Priscilla Chan's New Ruby Ring

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2148972/Priscilla-Chan-wedding-ring-Mark-Zuckerberg-spends-25k-ruby-ring.html

Check out the lovely and elegant engagement ring that Mark Zuckerberg gave to his now wife Priscilla. What we love about their choice is that it is an affordable engagement ring, not one costing millions. They didn't succumb to the expectations that society has placed on consumers since the 1930's when the ad campaign " A Diamond is forever" became popular.


Rubies have long been representative of love and passion. and is also a sign of wisdom. These breathtaking stones are held in high regard in Asian countries. There is thought that Zuckerberg chose this stone for his wife's engagement ring due to it's symbolism.

We think that the ring is perfect for her delicate features and compliments her well. This is a couple that is very grounded and simple in style, so it makes sense that their wedding and jewelry didn't go over the top. It just would not have been true to their nature.

We wish them both a lifetime of happiness!

http://shine.yahoo.com/fashion/priscilla-chans-ruby-ring-193400700.html

Nostalgia Engagement Ring with rubies

If you are looking for an eco-friendly alternative to mined stones and you are absolutely in love with ruby engagement rings, then look at an option like the Nostalgia from Diamond Nexus.

Choosing Your Gold Color

By Christina Waller~Retail Visual Merchandiser/Jewelry Advisor

http://www.diamondnexus.com/e-steals

For many, choosing the right gold color is about personal preference.  Yellow gold was the standard for a number a years, but the jewelry market has been dominated for quite some time by white gold.  14K in either color is ideal for any ring setting and is durable enough to last a lifetime….just like your love and marriage!!

While it takes a second in popularity to white gold, yellow gold has some great selling points of it’s own.  Yellow gold is the same color all the way through, which is great because it requires no maintenance to preserve it’s gold hue.  It is also more hypoallergenic than white gold.  Yellow gold will always be a classic and has stood the test of time for that reason!

If you are more attracted to white gold, it’s also a great option for your ring!  White gold does not come by it’s color naturally and has to go through a process called rhodium plating to achieve it’s hue.  Over time the plating will wear off and the ring will need to be sent in to be re-plated.  This is one of the maintenance issues with white gold, and for most is a small inconvenience.  For those who don’t wish to go through this, typically once a year, palladium or platinum are also great options to get the white hue without the upkeep.

http://www.diamondnexus.com/e-steals

A more recent trend in gold has been rose gold.  For someone looking for something a little more unique or romantic, rose gold just may be for you!  Because copper is added as an alloy, the metal takes on a slight pink or rosy hue.  What’s also nice about rose gold is that it’s the same color all the way through, eliminating the need for any type of plating.

Any 14K piece through Diamond Nexus can be done in either white, yellow, or rose gold, without ever affecting the price!  Any of the pieces can also be done in 18K, palladium or platinum.  For the most current and update to date pricing on these metal upgrades, it’s best to contact either of our retail locations or any of our customer service representatives.

 

Jen and Meg dress up with fab jewels and gowns!

Ever wonder how to plan for the perfect jewelry when dressing for an elegant event? Meg and Jen will show how to pair the right jewelry and evening wear in this fun video!

Special thanks goes to Miss Ruby Bridal Boutique in Milwaukee~

Save with our Memorial Day Sale!

FLAG20

Starting on Friday May 25th and going through Monday May 28th, Diamond Nexus is offering a terrific discount on all earrings, pendants and matched sets. Use coupon code FLAG20 to save 20% off!

This is the perfect time to get some classic wardrobe pieces or perhaps you might be looking for more elegant statement pieces.


One of the most popular choices for a gift is this elegant Mila matched set with multiple stone color options, and available in 14k white or yellow gold. It offers timeless beauty and unbelievable sparkle in a tastefully sized set for the perfect compliment to any wardrobe.


