Weekend Brief: A Brief for 31.45 Million Women

According to the US Census Bureau there are 62.9 million married American women. Sadly (or sometimes happily), statistics also show that fifty percent of them will divorce their husbands in the future.  This means that one question will be raised over 31 million times: who keeps the engagement ring? Don’t look at the law for an answer: the courts do not agree. Forget etiquette blogs. They are often , quite frankly, unrealistic in their expectations of chivalry. It seems most women keep the ring. So, this is for all of my friends that have found themselves, after the dust settles, with a diamond ring, which is unmistakably an engagement ring that means much less to them than it once did.

There are many ways to remount your stone that do not scream divorcee.  If you have enough cash, and don’t already have ear studs, purchasing a matching stone for earrings is a great option.  There are several pendant mountings that add to, rather than feature, the single diamond. One is a traditional pave-diamonds donut, which enhances the bezel-set center stone.  The diamond can also be framed in colored stones, or like a flower with marquise or pear-shaped stones. You may own a brooch, which would look fabulous accented by your diamond.  A flower brooch, circle pin or horseshoe, depending on the design, could absolutely shine with a larger diamond accent.

Finally, and possibly my favorite because everyone is wearing bangles and it is so un-ring-like,  a great design is a gold bangle “sprinkled” with bezel-set diamonds of different sizes. This design can also be accomplished if you have other pieces from your ex that you are breaking up and melting down.

When everything else fails, a belly button ring is always an option.

Add Some Victorian Style to Your Jewelry Box

Bangle bracelets were as popular with the Victorians as they are today! While everyone is wearing them, be the one to wear the one that no one else has! Victorian bracelets were often sold in pairs; today in the estate market it is more difficult to find the pairs still together. Predominately yellow gold, bracelets can be found with fabulous Etruscan revival style applied gold beading and wire twist work, a unique cameo or a micro mosaic depicting a Roman scene or simple black enamel accents. Wearing Victorian jewelry today is fun, and believe it or not…fashion forward.

For more Victorian inspired jewelry fashion check out “Town and Country” magazine September 2008 article “Snake Charmers” to see Victorian-style snake rings for Fall.