrying shawn on 7/1/00

Please be careful for that is a misconception. It does not hold true for most precious and semi-precious stones all the time. For eg., I have in my possession a rather light blue (lighter than most sapphires) and clean sapphire from Kashmir and it’s worth more than than a fine Sri Lankan or Afghani. On the other hand, I have some light coloured emeralds than are not even worth a fraction of the price of a medium to dark one from Colombia. A lot more comes into play where colored gems are concern. Still learning after all these years. HELMIE ASHIBLIE Tribeca Foundry – NY http://www.tribeca-foundry.com

Response:

My fiancee got my a BEAUTIFUL engagement ring with an amethyst (my birthstone) instead of a diamond.  He picked out the setting he liked best at the jewelrs (it already had a diamond in it) and they switched it out with a beautiful amethyst.  You can get books at the library also on gems.  One word of advice though, the *lighter* the gems are, the more *pure* and expensive they are. catherine marrying shawn on 7/1/00 "Why do closed minds usually have open mouths?" If you take the above comment personally, then please don’t open your mouth. Dominion http://members.aol.com/webdezignz

Response:

Plaintive cry for help. Life is getting very frustrating. Getting time to buy a ring. I’m dating a woman who hates diamonds. While there’s oodles of info–books, websites, magazine articles–out there about buying diamonds there’s not a whole lot about sapphires (or possibly a ruby). From the settings I’ve seen I’m figuring 3/4 or 1 carat of fairly good, but not tremendous, quality. I’ve got some general sense of what looks pretty, but that’s about it. Other than gemstones.org, where do I go for information? And in a general range, how much should I be expecting to pay for the stone.

I’m sorry this post may not be a lot of help to you but here goes – first off I cannot give you an idea of price as I’m UK based. With Gems it is always an idea to get something you actually like. I know an awful lot of people who actually like the cheaper versions of some gems because they prefer the colour of it to the more expensive ones. A good jeweller will help you understand the details of each gem. I would say that sometimes a coloured gem needs something to lift it’s colour and most are set with diamonds. Clare

Response:

I’ve ordered the new edition of Wedding and Engagement Rings, which reportedly has a substantial discussion of this. It’s tough to get, apparently. I’ve *very* worried about getting scammed, but do have a couple of contacts that may help me keep from getting terribly hosed. Thanks for the Simply Sapphires reference. Gives me something of a start.

You might also try contacting a reputable jewelry store in your area and sitting down with one of their jewelers.  If you’re not that familiar with which store to choose, look around at your female friends/acquaintances and ask them where they purchased their jewelry.  Most good stores will be willing to sit down and explain grading of stones and price options with you – it’s simply good business to educate a potential customer to ensure they are satisfied with their eventual purchase. Christina (marrying Brian 1/15/00)

Response:

Hi, A Sapphire ring is a rather nice idea if your SO doesn’t like diamonds but as you can see from what the others have mentioned and from what I gathered you’ve read so far, selecting the right or should I say a good Sapphire is a real challenge. Quality Sapphires are not only hard to find but also rather expensive. To say it cost more per carat than diamond is not totally accurate but I have seen some Sapphires from Kashmir than are totally priceless. You’ve mentioned ‘heated’ & irradiated Sapphires. That happens to be a problem especially in some jewelry stores in NYC. Too many crooks but even more uninformed customers. There are ,however, some dealers that have kept a reputation for honesty. I personally do not purchase precious gems locally but while following the thread in the rec.craft.jewelry newsgroup, I noticed quite a number of folks who recommended ROBERT BENTLEY on 46th Street (NYC). Sorry but I don’t have his exact address. From the sounds of it, he probably stocks Sri Lankan sapphires which are good gems. One thing  I would like to point, as far as gems are concern, is the cut. The gem may be of good quality but if it was left to be cut in the hands of an inexperince cutter…….even a decent stone with that extra facet or two may appear superior. Two other companies you might want to check into (both in NYC), are HENIELI INT’L (quality but a tad pricey) & P. GEMS (moderate at a wholesale price). Take care. HELMIE ASHIBLIE Tribeca Foundry – NY http://www.tribeca-foundry.com

Response:

When I proposed to my fiancee, I went to a store called People’s Pottery, which sells all kinds of very nice objets d’art.

I should get down on one knee and throw some pottery? "With this pot I thee wed…." I’d say the bottom line is that the ring is a symbol of what you two have created together, and that you’re committed to each other.  You can pick whatever kind of ring *you* think would be appropriate to symbolize that–you don’t need to listen to the majority opinion.

