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The Forever Rose™ - Gold Roses and More!

At The Forever Rose™ we offer a complete line of Gold Rose, Silver Roses, Platinum Roses, Lacquered Roses, Gold Orchids and Gold Rose Jewelry. Our products make the perfect gift for any occasion!

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Name: The Forever Rose™ - Gold Roses and More!
Location: Auburn, PA, United States

Real roses, perfectly preserved and dipped in 24K gold, silver and platinum to last forever! Unique Gifts, Unique shopping experience!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Celebrate your love with gold roses

The Rose is a symbol of eternal love and is also associated with beauty. In fact, everyone loves roses and wants to preserve them for life; but it is not possible because roses are delicate and fragile moreover, they are short lived. Well, if a rose dipped in gold metal becomes your best friend for life then what would you say! Yes, you heard it right, now there are roses that can be with you forever in the form of gold rose. In fact, it is a perfect way to showcase your love to your beloveds.
Gold roses are real roses dipped in 24K Gold. These roses will last a lifetime. This way you get to display your love and keep the rose too. The Gold rose is an ideal gift for someone who is close to your heart and the benefit with such a gift is that firstly it will be unique and will remind of you every time the person will look at it. Many people prefer these kinds of gifts over many conventional kinds of items, as they not only add uniqueness when displayed but also say a lot about the presenter’s personality. It is a priceless gift for various occasions like St. Valentine’s day, Christmas, rose day, mother’s day, and many other special occasions, including birthdays and wedding anniversaries. Although, this gift generally does not demand any occasion. And as far as gold rose is concerned it does not need a reason to be gifted.
Each rose is carefully hand-picked and selected in bigger sizes; in fact, a rose which has not completely bloomed is perfect for plating the rose in gold. However, these gold roses are available in a variety of sizes. Thus, you can pick one from fully opened, half bloomed and half opened bud with full stems.
Now you must be wondering that if the rose is real then how come it does not get affected by the process of electroplating. Well, it takes more than four days of rigorous toil and consumes over 40 steps to make one piece throughout production procedures. The gold rose is made by well trained skilled artisans and technicians. Each gold rose is unique in its own way and a one of a kind art piece in the world. Under the gold lies a blend of copper and nickel that adds durability and it lasts forever. So do not hesitate by thinking that it will not last or will get discolored with time. In fact, it is a good investment too as you get the gold plated rose in reasonable amount than any other gift made of gold. Overcome your inhibitions and buy that special gold rose for yourself or for someone who is very precious to you.


About the author:
Shreya Chaudhary -
www.deeprevelations.com

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Why Gold Roses Make the Perfect Holiday Gift Idea?

Ever hear of Gold Plated Roses? If not, don’t worry you’re not alone.

Through a highly specialized plating process, skilled artisans are now able to take real roses and plate them in precious metals such as 24K Gold, Silver and Platinum.
While fresh flowers die in a few days, plated roses will endure the test of time, making them an increasingly popular alternative to sending fresh flowers. Due to the complexity of creating these products, only a few manufactures exist in the entire world.

The Process:
The roses are carefully monitored during growth. When the size, shape and quality are at precisely the right moment the rose is picked and preserved. The preservation process is proprietary and the details are closely guarded.
Next, several layers of base metals are plated to the rose to provide strength. Finally, 24K Gold, Silver or Platinum is applied as the final layer. For the roses that the natural color of the rose is to show through, several layers of lacquer are applied. All work is done by hand. Each rose is unique, one-of-a-kind and no two are alike.
Gold Roses are also commonly known as Gold Dipped Roses or Forever Roses. The same holds true for Silver Roses and Platinum Roses.
These roses can be found in some jewelry stores and flower shops. When purchasing these roses online be sure to find a reputable dealer, one who specializes in Gold Dipped Roses, offers the complete collection, the most colors and styles, and has a good return policy. Try calling the company to see if they stock the roses (as opposed to drop-shipping them).

So when you need a great new gift idea give these a try!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael David - Web Designer/Developer -
Forever Rose Gifts

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Know Your Yellow Roses!

Yellow roses are beauties, aren’t they? Don’t they look beautiful on a sunny morning? Yellow roses say spring just their look and color. The yellow rose, while somewhat rare in its natural habitat, is becoming a popular item in the floral shop. Yellow roses might be what you are looking for, and if so, there are several ways to find the perfect yellow rose for your home or garden.

Yellow roses are one of a number of different colored roses that are available in garden centers and even discount department stores. But, there are so many varieties to choose from that you shouldn't limit yourself to whatever those places have on hand. Check out your local garden center for an idea of what they offer, but then explore the yellow rose varieties online as well. It is not a difficult task to find rose distributors who are able to supply yellow roses to the average customer. And, in doing so, you allow yourself to have many choices at your fingertips!

To find a distributor of yellow roses, simply use any major search engine like Yahoo or Google and type that phrase in. Hit go and you've got at your fingertips a wide selection of choices. Begin your search by comparing color, size, hardiness, and even price. Once you know what you want, try a couple of different places to find just the right characteristics and features available. With the Internet as a tool, it is easy to see how you can accomplish this in just a few minutes.
Remember to take into consideration the type of soil you will use, the surrounding area where you will plant the yellow rose, the amount of sun it will receive, and the temperatures it can tolerate. With all that said, finding gorgeous yellow roses isn't too bad of a task at all.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening Online Discount Shopping Guide

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The Meaning of Orange Roses: Passionate Love

Orange is a vibrant rose color which also talks of passionate love and desire other than red. Orange rose is an uncommon alternative to the usual red rose. This article shows off the characteristics and uniqueness of orange roses.
The blazing energy of orange roses makes it a truly unique rose among today’s popular flower species. Orange roses come in a wide variety of shades, from soft coral and peach to a bright, vivid sunset shade, bringing to mind passionate thoughts about romance, the sweetness of a citrus fruit, or the warmth of a glowing sunset. It’s no wonder that rose aficionados everywhere quickly found a soft spot for the vibrant orange rose when it was first introduced to the market. Orange roses never grew in the wild. Rather, they came about at the turn of the 20th century as the spread of hybridization techniques allowed flower cultivators to experiment on improving the scent and appearance of wild yellow roses. Cross-breeding throughout the years eventually produced the vibrant orange rose out of the yellow rose. Since the color orange is a literal mixture of red and yellow, people often view orange roses as the bridge between the feelings of friendship and platonic love brought about by yellow roses, and intense romantic love associated with red roses. Giving someone a bouquet of blooming orange roses could mean a sign of budding romantic feelings and the desire to take the relationship beyond the level of friendship. Due to the obvious connection between the colors of fire and intense, passionate emotions, orange roses also make appropriate gifts for a current love. Besides conveying feelings of young love, orange roses can also be given as an expression of fascination or a gift that says, “I’m proud of you.” – perfect for graduations and birthdays. Their dazzling shades efface negative energies and elicit inspiration and enthusiasm, making them the perfect gift for someone going through a rough patch or someone stuck in a hospital room. Try placing a vase filled with these orange flowers in the corner of a room and take note of the change in the atmosphere. Chances are, you will feel the room pulsating with life, energy, and warm feelings where there once was none. Orange roses are a unique alternative to the traditional red rose if you intend to convey the message of the heat of passion, the flames of love, and burning desire. As a platonic gift, they also work wonders by evoking positive feelings and the warmth of compassion. Show someone that you care for her deeply and that you wish her well by sending a bouquet of blooming orange roses.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This article was written by Timothy Spencer for Island Rose -
Florist Philippines. We hope you enjoyed this article and encourage you to visit our website. Through Island Rose, you can find high quality Roses Philippines or simply browse through our blog for more informative articles.

