In the world of engagements and wedding planning, green is the new white. From conflict-free wedding jewelry, to an environmentally-conscientious reception, with an eco-friendly honeymoon to round out the nuptials, couples are throwing out the era of Bridezilla and ushering in the age of green weddings. And it all starts with that oh-so-special wedding jewelry.
Choosing a diamond engagement ring (http://www.danforthdiamond.com) and wedding bands are incredibly personal decisions that are also becoming ethical decisions. Socially aware couples now want to ensure that their wedding jewelry selections are not linked to human rights abuses or have not negatively impacted the environment.
Conflict-free Diamonds
Until recent years, newly engaged couples were blissfully unaware that an untold number of corrupt organizations in African countries were illegally mining diamonds that are directly linked to human rights abuses.
The good news is that more than 40 nations worldwide, including the United States, now voluntarily participate in the Kimberly Process, a system that imposes stringent requirements on imports to certify that diamonds are free from conflict. 99.8% of the global production of rough diamonds is now accounted for through the Kimberly Process.
Reputable engagement and wedding jewelry retailers readily confirm the origin of any stone. Online retailers are particularly sensitive to consumer concerns regarding the genesis of their diamonds. Leading online retailers, such as Danforth Diamond, My Solitaire, and Brilliant Earth actively educate consumers by providing helpful information on their websites to ensure that accurate information is easily accessible.
Green Gold?
For those who truly want guilt-free glitter, there are a number of retailers who offer recycled gold for wedding bands and the like. Concerned about a lackluster green ring? Worry not. Recycled gold, which is melted and re-refined, is the same quality as newly-mined gold.
NoDirtyGold.org publishes an ever-growing and impressive list of retailers who support the responsible production of gold.
vintage jewelry is also enjoying a resurgence in popularity as brides and grooms opt to purchase estate jewelry or wear wedding rings that have been passed down from a family member.
Eco-friendly weddings aren’t just for the granola crunching crowd nowadays – and conflict-free diamond engagement rings and recycled gold wedding jewelry are just the beginning. As green weddings become more mainstream, the options and price ranges are increasingly abundant.
Earth-friendly Invitations
Wedding invitations printed with soy- or vegetable-based inks on recycled paper are a mainstay for green couples. If that’s not green enough for you, perhaps paperless invitations are the way to go; simply extend electronic invitations for guests who can be contacted via email. Emailed RSVPs offer an added bonus: guests are more likely to respond promptly, allowing you to accurately plan your headcount.
Location, Location, Location
A central wedding location that requires minimal travel for most guests will save on carbon emissions. Booking a venue that can host the wedding ceremony and reception will further reduce carbon emissions. Art galleries, botanical gardens, eco-friendly restaurants, hotels and parks are all excellent choices.
Here Comes the Bride
Something old, something new, something borrowed… something green? You betcha. Green brides can choose lovely, previously-worn gowns from vintage stores or gown consignment and rental shops. Brides can also turn to their family tree for a wonderfully sentimental heirloom gown. A number of designers have also embraced the eco-friendly trend and offer extravagant gowns made of hemp silk.
Wedding Favors as Decorations
Organic, locally grown flowers for bouquets and centerpieces offer a fresh, seasonal touch. Flower arrangements used at the wedding can perform double duty by being moved to the reception. Potted plants also make lovely arrangements and can be transplanted outdoors after the wedding or can serve as gifts that guests can take home.
The Gift that Keeps Giving
Portovert Magazine, the nation’s first and only online publication devoted exclusively to environmentally and socially responsible weddings, and NativeEnergy offer a carbon emissions calculator that can be used to evaluate wedding-related carbon sources, including travel, guest lodging and power used at the wedding venues, which can help in the planning of a carbon-neutral wedding. You can find it here: http://www.nativeenergy.com/Splash/Portovert/portovert_wedding_calc.html.
Couples can also offset the carbon emissions produced as a result of their nuptials by making contributions to an eco organization of their choice or requesting that guests do the same in lieu of a wedding gift.
Paying it Forward
Eco-friendly tours, green hotel resorts, simple outdoor adventures, volunteer work for a preservation project – green honeymoons run the gamut and cater to a variety of preferences and budgets. From relaxing and luxuriant to active and outdoorsy, newlyweds can take their dream green vacation that celebrates the beginning of their new life together and the future of our planet.
And to think that it all began with a diamond engagement ring. Green weddings provide couples the opportunity to make a lifelong commitment to each other and to their world. Every wedding anniversary, from the “small” ones to the milestones years is an opportunity to renew that commitment for now and for years to come.
Perhaps a future generation will honor that same commitment by choosing to wear your “heirloom” wedding jewelry.
