Wedding Ideas

Major retailers across the country including Best Buy and Target stores have recently denounced a long standing practice among price conscious consumers who visit physical retail stores to preview a product and purchase at home from other online retailers.  But should consumers who are looking for the best deal really be to blame? Should companies like Best Buy and Target focus on innovating further to offer additional services and unique products? Our CEO Vipul Lakhi was called upon to share how we’ve helped customers find the lowest price, often after they’ve already visited a local jewelry store franchise.

(Source: CBS Philadelphia - Showroom Showdown, See below for additional broadcasts across the country)

While show rooming is typically associated with physical stores, it is quite common for online retailers as well. At My Trio Rings, we must maintain a digital showroom that enhances the buying experience and better educates customers while differentiating from online competitors in the same industry. We’ve served thousands of customers by focusing on educating our customers, and providing shopping benefits like 30 day returns, free shipping, no fee layaway, online promotions, and even free ring sizers by mail. Online retailers face the same show rooming practices as brick and mortar retailers.

In the jewelry industry, high-end retailers have placed dizzying markups on diamond and gold jewelry, often creating a barrier for everyday Americans' to experience the traditions of marriage with authentic jewelry. Companies who innovate on their business models will be the only ones who can continue to operate. Our prices are 65% lower than in store retailers because we’ve focused on innovating in every aspect of the business model, from procurement and manufacturing to eCommerce and efficient inventory management. What will remain constant in the world of retail is that whether a customer is in a physical or digital showroom, they will always buy from the retailer offering the lowest price for the best quality and service. This has been a consumer practice since commerce and trade originated and it will continue to impact how physical and online retailers market in today’s mobile internet age. 

See below for additional broadcasts of Vipul's interview below!

(Source: Fox News Providence)

My Trio Rings was started to provide incredible value for diamond engagement and wedding rings. We’ve done this by combining the power of eCommerce with four generations of experience in diamond manufacturing. One of our methods has been to utilize cluster head settings, which are comprised of many smaller stones. With recent Improvements to the My Trio Rings manufacturing process we’ve been able to start manufacturing larger solitaire stones with the same cost advantage we provide to our customers!

Today we’re really excited to announce the release of the My Trio Rings Solitaire ring collection. The line consists of our most popular ring designs mounted with a single solitaire diamond setting. The elegance and beauty of solitaire diamonds represent the merging of two individuals, one promise that lasts a lifetime. The diamonds we’ve just released allow our customers to experience the timeless traditions of marriage and everyday affordable prices not available elsewhere.

The eye-catching solitaire collection is available with princess cut and round cut solitaire diamonds ranging in carat weight. Many of the ring sets will now surpass 1 carat t.w., like ST110 and ST114 which are each over 1.5 carats t.w. when purchased in a Trio Set! Staying true to our company’s mission we’re making the solitaire engagement rings available at incredibly low prices that can be up to 65% less than inflated prices charged by high end jewelry retailers.

Our customers come to My Trio Rings for the best possible deal on wedding ring sets and we’ve had countless requests for solitaire diamond rings. Previously they were only able through custom orders, but with the growth of our company this year we’ve been able to scale up and provide this incredible value to any customer who comes to MyTrioRings.com. 

We’re excited for this new launch and hope you are too! Starting today, our solitaire lineup will be available through trio ring sets, bridal sets and as individual engagement bands. To celebrate the launch, we’re kicking off a two week Facebook promotion where visitors can vote for their favorite solitaire ring designs to reveal exclusive discounts upto $150 on the new Solitaire Engagement Rings and Solitaire Ring Sets. Feel free to take a look through our products or reach out to us if you’re looking for something more specific!

Diamonds are the hardest known precious stones on Earth. They record a 10 on the standard Mohs scale of hardness, a scale that peaks at 10. Their extreme hardness originates from the combination of heat and pressure deep within the Earth over long periods of time. Ultimately, when a diamond is mined, it is mined in a rough form and in various shapes, colors and sizes.

