Diamond Rings and Celebrities

What better way to show the world that you are in love than by the act of giving and receiving a diamond engagement ring? With many actresses and other famous women sporting bigger and sparklier diamond rings, celebrity engagements have become a delight for the jewelry lover. The size of the diamond is not necessarily the key as to what makes some of these rings so famous and recognizable, rather it seems to be a combination of the engagement ring itself and the famous lady it is associated with.

The history of diamond engagement rings

Maximillan I of Austria gave the first diamond engagement ring on record to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. He had the ring commissioned to unite their two houses and make their marriage a unifying symbol to the country.

The smallest diamond engagement ring ever made was given to Princess Mary who was married by proxy to the Dauphin of France in the year 1518. Princess Mary was two years old at the time.

Throughout history diamond engagement rings have become larger, more elaborate, and have included a wide variety of other jewels and metals. Diamond engagement rings settings can be made of silver, platinum, white or yellow gold or a mixture of these elements.
Famous ladies and their engagement rings

Celebrities and other famous people influence the look and style of many aspects in fashion and also set trends. Diamond engagement rings are no exception to this rule. The following is a partial list of the famous ladies and their equally famous engagement rings:

Royalty:

* Queen Elizabeth II received an engagement ring from Prince Phillip that was made from diamonds from his mother's tiara.

* Grace Kelly was given a 12 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring from Prince Rainier.

* Lady Diana was engaged with a ring made of an 18 carat blue oval sapphire that was circled by fourteen diamonds.

Actresses:

* Elizabeth Taylor was engaged to her third husband, Michael Todd, with an emerald cut diamond that weighed almost 30 carats. However, she is more known for her other pieces of jewelry, one more striking than the other: the 39 carat Krupp diamond, the 69.42 carat pear-shaped Taylor-Burton diamond and the 17th century heart-shaped Taj Mahal diamond.
* Priscilla was engaged to Elvis with a 3.5 carat diamond engagement ring that was circled by another 21 smaller diamonds and diamond chips.

* Sharon Stone was given a three diamond, 3.5 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring by Phil Bronstien.

* Catherine Zeta-Jones' promise to Michael Douglas was finalized with a 10 carat antique marquise diamond estimated at slmost $2 million.

* Joan Collins got a heart-shaped diamond ring in a nineteenth-century setting from husband Percy Gibson.

Pop stars:

* Madonna received from Guy Ritchie an antique Edwardian three-stone diamond ring with a decorative platinum band. The Neil Lane ring was supposed to represent their family: mother, father and son Rocco.

* In the case of Toni Braxton, drummer Keri Lewis designed a stunning 4.5 three-stone diamond ring with an oval-shaped center stone and 2 heart-shaped diamonds on the sides.

* Paris Hilton, even though not a pop star but a diva anyway, received 2 diamond engagement rings from billionaire Paris Latsis, a $5 million 24 carat canary diamond ring and a $2.1 million 15 carat white diamond ring.

* Britney Spears has two engagement rings also: one that she bought for herself before the wedding, a $40,000 4 carat cushion-cut diamond ring with a platinum pave setting, and one that she received 9 month after the marriage from husband Kevin Federline.

* Christina Aguilera became engaged to Jordan Bratman after he presented a $54,000 20-carat diamond engagement ring designed by jeweler Stephen Webster.

* Whitney Houston sports a stunning 4 carat oval-shaped center stone with trillions on the sides which she received from Bobby Brown.

Replica diamond engagement rings

Of course there is the very famous pink diamond ring that Ben Affleck gave to Jennifer Lopez. This 6 carat radiant shaped pink diamond quickly caught the attention of the public and has become a highly sought after replica. It is completed with a platinum band as well as three baguette white diamonds on each side. The pink diamond engagement ring is reported to have been purchased for $1.2 million in 2002. The ring, while easily identified is also very feminine and modern looking.

Replicas of the famous pink diamond ring are now available for a moderate price. The cost of the replicas depends on the quality of the stones and the materials used in reproducing the pink diamond engagement ring.

Some replicas are styled as more antique diamond engagement rings. These rings have an everlasting quality and symbolize tradition and heritage. The recent engagement of Camilla Parker Bowles in February of 2005 featured such an antique engagement ring. The platinum ring has an emerald-cut center diamond with three diamond baguettes on each side. This ring originally belonged to the Queen Mother and is believed to be valued at over $1 million.

Since few people can afford the original item, there will always be a market for replicas of these one of a kind diamond engagement rings. The quality of the replicas varies, as does the price. It is important to note that the styles of diamond engagement rings that are popular with celebrities will soon become the styles that are sought after by the not quite so rich and famous.

Balenciaga Bags

Balenciaga Handbags are the chic look of today and commonly called celebrity bags. Balenciaga handbags use the best of distressed Italian goat leather to give it that slouchy one of a kind look that everyone loves. The best known Spanish fashion designer, Cristóbal Balenciaga is regarded as the guru of the fashion industry. His classic designs have inspired the fashion industry throughout the twentieth century and continue to exert influence today.