Jill Renee
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/green-weddings-couples-say-i-do-to-conflictfree-wedding-jewelry-and-earthfriendly-nuptials-138788.html
How to clean your Vintage Jewelry
Once you have bought vintage jewelry, it is important that you take care of it. There are several ways to keep your vintage jewelry clean but most, if not all, are a waste of time and effort. Listed below are some of the tried and tested techniques which can save your jewelry from a permanent damage.
Avoid the use of soap and water
We almost always think that a soap and water solution is the best cleansing agent. But this is not true for vintage jewelry. If you use soap too often, you would notice that after a while, your jewelry would be lined by a thin coat. This is so because soap has a tendency to leave its film on a vintage jewelry. Therefore, we must always avoid the use of soap. If you have no other alternative, use a very little amount of soap and then wipe your jewelry clean with a dry cloth. This would save your vintage jewelry from getting coated with an unwanted film.
Make use of a polishing cloth
In order to clean your vintage jewelry, try and make use of a polishing cloth. This simple yet effective cloth has the ability to remove tough stains with ease and would keep your jewelry spic and span. At the same time, kindly ensure that it is used in a gentle fashion. You can always use the services of a brush to do the same. Use a soft cleaning brush to clean your vintage jewelry. It would do wonders with your elegant necklace or classy ear ring and would remove all the dirt and stains. While using a polishing cloth, be careful, for the cloth can be quite abrasive to certain metals. Nonetheless they continue to clean long after they have lost their usefulness. Jewelry made of gold and silver works well with a polishing cloth.
Try and use Windex
If you think that the dirt on your vintage jewelry has crossed its permissible limits, try and get a hold of a windex solution. Just place it on the tip of your brush and soon all the dirt and dust would disappear. Just ensure to use it with care on loose stones, for windex has the ability to dislodge loose stones which are embedded in your vintage jewelry. Avoid using windex solution on pearls, rhinestones and opals as they are sensitive in nature. Rampant use of this product can be a cause of worry for it dampens the item. Use it judiciously and your vintage jewelry would continue to sparkle forever.
Keep it safe and sound
If you wish that your vintage jewelry lasts longer, you need to ensure that it is kept in a safe box. At the same time, you need to take care of it from time to time. Avoid getting it scratched for scratches are fairly difficult to remove. At the same time, kindly insure that your vintage jewelry is not stored in the same box where you place you normal jewelry items. You need to keep it in a separate box. It is interesting to note that your vintage jewelry looks more authentic if it is allowed to get dirty. It adds value to the product.
Jimmy Preach
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/how-to-clean-your-vintage-sterling-silver-jewelry-684630.html
Gone are the days when jewelry used to be the domain of ladies to impress social gatherings. With changing times, the world of accessories is under going a radical change and jewelry also is following suit.
I tried to chronicle the new kinds of jewelries that have taken the market by storm, but then, I found that to be a daunting task! Just Google for ‘Jewelry’ or ‘Diamonds’, and you will come across literally tens of thousands of search results. One thing that is for sure is that jewelry is under going lots of change all over the world. Whether you are in Africa or in Australia, in America or in Asia, you will find new kinds and models of jewelries all over.
One more surprising thing is that all kinds of jewelries are changing. Even the age old traditional Gold and Diamond jewelry is under going a serious change, and thanks to the advent of online diamond stores, the change has become more and more prominent. In fact, it is largely due to the online retailers that jewelry has become so different. Like everything else sold online, diamonds and other forms of jewelry also appeals to a different kind of audience. The first people to shift online to buy their jewels (and the bulk of the people who do even today) were those who came for the price. In such online stores, you can also decide about the particular design you need, whether a contemporary design or something that has an antique look. If you take a look at any store, you are bound to be stunned with the variety of beautiful diamond rings for engagement, wedding and anniversary. With the kind of range and designs that are available online today, it makes perfect sense to say that it is the internet that has ushered in the new era of jewelry.
Design your own jewelry – This is probably the biggest factor that has contributed to the change in the diamond industry. When we say diamond industry, we mean jewelry in general, as the diamond retailers online also sell all the other kinds of jewelry ranging from Silver to Platinum. Leading online retailers like DiamondsonWeb have perfected the ‘Make your own jewelry’ section on their website. Many of such online diamond retailers have said that most of the customers who come to their online jewelry stores at least try out this section before going on to buy what they came for.
Designing own jewelry has become so popular with the people looking to buy jewelry and <a href=\”http://loose.diamondsonweb.com/diamond/loose_diamonds.mhtml\”><b>Diamonds Online</b></a> that giving in to the pressure, lots of usual brick and mortar jewelry stores have also started to provide more designing options. Many have added a counter where you can mix and match materials and metals to make your own ring. But then, the kind of variety and ease with which you can accomplish your task online is unparalleled. With so many options available today I would say just Delve in and enjoy!