Monday, November 24, 2008

The Rare Blue Roses

Are you a rose lover? If so, or even if your not, Blue Roses are a variety anyone can appreciate. The Blue Rose is very rare, hard to find, and difficult to cultivate. Why is this? Are they available at all? To find out more information about Blue roses, keep reading.
Blue Roses are rare because they are difficult to cultivate. What does this mean? Well, in simple terms, the rose does not have blue pigment in its DNA therefore, does not allow itself to become blue even with scientists trying to make it happen, there is no true blue rose available today. But, there are alternatives.
One such alternative is to find Blue Moon Roses. These blue roses are beautiful in their fragile state. They are delicate and, simply gorgeous. While they look blue, they are a more lavender color. They give off a lavender scent as well. It blooms all summer long in beautiful color.
Another alternative to producing blue roses is to simply use dyes to change the color of the petals from white to blue. By placing a dye in the water the rose drinks, it creates a blue color in the leaves, petals, and stem. While the rose looks blue, it is not because it grew this way, but because of the dye.
So, if you are dead set on finding blue roses you may want to consider the above options. We continue to wait for scientists to develop a true blue rose. This rare beauty will bring great job to rose lovers everywhere.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening Online Discount Shopping Guide

Sunday, November 23, 2008

All About Miniature Roses

Miniature roses are exactly what they sound like. They have all of the fragrance and beauty of a regular rose, but they have smaller blooms. These particular roses are great for indoor planting.
Miniature roses are one of many types of roses available widely. These roses, as their name implies, are smaller versions of the more common roses. They offer the same beauty and fragrances as their larger cousins. The consumer can find a large selection in a variety of colors and shape available to them. Caring for these miniature roses is no more difficult then caring for the larger variety. But, taking the time to learn about the miniature rose is key in maintaining them over a long period of time.
Miniature roses come in many colors and varieties. There truly is something to please everyone. These roses are great additions to a flower bed, window box or even inside the home or office as a potted variety. With so many choices available, the demand for these roses has risen. Once hard to find, they are now available in most garden centers and even in discount department stores as well. Now, this is not to say that the consumer can't find better, more hardy options other places.
If a consumer is dead set on a color, shape, or texture in their miniature rose, they should use the internet to help them find the right miniature rose for them. This is as simple as going a search in a search engine and finding wholesale sellers. There is a constant demand for miniature roses and in that they are always developing more varieties to please the public. So, many of these wholesalers can offer more then the local garden center can.
Anyone in the market for miniature roses needs to know their facts. The miniature rose is no different from other plants in that it needs certain elements to help maintain it. The soil type, sun exposure, and nutrients it needs all depend on the variety. Asking the retailer for this information is a must. Grab a book on caring for miniature roses if needed to give the most information possible. Doing all these things will lead to owning a beautiful miniature rose or several. It will also be the foundation of a love of miniature roses as well.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening Online Discount Shopping Guide

Saturday, November 22, 2008

The Meaning of Yellow Roses: Friendship and Well Wishes

Over the centuries since its introduction to Europe, the meaning of the yellow rose evolved. Yellow rose may acquired some pessimistic meaning; it developed a more positive connotation today. This article takes us back in time as it discusses how the meanings of yellow roses changed over the years.
The yellow rose might be younger than all the other rose colors, but that doesn’t make its history and meaning any less fascinating. Yellow roses were first discovered in the wild at parts of the Middle East during the 18th century. Before its discovery, roses were cultivated in shades of red, pink, and white. Once the first yellow roses were introduced to Europe, however, their popularity quickly grew. At around the time the yellow rose was introduced to the West, hybridization techniques and experiments on flower cross-breeding were being innovated and perfected. These experiments played an important part in the evolution of the yellow rose. What draws people to most flowers is their subtle, sweet-smelling fragrance – a trait that yellow roses from the Middle East did not share. In fact, the opposite was true; the first yellow roses had a pungent, unpleasant odor. Breeding and cultivation methods changed this, and rose hybridizers were able to slowly introduce the pleasing aroma that rose lovers enjoy. As the yellow rose evolved, so did the meanings people attach to it. The color yellow is associated with the sun, the source of life and warmth. The first civilizations worshipped the sun as a god because of its key importance to life on Earth. It’s no big surprise that for many Eastern cultures, the vivid color of the sun would hold positive meanings such as wisdom, joy, and power. When the yellow rose was brought to 18th century Europe, however, the color yellow had more negative overtones. As such, yellow roses were used as a symbol for dying love and jealousy for a long time. However, its negative meaning eventually got replaced by the more universal, positive meaning of the color yellow. Today, people commonly associate yellow flowers with joy, friendship, and delight. A bouquet of bright yellow rose blooms reminds its recipient of sunny, cheerful emotions like happiness and warmth. As opposed to the romantic meanings attached to red and pink roses, yellow roses are used as a symbol for friendship. Yellow flowers send the message of appreciation, gratitude, and platonic love without the romantic overtones of other rose colors. As such, they make the perfect gift for someone who’s sick at the hospital or who is generally feeling down. Yellow roses also promise new beginnings, which make them appropriate for occasions like graduations, birthdays, and homecomings. There is probably no other flower that can brighten up someone’s day the way a yellow rose can.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This article was written by Timothy Spencer for Island Rose -
Flowers Philippines. We hope you enjoyed this article and encourage you to visit our website. Through Island Rose, you can send Flowers to Philippines or simply browse through our blog
for more informative articles.

Friday, November 21, 2008

The Meaning of Pink Roses: Love and Gratitude

With its existence since the ancient times, pink roses acquired various species and shades that convey from love to gratitude to sympathy. From this, pink has been ranked the most popular rose, next from red. This article discusses how the pink rose evolved from the old times, gaining a number of meanings with it.
Pink roses are one of the oldest roses known to us and have a rich history that dates back to some of the earliest pieces of visual art. In the Talmud, it is written that pink roses are the only flowers allowed to bloom in Jerusalem; thus, they came to be associated with paradise. Pink roses were the dominant species of wild roses and were the first flowers to evolve into their present-day form. When roses were first cultivated in the 18th century for commercial use, most of them existed in shades of pink – from a pale, almost white to a deep crimson. With the development of hybridization techniques and the discovery of new rose species, flower growers introduced new shades of pink to the public. At around this time, roses were also imbued with the ability to bloom all throughout the year - a significant development since garden roses only blossomed once a year. As more shades and species evolved, each began to have their own meanings, and the meaning of pink roses became even more refined. Today, pink roses are known as symbols for love and gratitude. These pink flowers also carry undertones of elegance, grace, sweetness, and poetic romance. Because the pink rose was more prevalent over other garden-variety roses, it became strongly associated with these positive sentiments. Different shades of pink also carry their own meanings. Light pink roses symbolize admiration, gentleness, and can be used to bring messages of sympathy. Fuchsia-toned roses can mean appreciation and gratitude and are traditionally used to express thanks. As a decorative presence in the corner of a room, the aroma, color, and shape of a bouquet of pink roses can make everything look small and shabby in comparison.Due to the many ways where they can be used to express a wide range of meanings and emotions, pink is the most popular rose color, second only to red. The symbolic importance as well as the delicate appearance and sweet fragrance associated to all roses are traced back to the oldest of flowers – the pink rose. Although much has changed about it throughout history, pink roses have held a consistent, prominent place in the world of flowers. Today, pink roses have a unique position that represents refinement and elegance while communicating admiration and thanks. Any recipient of a bouquet of pink roses will not only be taken aback by their beauty; that person is sure to feel special and loved.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This article was written by Timothy Spencer for Island Rose -
Flowers Philippines. We hope you enjoyed this article and encourage you to visit our website. Through Island Rose, you can find Florist Philippines or simply browse through our blog for more informative articles.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Black Gold and Other Fancy Colors Of Gold