 

Mila set

 

For someone looking for a more detailed piece of jewelry containing many stones and lots of added bling, these elaborate Chance earrings offer more jeweled accents and pair perfectly with a spectacular outfit.

Chance Earrings

Jen and Meg visit a bridal boutique

Jen and Meg getting ready to try on eveningwear

The ladies of Diamond Nexus visited Miss Ruby Bridal Boutique  to make a video on how to perfectly accessorize evening wear. The lovely ladies of Miss Ruby were gracious enough to let them come in extra early, before the store even opened to try on some fabulous dresses and play dress up.

The shoot is being made into a video that will be posted on the Diamond Nexus company website: www.diamondnexus.com  just in time for the Miss USA pageant that is being aired next weekend!

Big thanks goes out to Miss Ruby for being so hospitable with the gals! Store Manager Kelly rocked the recording and offered some excellent tips for choosing dresses  that complimented Jen and Meg's figures. Her professionalism and charming personality, combined with her vast fashion expertise were exactly what every woman wants when dress shopping.

Jen even picked out a gorgeous dress to bring to Las Vegas for the Miss USA show on June 3rd~  But she wanted to keep it a secret til the event. We can say that she is wearing some sassy black Chinese Laundry shoes that will pair perfectly with the dress. 

 "The dress that Kelly and Erin from Miss Ruby helped me pick out is absolutely my style. It is elegant but also has enough pizazz to fit in in Vegas. I have tattoos so choosing a dress that doesn't clash with them is important. I don't think that a more perfect choice could have been found for celebrating at such a glam event as the Miss USA pageant."


Since Jen didn't want to post a picture of her new dress yet, she let us snap a photo of her 2nd favorite, a flirty and fun silk strapless dress that paired well with an elaborate necklace like the Contessa. This dress and many more will be featured in the video coming soon to Diamond Nexus. Stay tuned for some high style and breathtaking jewelry combinations!

It is so much fun to dress up!

Contessa Necklace

Christina's Pick of the Week~ Pearls!

The Diamond Nexus affordable pearl jewelry collection on display at the Mayfair Mall retail location~ Christina from the store has voted for the whole collection to be her pick of the week!

June is coming up and pearls make the best presents for upcoming birthdays!

Finding the Right Ring Size

By Christina Waller ~Retail Visual Merchandiser/Jewelry Advisor

 

You have scoured, searched, and finally found your dream ring!  But, now for the task of getting the ring size that’s going to fit you perfectly.  It sounds easy, but can sometimes prove to be a daunting task.

I cannot stress enough the importance of going to a professional and having it done.  If you are lucky enough to be in the Milwaukee WI or Schaumberg IL area, you can stop at either of our Diamond Nexus retail locations and work with one of our fantastic jewelry advisors!  If that is too much of a drive for you, visit a jewelry store near you and have it done.  This is important for a variety of reasons:

1. Sizers are a starting point.  Because each ring style is made differently, each ring is going to fit a little differently. By going to a professional, they can help guide you to the best possible fit.

2. The width of the band is crucial to the sizing.  With a thicker band, you may find that instead of taking the size 6 you measured at, you may need to go up a quarter or half size.  The same can be said about a thinner, more delicate band.  Especially if the ring is top heavy with your stone, you may be more comfortable going with a quarter or half size smaller than you initially were measured at.

3. Keep in mind the weather and time of year you are being sized.  For almost everyone, your skin and hands swell in the summer months and contract in the colder, winter months.  If you have hands that are very sensitive to the weather changes, you may find that bishop’s bumps are the way to go for sizing.  The balls of metal get soldered to the inside of the ring, making for a tighter fit, but not as tight as sizing down the entire ring.

4. Your ring should fit snuggly and you should have to gently force it over your knuckle.  Having said that, snuggly should NOT translate to painful.  If you are scraping skin or having discomfort when the ring is on, it is more than likely too small.

