Over the past years, custom Men's diamond wedding bands have started to become more and more popular as men are wanting diamonds, and coloured diamonds in their bands, and opting for the more elegant sleek styles.

Men's diamond wedding bands are an excellent idea for a variety of visual, romantic, financial, and fashionable reasons.

Here are a few reasons to consider buying your husband-to-be, a diamond wedding band.

1.Diamond's Durability and Hardness

Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring material, and are a 10 out of 10, on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. What makes men's diamond wedding bands a popular choice - is not only the durability, but the fact they are also scratch resistant, and not prone to changing in colour or oxidizing, unlike some gemstones. Men's diamond wedding bands are suitable to wear every day, and can also be used as an anniversary band.

2.Diamonds are Affordable

In the past diamonds have a history as being used in upscale jewelry, but their luxury appeal is unlikely to diminish any time soon. Keep in mind that when buying a men's diamond wedding band, do some research to ensure you are making the best possible investment and the best value. Unsurprisingly, natural diamonds are more valuable than synthetic diamonds or diamonds that have been treated in some way. Make sure you are aware of the 4 C’s of diamonds (cut, clarity, color and carat weight), and keep in mind when buying.

3. Diamonds come in a variety of colours for every style

Some may consider  white or colorless diamonds to be the classic choice for men's wedding bands, however there are far more options available. Cognac diamonds actually occur more frequently in nature, and can be less expensive than white or colourless diamonds. Men tend to  naturally gravitate towards the warmer colours to create a masculine look. Black diamonds are another great choice due to the rich ebony hue and sleek classy look.

Pioneered by Sam Collins, marine diamond mining began in the 1960s off the coast of southern Namibia. The first marine diamond mining technique was an archaic dredging system; however, despite the simplicity of this original technique, Mr. Collins was able to recover around 788,000 carats of diamonds. In the years since, a handful of players, particularly De Beers, have sunk money and research into marine diamond mining. The result was a new exploration method that produced 1 million carats of diamonds in 2009.

Marine diamond mining takes place primarily along the 1,400 km stretch of coastline of southern Namibia and northwestern South Africa. Namibia has the richest known marine diamond deposits in the world, estimated at over 100 million carats. The marine diamonds were transported to the coastline over a roughly 100 million year time period. All of the diamond deposits in Namibia originate from kimberlites in South Africa. These diamonds were washed down the Orange River, and deposited at the river mouth as well as along the coastlines of Namibia and South Africa.

Despite the early successes of Mr. Collins and other entrepreneurial explorers, marine diamond mining has only gathered major interest over the last 15 years due to the unavailability of proper technology that would enable the miners to embark upon the large-scale mining operations necessary to turn a profit in this expensive endeavor. Also, the relatively low prices of diamonds at that time made the undertaking economically unfeasible.

Things started to change in 1970 when De Beers bought out existing marine operations along the Namibian/South African Coast and embarked upon a widespread exploration program. De Beers did not get immediate gratification;wasn’t until the late 1980s that they were able to commission mining vessels and commence offshore diamond mining.

The two primary marine mining methods used by De Beers are the horizontal system, and the vertical system. In the horizontal system a seabed crawler brings diamond-bearing gravels to the vessel through flexible slurry hoses. In the vertical system, a large-diameter drilling device mounted on a compensated steel pipe drill string recovers diamond-bearing gravels from the seabed following a systematic pattern over the mining block. The De Beers Marine fleet consists of five mining vessels and one evaluation sampling and mining vessel. Mining takes place on the ocean floor at water depths ranging from 90 to 140 meters.  The rehabilitation of marine mining environments occur naturally, once the mining has been completed in a particular area.

Marine diamond mining has overtaken land mining in terms of carats produced, as land-based mines have seen a recent decline.  De Beers reported that in 2009, marine-mined diamonds accounted for around 60 percent of total diamond output from all their Namibia based mines.

A sample of marine diamond miners

Diamond Fields International Ltd. (TSE:DFI)

In late 2004,  Diamond Fields International acquired its own twin airlift mining vessel, the mv DF Discoverer, with which it began mining on its Namibian license areas in mid-2005. DFI’s combined license areas cover 719 squared. Following successful exploration in late 2006 under a joint operations agreement with Bonaparte Diamond Mines NL, mining agreements were concluded between DFI and Bonaparte and production has continued in these resource areas since January 2007. Key points in relation to Bonaparte joint operations include: Indicated Resource of 63,000 carats, total JO production of 16,245 carats at average size of 0.43 carats/stone (to the end of September 2007. Sales of JO diamonds produced up to September 18, 2007 totaled 15,566 carats with revenue  of $7.287 million. On Diamond Field’s other concessions, according to an  independent estimate, they hold an approximate 1.1 million carat resource.  DFI put exploration on hiatus in 2008, during the recession when the price of rough diamonds plummeted.