Black gold, blue gold, purple gold and many other colors of gold.
Are these really gold? Is such colored gold as strong as normal gold? How are these gold colors obtained. We are all familiar with white gold and yellow gold, but these fancy gold colors have now hit the market. And the truth is that little is known about these gold colors thereby keeping jewelry buyers in the dark. Most gold coloring processes are patended by a few big companies who keep the facts hidden from the general public.
To start with, these gold colors are gold and obtained by mixing different alloys into gold. This is similar to the process used to create white and yellow gold. The lack of sufficient knowlegde regarding these gold colors is true of jewellers too. That is the reason why maintaining and repairing these fancy gold colored jewelry is not an easy task.
With a variety of patented alloys used in the making of these gold colors, there is a special reason for concern for, people with sensitive skin that is prone to skin allergies. Given the entire mystery and secrecy that shrouds these gold colors, you need to wonder whether it is worth spending your money on them.
We have put together a detailed report on Black Gold and other gold colors and you can access this absolutely free. Follow the link shown below:
http://www.newsletter.kaijewels.com/gold-colors.htm



About The Author
www.kaisilver.com is the world's leading online provider of high end custom jewelry. All jewelry is high end with gemstones of your choice.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

A Rose is not Just a Rose

The rose is perhaps one of the most powerful symbols in the metaphysical world. It is also one of the most accessible tools that can be used for everyday magic. The gift of a rose is also one of the simplest ways to say, "I love you" without too much hocus-pocus. The thorns on its stems represent the "prick" of love and the overcoming of obstacles to achieve your desires. It is the pinnacle of metaphorical purity and symbolizes completion and perfection.
The element associated with the rose is Water, so it is particularly friendly to the astrological signs of Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio. Both Mercury and Venus rule this flower. A bath in rose petals or rose water (which is distilled from the buds) is said to attract love to the bathing beauty. An ancient custom is to sprinkle the bed of newly weds with rose petals to sweeten the initial carnal relations. In ancient alchemical formulas the red rose is used as a masculine principle and the rose represents the feminine or receptive principle. The combination of the two (perhaps growing the two bushes intertwined in the garden) represents harmony and unity. Rose oil, which is extracted through a rather expensive process from the petals of the flower, is also prominent in both love and healing rituals. When applied the temples the oil is said to cure a headache. When applied to the thighs or breasts it is supposed to attract a suitor. As an essential oil, the rose's essence is thought to relieve depression, PMS and postnatal depression. It is also said to cure frigidity and impotence. Bach's Herbal Remedies makes a distillation of the Wild Rose. Taking drops of this under your tongue is thought to help the patient free themselves from a rut or feelings of hopelessness and being trapped by fate. Rose water is used in cooking spells and added to curries and cake mixes to infuse the dish with good spirits and love attracting qualities. The water is also splashed on the skin (but not around the eyes) to give you a complexion as dewy as the flower.The rose historically also symbolizes the female genitalia and is associated with Cupid, Eros, Adonis, Aphrodite, Isis, Hathor, and Demeter. Rose water and rose petals are often used in magical rituals to honor these gods and goddesses.Although red roses are traditionally seen as symbols of lust, love and the flower also has a long association with such qualities as purity, compassion and divine perfection. The white rose in particular has an affinity with the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit.The color of the rose is also significant. Red roses symbolize love, sex and passion. Pink roses suggest friendship, joy, gratitude and fun. Yellow roses can symbolize enthusiasm, but according to some folklore, the yellow rose can symbolize deception or "the perfect crime." Orange roses signify enthusiasm, passion and a lust for life. White roses are symbolic of significant landmarks in life (such as death, birth and marriage), unconditional love, purity and innocence.The flower is not the only part of the rose that is used in divination and magic. To discover their romantic future, women used to take pluck three green rose leaves and name one after each of their suitors. The one that stayed green the longest was her soulmate. Rose hips can be strung like beads on a thread and worn as a necklace to attract love. Drinking rose-hip tea is thought to increase one's powers of prophecy.Ironically, for a flower that is often given as a gift, the most powerful roses are said to be those that have been stolen from another person's garden.



Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sam Steven's metaphysical articles have been published in many high-standing newspapers and she has published several books. You can meet Sam Stevens at
http://www.psychicrealm.com where she works as a professional psychic. You can also read more of her articles at http://www.newagenotebook.com where she is the staff writer. Currently she is studying technology's impact on the metaphysics.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Gold - Where To Find Gold, Where Is Gold Found? A Love Story About Gold