Diamond Nexus understands that sizing is a BIG part of your ring purchase and that’s why we offer one free sizing in the first 30 days of having your ring!  When possible, I always urge people to stop in either retail location to be sized and send out your ring for repairs.  When that’s not possible, any of our Customer Service Reps would also be more than happy to help you.

Once you do get your ring and you find that the sizing needs to be adjusted, I always advise people to do it sooner than later.  I completely understand the joy of having it….and not wanting to give it up!!  But, especially in cases of it being to big, insuring that it has the proper fit and size, guarantees a more enjoyable experience of wearing it.

 

A customer photo of the Talya that we Love!

This customer photo is of the elegant and petite Talya engagement ring with a .56 ct. Princess cut center and the men's Sawyer wedding band in Tungsten. The woman's ring is from the Diamond Nexus collection of affordable petite engagement rings and the man's band comes from the ultra-tough Tungsten collection that is perfect for men who need a stronger metal for their rings.

A Customer Photo of the First Love Engagement Ring

(picture taken by: Michelle Ann Allard and Emily Strong)

 A customer recently shared this lovely photograph of the First Love solitaire engagement ring from Diamond Nexus. We love how they captured the beauty of the eco-friendly engagement ring against natural elements of Birch bark~ truly a lovely combination~


 

What’s In A Name? Part 5

By the Green Queen

Sometimes when new jewelry comes to us in matching sets, I like to give them matching names as well.  I’ve already mentioned how some pieces are named because they remind me of other pieces that we’ve had for awhile, but these are pieces that were given complementary names right from the start.

Speechless, Breathless, and Limitless.

Breathless

Speechless

Limitless

These mix-and-match stackable rings came out for Valentine’s Day in 2011.  We loved the adorable “XO” look, as well as all the different ways these rings could be combined.  Since they were all Valentine’s Day pieces and were intended to be bought in sets, I wanted them to have romantic matching names.  For the “X” ring, I went with the name “Speechless,” because the “X” represents a kiss and talking isn’t really something you can do in the middle of a very deep kiss.  For the “O” representing a hug, “Breathless” was chosen for the way a really big bear hug can squeeze the air out of you.  (In a good way.)  But it was the heart shaped ring that really had me stuck for awhile.  The other two rings were named for things that a person would NOT be able to do.  The heart, obviously, represents love…but what CAN’T a person in love do?  Nothing, really.  I went back and forth for awhile with some names that really didn’t make sense until “Limitless” popped into my head, and I knew right away that it was right.  Limitless: because in love, nothing can stop you.

Speaking of love…Ariel and Miranda.

Ariel

Miranda

Around the time these rings came out, I had just seen a fantastic performance of Shakespeare’s The Tempest performed by Optimist Theatre, a non-profit theatre company out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin that performs free Shakespeare In The Park in the summertime.  We’re talking phenomenal professionals who bust their backs on a bare-bones budget for this labor of love, and it really showed.

Jocelyn Fitz-Gibbons as Miranda and Andrew Voss as Ferdinand

Jim Pickering as Prospero and Angela Iannone as Ariel

This performance quickly became my favorite adaptation of The Tempest.  I loved how rich and complex every character was.  Among my favorites were Miranda and Ariel.  In the text, Miranda is the sweet and dutiful daughter of the sorcerer Prospero, and Ariel is a spirit of the air who was captured by Prospero to be his servant.  But in the performance, there was so much more to them.  Miranda was indeed sweet and innocent, but also a bit of a wild child with a fiercely passionate heart.  Ariel was ethereal and tricky, but also powerful and seductive, and had a complicated relationship with her master.  To commemorate these performances, I chose two rings that had a very airy, feminine quality to them and named them for these two characters that I loved.