Ridgeback Global Resources Plc. (ETR:RDM)

Ridgeback  is an exploration and development stage mining company that signed an options agreement with marine miner Panda Marine Mining and Exploration Ltd.  With the agreement, Ridgeback can secure up to 34.9 percent equity ownership of Panda Marine. Panda Marine has access to 118 square kilometers of marine diamond mining concessions off the coast of South Africa. Technical reports outline the potential for 23.6 million carats of hi-grade gem stone diamonds within this concession valued at approximately $14.1billion dollars.

De Beers Group

During 2009, De Beers Marine Namibia produced 600,000 carats. De Beers Marine Namibia is owned by De Beers (70 percent) and Namdeb (30% percent). The Company mines off the south west coast of Namibia in the Atlantic 1 license area of Namdeb, as the exclusive contractor. De Beers Marine Namibia operates a fleet of four mining vessels, of which three are currently actively involved in mining in the Atlantic 1 license area.

Afri-Can Marine Minerals Corporation (CVE:AFA)  is active in the exploration and development of mineral properties in Namibia. On January 26th, 2011, Afri-Can Marine Minerals received approval from its shareholders to acquire shares of Thyme Investment (PTY) Ltd, the owner of the EPL 3403 Marine Diamond Concession in Namibia.  EPL  3403 is adjacent to the north of the Atlantic One Mining Lease, owned by Namdeb Diamond and De Beers, which is the largest marine diamond deposit in the world.

Source and Credit : Leia Michele Toovey

Typical of the big awards shows, blingy diamonds ran rampant among celebs at this year's annual Golden Globes. Stars like newly engaged Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, Julianne Moore, and January Jones were swathed in diamond earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings from celebrity jewelers like Neil Lane, Tiffany & Co and Chopard.

In a surprising move, The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco told Ryan Seacrest she had received an engagement ring, but then joked it was only from Chopard, the jewelry designer. Black Swan actress Natalie Portman, who just received an engagement ring from boyfriend Benjamin Millepied and won the award for Best Performance By An Actress in a Motion Picture, wore a $67,500 Tiffany & Co. multi-row diamond necklace set in platinum.  It was the statement piece to her pink and red Viktor & Rolf dress which also played up her growing belly.  She also wore a Tiffany Metro diamond band ring set in 18k white gold and oval diamond stud earrings set in platinum.

Tron actress Olivia Wilde and True Grit star Hailee Steinfeld also wore jewelry from Tiffany's. Wilde wore a Tiffany & Co. 18k yellow gold yellow citrine ring and accented her ears with 18K yellow gold yellow citrine stud earrings that matched perfectly to her sparkly Marchesa ball gown.  Steinfeld Tiffany & Co jewelry alongside her sterling silver 9 Row Wave Bracelet by Elsa Peretti and Prabal Gurung gown.

Modern Family's Sofia Vergara was the only one known to have worn David Webb jewelry.  She accented her hot pink Vera Wing dress with foliate drop earrings in yellow gold platinum, emerald cut, and brilliant cut diamonds, a panther bracelet in yellow gold, platinum, diamonds, and emeralds, a Persian turquoise ring in yellow gold, platinum and diamonds, and an arrow bracelet in platinum and diamonds.

Other stars like Black Swan's Mila Kunis, Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks, Julie Bowen, former Dancing With The Stars dancer Julianne Hough, and Gia Mantegna wore Judith Leiber jewelry.  Elisabeth Moss wore an exquisite Flip Top diagonal cut mother of pearl minaudi?re in Capri and Christina Hendricks played off her stunning red Romono Kevenza dress with a Fleurs rounded rectangle minaudi?re in Rhine.   

Angelina Jolie, who starred in The Tourist with movie star Johnny Depp, wore both Robert Procop jewelry and her husband Brad Pitt as accessories. Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria played up her Old Hollywood Zac Posen gown with Neil Lane diamonds.   Catherine Zeta-Jones' dark green Monique Lhuillier gown wasn't the only item that took everyone's breath away.  So did her Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry. Anne Hathaway also accented her gown with vintage jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels. Rabbit Hole actress Nicole Kidman wore Fred Leighton jewels. Best Supporting Actress winner Amy Adams (starring in The Fighter) wore diamonds from Cartier.  Glee star Lea Michele wore Lorraine Schwartz jewelry with her Oscar de la Renta gown. Halle Berry stacked Harry Winston bracelets with her Nina Ricci dress.  Jennifer Lopez also added Harry Winston jewels to her white Zuhair Murad gown with a slit and a crystal capelet.