Prospecting for gold. A gold love story involving the elements of nature and a true story of gold.
Gold Nuggets - The Ultimate Love Affair
It was a barmy scorching hot day somewhere out in the Pacific Ocean, a rather nondescript place where the ocean waves heaved and sighed in their relentless rise and fall. A single particle a tiny droplet of water within the ocean felt itself being drawn upwards towards the ever increasing strong light above, to start on it's course an amazing journey, until now untold, a love affair between the elements, which would result in one very happy individual like you, holding in their hand, one of the most precious gifts known to man and a lifelong cherished memory of good and happy times.
Upon breaking the surface of the ocean, the particle of water felt itself being lifted up and away from the surface which was still heaving below. Along with billions of other similar particles of water, this particle felt itself rising higher and higher until the ocean home it had known for so long was now far, far below.
Swirling on the winds above, the feeling was very much similar to being in the watery deep which so far had been it's only memory, but this was altogether a totally new environment, at least she thought to herself, 'I Am not alone', for there were still billions of other particles of water also it seemed destined for this new and strange journey. What is to become of me the particle of water said to herself as yet another gust of wind carried her higher still.
Before too long, she happened to bump into another particle of water and together they held hands and talked about their individual journeys and how they had got to where they were now, it felt good all of a sudden not to be so alone, so they made a pact to try to bump into as many other friendly looking particles of water, for it felt as though at least, in the safety of numbers, they might at least defy this ever increasing upward lift that they were still experiencing, in the hope that one day, they might just be able to find their way home again, to the ocean which was now way, way below them.
In the very far distance storm clouds were brewing and as the day went by, they were drifting ever closer to their present position, high in the sky. By now their number had swelled to a very good number of them all holding hands together so that they did not lose any one of their fellow particles of water. Suddenly the storm system was upon them and they held hands ever tighter than before, grouping themselves together so that they formed by now a tiny droplet of water.
The storm was now gathering speed, rushing westwards and within several hours they saw land ahead. Some of the other particles of water in the great ocean had told them about this strange substance called land and the stories shared had always been rather fantastic, so although with a little trepidation and trembling they anticipated a great adventure ahead, one which they all knew individually one day they too would be sharing with other particles of water in the ocean, which was now starting to recede as they crossed over onto the land mass itself. The droplet of water all the while had been growing larger and larger in size and they could see now that many other particles of water had had exactly the same idea and were all now gathered together in little clumps bouncing and swirling around on the the swirls and rushes of wind which enveloped them. In fact there was quite the party atmosphere and everyone was immensely enjoying themselves.
On and on they flew over the land crossing first the coastal cities sitting on their rivers, up up and away they continued, the rolling landscape below in all it's shades of color, never had they all experienced something so exciting as this. Up ahead they could now see on the horizon a chain of mighty mountains. Suddenly they realised just how many of them there were in this single droplet of water and how heavy all of a sudden they were. You could certainly see them now with the naked eye and it was getting more and more difficult for them to stay airborne.
Before they knew it, they were right on top of the mountain range, when suddenly without warning a huge clap of noise thundered all around them, making every droplet of water quiver and shiver excitedly, when suddenly, slowly at first and then faster and faster they felt themselves falling towards the landmass far below.
Faster and faster they went, tumbling over and over and every other droplet of water around them was doing the same. Without warning they were right on top of the mountain when Plop! - they connected with it and instantly dissipated in many different directions. All the particles of water were highly surprised by the experience but at least the surface upon which they all now found themselves was wet, so they still had a very good feeling about the journey in front of them. Slowly and surely, they felt themselves still being drawn on downwards. Thankfully they had all landed on a rather friendly looking small tree, on one of it's leaves in fact, so sliding over the surface of the leaf, they approached the edge and again felt themselves falling, only this time, not so far, for the next leaf below them caught them safely where they thereupon repeated this several times, landing at last on the actual surface of the earth, and it actually felt very good. Calling goodbye to the tree and saying thank you for being so kind they now slid across the surface of this 'thing' that they had heard was called the ground, arriving shortly in a small puddle of water, where much to their delight, all the other particles of water with which they had shared their journey so far, were now in, with just the last few particles arriving.
All around it was still raining very heavily and already many other particles of water were far ahead of them down below on the mountainside, grouping themselves once again together in little rivulets and then tiny streams and then bigger streams and further ahead still, even greater torrents of water.
The puddle by now was really getting quite full, so joining together again, the droplet formed it's previous friendship with as many other particles as they could muster and they started to teeter towards the edge of the puddle. With a sudden swoosh they went over the edge to begin the great water roller coaster journey of their lives.
Somewhere below, the first torrents of water were now really gushing at full pelt, stirring up the rocks which too were starting to tumble all around them in the same direction. Such was the force of the water at this point, that some rocks were now becoming dislodged from the bedrock upon which they had been attached to for a very long time, and along with them, one small nugget suddenly felt itself being forced away from it's mother and this rock seemed to glow that much brighter than all the other rocks around it. Down and down further the nugget was forced to go and way above him, another droplet of water was experiencing similar emotions. Some time passed, many hours in fact and eventually the very heavy rain started to ease off, however, on the ground, all was still a very great turmoil, as everyone seemed to have the same purpose, which was to get as far down as possible.
The little gold nugget eventually came to a stop in a somewhat perilous location, caught by a tiny projection of rock. He surveyed the scenery flying past him. Billions of droplets of water rushing past, now and again lifting him slightly, before his weight conquered the force and he settled backwards again into his resting place. The water was getting stronger all the time though and he knew that eventually he would be lifted out again and most likely would continue his onward journey to the valley below.
A roaring noise assailed him just a few minutes later from further up the mountainside. Lo and behold it was the droplet of water now rushing downwards with an even mightier force of similar droplets, when suddenly the two came face to face for the very first time. Bang! 'Oh hello', said the droplet diving underneath the nugget of gold, and with another sudden whoosh, the gold nugget felt itself finally lifted up, over the edge of the little projection of rock which hither-to-fore had been holding him back and together they bounced and swirled downwards, finally reaching the valley floor. The gold nugget was ever so thankful to the droplet of water for depositing him in such a quiet and peaceful looking spot and he settled back into his new home, resting place. Checking that he was ok, the droplet swirled around in the eddy a few times, each time passing by the gold nugget and calling out, checking to see that all was well. On the final go around, they called out to each other and bade their goodbye's as the droplet joined the river which was now moving more slowly downstream
Meanwhile somewhere far away, another beautiful event was unfolding. A handsome young man was down on one knee and saying something to a gorgeous looking lady.
On and on the droplet of water journeyed, until eventually after the passage of quite some time, it felt itself tasting salt again and knew instantly that by now it must be very close to the ocean once more.
The nugget of gold was pleasantly pleased with his new surroundings too, the sunlight sparkled like a million diamonds above him and all around him were similar little tiny nuggets of gold just like him. The weeks passed into months, the seasons changed, the water level rose once more for a few months until once again, they dropped and their was a faint discernible difference in the temperture of the water. It was spring and then summer all over again.
Bouncing along the track in his four wheel drive meanwhile, a young handsome man was behind the wheel on one of his many expeditions into this part of the county to prospect for gold. He had already enjoyed quite a few successful seasons and was hoping that today too, he could turn up a decent yield of gold for the surprise gift he was hoping to give to his girlfriend, to whom he was now engaged. Upon arriving in a beautiful and serene very peaceful spot, he turned off the track, parked up and started to pull out his gold prospecting equipment.
He was pleased that by now, with several seasons experience behind him, that he had a few, very good lightweight tools that he knew would help him in his search for gold. He had a plan up his sleeve too, the gold that he found today, was to go with other gold that he had found on previous gold prospecting trips, and via a jeweler craftsman friend of a friend, he was going to have this made into a very beautiful wedding ring, with which to marry his girlfriend. She would see it for the very first time on the actual wedding day. Without further ado, he set to work, setting up the equipment and started the enjoyable experience of looking for gold using his sluice and panning equipment.
As the day was drawing to a close, he thought he would try just one more spot about fifty feet away from where he was presently toiling away.
The nugget of gold saw the shadow first above the surface of the water getting closer and closer and once again a warm glowing feeling came over him as he sensed with a degree of excitement that the next finger of his journey was about to begin.
This young man moved closer with something in his hand, a long tubular device. Suddenly this was right on top of the nugget of gold and with great surprise he felt himself being sucked up out of his lovely resting place and together with other silt and tiny stones and sludge, being conveyed towards the bank, whereupon he was put through several processes which involved being swirled around in a pan. After a very short while, there was less water in the pan than before and then suddenly with a whoop of joy, the man saw for the very first time the little nugget of gold, knowing instantly that he now had enough for his gold ring. Hooray! he thought, talking to himself about how he would have the ring designed.
So this is what is to become of me the gold nugget said to himself, I am to become a gold wedding ring, well, what finer privilege could I have than to help this kind man share his love with the lady of his dreams. What a beautiful item I am to become a part of and to think, everyone will admire me for so many years to come, what could be a more beautiful destiny?
The months passed by, the seasons came and went, the years rolled along and the gold nugget was very happy. He loved his new home, he loved what he stood for, he loved the fact that he was part of a symbol of eternal love and affection between two such very special people. Years rolled into decades and everything was very good.
As if it was yesterday, the couple walked along by the shore of the ocean, still holding hands, arms gently swinging, talking about their life so far together. Still very much in love, it was their golden wedding anniversary. Fingers joined, entwined together in love the little gold nugget could not be happier. The sun was warm and everything felt so very good. Laughingly the couple kicked off their sandals and walked together, the waves now and again rushing up to greet their toes scrunching into the soft golden sands. They embraced, her hand caressing his warm facial features, the gold ring glistened in the sun, a small wave crashed at their feet as they kissed and a tiny droplet of water flew upwards through the air and landed on her third finger onto her gold wedding ring. Everything had come around once again, full circle.



Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark P Andrews is the co-owner of GoldsGold
- a really good website all about the beautiful and highly precious element of gold, providing advice on equipment needed for prospecting, how to search for gold, where to buy gold, how and where to buy gold claims, where to find and buy the best metal detectors for gold prospecting, gold panning, gold sluices etc

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Man White Gold Rings

It is commonly believed that white gold man rings do not look good and masculine. This is perhaps the main reason why man rings in white gold are quite hard to find. Jewelry designers and sellers have played by the market trend and avoided white gold for men's rings.
There is only one possible reason that has led to this belief. White is a color that is associated with something fine and delicate and therefore thought to be unsuitable for men's rings and jewelry. Design research has proved that a few features implemented into man white gold rings would make them look great for men. Some of these features are good suggestions for men's white or yellow gold rings.
(1) Good gold weight is the beginning of a good white gold ring for men. The good weight ensures that the ring gets a full and masculine feel. It also helps to make the ring sturdy and increase the long term durability of the ring. The good gold weight will also ensure that the gemstone remains firmly mounted in the ring. White gold male rings if made with low gold weight, would most likely appear to be dainty and feminine.
(2) Single gemstone designs are ideal for man white gold rings. A fairly large single gemstone set in a white gold ring for men creates an impression of being solid and assertive. This goes well with the personality of most of today's men. Many small gemstones instead of one large gem make the ring look cluttered and also need more looking after. The large gemstone in your man white gold ring need not be an expensive gemstone. Stay within your budget and go for affordable gems. London Blue Topaz, Onyx, Jade, Red Garnet, Citrine are some of the possible medium price gemstones.
(3) When choosing a gemstone for your white gold ring, choose darker shades of your favourite gems. Deep blue topaz, deep red garnet, very deep yellow citrine, smoky quartz are such medium priced gemstones. If you prefer rubies then remember that white gold male rings look better in square or octogonal shapes. With blue sapphires almost all shades are fine and the important thing is to keep the gemstone a bit large. One small note here, ensure that the gems are not very dark as that would make them appear almost black when contrasted against the white gold.
(4) Keep a broad ring band width throughout. You would have noticed many male rings where the head height of the ring is around a centimeter (10mm), the band width reduces drastically for some reason and ends up at a mere 2mm to 3mm behind the finger. This may save you a few grams of gold but also ruins the overall impression of the ring. Ideally a man ring with a ring head height of 1cm should have a band width behind the finger that is at least 5mm to 6mm. Besides being vital for the overall impression of the ring, this feature also helps in adding durability to the ring.
(5) Solid gemstone mounting is another important factor. Prong settings for gemstones make the ring appear a bit delicate and light. Prongs also tend to get stuck in pockets and other places. This causes the prongs to open up and loosen the gemstones. Ensure that the gemstone is well protected and bordered with gold. This will give your man white gold ring a broad and solid feel and also protect the gemstone from side impact.
(6) Remember that 14k white gold is much harder than 18k white gold. Given today's active lifestyles that men lead, we would strongly suggest 14k white gold for your man white gold rings. 18k gold is softer than 14k gold and that makes the work of your jeweller a bit easier, but the idea is to get a jewel that is strong and durable so take note of this suggestion.
The above are some of the best advice that you will ever get. Few jewellers reveal all these facts as they prefer to play to market trends and beliefs rather than, educate buyers. There is an oft repeated phrase for jewelry buyers and that is '... to value the jeweller before you value the jewelry'. Shop from a jeweller with a reputation for service and an experience in high end jewelry.
You can see a few suggested designs for man white gold rings at: http://www.kaisilver.com/male-white-gold-rings.htm



Ms.Tuk http://www.kaisilver.com
About The Author
Ms.Tuk has is Senior Manager at
www.kaisilver.com which is the leading online provider of high end custom jewelry from Thailand.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Wonderful White Gold Wedding Rings

The elegant and sophisticated look of glittering, gleaming gold. There’s nothing quite like it.
Some people never grow tired of the look of pure gold jewelry. Gold, being our most precious metal, is often a first choice among couples looking for that perfect gold wedding ring.
While yellow gold remains very popular with the wedding crowd. Many people prefer the brilliant hue of a white gold wedding ring.
White gold will look beautiful on you whether you’re a man or a woman. You can find online a great selection of white gold diamond wedding rings and white gold wedding ring sets. Also, if you’re looking for something a little fancier that can also become a piece of wonderful keepsake jewelry, white gold makes a very elegant engraved wedding ring that can be passed on to future generations.
The one thing you need to be aware of when buying a white gold wedding ring is that it will need periodic maintenance in order to keep it’s luster.
To obtain it’s much desired glittering white color, white gold is coated with another alloy called Rhodium (the natural color of white gold is really light gray). Rhodium will wear down after a while, so to maintain your ring’s luster, you’ll need to visit your local jeweler about every 12-18 months and have it re-plated with a new coating of Rhodium. The cost for this should be very reasonable.
Whether you’re looking for a plain gold wedding band, or a wedding ring with sparkling diamonds, white gold is an excellent choice for those looking for something a little extra special.



About The Author
Copyright 2004 Donna Monday One special moment. One special ring.
http://www.1-love-rings.com

Friday, November 14, 2008

How Can You Tell If Your Gold Jewelry Is Real?

Tips For Buying Gold
1. Buy from someone you know or with a solid reputation.
2. Look for a store with a quality-assurance program that tests its own pieces for purity. You don't have to shop at Tiffany's to go for the real gold. Many major stores have testing programs, too.
3. If the piece has a trademark, like Nike or a sports team logo, it must have a license stamp on the back. If the jewelry maker is willing to steal a trademark, experts say, they may be willing to short you on gold.
4. Look at the workmanship. If the edges are frayed, or it just looks cheap, it probably is under-karated.
5. And if you really want to make sure you've got legitimate gold, you can have your pieces X-rayed at a quality- assurance lab, like the one 20/20 used, for around $20.

Under-Karating Now Rife Among Discount Jewelry Offers
In many countries (the US for example) anything less than 10 karats -- or about 42 percent real gold -- can't legally be sold as gold.
Yet the reality is that with gold sales rising rapidly under-karating is a very common problem even though it's not widely known.
The worst cheating occurs with the less expensive 10-karat and 14-karat pieces, and the problem isn't easy to resolve because by simply looking at a piece of gold there is really no way to tell the difference between 10-karat and 8-karat.
Recently 20/20 bought several discount gold jewelry articles in New York and had them tested by the American Assay and Gemological Office - the lab that does quality assurance checks on jewelry from Tiffany's.
The result: None of the 3 jewelry pieces they tested actually met the minimum 10-karat as advertised!

Here's A Quick Guide To Gold Purity.
24K gold is pure gold.
18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 75% gold.
14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 58.3% gold.
12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 50% gold.
10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 41.7% gold. 10K gold is the minimum karat that can be called *gold* in the United States.
European Markings European gold jewelry is marked with numbers that indicate their percentage of gold, such as:
18K gold is marked 750 to indicate 75% gold
14K gold is marked 585 for 58.5%
12K gold is marked 417 for 41.7%



About The Author
Monil Salisti is the owner of Full Jewelry, a great online jewelry resource. For more information, visit:
http://www.fulljewelry.com/.

Note: All Gold Roses by The Forever Rose are guaranteed to be 24K pure gold!