Diamonds are mined primarily through pipe mining. Volcanic eruptions deep within the earth bring diamonds close to the surface where they can be mined. Pipe mines run far down, the deepest of which are up to 100 miles down. Large rocks containing diamonds are blasted out of the Earth, and brought up to be crushed and processed. The chunks are then sent to refineries to be screened for rough diamonds.

Mines located around the world in India, Russia, Canada, and Australia drill deep into the Earth and produce about 27,000 kg of diamonds a year. Of this, only about 20% of the rough diamonds mined are deemed good enough to be cut and polished for use in jewelry, while the rest are used for industrial purposes.

The rough diamonds that are good enough for jewelry are distributed by large companies, the largest of which is the De Beers Central Selling Organization. These rough diamonds are priced and sorted into over 5,000 categories, and traded to private buyers. These buyers ultimately send the rough diamonds to a cutting center to be cut and polished, after which they can be placed into a piece of jewelry.

Up Next: How is a Diamond Cut?

So you just bought an exquisite his and her trio ring wedding set from MyTrioRings.com. You’ve just been happily married and can’t stop admiring the gleaming diamonds on your finger. You feel like you never want to take them off your hand because the beautiful rings remind you of the one you love. However, as difficult as it may be, it may be in your best interest to take your rings off once in a while this summer.

In order to help preserve the shine and beauty of your trio ring wedding set, it is important that when entering a hot tub or swimming pool that you take all your jewelry off (and store it in a safe place!) This is because chlorine can have a damaging effect on gold and platinum and has been known to slowly erode the finish and polish of gemstones. Chlorine has also been known to slowly damage and discolor precious metals, especially gold and platinum.

Similarly, we recommend that you take off your wedding rings before jumping into salt water, since it has been known to have a very similar effect on gold jewelry. Another reason we recommend taking your rings off when our in the sun this summer is that applying lotions and sunscreen can also damage your rings. These products have a tendency to form a thin coating on your jewelry, which can take away much of the shine and vibrance of your rings.

Likewise, to preserve the optimum shine, it’s important that you take your rings off before showering and cleaning. While it may seem that it only happens in movies that a ring slips off while cooking or cleaning, or slips down the drain by chance, it could happen to you! Not only are your wedding rings valuable financially, they are also an important emotional symbol of your love. When it comes to your rings, it’s better to be safe than sorry, which means taking your rings off when they are in danger of getting tainted or of slipping off.

There are some who when looking for a wedding ring set for their upcoming wedding decide that they want simply the most affordable wedding ring they can find. There’s nothing wrong with that, and especially with the troubled economy of the past few years, this is extremely justifiable. Even though a wedding is a presumably once in a lifetime event, it is becoming more acceptable today to try to find cheaper alternatives to traditional rings that cost over $12,500. However, it is generally agreed upon that an engagement ring should have real diamonds, and not fake stones such as cubic zirconium. Even though there are a few who believe a Cubic Zirconia diamond is good enough and indistinguishable from a real diamond, there are many differences and ways to tell them apart quickly and easily.

Diamonds have been a staple of wedding rings for over a century now, and a diamond ring is almost synonymous with a wedding or engagement. A diamond is the hardest and toughest stone in the world, and nothing can break it. The only way to scratch a diamond is with another sharp diamond. However, many who are looking for cheaper alternatives tend to look at cubic zirconium diamonds as a cheaper alternative. While the price difference is huge, Diamonique and other fake diamonds have been known to cloud up or scruff up, and many consider fake diamonds to be bad luck for a wedding. More so, most jewelers and others familiar with diamonds can immediately tell the difference because a fake diamond will have a tell-tale rainbow like sparkle from it, while a real diamond has a trademark white shine, also known as its brilliance.

While most jewelers and people who are familiar with real diamonds can almost immediately tell if a diamond on a piece of jewelry is real or fake, there are many objective methods to tell if a stone is genuine. Many jewelry stores will perform a free heat test to your diamonds. During this test, they will heat it up for a few seconds and see if it holds the heat. A real diamond disperses heat quickly and won’t heat up during such a test. There are also tools available with the use of a diamond tester and a hardness test.  Also, a cubic zirconia and most other fake diamonds typically weigh 40-70% more per carat than a real diamond, a difference that is immediately obvious when you weigh the stone in question and compare it to what a real diamond of that carat size should weigh.

