You have reached that stage in your relationship where you want to pledge your love forever. Now what? Time to start thinking about an engagement ring! This can seem like an overwhelming process, but we are going to break it down into just a few steps for you thanks to advice from TheKnot.com.

You may already know to follow the four Cs (cut, color, clarity and carat), but first you need to know what shape of stone your future fiancé will want to wear. The shape is the actual geometry of the stone, where the cut refers to the angles of the facets in the stone.

There are ten general shapes to choose from: round, emerald, cushion, asscher, radiant, princess, marquis, oval, pear and heart. Fortunately, Harry Ritchie’s carries several of these shapes and if they don’t have exactly what you want in the store they can order the loose diamond and have it for you in just a few days.

 

 

Once you decide on the shape, start considering the setting in which your stone is mounted. Finding the right combination of shape and setting is key. There are nine standard settings from which to choose: prong, bezel, 3-stone, baguette, half bezel, tension, pave, channel and channel end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still thinking that you have no idea what her style is? Ask her best friend or watch her for a couple weeks and take mental notes about the jewelry she already wears. Does she wear silver more than gold? Does she tend to go for vintage jewels versus simple, classic pieces?

Be sure to pay attention to the metal of the band you choose. Platinum is great for durability and sensitive skin. If you want to add a touch of color, gold comes in white, yellow, rose and even green. Beyond those options, there is palladium, which more of a grey hue than platinum, or recycled metal that could be a combination platinum and gold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tradition says to spend at least two months salary on an engagement ring, but we recommend finding the best ring possible without going into major debt. There are a couple ways to save. If you want a large diamond, go for a ring with a larger surface area and less depth. There won’t be as much sparkle, but it will look bigger. If you don’t want to sacrifice the sparkle, trying going just shy of the next carat size up, like 1.8 instead of 2.

Need more ideas and tips? Visit your local Harry Ritchie’s Jewelers.

Well, in many parts of Europe, the wedding ring is worn on the right hand!  It is thought that Americans wear a wedding band on the left hand because in the wedding ceremony, the couple faces one another to exchange rings.  As most people are right handed, they would naturally reach across and place the ring on the left hand.

Ever since ancient times, ceremonial marriage bands have been placed on the 3rd finger, despite which hand they are one.  This is thought to be the case because it was widely believed that the vein of that finger traveled directly to the heart.  This belief passed from the Egyptians, to the Greeks, through the Middle Ages and we carry the tradition today.

The day after Thanksgiving has long been known as the busiest shopping day of the year… But how did it become such a popular day, and why was it deemed “Black Friday”?

Since the 19^th century, Thanksgiving has been considered the start of the holiday shopping season. Retailers, especially department stores, grabbed onto this opportunity for marketing and began holding parades to launch the start of Christmas advertising. The occasion was also renowned for its celebrations and sales. During the Great Depression, this day became so important to retailers that they petitioned President Franklin D. Roosevelt to move Thanksgiving up and spread out the holiday shopping season. He did, but the change was poorly received and it did little to boost the economy.

The term Black Friday started by describing the stock-market panic in September of 1864 that was set off by declining gold prices. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that a Philadelphia newspaper used the phrase to describe the mass crowds at stores. Black Friday was justified later by tying it to accounting balance sheets where black represented a profit. By the 1990s, it became an unofficial retail holiday.

This Black Friday, celebrate in Living Color at Harry Ritchie’s Jewelers. We will have HUGE one-day only savings on a wide selection of jewelry. All jelly and slap watches will be only $14.97, and we will be giving away unbelievable gifts with purchases… Like an iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano or 32 GB iPod Touch!

Visit our stores this Black Friday to kick off your holiday shopping season!

September’s blue sapphire is a gem for royalty. From priests and kings long ago believing it symbolized wisdom and purity to Prince Charles and Prince Williams using it as an engagement stone.  This deep blue gem was once thought to paint the sky blue with its reflection.

Sapphires were used in ancient times to protect against envy and poisoning. They believed that if you placed a venomous snake in a sapphire container, it would quickly die. Furthermore, if it was ground up they thought it would cure colic, rheumatism and mental illness. Those with bad eyesight were supposed to use it to strengthen their vision.

Now, this gorgeous blue stone can be found in Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Myanmar, Thailand, Australia, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China, Madagascar, and the United States. Giving it as a gift is a representation of sincerity and faithfulness. So nourish your soul this month with a blue sapphire.

