Cocktails anyone? Raise your right hand if you love cocktails at Christmas – is there a better time, its party season after all!

You’ve got your new cocktail dress a Bellini in your hand and wait – what’s that?……. the most stunning cocktail ring on your Right Hand. This must be the ‘girl power’ of the Naughties. This is the beautiful ring you get to choose for yourself! No waiting for this baby. Cocktail rings have taken off and in this new millennium they are known as the ‘Right Hand Ring’.

Apparently there is a saying that goes “The left hand is for thee, the right hand is for me,” So get yourself a ring to celebrate – what are we celebrating? Independence, happiness, empowerment, individuality – anything you like!

Since 2004 the big hitters in fine jewellery such as The Diamond Trading Company (the marketing arm of De Beers), as well as large and small jewellery houses around the world, have been pushing the right-hand ring. De Beers, the marketing driving force behind diamonds all over the world now says “Your left hand rocks the cradle, your right hand rules the world” The New York Times even introduced the term “bling” finger.

What does a right hand ring look like? Traditionally cocktail rings were extremely large, ostentatious pieces women were wearing in the 1940’s & 50’s. Now it looks however you want it too. If you Google “cocktail ring” or “right hand ring Images” the styles are endless. Many women opt for colour (e.g. Amethyst, Pink Topaz, Citrine) and surround it with tiny diamonds to bring out the bling. Stefano Canturi has been quoted as saying. “Because the choice of a right-hand ring is usually a strong reflection of who you are, your taste and style, it should be worn as often as possible”.

Despite what De Beers would have you believe you don’t have to pay thousands for a cocktail ring. While diamonds are, of course, fabulous, there are many different ways a girl can express herself with a right hand ring. Price points differ hugely. Have a look at the styles Jan Logan has been creating. If you look on her website under semi-precious she has a range of 9ct cocktail rings which are quite affordable. The choice of stone will make a huge impact on price. Precious stones (diamonds, rubies, emeralds) will be the most expensive but the semi precious stones can be similarly stunning. Cabochon –cut (polished, not facetted) has been forgotten lately but in a simple 9ct setting can be absolutely stunning.

	It turns out that many of those fabulous diamonds worn by celebrities at the Golden Globes were in support of the Raise Your Right Hand Ring for Africa campaign, which raised $30,000 for three projects that will directly benefit the people and communities in Africa, according to the Diamond Information Center (DIC).
Angelina’s emerald makes a statement all of its own!
	The Sex and the City girls donned knuckle-sized diamond right-handers for their final episode party. And Halle Berry slipped a notably flashy rock on to her right hand in her film Catwoman. Kristin Davis, left, and Sarah Jessica Parker sport their diamond right-hand rings by Fred Leighton at their end-of-series party for Sex and the City. Picture: Albert Ferreira
When you get this beautiful ring you’ll have to show it off so wrap your hand around a beautifully simple cocktail like this Bellini ½ Fresh Peach Chilled Champagne Blend peach into puree in blender, spoon into serving glass then top with chilled champagne So maybe you better not tell your left hand what your right hand is doing! (It’s going to be jealous!!)

The Recipe for an ED’lectable Engagement Ring!

INGREDIENTS
1 x couple ready to commit their lives to one another
1 x brilliant jeweller with at least 30 years experience
Your choice of beautiful diamond
Your choice of precious metal
Unique Design
Superb workmanship
Unsurpassed customer service
Optional: extra diamonds for garnish; filigree; engraving

METHOD
Combine the couple in pleasant, private surroundings with their wonderful jeweller.
Pour in design ideas, photos and sketches.
Separate the most beautiful diamond you can find.
Fold diamond gently into design and shape mixture into stunning ring.
Finish with a lifetime workmanship guarantee, diamond grading report and independent valuation.

Serves: 2

Wine match: Your favourite sparkling!

So you’ve decided… you’ve found the one and no-one else will do! CONGRATULATIONS! This is a very exciting time in your life.

Now many couples will choose to buy a ring together but for those romantic souls who would like the proposal to be a surprise here are a few hints you might find helpful.

Have a look at the kind of jewellery your partner wears already.