Since the above methods may be difficult for most people to check the diamonds in their rings personally, there are some easier ways to check if a stone is real. For example, a simple fog test can help you figure out if a stone is real. This can be done by fogging the diamond with your mouth. If it’s a real diamond, the fog won’t stay very long and will evaporate almost immediately. Another way to test a diamond is by placing it under a UV light or a black light, since a real diamond will reflect medium to dark blue fluorescence. Finally, fake diamonds tend to seem dull when looked at from the side, while a real diamond will have equal shine and brilliance from every angle.

There are many other ways to test a stone, but the best and most certain way to test if a diamond is real or not is to ask the retailer to give you a certificate of authenticity for the diamonds used in the item. Most prominent jewelers will provide a detailed certificate from a diamond lab such as GIA, the Gemological Institute of America, or EGL, the European Gemological Laboratory. Both are independent and unbiased and will give you a proof without a doubt whether the diamonds in question are authentic.

MyTrioRings guarantees its diamonds are authentic, and is happy to provide a diamond certificate of authenticity upon request, for a standard fee. Simply call or email us to request a diamond certificate for a new purchase or a trio rings purchase you have already made. A Trio Wedding Ring Set is the perfect way for you to save money on gold wedding rings yet have the satisfaction of owning real diamonds. Check out our large selection of Diamond trio ring Sets, as well as our Yellow and White gold trio ring sets. When the Ladies Engagement ring, Ladies Wedding band, and Men's Wedding band are together in a matching set - this is called a Trio Wedding Ring Set.

One question that we at MyTrioRings get very often is whether the diamonds used in our diamond trio ring sets and other jewelry such as our diamond necklace specials include any conflict diamonds, which are often referred to as blood diamonds. Our answer, displayed on every product page, has consistently been our guarantee that “Our diamonds are all authentic naturally mined diamonds and guaranteed to be from reputable and conflict-free mining sources.” Blood diamonds or conflict diamonds have been a point of concern for decades now, but there is very little proof that most diamonds available in the United States today are funding bloodshed in Africa.

The United Nations defines conflict diamonds as “diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments, and are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments, or in contravention of the decisions of the Security Council.” The popular movie titled Blood Diamond, which came out in 2006, shows the horror and bloodshed that is associated with diamonds mined in Africa. Set during the Sierra Leone Civil War of 1999, the movie shows the RUF rebel group of Sierra Leone enslaving villagers to mine diamonds that they would then trade directly for guns.

In 2001, in response to outcry from many about the news about the wars in Africa raged over diamonds, the UN called for the creation of an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. The result was a piece of legislation titled, the Kimberly Process, which enforces rigorous requirements on diamond producers to certify shipments of rough diamonds as “conflict-free” and actively prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate market. For example, when the UN deemed that Liberia was being used as a vehicle for exporting conflict diamonds by the RUF rebel group of Sierra Leone, the country was banned from the Kimberly Process, and its exports of diamonds were forbidden.

Today, diamond holding company De Beers controls about 35% of the world’s supply of diamonds, and is the direct distributor of the diamonds that are used in the trio wedding ring sets and jewelry available on MyTrioRings.com. De Beers commits fully to preventing conflict diamonds and only distributes diamonds from its own mines. This way it can guarantee that its diamonds are completely conflict free. De Beers has a highly regulated and restricted process for distributing its diamonds, and not ever jeweler and diamond distributor is granted access to its diamonds.

This means that you, as a retail customer of diamonds today, can shop with complete confidence that the diamonds on MyTrioRings.com are 100% conflict free. In your search for the perfect wedding ring set, however, it is important for you as a consumer to ask questions and ask the vendor if they know whether or not the diamonds they sell are in fact conflict free. While actions such as the Kimberly Process are helping make the world’s diamond supply safer, for the effort to be a success, it requires diligence from everyone involved in the process, ranging from diamond producers, all the way to consumers. To help the cause, do your part so that you can purchase your diamond rings with a clear conscience.

