When my first marriage faded into oblivion, the engagement ring I’d worn with such joy and love was banished to my jewelry case.

Some years later, older and much wiser, I resurrected the ring and had it re-set by a jeweler friend to reflect my newly discovered independence and style. But back in those days, the sight of those diamonds on my right hand was simply a painful reminder of my failure in the marriage stakes.

Now it seems I was ahead of my time.

The right-hand bling ring is the latest status symbol for women who no longer feel they have anything to prove.

Women are earning more, marrying later and have more disposable income than ever before, leaving them with plenty of room for a little self-indulgence. And it goes without saying that the newest status symbol should encompass the ultimate status symbol, diamonds.

In fact, the trend has become such a major force it’s been given its own (albeit lackluster) terminology - “self-purchaser”.

According to Greg Distefano, a spokesman for the Diamond Information Center at J. Walter Thompson, “The self-purchase market is now a $3.75 billion business in the United States. Rings are the single largest type in this market. They account for two out of every five pieces of self-purchased jewelry.”

Eager to get in on the action, DeBeers, the world’s largest diamond producer, has produced a series of ads to tap into the hearts and wallets of this enormous, previously ignored, consumer demographic.

“Your left hand is your heart. Your right hand is your voice,” croons their recent print ads. “Your left hand says ‘I do.’ Your right hand says ‘I did what?’ Your left hand knows the answers. Your right hand asks the questions. Your left hand rocks the cradle, your right hand rules the world. Women of the world, raise your right hand.”

With a market of over 43 million single women in the United States, Ruta Fox, a former advertising copywriter, created the “Ah Ring” in December 2000. “Since I was single, I named it The Ah Ring, and decided “Ah” would symbolize being A, available and H, happy. I thought since married women have wedding rings, and engaged women have engagement rings, single women should have a diamond ring they could buy and call their own,” says Ruta.

The Ah Ring was an instant success, generating over a million dollars in sales in the first year, and was featured in Oprah Winfrey’s “O” magazine.

Never a group to ignore the latest preoccupation with self-indulgence, celebrities have jumped on the bandwagon and taken the trend for diamond accessorizing to a whole new level. At this year’s Oscars 5,000 carats of diamonds strolled the red carpet. Showcasing diamond baubles by jewelry design luminaries like Fred Leighton and Harry Winston, single celebrities Renee Zellweger, Cameron Diaz and Halle Berry shone brighter than the strobe lights.

So, what are the top-selling trends in right-hand bling rings?

Mondera.com, a leading online jeweler, suggests colored diamonds are a popular choice, with pink, canary yellow, and blue diamonds the biggest sellers. The resurgence of brown diamonds, re-named and now cleverly marketed as cognac and champagne diamonds also sell well.

Contemporary settings, such as the sleek bezel-set and pav�, are popular with singles wishing to avoid the look of the classic round solitaire diamond. And for those who aspire to the cool sophistication of Audrey Hepburn, Tiffany’s newly released Lucida setting is the ultimate in bling ring elegance.

But for those sassy singles who would have to forego three months’ rent to afford a diamond, there are plenty of fabulous alternatives.

For all the bling without the sting, cubic zirconias are made with such precision these days that usually only a jeweler’s loupe can spot the difference. From the sublime to the outrageous, the affordability of cubic zirconias means that you can have a different ring to match your outfit and your mood!

“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” may well have become the newly revived mantra for the modern 21st century woman, but if you still need an excuse to go out and get yourself some bling, I like to remind myself of the L’Oreal maxim - “Because I’m worth it!”

by Alex Miller

www.Engagement-Rings-Guide.com

Alex Miller has been involved in the jewelry industry for more years than she cares to remember! She lists her passions as “diamonds, diamonds and more diamonds” and has turned her passion into an informative website.

You can find more great articles about diamonds, engagement rings, bridal jewelry, honeymoons and more at http://www.Engagement-Rings-Guide.com. The place to go BEFORE you shop for jewelry online.

Animal jewelry is a wonderful way to express your love and appreciation for your pet animal. Not only is it an ideal gift to give to animal lovers, but it is also a rather unusual jewelry item which you can own yourself. Though animal jewelry in some form or another has been around since quite some time, it is only recently that the market for it has come of age. It is now available in almost every conceivable size, shape, form and texture for all age groups. Whether it is a sophisticated brooch for a woman, or tiger cufflinks for a man or a monkey necklace for a child, it can all be found and made to order if need be.

Animal jewelry is available in many different styles. Some popular motifs for designs include dolphins, cats, horses and dogs. Animal jewelry is such that it can be truly appreciated by an animal lover. It comes in a wide variety of price ranges. It can be something very reasonable and can also be quite expensive. Some kinds of animal jewelry are made of precious metals and decorated with precious and semi precious stones. Such expensive high end animal jewelry can be made from sterling silver or gold and can even have diamonds or rubies as settings. The kind of craftsmanship used the finish and over all look also makes a huge difference to the overall price of this kind of jewelry.

Animal jewelry is available in various specialty stores, jewelry stores, antique stores and boutiques. It can also be found in some kinds of departmental stores and also online. If you can afford it, you can even get animal jewelry made to order according to your specifications. Many kinds of animal jewelry is found in the shape of charms/totems and pendants. They are considered to be quite lucky and auspicious in certain cultures and regions and are worn as good luck charms. These charms and pendants can be produced to appear still, or even in motion.

Animal jewelry is not only beautiful, but it is also unique and a wonderful way to show your appreciation for animals. This type of jewlery in the form of rings is quite popular. Many animal lovers can choose to have their favorite animal on a ring of their choice. Other styles of animal jewelry include picture bracelets. These styles of picture bracelets have separate links that may either be circular or box shaped and can have a picture of an animal or an engraving of an animal on the inside. Designs may include wolfs, turtles, snakes, bear claws, otters, elks, and deers, among many others.

Animal jewelry is the perfect gift for the animal lover. Animal lovers can find beautiful necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, armlets, pendants, belt buckles, cufflinks and even body jewelry with animal themes like horses, dolphins, butterflies, geckos, elephants, frogs, ladybugs and much more.

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