No sweat. If I listened to the majority opinion, I’d get a diamond. I’m perfectly comfortable with a sapphire ring. I love ‘em. And I’m not on a particularly tight budget (though my notion of "particularly tight" could change fast as I get into this). I’ve snooped at some tiny Village, Soho sort of jewelry stores for settings, seen some I like (though not love yet). But I can’t trust them to give me a fair deal until I’m better educated. I’m learning today about "heated" stones that change the color but the jewelers don’t seem to think they need to inform you about. I’ve learned of irradiated stones that can leave some sort of discoloration in the long run, they they’re a bit more inclined to warn you about. I’m not even sure I should be averse to a heated stone. My best contacts in the jewelry business, unfortunately, are top execs at QVC and HSN. Not much help to me in this instance…

Response:

I’ve ordered the new edition of Wedding and Engagement Rings, which reportedly has a substantial discussion of this. It’s tough to get, apparently. I’ve *very* worried about getting scammed, but do have a couple of contacts that may help me keep from getting terribly hosed. Thanks for the Simply Sapphires reference. Gives me something of a start.

I’m glad I could help! I would definitely continue to educate youself as much as possible before even thinking of buying a stone. Yes, take advantage of those contacts!! I wouldn’t recommend buying from them if they are friends/relatives, but hopefully they’ll be able to give you some expert advice and perhaps even appraise the stone after it’s purchased. Also, make sure that it is a returnable item if possible. Good luck- I’m sure she’ll love it! Liz

Response:

I’ve ordered the new edition of Wedding and Engagement Rings, which reportedly has a substantial discussion of this. It’s tough to get, apparently. I’ve *very* worried about getting scammed, but do have a couple of contacts that may help me keep from getting terribly hosed. Thanks for the Simply Sapphires reference. Gives me something of a start. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I do know that natural rubies and sapphires can be more expensive and rare than diamonds. I also know that Dateline exposed a great deal of jewelery discounters and department stores for selling created gems as natural. Just a buyer beware. Have you tried looking on amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com for books? How about the library? This link may help: http://www.simplysapphires.com/ Good luck! Liz

Response:

Plaintive cry for help.

I would go to a local jeweler-not one of the chain stores in the mall, but a small place that does custom work. Ask them  explain the costs and quality options to you. These people are very often MUCH cheaper for what you get than the dept. stores. They can also order the stones of the exact size and qulaity you want and set them in the exact setting you want. THey’ll engrave, size and whatever as well. My mom used to work at such a store and I got to see lots of the beautiful work the owner did. If you decide to go this route you will get more for your dollars and something unique to you and your fiancee. PLUS, most of these stores will allow you to trade in unwanted gold towards the cost of the ring, or even to use it in the custom creation…they are always looking for more gold. Good luck, Agi

Response:

Plaintive cry for help. Life is getting very frustrating. Getting time to buy a ring. I’m dating a woman who hates diamonds. While there’s oodles of info–books, websites, magazine articles–out there about buying diamonds there’s not a whole lot about sapphires (or possibly a ruby). From the settings I’ve seen I’m figuring 3/4 or 1 carat of fairly good, but not tremendous, quality. I’ve got some general sense of what looks pretty, but that’s about it. Other than gemstones.org, where do I go for information? And in a general range, how much should I be expecting to pay for the stone.

Why do you need to get her a stone at all?  That’s what most people do, to be sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessary, unless your SO will be disappointed otherwise. When I proposed to my fiancee, I went to a store called People’s Pottery, which sells all kinds of very nice objets d’art.  I found a ring that I really liked, that I thought was unique–it’s a gold ring that looks like a serpent biting its own tail.  It’s very nice, and very different, and that makes it special–Jen loved the ring. I’d say the bottom line is that the ring is a symbol of what you two have created together, and that you’re committed to each other.  You can pick whatever kind of ring *you* think would be appropriate to symbolize that–you don’t need to listen to the majority opinion. -Matt

Response:

Plaintive cry for help. Life is getting very frustrating. Getting time to buy a ring. I’m dating a woman who hates diamonds. While there’s oodles of info–books, websites, magazine articles–out there about buying diamonds there’s not a whole lot about sapphires (or possibly a ruby). From the settings I’ve seen I’m figuring 3/4 or 1 carat of fairly good, but not tremendous, quality. I’ve got some general sense of what looks pretty, but that’s about it. Other than gemstones.org, where do I go for information? And in a general range, how much should I be expecting to pay for the stone.

Response:

Plaintive cry for help. Life is getting very frustrating. Getting time to buy a ring. I’m dating a woman who hates diamonds. While there’s oodles of info–books, websites, magazine articles–out there about buying diamonds there’s not a whole lot about sapphires (or possibly a ruby). From the settings I’ve seen I’m figuring 3/4 or 1 carat of fairly good, but not tremendous, quality. I’ve got some general sense of what looks pretty, but that’s about it. Other than gemstones.org, where do I go for information? And in a general range, how much should I be expecting to pay for the stone.

I do know that natural rubies and sapphires can be more expensive and rare than diamonds. I also know that Dateline exposed a great deal of jewelery discounters and department stores for selling created gems as natural. Just a buyer beware. Have you tried looking on amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com for books? How about the library? This link may help: http://www.simplysapphires.com/ Good luck! Liz

Response:

Question:

Speaking of closet doors, since we are already off topic, my fianc