Sophie Dsouza
http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/now-design-jewelry-yourself-at-online-diamond-stores-741440.html
It is a proven fact that Handmade Jewelry displays will increase retail sales. Time and time again we have seen that retailers who take advantage of our handmade jewelry display packages dramatically increase their sales and their reorder rate also increases.
One of the most important factors for sale increases in the 300 – 400 % range has to be offering your customers a wider variety of choices. Most handmade jewelry displays are designed to hold handmade earrings, unique bracelets, handcrafted necklaces, rings, lockets, etc. This increases the number of multiple piece sales, “Aunt June loves butterfly jewelry, let’s get these butterfly earrings and the matching bracelet.” When placing your orders at the upcoming Wholesale Jewelry and gift shows always keep in mind that most customers who like a product will also be likely to buy matching sets.
Most handmade jewelry wholesalers offer retail display packages that are free of charge or the cost of the display is offset with free merchandise. Generally the buyer is responsible for the shipping charges of the display. Jewelry wholesalers will work with the retail store buyers to find the most suitable display for their stores taking into consideration space restrictions of the store itself. Large free-standing displays work well for bigger stores increasing the variety of designs, styles and products that you can make available to your customers. Smaller stores with limited space tend to opt for the countertop displays.
Other points to consider when choosing a handmade jewelry display is your stores clientelle as well as your stores traffic patterns:
A) If your clientelle is composed largely of repeat local customers offering a larger selection will increase your sales but the countertop display is probably your best option. Always have a catalogue close by in case they would to special order their favorite design if out of stock. You may want to reorder often so the products are always new and fresh to returning customers.
B) If you are located in a tourist area where you have large numbers of people arriving at the same time, like bus tours, you need to have a good variety as well as quantity on the display. The larger free standing displays will make sure you don’t run out of the best selling designs and more people can view the product at the same time.
C) Keep in mind your stores’ security record, these are tough times and some stores are more vunerable than others. In these cases, when ever possible place handmade jewelry displays in close proximity to the cashier where customers are in plain view. Having sales staff in those areas to help customers will also provide additional security.
D) Especially with handmade jewelry your customers always appreciate extra information so be knowledgable on each product line you carry. Some wholesale jewelry suppliers will go that extra mile and supply literature regarding their products, cards or flyers, explaining how they make their unique handcrafted jewelry. This gives each purchase a personal touch and a connection with the artisans who have made the jewelry.
Handmade Jewelry displays are well worth the investment and your store will benefit from greatly increased sales. Your customers will appreciate the wider selection of designs and styles to fit everyones tastes and budget. In these days of financial crisis it is important to offer your customers unique products of lasting quality and value.
Copper Reflections
http://www.articlesbase.com/small-business-articles/handmade-jewelry-displays-will-increase-your-sales-724716.html
For brides getting married this coming up spring and summer, the dutiful task of finding bridal jewelry to match your gorgeous bridal gown and for your bridesmaids dresses has come due. Whether you are selecting pretty pastels or bright colors, bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry comes in a wide variety of colors to choose from. This makes matching your bridal and bridesmaid jewelry to your wedding colors or theme is easier than before.
Why has it become so easy to find colorful bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry that matches your bridal gowns and attendants dresses? The reason is because the major manufacturers of bridal glass pearls and crystals are coming up with fabulous and beautiful new color combinations constantly. This allows your bridal and bridesmaid jewelry designers and shops to bring you a better and wider selection of colors.
In addition to the great new color selections available this year, some bridal jewelry designers are bringing even better customization. When browsing for your bridal and bridesmaid jewelry online, you may begin to find that a lot of the bridal jewelry shops are giving their customers more options. Some of these options to customize are necklace lengths and bracelet lengths. This allows brides and bridesmaids to customize not only the color of the bridal and bridesmaid jewelry they will wear, but also adjust the length their necklaces drop. This is pretty important for many brides, as cuts of dresses are different on every girl. The length adjustment makes a more personal and customizable shopping experience for brides and bridesmaids alike.
With so many tasks a bride must face in the ongoing planning of her wedding, selecting beautiful customized jewelry should be a fun and easy one. Browse through the online boutiques and shops to find bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry that can be fully customized for your specific and unique needs. You and your bridesmaids will appreciate what is available and can customize your bridal and bridesmaid jewelry to make it perfect.
Bonnie
http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/spring-summer-bridal-jewelry-104298.html