How one Diamond Nexus fan found love and the ring of her dreams with a Midnight Train

The Midnight Train custom made with a Princess cut center stone

I’m sure many of you have seen me around the Diamond Nexus Facebook page as the resident part time customer service rep. Whether I’m answering questions, giving advice and experience, or pointing customers in the right direction when looking for that perfect ring, I’ve always enjoyed helping all of you because with every question and comment I found something new. Be it a new design I overlooked or a pairing I never thought of trying. But because of the questions that have been asked or comments being made, I have spent many hours (even if I hate to admit it) on the Diamond Nexus website and I found myself asking this question… How do they come up with names for your favorite Diamond Nexus engagement ring? Or how awesome it would be to name your own piece? I love the originality of names and how well they fit each piece of beautiful jewelry. In passing conversation I mentioned how awesome it would be to name something and was given the opportunity to actually name an upcoming Diamond Nexus engagement ring!! I knew right then what I would want to name it. I present to you, Midnight Train.

This ring is named in honor of my first date with my now fiancé. After a great dinner, neither of us wanted to deal with the crowd of a movie theater and decided a rented movie at his house was the best alternative. Neither of us can remember the movie we attempted to watch because we were so lost in our conversations of interests and similarities. The movie soon was over and our conversation continued. Before we knew it, it was after midnight and I needed to be home for work the next morning. Not wanting the night to end, we got in his truck and started the trip to drop me off at home but not far from his house were stopped at a railroad crossing by an approaching train. We started counting the cars, but soon realized the train was slowing down…and backing up. As the train began to back up, I got comfortable in the middle seat with his arm around me and we attempted to keep track of which cars we had counted and which ones we hadn’t. We spent the most AMAZINGLY memorable 45 minutes of our first date in his truck, after midnight, laughing and counting the cars of a train that couldn’t make up it’s mind whether it was coming or going. At nearly 2am I arrived at my doorstep, knowing this man was going to change my life. Little did I know, five years later, he would ask me to marry him with a ring WE NAMED presented in a little pink toolbox. It was the second most perfect moment of my life.

The Midnight Train reminds me of that first date every time I look at my hand. The row of five round side stones on each side of the center stone represent our separate lives before we met at the middle, center stone, and created a love much greater than either of us could have ever imagined. The trellis setting crisscrosses just as the railroad crossing sign we parked next to as we laughed and counted that perfectly timed train goodbye. I hope that with the Midnight Train you will be able to share with the love of your life how grateful you are that your path crossed theirs and made your lives complete.

Save 20% right now with our flash sale!

As a special treat to our amazing customers we're having a flash sale for the next 24 hours!  Customers can get 20% off all non-sale items simply by using the code FLASH20 at check out.  Unfortunately this doesn't include custom or Dreambook items but everything else on the site is fair game.  If you've been thinking about a Daimond Nexus piece than now is the time to do it since the sale ends Friday, May 18th at 5pm CST!  Don't delay, great bling awaits!

Some Amazing Deals with Esteals

Diamond Nexus releases ESteals of the Week on Thursday mornings. This special sale offers customers the chance to purchase custom rings and specially made items at a fraction of the cost! Affordable engagement rings, pendants and other jewelry pieces are featured. Rings stay on the site until they are sold out and there are usually just one of each item, unless specified so they sell out very fast! Check out all of the deals at this link: http://www.diamondnexus.com/e-steals


Here are several of the rings that Diamond Nexus is showcasing this week. Rings are noted as to what they can be sized to.
 

,

Jen's Budget Travel Tips

So, my boys are not little anymore and the appeal of theme parks is lost on them. Mother's Day was approaching and all I wanted was a day spent having fun and hanging out as a family. But I knew that we would have to do something that would keep their attention and interest. It just had to be cool. There was a famous saying that a supermodel once said: "We don't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day" but if you were to talk to teenagers I feel like the saying would be " We don't log off of the computer for anything less than daredevil type stunts."

I decided to use our family's Christmas present from Grandma and take the kids ziplining for Mother's Day!  The idea would be to jump in the car early on a Saturday morning and come back that night. The whole family would be going, including my brother, making this event even more exciting for the kids! Finding a time when everyone would be free to leave town could have been difficult but when I booked this trip, I told everyone a month ahead and kept reminding them so that no one would forget.


