More thrifty jewellery options!

Remember my post on crystal engagement rings? These rings, costing a couple hundred dollars, have been usurped by Marks & Spender in the UK:



Can you believe - £18 (about $50 Canadian) for a tin and platinum-plated with crystals and an undisclosed fake diamond (presumably cubic zirconia, but who knows) engagement ring and wedding band set? The only problem I would have is I don't know how sturdy tin is. But if it lasts as well as gold or solid platinum, then why not? Upgrade when you can afford it ... or not at all ... whatever you want!

Thanks are owed to The Professional Bridesmaid for doing the intel and sharing this story with me!

(I will post on the blog award I've recently been nominated for. I thank you so much for the nomination, and will respond on Sunday or Monday).

Thrify engagement ring, or cheap fiancé?

I was on the Swarovski website looking for inspiration, and found some lovely rings. Swarovski crystal is la crème de la crème of crystals, and the price reflects its quality and design. It has stunning crystals, most often set in gold or white gold (also known as rhodium plated gold). Its workmanship certainly matches that of gemstone jewellery.

I was drooling over some cocktail rings, when I saw these three rings, two of which look like engagement rings, and one like a wedding band.

(A traditional looking engagement ring.)

(A very large ring ... one that is probably too large for most people's tastes.)

(A popular style of wedding band.)

Think of the pros of crystal:

• Avoid diamonds, which avoids all the potential social issues surrounding diamonds (though I did this post a while back to address socially responsible diamonds, crystals are another way to ensure you are avoiding "conflict diamonds")
• Actually be able to afford the ring (particularly a bonus for couples on a restricted budget)
• Have something a little different without skimping on quality

The biggest con? It isn't a diamond. Or even any precious gemstone. And that is a big deal to lots of people. The diamond on our fingers is, to many of us (if not most of us) a social symbol, a status of what our fiancé can afford, the equivalent to a man's muscle car or model train collection or whatever other expensive collection or trinkets some other people (often, though not always, men) use to show off status.

So I ask ...
Do you think a crystal engagement ring would be thrifty and creative in these times, or just plain cheap?

Wednesday on the week of etsy goodness

etsy is home to many artisans who make homemade crafts ... And what is more artistic (and fun) than jewellery? (Editorial note: I'm a little biased. I love jewellery. No offense intended to those who prefer knitting, painting or other arts. I like those two. But I love jewellery. And photography. And satin. And ... Well, I love a lot of things, but jewellery is waaaaay up on the list.)

Let's start with seller JulieJongleuse, a Montreal-based artisan. These necklaces are very different (in a good way), and affordable, costing in the $20-range.




















These gorgeous pieces of jewellery, created by kaskaad, are also very economical (i.e. cheap). The ring on the top is $12, and the earrings on the bottom are $25.

















Actually, come to think of it, most of my favourite sellers on etsy are reasonably priced.

La Belle Dame creates out of Prince Edward Island. All of her pieces are customizable, and in fact many require customization! Aren't these pieces of jewellery so fun, unique and personal?!












From FireLilyDesigns are some very creative and modern pieces of jewellery artwork. These three pieces are $32, $28 and $44 respectively (left to right):















Seller Bluebird Designs has this gorgeous necklace for $39. Isn't that stone stunning?



I talked a bit yesterday about customization, but yet my hint of the day was relating to ordering. That doesn't make sense ... until you realize that today's post is also all about customization! So ...

Wednesday's hint: don't be afraid to ask etsy sellers if they're willing to customize work (and if so, if there are any additional costs, such as design fees). Many of these fine artisans are willing, able and love to do custom work!

Diamonds ... a girl's best friend?

When looking at diamond rings, I indicated to one jeweller that I wanted a Canadian diamond to ensure it was not a conflict diamond. He indicated that it is almost impossible for any reputable jeweller to acquire conflict diamonds (also called blood diamonds) because of international provisions that have been put in place.

Here's an excerpt from the ROM's exhibit on Diamonds:
"In a cruel twist of fate, a number of the areas in which diamonds are prevalent have also been sites of civil war and other forms of violence. In order to ensure the sale of diamonds will not fund nefarious causes, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was developed. Certification by the Kimberley Process verifies that a rough diamond’s origin was one free of conflict. Now consumers have a way to ensure that their diamond purchases are not financing war and human rights abuses.
One of the world’s largest suppliers of conflict-free diamonds is Canada. Our country’s reputation for diamond production is a fairly new phenomenon, however. Due to the types of rocks found in Canada, for years many suspected Canada had the potential to be a rich diamond source. In a relatively short time, Canada has gone from having almost no production to being the third-largest diamond source (in value) on the planet!"

So, although movies and documentaries about conflict diamonds have made the ethical issues around diamonds very much in the consumer's consciousness, it actually hasn't been as big an issue since 2000.

I still picked a Canadian diamond, because they are (on average) a higher quality, and they support Canada's economy. The next closest major diamond mining countries are Russia and South Africa, so Canada is nice and close - reducing my carbon footprint!

Happy Saturday

I'm in Toronto to visit friends from Halifax, Wisconsin and Philadelphia. We might be going to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), home of Egyptian mummies, Greek goddesses (or at least their statues), and dinosaurs! Can't go wrong with dinosaurs! I hope that's where we end up going.

Here's what's on at the ROM: DIAMONDS!

Here's the Incomparable Diamond, on display there:


Now, don't get me wrong. I'm quite happy with my ring. Nor do I want something like the Incomparable Diamond, or the Hope Diamond, or the Millennium Star. But it is fun to look and learn about gems. I really enjoyed the PEARLS exhibit the ROM had in late 2004. What can I say? I like to look at sparkly things!