Thursday, November 13, 2008

How To Clean Gold Jewelry

Gold jewelry to a woman is priceless. Although gold jewelry comes in many different styles and colors, the care and cleaning procedure for all golden treasures remain the same. Good common sense is your best guide, and these important tips on how to clean gold jewelry will help you keep your exquisite pieces lustrous and shining.
Gold is tarnish-resistant, but it can get dirty or smudged. Lotions, powders, soaps, even natural skin oils that we use regularly can cover your jewelry and cut down their brilliance. Jewelry cleaning removes any such build-up or residue and restores the original sparkle and shine to make your precious jewelries last a lifetime.
Although numerous commercial products are available to clean gold jewelry, most often water and a mild detergent is sufficient to restore the radiance, and a soft brush helps to gently clean intricate filigree designs and stones. Sometimes it can be helpful to soak the gold jewelry in a solution of one part ammonia and six parts water for up to sixty seconds. It is imperative to dry and polish your gold jewelry with a chamois or soft cloth after cleaning.
Jewelry polishing cloths are an effective and inexpensive way of keeping your bits of gold glittering and radiant. These essential cotton cloths help to remove tarnish and to buff jewelry to look as good as new. Avoid wearing jewelry while in contact with household chemicals, such as chlorine bleach as this can discolor or damage your gold jewelry mountings.
Proper storage of jewelry when not in use is essential to keep your golden treasures clean and new. When storing your jewelry, be careful that pieces do not tumble against each other to avoid scratching and loss of radiance. Ideally, store your jewelry in a fabric-lined jewel case, or a box with compartments or dividers or store each piece in individual soft cloth pouches.
It is important to check the stone settings of your jewelry periodically for any damage to the gold prongs or bezels. Immersing the jewelry in rubbing alcohol for a few seconds will restore the gorgeous sparkle to cloudy stones. It is very important to dry the jewelry thoroughly after cleaning before wearing or storing. Remember that Pave set (glued in stones) jewelry should never be immersed in water while cleaning gold jewelry.



About The Author
Ben Sather is the publisher of
http://www.a2-gold-jewelry.com/ - A gold jewelry information resource. You can publish this article if the author's byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.
beersat@online.no

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Gold Heading to $1,000 an Ounce: 13 Reasons Why This Can Happen

Many people are not aware that Gold peaked at over $850 an ounce in the 1980's. It has been in a bear (depressed market) for 20 years since but Gold has been marching higher for three and a half years, even in the absence of major inflation. Now, as investors rush to gold as a hedge, you can expect far greater increases. $1,000 an ounce for Gold would not seem unreasonable for the following reasons:
1. Chinese Gold demand overwhelming Shanghai Gold Exchange – the volume of gold trading on the new exchange is exploding so much so that the computer systems and the Gold Exchange Building will have to be replaced within months if they are to keep up with demand – the world market has recently been opened to 1.2 billion people for the first time since the Red Army marched into Beijing in 1949! According to the World Gold Council, in the past year Chinese investors have bought, on average, the equivalent of only 0.16 grams of gold. The worldwide average is 0.70 grams. In Hong Kong however, the average is 2.7 grams of gold per capita over 10 years. If mainland Chinese citizens buy 2.7 grams of gold per capita over 10 years, it will amount to nearly 111 million ounces – the equivalent of 3,850 tons of gold or more than 16 months of the world’s total gold production.
2. Rapid Westernisation is taking place in both China and India – over 3 Billion people want a better lifestyle and more quality products – and they want them now! Their demand for raw materials including gold (and oil) is massive. Since October 2003, China has come from nowhere on the world gold market to become the world’s third largest consumer, just behind India and the USA.
3. Central Bank Sales of gold have virtually dried up due to the recent multi-nation agreement – the Washington Agreement. This sale of gold by Central Banks worldwide was one of the reasons the price of gold was depressed throughout much of the past 2 decades. In fact, Central Banks are now buying gold again.
4. Mining supplies of Gold are severely limited due to the closure of hundreds of mines during gold’s 21 year bear market. The huge demand in natural resources including gold will put even more pressure on gold’s limited supplies.
5. Rising interest rates in the US will not cause a fall in demand for gold. The reason for this is that interest rates will continue to lag behind the rising inflation rate, and inflation will continue to drive down the value of the dollar as foreign currencies go up.
6. The market cap of gold shares at $70 Billion is very small. Right now the total value of all stocks is about $16.9 trillion. In comparison the total supply of gold bullion is $51 billion including both actual gold and futures. If just a fraction of a percent of the money in the world’s stock markets moves into gold shares as a hedge against inflation and/or geopolitical instability, you are looking at current share prices doubling and tripling.
7. The price of gold in the past 12 months has been rising in terms of all major currencies, not just the dollar. When the price of an asset rises in terms of all currencies at the same time, it is clear that this is an “unadulterated bull market”.
8. Investors turn to gold in 3 types of environment:
(1) when inflation occurs - as in the US right now .Inflation in the US is already evident in the latest figures released. Investors will start to invest in wealth preservation strategies like gold instead of stocks and bonds.
(2) in times of economic uncertainty – for example when the price of natural resources like oil is rapidly rising out of control like it is now
(3) in times of geopolitical unrest – Part of gold’s recent strength is attributable to terrorist fears and those fears have only increased. Judging by the latest attacks, terror incidents are likely to increase in size and frequency especially leading up to elections in the US.
9. Gold mining companies have largely given up their forward-selling – a practice that helped keep gold prices low throughout most of the 1990’s. The reason for this is that they expect gold to rise dramatically in the future and do not want to be limited by agreeing to sell at a potentially lower future price.
10. The US budget deficit is estimated to be over $600 billion this year. The decline of the dollar will continue and inflation has returned dramatically. These factors occurring at the same time will drive the price of gold higher as foreign central banks begin to cut back on the percentage of reserves they hold in dollars, and start diversifying more into other currencies and gold.
11. During the latter part of 2003, the Malaysian Royal Mint introduced a new currency, the gold dinar. It is being used as a gold coin in circulation to be used as a currency. It will take time for it to catch on but when it does, it will be another reason for a huge increase in the demand for gold. Eventually the hope is that the dinar will be used as the currency of choice in trade settlement between predominantly Muslim nations instead of the US Dollar.
12. Central Bankers around the world from the US to Russia, Saudi Arabia to Egypt and Malaysia to Japan have been pumping up money supply growth to avoid the negative consequences of bursting bubbles in paper assets such as stocks and bonds. Without any gold standard central bankers have been free to do this. The effect is to have enormous amounts of money pursuing a limited supply of raw materials including gold.
13. The technical chart in the price of gold over the past 5 years shows that the trend is definitely rising and the bull market is 100% intact. Based on current cycles, Gold will peak around 2008-2009.



About The Author
Stefan Pool is an Economist and Webmaster of
http://www.1st-gold-information.com. There you can find resources and information about gold, gold coins, gold investing and other gold related topics. Whether you're an gold expert or a newbie, you will find something of interest here.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

How to Care For Your Gold Jewelry

As a precious metal, gold represents less work to maintain its appearance than other metals, such as silver. Gold does not tarnish, smudge, or discolor, but it can become dulled by contact with soaps, perspiration, hand creams and other substances from your daily life.
A good rule of thumb, is to wash your hands before putting on, or taking off, gold jewelry. This prevents contamination with natural body oils and other matter that your hands have touched. Also, if you're going to be wearing perfume, creams, lotions or other chemical substances, put them on before your jewelry. Gold items will be dulled and dirty from lying on skin that is still moist with make-up, or if they are in the line of fire from hairspray.
Always be sure to remove your rings before immersing your hands in the dishwater or laundry. Repeated exposure to harsh chemicals like chlorine, can permanently damage the gold's luster. That also means removing rings when using swimming pools.
Store gold jewelry that you aren't wearing, in their original boxes, or clean, cloth bags in a drawer away from other jewelry. Never leave pieces jumbled together in a box, as they can scratch each other, particularly if they happen to be set with hard gemstones. Even wrapping each piece in plain tissue paper, will preserve the surface and the shine.
The gold portions of jewelry can be cleaned with a mild soap solution and a soft cloth for polishing. A used, soft-bristled toothbrush may be helpful in reaching small crevices such as the links of a chain, or the underside of settings in a ring.