We went to an awesome place in the Wisconsin Dells called BigFoot Ziplining. They have 6 lines that zigzag through their park in beautiful terrain, above trees and water, giving you breathtaking scenery as you zip down the line going very very fast! it was great exercise but it was also quite exhilarating. My kids loved it, all of the grown ups loved it and the final verdict was that we all would go again in a heartbeat. In fact, it could easily become an annual family outing. Now to convince Grandma that she needs to try it too. The oldest person to have ziplined there was 83! The youngest was 3.

Minimap of the BigFoot Ziplining Course

Jen from Diamond Nexus~ Hangin' Out 

 Our guides were probably the best ziplining guides ever. Hands down, these guys were were high energy and hysterical. They made sure everyone was having an amazing time. We laughed the entire trip and would actually request Nick and Cole specifically the next time we come to town. "Nicole" the team, like super groups  Bennifer and Brangelina before them, are truly a super couple. So be prepared, their charisma is magnetizing!

Part of the fun was just driving out to the Dells, which was about 2.5 hours from where we live in Milwaukee. My kids still haven't grown out of their love for road trip foods at truck stops. And for some reason, I never mind dropping $10 on random candy and snacks for them. It seems to make us all feel quite nostalgic for the good ole days when they were small and no matter what I remembered to pack for a trip, and let me tell you, I brought everything, there was always something delicious  that the kids would talk me into getting for them.

I will never forget the time that my son and I entered a convenience store somewhere along the way to South Dakota. It was a very hot day and he was craving a slushy. He was about 10 years old. His world was all about Pokemon, football and cool refreshing sugary treats and this store had probably six different flavors of slushy, all ice cold and brightly colored. He approached the machine with a spring in his step and began to fill the largest cup available.

A short time into the pouring, probably less than 4 seconds, things took a horrible turn. The handle broke off in his hand. I looked at him, he looked at me. It was all over. The magnificent slushy machine was now pouring all of its glorious contents onto the floor, the clean white floor.

 My son and I gasped. We called for help. Not knowing what to do, either grab cups and try to catch the oozing sticky drink or just stand back helplessly, I froze. My son took a step towards the machine just before one of the workers came around a corner and stopped him. He had been preparing to do what any kid would do in that scenario. He wanted to try to save as much slushy by mouth as possible but he chickened out once the worker came over to begin the clean up.

She was extremely nice and surprisingly calm about the whole accident and as we left the store quickly and empty handed, we made sure to hold our laughter until we were out of ear shot. The trip would forever be known as the time that my son broke an Icee machine. But to this day, he regrets not jumping underneath it and drinking the flowing slush as it poured out from the machine.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there! I hope you had a wonderful day and enjoyed some quality time with the little people that you love :) They grow up way too fast. (Yes, Mom, you warned me about that!)

More Inspiration for Indie Weddings

Hi everyone! For those of you who liked the photos we posted from Artist Group Photography last week, check out the video they just released!  It features our  Diamond Nexus "Venice" affordable engagement ring with a lovely rose colored stone!

 Tell us what you think about the shoot. The vintage headpieces were created by The Brass Rooster of Milwaukee! What are you wearing for your wedding? Feather? Flowers? A veil? We'd love to know what you think!

Bike to Work Week!

By the Green Queen

Did you know that May is National Bike Month?  Not only that, but May 14-18^th is National “Bike To Work” Week!  Diamond Nexus loves finding new, affordable ways to live eco-friendly, and this is a great one.  It really “greens” up your commute, saves gas money, and is fantastically healthy.

But there are good and not-so-good ways to go about a biking commute, especially if you’re not used to it yet.  Here are a few pointers.

