HE HAS popped the question, you have accepted the proposal and the engagement ring just about blew your mind. The next thing you know, you are both making wedding arrangements and shopping for a wedding band.
This is the part that most women love and no wonder, as they get the chance to show off the love bands of their choice to their girlfriends for the rest of their married lives.
According to tradition, the third finger of your left hand is the one on which the ring is placed, because it is said that there is a vein in that finger which is connected directly to the heart - a myth which dates back to the fifth century by a Roman writer.
When buying a wedding ring, there are some important things to consider. Before buying, the couple has to first establish how much they are willing to spend on this item of jewellery. The next step is to decide on what kind of stone they would like in their rings whether it is a diamond, sapphire, emerald, tanzanite or a synthetic substitute used for diamonds such as zirconia. The diamond solitaire however is the preferred stone for many couples. Diamonds are however codified according to criteria known as the four Cs clarity, colour, cut and carat weight.
Diamonds are also rated on their colour. The most prized stones are colourless with no traces of yellow or brown, since they will most effectively reflect all the colours of the rainbow. Jewellers always advise that when buying diamond rings always view the stone in natural light as opposed to artificial light as one will see its true beauty then. Another attribute one needs to consider carefully is the mineral of which the ring is comprised whether it is gold or platinum.
According to the managing director of Jamaica Jewellers, King Street in Kingston who did not wish to be identified, said that although most couples prefer yellow gold instead of white and red gold which are the other two popular choices.
"Our wedding bands are in both 10kt or 14kt. They are also in available in red, yellow and white gold. Some of our wedding band sets (engagement ring and wedding band) are even two-toned and we see some couples who prefer this look as well," he said.
Platinum, he added, one of the newest minerals used in jewellery, which is very expensive and has increased in popularity on the global market in recent years, is not so popular in Jamaica. The reason, he noted are that any persons shun from platinum because of its silver look and so people mistake it for silver.
At Jamaica Jewellers, a gold two-piece ladies' wedding ring set starts from as low as $1,999 to $15,000 depending on the type of ring, the stone and the cut. A male wedding band starts from as low as $1,499 upwards.
