The concept of jewelry and personal decoration dates back to the caveman days, and in more recent times, jewelers around the world have figured out the best materials, such as precious metals and gems, for making jewelry of all kinds. Jewelry used to be the domain of royalty and noble families, but over the centuries, jewelry has become a more mainstream marketed item for nearly any buyer, and today, many different retailers offer engagement rings, custom jewelry design, gemstones, necklaces, and more for men and women alike. Jewelry is most popular as engagement rings and as gifts from men to women, although some women buy their own earrings or inherit pieces of jewelry from their mothers or grandmothers, too. Today, original jewelry design is more popular than ever both for everyday accessories and for wedding rings among young adults. Some concepts and traditions of jewelry have endured for centuries, while other notions are being replaced with newer ideas of what ideal jewelry looks like. How does the jewelry industry work today?
Jewelry All Around
Jewelry remains a popular industry for many customers, and statistics are kept to keep track of who buys what jewelry and why. As of the spring of 2017, for example, nearly 30 million people were estimated to have invested in fine jewelry for that year, and as of February 2016, the U.S. Department of Commerce estimated that jewelry stores sold a total of $2.6 billion worth of merchandise. Of all this jewelry purchasing, a lot of it going toward weddings, such as engagement rings, gold wedding bands, and jewelry for brides and bridesmaids. As of 2012, diamond engagement rings made up $5 billion of jewelry sales in the United States, and on average, a diamond engagement ring will cost $5,598, varying based on the size and quality of the diamond used and the ring itself. The tradition of giving diamond rings to a woman dates back to Renaissance Europe, and it still continues strongly today, although modern grooms are exploring new possibilities for what an engagement ring should look like, and this is where original jewelry design is used. What are the options for men today who want original jewelry designs for their fiancees?
Trying Out Original Jewelry Design
Although many men still opt for traditional diamond rings for their fiancees, some are exploring new designs for the gem and the ring in which it is embedded, as a matter of personal taste and preference for the bride and groom alike. What can original jewelry design entail? The diamond may be replaced with another gem such as a ruby, emerald, sapphire, or others based on appearance, and the groom may choose the bride’s birth month gem. After all, there is an official gem for each month of the year when people are born, and a master jeweler can create a custom ring with such a gem in it for a deeply personal touch for the bride. A custom gemstone may have an exotic but attractive cut to make it visually distinct, and many established patterns for cutting jewelry exist. A man looking to order original custom jewelry can choose an attractive pattern for a gemstone such as a ruby or sapphire for a truly unique look for an engagement ring.
Ordering original custom jewelry, whether for engagement rings or everyday jewelry for oneself, means first deciding what the finished product will look like, then visiting a custom jeweler’s shop and placing an order. The jeweler will make a colored sketch of what the final product will look like, and this will allow the customer to revise any details before anything is made permanent. Once the final design is decided upon, the jeweler will need time to craft the metal and gems alike and create the final product, and they may mail and invoice to the customer when the jewelry is complete. The customer can then visit again and collect the piece of jewelry. Everyday decorative rings, engagement rings, wedding bands, necklaces, brooches, and more can be designed in this manner, and a good jeweler will be able to create a wide variety of gem cuts and metal designs for rings and necklaces, and there are many different patterns for the ring’s shape and how it holds the gem in place.