The United States was once seen as the emerging front of the diamond market. It was the land of the American Dream, mass-consumerism, and new money. However, the United States’ economy is lagging behind the high growth markets in the east, namely India and China. While demand for Diamonds in the United States fell after the global economic crises in the past decade, markets have in fact surged in the East, to the point where within a decade, Chinese demand for diamonds could reach the same level as the United States.

De Beers has long been the monopoly holder of diamonds in the world, amassing about 95% of the World’s supply of diamonds at one point. They source their diamonds from Africa and India, and release it through select avenues and retailers on a limited approval basis. In an interview this month with London’s Financial Times, the Managing Director of De Beers, Garreth Penny stated that “What we’re now seeing, with China growing as rapidly as it is, [is] annual double-digit growth compounded over a period of five years.”

However, it appears that the surge of the diamond market in China is not solely due to the solid performance of the local economy and stock markets. A lot of it has to do with the wedding culture and traditions in China. According to Penny, 20 years ago, it was rare for Chinese brides to receive diamond engagement rings. However, today about 50% of couples married in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong buy them.

The growth of the diamond market in China is significant, since in 2009, China only accounted for 6-7% of the global diamond market, while the United States accounted for about 40% of it. De Beers has forecasted the Chinese demand to more than double by the year 2016.

A similar trend is visible in India today, where “the diamond jewelry business has been showing a growth rate of about 15% at a time when [just gold jewelry] has shown negligible growth.”The diamond jewelry market in India has been surging, and is representative of similar activity in India. According to experts, this is because with gold prices at an all time high, consumers are moving from investing in pure gold to diamond jewelry.

According to latest figures, in May 2010 alone, India’s polished diamond exports rose 73% from last year, to almost $1.8 billion. India has long been labeled a major hub of diamond cutting and polishing, and has a hand in 9 out of 11 diamonds that are produced around the world. Apart from India, Honk Kong and Dubai are also emerging as key trading areas.

It will be interesting to see how the balance of power between diamond trading centers shifts over the next decade. While the diamond industry is rebounding well from the global economic collapse of the past decade, there are many issues the diamond industry must deal with over the next decade, especially a decline in the diamond supply in the future. According to Penny, “These great mines that were discovered 10, 20, 30 years ago are not being replaced today. According to the data that is out there, we’re going to see some significant declines in diamonds.”

The wedding ring, whether or not as a trio ring wedding set, is a ubiquitous symbol of love, devotion, and faith. However, not many know how the concept of a wedding ring originated and why it is significant. The wedding ring has a long and mysterious history, and has evolved from humble beginnings. The concept of a wedding ring has been around for centuries, and is now a mainstay within most cultures and religions today. It is the most prominent symbol of the institution of marriage, but many don’t know the true meaning or beginnings of it and simply take the ritual for granted.

The wedding ring has roots in Ancient Egypt, where the custom was established of placing a ring on the finger of the bride, as a sign that the groom had confidence in the ability of the woman to take care of his house. These first wedding rings were made of reeds and plants growing on the banks of the river Nile, which were twisted and braided into shape.

In the Middle Ages, marriage was largely a financial arrangement, and the wedding ring served as a crude sort of deposit on the bride. Arrangements for weddings were made far in advance, so the groom presented the bride and her parents with a valuable wedding ring as a sign that he was committed to the marriage and would not back down. The family would safeguard the ring until the wedding, when the ring would be presented to the bride.

The ritual carried on but gained momentum in the 9th Century when Pope Nicolas I made a gold ring a wedding requirement as a way to show wealth to prove the groom’s ability to care for a wife. The first recorded diamond engagement ring dates back to 1477, and was given to Mary of Burgandy by Archduke Maximillian of Austria. At this time, diamonds were considered to have almost magical powers to help make the marriage more stable and pure.

While engagement rings have been around for centuries, the men’s wedding band is only a recent trend. The men’s wedding band gained momentum during World War II, when men who were faced with separation from their brides wore rings as reminders of their commitment to their loved ones. While the first wedding bands were simple gold rings, they today tend to be intricate and diamond studded to help signify the level of commitment the man has to his wife.