About The Author
Alice Stacy
If you love jewelry, why not make a career out of it? Visit
http://www.jewelrysalesbusiness.com for company profiles and connect with representatives

Monday, November 10, 2008

Gold Doesn't Just Glitter

Most people appreciate that gold is a highly valuable precious metal, and admire it for its ornative qualities. Is there is a woman today (at least in the western world) who doesn't have at least one piece of gold jewelry? It may be only her wedding band. We know that wars have been fought over it, people have died for it, people are consumed by greed for it, others have betrayed friends and family for it, once we examine the history of this lovely metal. Gold represents wealth and power in the minds of most people. Some of the more practical ways that gold is used every day is what we want to have a look, however.
Deployment systems in air bags in motor vehicles, for example, use gold-plated sensors to send a signal to the air bag alerting the need to deploy. Gold was chosen because It is the only metal with a high enough resistance for the hair-thin sensitivity of this device. It is clearly the best choice for something that needs to be relied on in the event of an accident to save the lives of vehicles' passengers. It is considered that reliable.
With the vast amount of communication that goes on in the world today, phones of all types are needed. Land phones, cell phones, wireless phones, you name it, are responsible for the vast amount of day-to-day communications that take place around the world. Yet, without gold, we would be unable to use these savvy little devices, since it's a critical element for the transmission of a phone call. Every mouthpiece has gold in its miniature transmitter, and this precious metal is also used in phone jacks and connection cords. Due to its natural properties, it's the best known element for conveying a superior signal, ergo the need to utilize it in the phone systems of today.
The space probe Galileo is completely dependent upon its onboard computers. They are kept from short-circuiting by the use of heavy ion conductors, made from silicone and gold. If they did not have this type of protection, this and other space vessels would not be able to function, and we would lose critical information about the universe and and our place within its structure.
The President of the United States uses gold each time he travels, and not just because he wears a gold watch. The American government supplies the President with a plane soley for his use. This plane, Airforce One, is equipped with gold-plated reflectors that protect the plane from being targeted by heat-seeking missiles, and therefore, from enemies of the state.
For additional knowledge, or In order to protect ourselves from possible space hazards, we are constantly peering into the skies. We need to have strong, dependable telescopes to do this, so that scientists can see at great distances in significant detail. KeckTelescopes are used for this purpose, and they contain gold-coated mirrors that look around our space neighborhood. We have received most detailed and precise images of Neptune and Uranus ever recorded from these Keck Telescopes.
The uses of gold for other than embellishment and adornment or as a lucrative financial investment are varied and many. Hopefully, now that we have started to look at the many uses of gold, we will now start to appreciate the many other contributions this very precious metal has made to improve the quality of life for all of us.



About The Author
Mark Nildern runs the website and writes for RI Gold, inc. which a site dedicated to researching gold related topics and contains all the very latest gold news and views. For more details please visit
http://www.rigold.com

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Guide To Choosing Gold and Platinum Wedding Rings

Nothing says forever like gold and platinum wedding rings. These precious metals mark the permanence of a lifelong commitment, and will endure beyond decades of married life.
Whereas gold is a traditional setting, platinum has taken off as the newest trend in wedding jewelry. The decision to go for the gold or opt for platinum is based on the personal style of the bride and groom. However, certain factors may contribute to the couple’s wedding ring selection.
Style
What does your wedding ring say about you? Platinum is geared toward a more modern look, whereas gold is traditionally beautiful. When evaluating your style, consider the future as well as the present, as you will quite possibly be wearing this ring for years to come.
Matching Existing Jewelry
Look at your (and your fiancée’s) jewelry collection – do you see gold, silver or a combination of both? If a bride typically wears only silver jewelry, she may wish for a platinum ring to accent her existing pieces; conversely, a gold jewelry fan would likely pick a gold ring. Grooms may wish to match their ring to their favorite watch or ID bracelet. If a couple has different tastes, they may choose a wedding ring that incorporates multiple colors.
Quality
While gold will stand the test of time, platinum is a stronger and more durable metal. Couples that decide on gold should select 14-18k wedding rings. For gold, high karats mean intense color but less durability.
Allergic Reactions to Metals
If the bride or groom reacts to the metals found in certain types of jewelry, a platinum wedding ring is the way to go. Over 90 percent pure, platinum is hypoallergenic to most people.
Price
If shopping by price, gold offers the best value for your money. While platinum is more durable than gold, it is also more expensive. If a couple longs for a light-colored metal but cannot afford platinum, they may consider opting for a white gold wedding ring as an affordable alternative.
Whatever your decision, gold and platinum wedding rings are a wonderful way to express your love and commitment to each other.



About The Author
Amy Lee Johnson regularly contributes to
http://www.wedding-vows-4u.com a site dedicated to helping you with information about everything wedding related. We feature article directories on many topics such as http://www.wedding-vows-4u.com/category/wedding-vows/ and http://www.wedding-vows-4u.com/category/wedding-gowns/ to help you get the information you need – check them out!
amylee@wedding-vows-4u.com

Thursday, November 6, 2008

The Truth About Gold Jewelry

Without a doubt, Gold is one of the world’s most precious metals. It is also a certainty that gold enjoys an unsurpassed popularity as a medium for jewelry expression. Both jewelry artisans and consumers alike are "in love" with gold. There seems to be no end to the range of colors, finishes and styles available and gold remains a perennial favorite setting for gemstones.
Gold can last forever, will not corrode or rust and can be found anywhere. Gold exists in plants, rivers, oceans, mountains, it’s nearly everywhere but it is extremely difficult and costly to extract this amazing metal. Did you know that a single ounce of gold can be pulled into a thin wire that stretches nearly five miles long? An artisans hammer can work that same ounce into a very thin sheet that can cover a 10ft x 10ft(100sq. ft.) area. Also, it takes nearly 3 tons of gold or to extract a single ounce of pure gold. Well if you didn’t now you know!
Gold Basics
The word Gold, used by itself, means all gold or 24 karat (24K) gold. Because 24K gold is soft, it’s usually mixed with other metals to increase its hardness and durability. If a piece of jewelry is not 24 karat gold, the karat quality should accompany any claim that the item is gold.
The karat quality marking tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. The higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry.
Most jewelry is marked with its karat quality, although marking is not required by law. Near the karat quality mark, you should see the name of the U.S. registered trademark of the company that will stand behind the mark. The trademark may be in the form of a name, symbol or initials. If you don’t see a trademark accompanying a quality mark on a piece of jewelry, look for another piece.
Solid gold refers to an item made of any karat gold, if the inside of the item is not hollow. The proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry still is determined by the karat mark.
Jewelry can be plated with gold in a variety of ways. Gold plate refers to items that are either mechanically plated, electroplated, or plated by any other means with gold to a base metal. Eventually, gold plating wears away, but how soon will depend on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.
Gold-filled, gold overlay and rolled gold plate are terms used to describe jewelry that has a layer of at least 10 karat gold mechanically bonded to a base metal. If the jewelry is marked with one of these terms, the term or abbreviation should follow the karat quality of the gold used (for example, 14K Gold Overlay or 12K RGP). If the layer of karat gold is less than 1/20th of the total weight of the item, any marking must state the actual percentage of karat gold, such as 1/40 14K Gold Overlay.
Gold electroplate describes jewelry that has a layer (at least .175 microns thick) of a minimum of 10 karat gold deposited on a base metal by an electrolytic process. The terms gold flashed or gold washed describe products that have an extremely thin electroplating of gold (less than .175 microns thick). This will wear away more quickly than gold plate, gold-filled or gold electroplate.
Vermeil (ver-may), a special type of gold plated product, consists of a base of sterling silver that is coated or plated with gold.



