Vanilla Girl Designs

Some of the greatest marketing stories ever told are found in the jewelry industry. Until the internet came along, jewelry stores have done a good job of keeping their secrets under lock and key. Never before in the history of the industry have people had so much access to information–information that could be damning and crippling to the diamond jewelry stores.

Whether someone is getting engaged, looking to upgrade their wedding ring set, or seeking an anniversary ring, the process can be complicated and confusing to most people. One of most interesting things about the jewelry industry is that they have been so successful with creating a “need” for diamonds–their very own product in which bottom line is to see how much of a markup they can get away with before the consumer balks. It is amazing when diamonds are have been reported to be purchased for around $20 per carat by DeBeers in the African diamond mines. The labor is cheap (if not free due to family slavery) and DeBeers controls how much they sell them to other diamond companies. Not only is the labor cheap, so are diamonds themselves. Even Nicholas Oppenheimer, the chairman of DeBeers, has secretly admitted that diamonds do not have substantial value. Yet his cartel and mafia still boldly advise gullible men that it is desirable to spend two months’ salary on an engagement ring. It is fascinating from a marketing standpoint to have an item that women think they must have and are willing to pay thousands and even tens of thousands for when the cost for the seller is about the same as a few buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken. This is the finest scam in all of consumer history.

So what is a person to do? Here are four suggestions before buying an engagement or anniversary ring:

1. Buy online. Nowadays, there are so many options out there that you need not venture into a store with high pressured salesmen, crooked “warranties” and markups averaging 600%. Let her go have fun trying rings on at the store, and then find the exact same one online.

2. Look at diamond alternatives such as opals, sapphires, eco diamonds, rubies, high-grade cubic zirconia or the new Swarovski diamond-cut stones that look identical to diamonds. Fantastic diamond alternatives of every shape and size are flooding the market and it will soon be difficult for anyone to know who has real and who saved a fortune.

3. Don’t be afraid to suggest alternatives to shopping and stones to your significant other. Chances are, she may be more open to something synthetic over a mined diamond. Probably even more than you realize. Let her know that she can get the best setting and a more expensive metal if she goes with something other than a diamond. It’s the setting that makes or breaks the ring.

4. Finally, if there is an heirloom diamond in the family on either side, use this instead of a new diamond. It means a lot more and you will not have to buy into the diamond scam.

Living the Harley Davidson lifestyle means that you probably are not conventional. It is highly likely that you are a leader and an individual who likes to think outside the box.

If the spirit of Harley Davidson is calling and the open road is your way of life, why be conventional when getting married? For a couple who shares the passion, the free spirited nature that goes with living life the Harley way, binding your love with Harley Davidson wedding rings seems like an obvious choice.

Choosing a wedding ring: Harley provides a choice of unisex, mens and womens. There are the typical bold, masculine rings that you would expect from the brand, but also, feminine, pretty wedding rings that might surprise some.

You can be semi traditional and go for a band ring, but if you want something a bit alternative, then there are lots of other choices of styles for a contemporary look.

A popular choice amongst Harley brides and grooms is to have matching unisex signature bands, these are quite subtle, understated rings that have the Harley Davidson signature engraved into the metal. For something a little more bold, the Bar and Shield logo features on different styles for both men and women. There is other designs to choose from too, so there is a wedding ring to suit all Harley brides and grooms to be.

Choosing to follow the Harley Davidson dream is a passion for millions of people across the globe. For all those biker guys and girls who find love with one another, choosing a wedding ring that not only symbolizes their love, but also their love for the lifestyle they have chosen, is the perfect way to represent the union.

Although the extremes of body modification have been made more popular in our culture, it has been done for hundreds of years, and ear piercing is one of its oldest kinds. It has been worn by both men and women as documented by unearthed coins that show them wearing earrings. The oldest earring excavated was found in the noble Graves of Ur of Iraq, which dates back to 2,500 B.C.

Types of Earrings

Earrings are attached to the ears by two means, the use of posts and the use of wires. From there, a variety of earrings was created to suit each individual.

The most common type of earrings is the stud earring. It is attached to the ear through the post, which makes it seem to float on the earlobe. Stud earrings are held in place by the friction back to keep it in place without fear of it falling off.

Hoop earrings are those circular earrings that are attached to the ear by wires to make a complete ring. Posts can also be used to secure it to the ear, but it is not a complete circle.

Dangle earrings, so far, is the favorite among women as it is commonly seen anywhere. They measure from a centimeter to even just barely touching the shoulders. Wires and posts are also used for ear attachments, but most frequently, wires are used shaped into a small hook.

Huggy earrings are so called because they seem to hug the earlobe. Many earring crafters take advantage of huggy earrings to show off their expertise in this field and tend to make elaborate and varied designs.

The move Star Trek made Bajoran or slave earrings popular. It is a stud earring that has a thin chain attached to an ear cuff, and the ear cuff is then attached higher up on the ear.

Ear threads are those that are made of delicate chains slim enough to pass through the ear hole. It comes back out and dangles. To add some style to ear threads, people usually place beads and other materials on the chain.

No-Pierce Earrings

Not all ears have to be pierced to wear earrings. People have come up with a variety of no-pierce earrings like the clip-on earrings for those who do not wish to have their ears pierced, and the clip-on earring is the oldest form of no-pierce earrings.

Another type is the ear cuff. It attaches to the ear by pinching the ear or the helix. Although it is also widely used, it causes the ear to redden from the pinching.

Stick-on earrings use adhesive-backed materials as a means of attachment. People who use this seem to use stud earrings, but one setback though is an allergic reaction to the adhesive material used.

Magnetic earrings also simulate stud earrings. With the use of a magnetic back, it attaches to the ear due to magnetic force.

Ear hook earrings utilize a large hook that is hooked over the entire ear and left to dangle.