 

Accessorizing isn’t just about adding extra pieces to your outfit. It is also about how you style yourself with your make-up, hair, nail color and so on. Check out the trends for fall and how they align with the jewelry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red is in for lips. From neon to scarlet, gloss to matte, find the perfect shade for your look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to pull your long locks back and loosely secure them in a pony tail or bun. Maybe even secure it with some simple bling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re going for a little more drama or detail when putting your hair up, add some braids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mascara is messing with the rules this season. Those spidery lashes will fit right in now. Maybe add some thick liner to really make your eyes stand out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now back to hair. Twist it and stack it for a modern beehive or tousle and poof it for a more whimsy look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The classic smoky eye is getting a metallic twist for fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No need to spend time drying your hair. This fall damp and slick are in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last but not least, stand out and be bright! Use your eye color, lip color and nail color to make a statement.

This season is bringing alternative metals to the forefront of jewelry trends. Brands such as LeVian have gone as far as branding their own colors. LeVian produces jewelry in a Strawberry Gold rather than the traditional Rose gold. So, how are these golds made?

“Rose gold” is a gold and copper alloy. It is also known as pink gold and red gold. It was a popular metal in Russia at the beginning of the nineteenth century, so it is also known as Russian gold.

Although the names are often used interchangeably, the difference between red, rose, and pink gold is the copper content – the higher the copper content, the stronger the red color. During ancient times, due to impurities in the smelting process, gold frequently turned a reddish color, hence why many Greco-Roman texts describe gold as “red”.

This fall promises to be exciting when you look at the forecasted color trends in fashion!  Neutrals such as dark espresso, camel and taupe will anchor the vibrant colors that are on their way in.  Warm colors such as citrus, reddish-pink and orange will be popular, cooled down by deep teal, bright eggplant, olive and lavender gray.  The best part?  There are so many different ways to wear and enjoy them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are loving the pashmina scarves for fall. They look especially beautiful in the warm colors like bamboo, honeydew and phlox paired with a cool or neutral base. Whether it’s around your neck or used as more of a shawl around your shoulders, you can’t go wrong with a pashmina this fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The jewelry for fall is sure to impress as well. Collections by LeVian Couture and Chocolatier, ELLE Jewelry, Honora Pearls and the brand new line for men by Maksim. We can hardly wait! Summer has been fun, but imagine what fall will bring to fashion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check back for details on our upcoming Fall Fashion Event, and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HarryRitchiesJewelers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tears of Pele, the volcanic goddess, are falling in line with fashion for the upcoming season. The yellow-green glow of the Peridot will be seen in on runways, red carpets and city streets this fall. Where did this beautiful gem come from though?

Natives discovered Peridot crystals in the black sands of Hawaii as a result of volcanic activity, and it has always been seen as a connection to nature. Early Egyptians would drink from cups made of Peridot in belief that it would bring them closer to Isis, the goddess of nature. The Egyptians also believed the gem glowed with light as darkness approached and was protective against evil.

Even now, the force of nature lies within Peridot. A gift of the gemstone is symbolic of vitality and signifies strength in individuality, as well as within a relationship.

Happy Birthday to all of you born in August. Next month we’ll visit the history of the Sapphire.

We just finished up the last weekend of our biggest sale to date, the Backyard BBQ Blowout! It was a crazy two and half weeks of flamingos, gift baskets, hot deals and fabulous jewelry. We are trying to pump out our inventory and make way for the newest fall fashions that are coming in. We hope that everyone had fun saving big money on great jewelry.

If a BBQ Blowout wasn’t enough for you, we also held a Chamilia Summer Beach Party this past weekend. This month’s deal was if you bought three beads you received a summer bead FREE. There are so many cool summer beads to tell a story with, we can’t wait to see some finished products of our customers. Please send us a picture of your summer Chamilia bracelet via info@harryritchies.com or https://www.facebook.com/HarryRitchiesJewelers.

Stay tuned to find out about upcoming events like our Yard Sale Envy and August Chamilia event. You can also visit our Facebook page for details.

To celebrate Earth Day 2010 Valley River Center in Eugene held a fantastic eco-competition called Recycle the Runway.

The rules:  To create a dress using only recycled and sustainable materials.  The time line:  Just one hour!  An excited team of associates from Harry Ritchie’s and Don’s Jewelers took on this challenge, and produced a gorgeous fashion statement!