Today the House of Balenciaga is owned by Jacques Bogart S.A. Nicolas Ghesquière has recently taken over as chief designer, re-packaging the classic Balenciaga handbags or Replica Balenciaga Handbags look for today's discriminating woman.

Balenciaga handbags and sometimes Replica Balenciaga handbags leathers are lightweight, durable and unique. The fact is no two bags look identical. These handbags are not only stylish but they are functional as well. They come in a wide range of colors like sky blue, bubblegum pink, navy, pewter, apple green and magenta. They also come in various styles and sizes to meet any need. We will explore a few of these :

First (aka: Small, Classique, Le Dix, Lariat) This Balenciaga handbag is basically flat with rounded edges. It measures 13x2.5x7.5 and has a 18" shoulder strap. This handbag retails in the United States at approximately $995.00 and have a serial code of "103208".
City (aka medium) This handbag is very roomy and great for everyday use. It measures 15x4x10, and has a 24" shoulder strap. It has a serial code of "115748" and retails for about $1,195.00 US.

Work (aka Office, Large) Handbags in this style from Balenciaga have the serial code "132110", and retails in the United States for in the $1,275.00 price range. It measures 18x6x12 and is great for transporting files and folder from the work place to home and back.
Weekender (aka Voyage) Retailing for $1,385.00 and having serial code of "110506" it measures 21x9x15. The size of this bag will allow you to take just about anything you need for that weekend get away.

Purse Handbags in this style have the serial code "128522", and retails approximately at $1095.00 The Purse style measures 16x2x11 and is slightly larger than the Balenciaga City size but slimmer. This bag is a great addition to your next shopping trip.

Box Handbags in this style have the serial code "145694", and retails approximately US$985.00 The Box style measures 13x6x6.5 this every day style Balenciaga bag is perfect for casual use.
Twiggy The Twiggy style handbags measure 14.5x6.5x9, with a 23" shoulder strap. It is a bit longer and larger than the Box style. It is a great handbag for casual every day use. Handbags that are in this style have the serial code "128523", and retails for just $1055.00 in the United States.

The styles, looks, and price of the Balenciaga bag is probably one of the reasons it is called the Celebrity bag. Such names as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Nicky Hilton, Nicole Richie all sing the praises and carry Balenciaga bags - Replica Balenciaga Handbags. This is also causing a huge demand and a long waiting list. Balenciaga does not allow stores to sell their handbags online so if you see an advertisement from a store that says they have them in stock you will need to call them to order. Now you may be able to purchase an authentic Balenciaga bag on eBay but do be careful. The demand is so high that there are many fake or counterfeit items ( Replica Balenciaga Handbags ).

Here is a list of some things to think about and check into when purchasing on e-Bay.
* If a seller is selling multiple identical Balenciaga bags below retail, chances are they are a fake. Again as we stated no two are exactly the same. Replica Balenciaga Handbags * Balenciaga handbags hold their retail value. Even a used bag will easily command over $700. Remember the saying "If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is". * Only the extra tassels that are included with every bag are wrapped in plastic. Nothing else is. The tassels are folded loosely in plastic, not coiled. * The shoulder straps fold seamlessly over themselves at the ends. * All o-rings (ie. where the tassels attach) are welded shut into a seamless circle. Many counterfeit bags have a gap in the o-ring. * Look for the embossed/raised "Lampo" signature on the zippers. Otherwise they are Replica Balenciaga Handbags

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How to Dress Well

I found this article at www.articlecity.com. It has some good points for starting off the year looking good.

The elements of being well dressed:

1. Organization: An organized dresser knows what she owns and the items she needs to complete a look. When she goes shopping she has a list and sticks to it. Her clothes are neat and organized where they can be easily seen and outfits can be put together quickly.

--- An easy way to do this is to divide you closet into sections, and then color code and group each section. It would look like all the blacks pants are beside the black skirts, the white blouses are beside the white sweaters etc ..

• Work Clothes
• Casual Clothes
• Accessories
• Shoes

2. Knowing yourself: A well-dressed woman knows her personal style so she is never tempted to buy an item that is not perfect for her. She has accessed her lifestyle, her personality and knows what style looks best on her and what she feels most comfortable wearing.

Ladies -- please don't wear "fashonable" items just because they are fashionable. Please make sure that they fit and look good on you. Way too many women are wearing the low and super low cut jeans and they have love handles and waterfalls flowing over the sides. This is not a good look for anyone.

3. Knowing your body type: Women who know their body type and what lines look best on them feel better about the choices they make. Shopping is much simpler because unflattering shapes can be passed over and a lot of money saved when she knows what looks best.

So, you are organized, you know yourself and your body type. Is there anything else? A well-dressed woman is able to take all these elements and put them together with ease. She knows how to match styles, how accentuate, what to wear to certain events and is confident about her choices. In every situation she is feels confident about how she is dressed and is free to tackle the business at hand.