• Take particular note of the colour gold ( e.g. white/yellow/rose) or perhaps they prefer platinum?
• What colour stones are they wearing or are diamonds the only answer?
• What shape of diamonds do they prefer? Round Brilliant and Princess cut are the favourites at the moment but there are many more beautiful shapes to choose from
• Perhaps they are fond of their birthstone
• What style of jewellery do they prefer? Do they have a classic elegant style, a bold contemporary look, a casual bohemian nonchalance, a penchant for historical e.g. art deco or an avant-garde flair?
• Sometimes they may have work issues where a very hard wearing style set low on the finger may be more appropriate.
• Check your account balance. Knowing your budget is an extremely important step!
• Educate yourself about diamonds. www.dcla.com.au have great information and you can also find out about diamond grading reports.
• Have a really good look around the jewellery shops to understand the types of jewellery that are available and what is available within your budget.
• Take your partner shopping! Perhaps it’s time for a birthday present or just a gift of love, you could search out a lovely pair of earrings all the while taking extra notice of their likes and dislikes.
• Best friends, sisters and Mum’s can be a great help with these choices (Just make sure they can keep a secret!!)
• Sizing is always an issue with the surprise ring. If she already wears a ring on that finger see if you can ‘borrow’ it while they’re not looking and have it sized at the jeweller. Just remember that all the fingers will be slightly different sizes so you need to size the correct one! (4th finger on left hand is the traditional one!) One of our lovely clients tried a beer can ring pull on his girlfriend’s finger as a ‘joke’ it fitted perfectly! The above assistants can also be helpful with this!

Give yourself plenty of time for research and planning and time for the ring to be designed, created and valued.

So to a story of engagement….. and how could a proposal be more romantic that at the Eiffel tower? A client of mine flew to Ireland to ask for permission from his girlfriend’s family, they then flew to Paris where he proposed at the Eiffel Tower.
(The answer was a very definite Yes!)

What is Engagement? Well the dictionary provides us with this definition “A mutual promise to marry” Unfortunately it also says “a hostile meeting of opposing forces in the course of war” I guess this could apply a little later down the track!!!

In many cultures, traditions of engagement, betrothal, and other forms of the commitment to marry extends back thousands of years.  Engagement gave the families of the bride and groom and their community, opportunities to voice concerns or objections. On a more positive note they had time to prepare and plan for the wedding. Successful engagements provided a solid spiritual, financial, social, and family foundation for the married couple.

I was going to write about the ‘Rules Of Engagement’ but luckily for us there really doesn’t seem to be anything that we must adhere to.

We no longer have to provide a dowry of cows etc. and the groom does not need to pay a ‘Bride’s Price’. When families arranged marriages, they were trying their best to guarantee their children a pleasant and comfortable life. The bride was expected to bring a “dowry” of money, jewels, animals, or something of substantial value to the marriage. It was provided by the family of the bride and portrayed her perceived worth. On the other hand, the groom paid a “brides price” to her family and promised to faithfully support the bride.  The traditional bridal trousseau, or hope chest, originated in France and came from the French word trousse, meaning bundle.

So many weird and wonderful traditions surround betrothal. Here’s a couple I found that were new to me!

In medieval Brittany, a man wishing to marry left a hawthorn branch at the door of his beloved on the first day of May.  If she returned the branch to his door, his proposal was accepted.  If, instead, he found a cauliflower at her door the next day, he was rejected. In Finland, the bride-to-be was considered “snobbish” if she did not go door-to-door to receive her gifts in a pillowcase. Accompanying her, an elderly married man, carrying an umbrella (for shelter), came along and was given a drink at each door (Lucky him!).  Today, an umbrella is used as a decoration symbolizing “protection”.  This custom can be included in the wedding by having the bridesmaids carry “parasols”.
                      
Historians do not seem to have a clear idea of exactly when the engagement ring became a standard gift to symbolize the promise to wed. The tradition of the future husband giving his intended an engagement ring may have begun in ancient Rome. It is certain that the exchange of rings in the marriage ceremony predates the giving of an engagement ring, and that the customs related to engagement itself also existed long before the engagement ring became the most prevalent custom.

In a variety of pre-Christian religions, simple wreaths of interwoven rushes, or a small ring woven from the hair of the betrothed, were used to represent a future commitment. Tracing history back to the early Roman Empire finger rings called betrothal rings were given by men to their fiancé to indicate their intention to wed. During this period of history rings of gold were not worn – iron was used to make finger rings. Betrothal rings were not set with gemstones.