While the origins and the significance of the wedding ring has evolved drastically over time, the core message remains the same. A wedding ring is proof of a commitment, selflessness, and devotion. Each person and each couple has a different take on the ritual, and try to find ways to personalize their experience. For example, many customers at My Trio Rings request that their rings be engraved with a personalized message. This helps make couples feel more involved in the process, and shows an extra level of caring and commitment to their loved one.

No matter what your motivations and aspirations for your upcoming wedding, My Trio Rings has a wide selection of diamond and gold his and her wedding ring sets. To help ensure that your experience happens exactly the way you always pictured it, we are happy to customize your experience for you. This includes custom engraving, unique ring boxes, and the ability to mix and match wedding ring sets to come up with the combination that works best for you. Whatever your concerns, feel free to contact us to help you write your own wedding ring history.

We’ve all purchased a chocolate candy bar from a vending machine, but have you ever dreamed of purchasing gold from a vending machine? Well, now you can. According to a CNN.com article last week, German company named Gold-to-go is rapidly making gold bar vending machines, and opened its first gold dispensing machine in May.  This machine comes about as a result of high demand for physical gold as a safe way to safeguard cash in an uncertain economy. Much the same way people have been purchasing gold and diamond jewelry as an investment for hundreds of years now, a gold vending machine gives people the satisfaction of knowing their money is safely in their hands.

Patrizio Locatelli, the owner of SE 6, a company in Italy that pays people cash for their gold jewelry and gold items, said that “When you see exchange rates going up and down every day with the euro under so much pressure and stocks decreasing, this gold machine seemed like a very sound idea. In times like these you must think of somewhere else to put your money, and physical gold still has a great appeal for everyone.”

With gold prices at an all time high of about $1,250 an ounce, it isn’t hard to see the truth in Locatelli’s words. The demand for gold has grown rapidly and very consistently, and this is because gold is commonly seen as a “safe-haven asset,” meaning that it actually gains value in an uncertain economy. This is because while banks can fail and currencies can rapidly increase or decrease in value, gold will always be the primary form of currency and investment in any sort of economy.

How can the average investor, who can’t afford $1,250 gold bars, get into investing in gold? As highlighted in a previous blog article, gold jewelry was first created as a way to tangibly hold onto and safeguard money. By turning gold into jewelry such as gold rings, bracelets and necklaces, people had the safety and assurance of knowing their money was safe in their hands, and not left to the mercy of an unpredictable economy. By purchasing jewelry, you are not only showing others you have money, but that you are smart enough to invest it in something you can turn into cash in bad times, unlike that plasma TV or new car that will lose their value days after you take them home from the store.

Simply put, gold is the easiest and safest way to invest your money. Those who can’t afford to buy a lot of it can’t lose by purchasing jewelry from a trusted vendor. Whether you are purchasing a gold wedding ring to propose to your significant other, or are purchasing a diamond bracelet for your dad on father’s day, gold, in any size, shape or form, is a smart way to show your love.  And until your next visit to Dubai or Germany, the first two places with gold vending machines, gold jewelry is a great place to start.

Visit the collection on www.MyTrioRings .com to browse a wide selection of 14k Gold diamond wedding ring sets. The wedding ring sets include a diamond engagement ring, women’s wedding band, and a men’s wedding band, made with either traditional yellow,  or white gold. With prices for wedding ring set starting at $379 for an affordable 14K White Gold 1/10 Carat Diamond Trio Wedding Ring Set, and going up to  $1,400 for a stunning 14K white gold 1 2/5 Carat Diamond Trio Wedding Ring Set. The rings can be purchased in a traditional wedding trio set, or individually by special request.

The stock market has fluctuated significantly over the past decade, the housing market has collapsed, and the Euro’s reputation and value has tanked. A large number of banks and firms have failed due to a unstable economy and a lot of the notions of a good investment opportunity have changed. A money market account no longer gives you a better return than the rate of inflation. The bottom line: What’s the best way to protect your savings and safeguard your money for the future? Investing in a precious commodity like gold.