Sources tell TMZ Pauly D stopped by Manhattan Jewelery Co. (which is actually in Boston) earlier this month and bought a Breitling Super Avenger watch complete with 34 carats in diamonds ... and that's just the tip of the ice-berg.

We're told Pauly has since been back to MJ's multiple times ... pocketing a 65-carat diamond necklace, a white gold Rolex, and a custom G-Shock watch covered in 10 carats of diamonds.

Ronnie was tad bit more modest -- only walking home with a 12-carat, white gold rosary and a Breitling Super Avenger watch with 12 carats of diamonds.

Sources close to Pauly tell TMZ, "Pauly has always worn the finer things in life, never the costume jewelry because that would be a situation."

Source : TMZ

Celebrity tattoo artist Kat Von D has sparked speculation she and Jesse James are engaged after she was spotted wearing a huge antique ring on her wedding finger at a book signing on Tuesday.

After dismissing reports she has dumped reality TV star James, who is now divorced from ex-wife Sandra Bullock, and is now back with rocker Nikki Sixx, the tattooed star was happy to talk about the new jewellery item - but refused to confirm or deny engagement hints.

 She told USA Today, "I don't know if I really feel comfortable talking about it."

 However, she did reveal, "It's actually a ring from the 1900s... It's been an addition to all the rest of my jewellery and my Victorian collection. They don't make things like this anymore. There's no more craftsmanship in a lot of things."

The handset is wrapped in more than 500 individual flawless cut diamonds totalling 100 carats.

It features two interchangeable diamonds which fit over the ‘home’ button – a single cut 7.4ct pink diamond and a rare 8ct single cut flawless diamond which together is worth more than 6 million USD.

The back of the phone is plated in rose gold and the Apple logo glitters with 53 diamonds.

British designer Stuart Hughes, 38, of Liverpool, was commissioned to make two of the bespoke handset by a mega-rich Australian businessman.

He said: "It was a fantastic challenge and I am really pleased with the end result – the phones look superb."

Since phones are so popular at the moment. This is the ultimate design for a phone.

"The diamonds are rare and difficult to source; stones like that usually have a very long history."

"It is amazing that someone is prepared to spend 8 Million USD on a phone, I doubt it will get used because it is worth so much money."

The phones come with their own protection box – made from a single 7kg block of Granite in imperial pink with the inside lined with Nubuck top grain leather.

Stuart gold-plated his first mobile phone, a Nokia 8800, in 2003 and has since been making elaborate bespoke designs for customers in London, Marbella and Monaco.

His cheaper IPhone models – which retail between 2,000 and 26,000 – have been snapped up by showbiz royalty including Stefano Gabbana, of Dolce and Gabbana.

Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld is also a regular customer of Stuart’s work.

Since its launch in 2007, the IPhone has been incredibly popular, with the gadget recently named the coolest thing on the planet.

Would you ever spend $8 Million USD on a phone if you had the money to spare? Would you ever use the phone?

Please provide feedback and comments. Thanks

Who’s going to be the new spokesman for Cash America International's new mail-in gold/jewellery buying business "Gold Promise."? Mr. T! That’s right! Cash America launched the operation today and will start airing TV commercials and ads next week featuring Mr.T.

Mr. T is universally known for his signature gold chains and bracelets, along with being part of the A-Team.

Cash America noted that Gold Promise would deliver "significantly better prices for consumers' gold and jewellery and is the only mail-in gold buyer to offer a 200 percent 'Best Price Promise.'" Basically if a consumer receives a higher written offer from a competing online gold buyer, Gold Promise will double the offer. This beats selling your gold and jewellery at a pawn shop if you have the time to wait for the process

Consumers visit the website and request a GP “FastPack” kit, which includes secure packaging, or they may simply print a pre-paid shipping label to send items to Gold Promise. Customers may also request to view a video of their package being opened upon arrival.  Consumers track their items and payment at each stage of the process. Valuators review the items and determine payment based upon the market price of gold.  Payment is sent via PayPal, bank direct deposit or check, according to customer preference, within 24 hours of Gold Promise receiving the package. You then have 30 days to choose whether you want to return it, or keep your payment and enjoy your money.

"There is a tremendous opportunity for a new business in the mail-in gold buying market that delivers better prices, is trusted and offers consumers more choices for selling their gold and jewellery," said Daniel Feehan, president of Cash America International. "Cash America has a well established reputation for superior customer service in the pre-owned jewellery market, making this a natural extension of one of our core competencies."

"We are very excited to be partnering with Mr. T," said Keith Weinberger, president of Gold Promise. "Not only is he a well-known and popular celebrity figure long associated with gold and renowned for his integrity and 'good guy' image, he is also deeply committed to philanthropic efforts and supports Gold Promise's commitment to giving back. The most important thing for Mr. T was to work with a company that would help consumers get more – more value and better treatment than what most customers have been receiving.”