Later in history gold was used in the construction of betrothal rings. A commonly used design was that of love knots in gold or silver that quite often could be separated. A part was given to the potential bride and groom at the betrothal ceremony. The two parts of the whole were then reunited on the wedding day.

The practice of engraving the inside of the ring became popular in the 16th century. A poesy (simple sentimental statement such as ‘I love you’) was engraved on the outside and inside of posy rings during that period and the practice has endured with the engraving of initials and the engagement date on the inside of the ring.
  
The current tradition of the diamond engagement ring dates back to the 1800’s in Europe and America. Diamonds were at first exceedingly rare, and their hardness, brilliance, and value lent an extravagant air to the act of proposal. As time went on, more diamond veins were discovered and the gem became more widely accessible. Smaller diamonds became relatively affordable even among less wealthy members of society. The diamond industry grew, and marketing such as the "Diamonds are Forever" ad campaign of the DeBeers Company resulted in the diamond being the standard gem for engagement rings. The diamond also has favourable properties in myths and legends. For the couple being married the most important is that the diamond is said to bring loyalty and fidelity.

Times have changed and, although it seems as emotionally important as ever before, today’s engagement traditions are tailored to suit the couple’s tastes, no matter how romantic or radical.  The old rules don’t seem to apply anymore.  A modern couple may even have their own wedding web page for the purpose of updating guests about upcoming plans for the ceremony as well as the personal and professional backgrounds of the couple. Sometimes, the page will include romantic stories about them, including where they met and how they became engaged. 

I’ve tried to find out how many proposals happen at the Eiffel tower but it seems no one is keeping track of the millions of visitors they have there. There are a few celebrity couples who have used the tower for their most romantic proposal. Tom Cruise proposed to Katie Holmes at the Eiffel Tower. Katie received a five carat oval diamond set in rose gold and platinum in a vintage, art deco design with a split shank. Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster also became engaged there. Penny has a princess cut diamond rumoured to be worth 50,000 pounds. Kate Moss got engaged to Jamie Hince and apparently bought her own engagement ring rumoured to be worth $190,000.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYF1wTprVps

Now I know they weren’t engaged at the Eiffel tower but this ring deserves a mention. Beyonce Knowles was engaged to Rapper Jay Z and received an 18CT E colour internally flawless emerald cut solitaire and, according to the jeweller Lorraine Schwartz, it is worth $5 million.

I don’t think I can top that for engagement rings so I’ll just leave it there!

My favourite French quote, regarding Champagne:

Madame Lily Bollinger:

“I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad.
Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone.
When I have company I consider it obligatory.
I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and I drink it when I am.

Otherwise I never touch it, unless I’m thirsty.

Let’s face it, faking it can be great! We can fake tans, eyelashes, boobs, hair, fingernails resumes and smiles.

We can “fake it ‘til we make it”. We can fake laughter , tears and our age!. When it comes to jewellery fake can be fabulous, a ring for every finger, we can buy enough to go with every outfit… but what if, for that special piece, we don’t want a fake – we want the real thing. How can we be sure that we’re getting what we want?… a best friend not a worst nightmare.

A beautiful diamond can be a dream come true but if something goes wrong it can be a costly mistake. According to The Gemmological Association of Australia (GAA) and the Diamond Guild of Australia (DGA) there is a growing number of Australians reporting being conned when purchasing jewellery. Many of these unfortunate people have purchased their diamonds online, overseas or from a disreputable seller. Stones sold as diamonds have turned out to be fake, synthetic, fracture-filled, inferior quality or treated. There are over 50 stones that can be mistaken for a diamond by someone who is untrained. Some of these are cubic zirconia, synthetic moissanite, white sapphire, white topaz, white zircon, synthetic spinel, synthetic rutile and high leaded glass (rhinestone).