While the S&P 500 had negative returns in the last ten years, gold’s value has risen an astounding 275%. This means an annual return on investment of 14.1%, and more recently, since 2008 gold prices have jumped 70%. (Source: Forbes.com) While the economy has been in bad shape and fluctuated significantly over the last decade, gold prices remained strong and have only increased in value.

Gold has typically been considered the safest and most popular investment option out of all the precious metals. More specifically, gold is the oldest form of currency, and has been used as such for over 5,000 years. Since gold is a natural resource, there is only a limited amount available, and eventually there will be no more left to mine. Couple this with the fact that the demand for gold and jewelry is only going to increase as population grows; it isn’t hard to predict that gold prices will only continue to rise in the future.

In fact, one of the first reasons jewelry was created was not just for physical attractiveness or beauty. The idea was that by turning the precious metal into a piece of jewelry like a gold ring or bracelet, it could be worn and kept on the body at all times for safekeeping. When times were rough, or money was tight, the jewelry could be melted down and easily sold, still retaining much of its original value. This makes gold much more valuable than silver, which is much harder to recover once it has been made into a finished product. Almost all of the gold ever mined is still in use today, while a lot of the silver mined is not.

Whether you are looking for a safe way to invest your money or you are simply looking to show your affection for a loved one, jewelry is and always will be one of the best long-term options you could have. By purchasing a well made piece of jewelry, you are making an investment in something that is going to last a long time. As the saying goes, a diamond is forever. Well, that may be true, but so is gold.

Check out the selection at www.MyTrioRings.com for gold jewelry and diamond wedding rings and wedding bands that are quality manufactured to create lasting memories and value. Other forms of jewelry, such as pendants, bracelets, and earrings will soon be added to the growing selection to help you diversify your investment, and to provide different avenues for expressing your love and devotion.

It’s not a secret that there are many reasons to buy jewelry online. I’m sure you’ve heard, “Often you can save 50 percent or more buying online because e-commerce retailers have lower overhead costs than brick-and-mortar stores, and can pass the savings on to you.”

But what should you know when buying jewelry online? Anywhere you look they will tell you the same thing, and we agree with them! Here are the top 4 tips:

1. Know your stuff

Doing good research can help you make sure you get the ring that is best for your partner and the quality you expect! When it comes to buying diamonds online, you want to understand the 4 C’s - cut, color, carat, clarity. Our site has a guide to this here. Understanding the terms can be a critical "must" for such an important purchase. Make sure before you buy anything online you understand what you are buying.

2. Call the Company

There is a wealth of information available online, but you can also learn a lot by calling the company, emailing them, or talking to them on their live chat. This is especially true if they have good customer service! Click here to see where we stand on this. When you have an idea what you want, you should call. It is better to ask in advance and get exactly what you’re looking for, rather than order and have to return an item. This can save you time and shipping costs!

3. Reputation and Guarantee

Once you find an online store that has the jewelry you want, how can you tell if they are the real deal? See that they offer a guarantee, a good return policy, and that the site has secure ordering. Also see if you can find a section for testimonials or customer feedback, where you can learn what other real people think! And, calling the company to let them convince you of their reputation and guarantees is not only perfectly fair, but they should be happy to!

4. Comparison Shop for Price

Search various online retailers in order to get an idea of what a competitive price should be. If you know the details of what you want, shopping and price comparison sites such as Shopzilla.com, Nextag.com, or Bizrate.com can be really helpful. And look for a company's specials! This can be a great way to find a bargain.

Conclusion

No matter which type of engagement ring you end up buying, making sure you follow certain tasks and approach the purchase in an educated fashion can ensure you will be pleased.  In the end this is an investment that will grow in value just as your love continues to grow throughout your marriage.

Thanks for checking out our new MyTrioRings.com blog! In the last few weeks, we have reached out to many of you to get feedback on what you wish to see at MyTrioRings.  A special thank you goes out to everyone who let us know what you liked and what you didnt like.  We have listened to your feedback and have started to make the changes that youve asked for.

We found out that many of you would love to see a blog on MyTrioRings.  Check back every few days and you will see:

- Wedding tips and suggestions

- Wedding ring news and information

-  and lots more...

If theres something more you would like to see, just let us know!