About The Author
Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician and a writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit
www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Buying Jewelry For Your Business Part 1 Buying Gold Jewelry

Whether you presently own a retail or web based business and are looking for an additional profit center or you are thinking of starting a business, jewelry is a “no-brainer” choice for a proven product category. The buying public, (particularly woman) never tires of jewelry as the choices in color, materials, finishes and styles are endless and annotations continue on and on. Every generation reinvents jewelry for itself in much the same way that it reinvents music and fashion. Styles change but the basic facts remain the same. If you are a seasoned professional, please consider the following a refresher course. To the new comer, use this information as a foundation for your ongoing jewelry education.
Gold Jewelry Basics
The word gold, used by itself, means all gold or 24 karat (24K) gold. Because 24K gold is soft, it’s usually mixed with other metals to increase its hardness and durability. If a piece of jewelry is not 24 karat gold, the karat quality should accompany any claim that the item is gold.
The karat quality marking tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. The higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry.
Most jewelry is marked with its karat quality, although marking is not required by law. Near the karat quality mark, you should see the name of the U.S. registered trademark of the company that will stand behind the mark. The trademark may be in the form of a name, symbol or initials. If you don’t see a trademark accompanying a quality mark on a piece of jewelry, look for another piece.
Solid gold refers to an item made of any karat gold, if the inside of the item is not hollow. The proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry still is determined by the karat mark.
Jewelry can be plated with gold in a variety of ways. Gold plate refers to items that are either mechanically plated, electroplated, or plated by any other means with gold to a base metal. Eventually, gold plating wears away, but how soon will depend on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.
Gold-filled, gold overlay and rolled gold plate are terms used to describe jewelry that has a layer of at least 10 karat gold mechanically bonded to a base metal. If the jewelry is marked with one of these terms, the term or abbreviation should follow the karat quality of the gold used (for example, 14K Gold Overlay or 12K RGP). If the layer of karat gold is less than 1/20th of the total weight of the item, any marking must state the actual percentage of karat gold, such as 1/40 14K Gold Overlay.
Gold electroplate describes jewelry that has a layer (at least .175 microns thick) of a minimum of 10 karat gold deposited on a base metal by an electrolytic process. The terms gold flashed or gold washed describe products that have an extremely thin electroplating of gold (less than .175 microns thick). This will wear away more quickly than gold plate, gold-filled or gold electroplate.



About The Author
Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician and a writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit
www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Baby Shower Ideas - Which Of These Golden Tips Do You Need To Throw A Successful Baby Shower

Trying hard in finding some extra special baby shower ideas? Easy, easy. Everything on this planet can be done in a very simple way. So are your baby showers.

You don't have to be Martha Stewart to host a Shower. However, if you're pulling your hair out as how to turn your baby shower into a really special and exciting celebration for the soon-to-be-parents, follow my golden tips below. You will soon find out that planning a baby shower is just a snap and full of fun.

Golden Tip 1: Let Your Imagination Flow

Do you have the desire for something a little more elaborate and unique? If the answer is yes, you may need a few baby-shower-idea-triggers.
I can't imagine a baby shower without energy and creativities. If, for any reason, you are not able to come up with any creative ideas, I would suggest you to think out the box. My suggestion is that don't keep your imagination only stay with the topic of baby shower. Think big and thing something could create a special time that will live in everyone's memories for years to come.
I'm not saying that you should turn your Shower into a cover story on the next issue of Parenting or American Baby. If you can, congratulations! But for many of our people, we're all surrounded by all kinds of free information about love, family, and generations on TV, magazines, newspaper, and outdoor advertisements. Speak them with your friends and families, and see if they can come up with some special baby shower ideas.
For example, you can have a celebration of the entire family and their heritage especially with the soon-to-be-grandparents. You can even be creative to include some of your close friends in your guest list, and play games include friends sharing trivia about their own families, like famous relatives, traditions, or a funny family story.

Golden Tip 2: Learn from Other Party Experiences.

As someone once said, "The best way to have a great idea is to have a lot of good ideas." It works the same way to find unique baby shower ideas.
Lots of baby shower hostesses don't realize that the most creative baby shower ideas lie somewhere deep in their mind. They just don't know it.
I mean, we've all spent hours coming up with birthday parties, family reunions, weddings, and even holidays like Halloween and Christmas. Once the party is over, however, all that energy and all those ideas usually just dwindle away.
Think about this: If you can get out the party photos somehow find their way into a forgotten folder on your computer's hard drive or hidden inside a photo album somewhere, you can simply put an end to all the wasting of your time.


About The Author
Copyright Qing Gu, All Rights Reserved. Reprint allowed with all the text and links intact.
Qing Gu is a Baby Shower Party Enthusiast who owns the website of
http://www.coolest-baby-shower-idea.com. If you’ve already had a few great ideas, you can become a famous baby shower hostess (or host)and win a bunch of cool prizes by joining the web’s ultimate baby shower contest at http://www.coolest-baby-shower-idea.com/contest.

Do you need a great gift idea for your next baby shower? Try Gold Roses!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Using Palladium In White Gold Jewelry Means No More Allergic Reactions

White gold jewelry can cause allergic reactions in some people. This is due to the fact that the majority of white gold jewelry is manufactured using alloys containing nickel as the bleaching agent and a percentage of the population is allergic to nickel. For these individuals, contact with nickel can result in dermatological problems that range from a mild skin rash to severe open sores and permanent scaring. In Europe, there are laws governing the use of nickel in jewelry. The European law is known as "The Nickel Directive" and states that no nickel can be used in a material that sits in an open wound, such as after piercing, until healing is complete.
What is a jewelry buyer to do when faced with this information? First of all relax, most people do not have severe reactions to nickel. And jewelers are starting to use alloys that contain less nickel to develop white gold jewelry.
Some nickel-free white gold alloys were originally developed in the 1920s using palladium as the primary bleaching agent. Palladium is part of the platinum group of metals. It is a steel-white metal, does not tarnish in air, and is the least dense and lowest melting of the platinum group metals. Palladium has very good corrosion and tarnish resistance, and it mixes well with gold, offering almost complete homogenization throughout the range of gold-palladium compositions. All these factors make it a good choice for white gold jewelry manufacturing. It also yields alloys with excellent mechanical properties superior in many respects to the nickel-whites which can be difficult to work with and contain pockets of gold and nickel because the two metals don't like to be mixed. Jewelry made from a palladium/gold alloy will not result in allergic reactions.
You might be asking: "If palladium is so much better than nickel to make white gold, why don't all jewelers use it?" The answer is cost. Palladium is a bit more expensive to use. The cost of an ounce of palladium is around $300 currently and consumers don't like paying higher prices for what appears to be the same jewelry product. However, once people know the facts about nickel white gold and the allergic risks it presents many are willing to pay a little more.
Another white metal on the horizon is 950 Palladium. Some jewelry manufacturers are making product from new palladium alloys that can be cast into jewelry. This is a wonderful metal because it is a bright white color, very similar to platinum, but has a much lower price. It is still relatively new so jewelers are still learning how to work best with this metal. Keep your eyes open though, because you will soon be seeing more of this product, especially with the cost of platinum currently above $1,000 an ounce.



About The Author
Jill Renee, president of Danforth Diamond, a jewelry store offering platinum, white gold and yellow gold jewelry at
http://www.danforthdiamond.com/jewelry/index.php. The Danforth family created the site to help you find the best value in quality jewelry.