Auctioneers Sotheby’s said that a rare pink diamond valued at up to 38 Million Dollars or 28 Million Euro’s is going on sale in Geneva next month, dubbing it one of the “world’s most desirable stones.”

The rare pink diamond totals 24.78 carats, is intense pink, and is currently mounted on a ring. It comes from a private collection, and was last sold on the market about 60 years ago by Harry Winston Jeweller.

David Bennett, chairman for Europe and the Middle East at Sotheby’s said, “What makes it so immensely rare is the combination of its exceptional colour and purity with the classic emerald cut – a style of cutting normally associated with white diamonds.”

Sotheby’s gave a pre-sale estimate of 27 to 38 Million Dollars for the fancy pink diamond, set to go on Auction November 16^th, 2010.

According to Sotheby’s blue, green, and pink coloured diamonds currently are the most sought after gemstones in auctions.

Please kindly reply with what your estimate is the stone will sell for?

          The giant Cullinan is one of the most famous and the largest diamonds in the world. The Cullinan diamond weighed a massive 3,106 carats as a rough diamond crystal. The rough diamond measured 10 cm long, 6 cm high and 5 cm thick. The giant Cullinan was first cut into three large parts by Joseph Asscher and Company of Amsterdam, and cut again into 9 large stones and other smaller fragments.

After cutting the giant rough Cullinan diamond the following stones were created each being given different numbers according to their diminishing weights. Facts and information about each of the diamonds are listed below together with details of their current mountings:

• The Cullinan I aka the Star of Africa cut into a pear shape and weighing 530.20 carats is set in the Royal Sceptre
• The Cullinan II in the center-front of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain was cut into a cushion shape and weighing 317.40 carats is mounted in the band of the Imperial State Crown
• The Cullinan III is cut into a pear shape and weighing 94.40 carats is mounted in the finial (an ornament projecting as a round or oval shape) of Queen Mary's Crown. It can also be worn as a pendant-brooch
• The Cullinan IV is set in the band of Queen Mary's crown after being cut into a square cushion shape and weighing 63.60 carats. It can also be worn as a pendant-brooch
• The Cullinan V was originally mounted in a brooch for Queen Mary but now used as a replacement for the Koh-I-Noor diamond which was used in a new crown made for Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother) in 1937. It was cut into a heart shape and weighs 18.50 carats
• The Cullinan VI is set in a diamond and emerald necklace was cut into a marquise shape and weighing 11.50 carats
• The Cullinan VII is mounted as a pendant drop on a diamond brooch, cut into a marquise shape and weighing 8.80 carats
• The Cullinan VIII was cut into a rectangular cushion and weighing 6.80 carats. It is mounted as the centre diamond on the same brooch as the Cullinan VII
• The Cullinan IX was cut into a pear shape, weighing 4.39 carats and set in a ring

We would like to thank all our wonderful, satisfied and amazing customers for your business and for choosing us to help create the special occasions and everlasting memories in your lives.
As a reward to you, our valued customer, we would like to show our appreciation by offering you a cash referral incentive of a maximum of 1%.
Here’s how it works:
You, our happy and delighted customer, refer us to a friend, family member or anyone else you know.
Your referral comes in, and makes a purchase from us.
You, as the referrer, are entitled to a cash incentive of a maximum of 1% of the retail amount the referral purchases.  This is mailed to you as a cheque.

Example:
John Madden asks his girlfriend, Mary, of 5 years to marry him. Of course, she says yes! Mary just can’t stop talking and showing her beautiful ring to all her friends. Mary and John are so amazed and delighted at the stunning ring and service that they could not think of another reason to shop anywhere else in the future. John’s neighbour Jim is out cleaning his yard and mentions to John he is celebrating his 10th wedding anniversary. John mentions for Jim to go and check out Diamonds West.  Jim comes in, tells us John referred him, and decides to create a wonderful band that he would like to give his wife Sue. Diamonds West takes his ideas and helps create something truly unique and special. Jim spends $11,000 on the anniversary band.  John would receive a cheque for $110 from Diamonds West. Jim gives Sue her anniversary band. Sue absolutely loves it and is glad to get something extraordinary. She just has to tell her mother about the great design she received from Jim from Diamonds West. Sue’s mother is so amazed by the beauty of the ring, that she decides to get Diamonds West to remount a ring she received from her grandmother many, many years ago. Sue’s mother comes to Diamonds West to get it remounted. She spends $5,400 on a gorgeous platinum fancy ring. Sue receives a cheque for $54.