There are some things you can do to help protect yourself:

• Learn the 4 C’s, (No, this is not Champagne, Chocolate, Clothes and Credit!) This is Colour, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight. Check out the Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA) website www.dcla.com.au. Even a little knowledge in this area can help. If your seller doesn’t understand them – pick up your Tom Gunns and run!
• Go to a professionally trained Jeweller. We have many fantastic manufacturing and retail jewellers in Australia. Some of the qualifications you could ask about are Apprenticeship Certificate, Diploma in Gemmological Studies, affiliation with the Jewellers Association of Australia (JAA www.jaa.com.au ), the GAA or the DGA.
• Ask your jeweller for a Diamond Grading Report – there might be an additional fee for this but it’s worth it. You can even have your diamond laser inscribed so that you never have to worry about it being swapped.
• Request an independent valuation by a Registered Valuer. This will also incur a small cost. Not only will this give you a retail value and photo of your piece it is also a valuable tool for insurance. Your Jeweller would probably be able to recommend one or go to www.ncjv.com.au which is the National Council of Jewellery Valuers website.
• Choose a seller with a genuine guarantee and after sales service. Online sellers have been known to sell synthetic moissonite as a diamond then close down when questioned only to open again under another name.
• When comparing prices of jewellery make sure you have comparable pieces otherwise it will be like comparing a Grbac gown with something from Fashion Fair. You must have similar quality diamonds but don’t forget the workmanship of the piece and the weight of your precious metal. Cheap imports will often be very light designs, have flimsy claws and be hollowed out underneath.
• When you finally have your new best friend home please contact your insurance company. Some insurers have specified contents for valuable items and some may need them to be insured under a separate policy. You don’t want to end up with a $500.00 pay out for your $5000.00 ring!

“I don’t exercise. If God had wanted me to bend over, he would have put diamonds on the floor”.

Joan Rivers

Working with many different people – designing their dream piece of jewellery – has amazed me at just how individual and exciting personal style can be. Beauty is expressed in a multitude of ways. In fine jewellery the design can be forever and fashions may fade quickly. People tend to design from their heart rather than what they see in the magazines.

"I don’t like standard beauty – there is no beauty without strangeness."
Karl Lagerfeld

Many designers find influence from their environment and their imagination but few would deny the influence of history. I would like to present a series of articles giving a brief explanation of the changes in jewellery styles from the 1890’s until today. Many of the design styles have continued to be represented over the years and reproductions abound.

Art Nouveau
This design period began around the 1890’s and was extremely popular in many countries until just before the First World War. The name was derived from Samuel Bing’s 1895 exposition in Paris “Maison de l’Art Nouveau” loosely translated this means “house of new art”. Bing dedicated his gallery to the works of artists such as Rodin, Gallè, Lalique, Toulouse-Lautrec and Beardsley. The Art Nouveau influence was found in architecture, furniture, drawing and painting but there was a profound influence on jewellery.

Lady of 1902 and Art Nouveau Fireplace. Photos from ‘Style in Costume’ by James Laver, 1949.

These two photos show the beautiful fluid lines and embellishment so popular in this era. The fireplace has a mythological medusa-like head as the centerpiece.

Art Nouveau designs often feature flowing and curved lines. Popular themes are nature (butterflies, dragonflies and birds), mythology and female forms. There was a great deal of influence from Japanese art and the movement was called Jugenstil in Germany, Modernism in Spain and Yellow Book Style in the UK (taken from a magazine of the time). Gold, enamel, pearls and cabochon stones featured often in the designs. Cloisonné – although created first by the Chinese in the 1700’s- was revived along with other beautiful enamelling techniques.

This necklace from René Lalique is called “Insect Woman and Black Swans”. It is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It was created with 18CT gold, enamel, Australian opals and Siberian Cabochon amethysts

Snakes are a common theme in Art Nouveau Jewellery. This Brooch is by Frèdèric Boucheron c. 1900. It was created using 18Ct gold, platinum, garnet, diamonds and emeralds. It is held in a private collection in New York.

If you find that this particular style of jewellery really inspires you please have a look at the Masriera website from Spain – these pieces will transport you to another time. www.masriera.es/

To bring this style into our century Cartier created this exquisite “Diamond Chain and Orchid Brooch Pendant” in 2005. It has been created in platinum and set with diamonds and rubelite Don’t be frightened at the thought of designing your own piece. It may not be as difficult or expensive as you think. Do some research and some brainstorming then take your ideas to a specialist in the field – just as you would take your ideas for the perfect home to an architect. That way you can have a forever piece. Something that is created especially for or by you, something that will suit your personal style and your budget, something you will love forever. “Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” Coco Chanel