1.) Make sure your bike is the correct size, and is set at the proper height.  There are a few different ways you can determine this, (such as using a chart like this one) but a good way to check the seat height is to sit on it and reach for the ground with your feet.  Only your tippy toes should be able to touch.  When you pedal, your leg should have only a slight bend in the knee when fully extended downward.  Any more than that, and your seat is too low.  You won’t be able to get the most power out of your pedaling, and you’ll likely tire yourself out or even put undue strain on your joints.

2.) Bring water with you.  Even if you live very close to work, you don’t want to underestimate how fast you’ll dehydrate.  Remember: once you start to feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.  So drink water before you feel like you need to, and you’ll keep yourself going strong the whole way.

3.) Don’t forget food!  Water is important, but your body needs fuel too.  Make sure to eat a good breakfast before you leave.  Keep it a bit light, though, so it doesn’t weigh you down and make you feel sick.  You may even want to bring some small snacks with you, like almonds or raisins, to keep feeding the “fire” as you go.  Just please, please be sure you can reach them without taking your eyes off the road or losing control of the bike.  Nobody wants to tell the emergency room nurse: “Well, it all started when I was trying to eat a raisin…”

4.) HELMET!  HELMET HELMET HELMET!  Check out these guidelines** for how to properly fit a bike helmet.

5.) Know your limits.  If you haven’t biked very far in awhile, give yourself plenty of time to make the ride as well as time to warm up and cool down.

Happy biking!

Check out the engagement ring that Floyd Mayweather gave his fiance!

Floyd Mayweather and fiance Shantel Jackson

A ring made almost entirely of diamonds in a platinum setting

American Boxer Floyd Mayweather is currently undefeated, has won 7 world titles, holds the WBC Welterweight Championship title and has also been rated the best pound boxer in the world, by such names as ESPN and Sports Illustrated.

This super star is estimated at having a net worth of $115 million dollars. So when he went looking for the perfect engagement ring for his fiance, the pricetag was not something that he was too concerned about. Though the estimates on the cost of this ring are rumored to be in the millions, most couples don't want to spend even a fraction of that.

So if you like the style of this ring but you really want to purchase a much more affordable engagement ring, check out Diamond Nexus. 

We have some very similar rings available on our website, like the Pompeii shown here:

Pompeii Engagement ring

 Or, if you want to have a ring with less gold and more stones, then contact our Nexus Design Studio to custom make an engagement ring like the one that Floyd Mayweather bought for his fiance.

Happy Mother's Day from Diamond Nexus

An Indie themed Wedding Shoot!

By Meg Strobel

 

Check out this amazing shoot from Artist Group Photography! We just love these shots. Diamond Nexus was thrilled to partner with fashion photographer Katy Rowe of Artist Group photography for her latest "Indie Bride" inspired shoot. (See that ring amid the blooms? That's the Venice engagement ring by Diamond Nexus with a beautiful rose stone.) We love the Indie Wedding trend because we believe a stylish wedding should be affordable on every budget! 

For more information about Artist Group Photography or to see more images from the shoot "Like" Artist Group Photography on Facebook.

 

 

 

The Venice Engagement Ring on the left is from Diamond Nexus

 

Mom deserves the very best!

Mother's Day is right around the corner. What are you planning on doing for the woman who means the most to you? Certainly, the most important thing to do is spend some time with mom. Shower her with attention and lots of sweet gestures.

 When it comes time to choose a card for her to open, do you opt for the Hallmark classics? There is definitely nothing wrong with them, but I have always been a fan of making homemade cards. It puts a touch of added icing to the cake, winning you lots of extra bonus points with mom!

 

 

Martha Stewart Living

You can get very creative on an extremely small budget using items that are already found in your household.Pictures of the kids will always be a winner with every mother!

Spinning Greeting Cards

 

 

For the sentimental, check out this lovely idea, using old family photos:

Family Tree Photo Cards

Most of all, just remember that even though it is her special day, your ultimate goal should be to remind her that she is special and important and much appreciated every single day.