1. Set a Budget Important! First and foremost, always discuss how much both of you are willing to spend right at the start of the hunt. Come to a compromise if you can’t see eye to eye. If there is a particular design you have in mind, get it custom made at jewellers who offer this service (TFL is one of them!).
Depending on the store (a well-known brand name would surely cost more because you are paying for their branding costs too), a plain 14-karat gold band starts at about $330, while a simple platinum band can cost around $1,000. Embellishments, like diamonds or engraving, will also add to the cost. At TFL, we are proud to offer wedding bands that are wallet-friendly while not compromising on quality.
2. Buy your engagement rings and wedding bands together For example, a unique engagement ring (like a pear-shaped diamond) calls for a simple, no-fuss band, whereas a classic solitaire goes great with the added sparkle of a diamond pave band. If you’re planning on wearing your ring and wedding band together on the same finger, look for a contour or shadow band designed to interlock with the matching engagement ring. If you’re planning on wearing your wedding band alone, you may want a more intricate style that will look great with or without your engagement ring. Your ring do not necessarily has to be of the same design as your husband’s, but to be ‘matchy’, you can go for the same metal colour.
3. Mix It Up But what if you and your husband have different preference in the metal colour? Don't fret if you like platinum and he likes yellow gold. There's no rule that says you have to choose the same metal or even style. You could compromise with braided bands that blend the two metals together or just be totally different—the key to finding something you both love is picking wedding bands that reflect your individual styles. But whatever you decide, some aspect of your rings, such as an engraving of names or dates, should make it feel like a true pair.
4. Size It Right Most people rarely take off their wedding bands; they wear them on trips with varying seasons, when they exercise, during pregnancies—all times when your fingers swell and contract from heat, cold, water retention or weight gain. To find the right size that will best weather all of those changes, schedule your final ring fitting at a time when you're calm and your body temperature is normal. That means you should never finalize first thing in the morning (you retain salt from the night before), right after you've exercised (fingers swell) or when you're extremely hot or cold (which can cause expansion and shrinking of your hands). You can always give an additional ½ ring size as a buffer.
5. Keep Your Lifestyle in Mind What's the point of buying a pricey, pretty band if it feels uncomfortable on or if you have to remove it often (and increase your chances of losing it)? Remember: You're going to wear this band every day, so the goal is to choose something that seamlessly becomes a part of your life. If you play sports or an instrument, look for a slimmer ring with rounded edges (appropriately called the “comfort fit"). If you work with your hands, search for a simple, solid metal ring and avoid gemstones that can come loose or carvings, which can trap dirt. If you're super-active, go for platinum, which is extra durable.
And don’t forget the upkeep. To keep a wedding band with stones clean and sparkling, you'll need to wash and soak it in warm sudsy water, then gently brush it with a soft toothbrush, rinse it and pat it dry with a soft lint-free cloth. If you don’t foresee yourself doing all these, you may want to opt for a fuss-free gold or platinum ring—simply rub it with a soft, lint-free cloth and you're good to go.
6. Don’t Rush Lastly, don't rush your decision! You may love the idea of a braided rose gold ring or a diamond eternity band, but once you get to the store, try some rings that aren't on your inspiration board. Chat with the sales associates, then let them make suggestions based on your finger or hand shape. Not every style looks as good on your finger as it does in the display case. (We will cover this in the next post!)
As you consider different styles, don't forget about comfort too—some rings may look really pretty, but when you put them on, they're just not a good fit. Maybe the diamonds poke your other fingers in a weird way. Wear it around the store for a few minutes and while you have it on, try writing and texting as a comfort test.
While you shouldn't be afraid of being trendy, make sure the style you choose is something you'll want to wear for, say, the next 40 years. This ring is meant to last through all the jobs, meetings and social functions from now until then, so pick one you love that you can picture yourself wearing for a long time. But don't stress too much: You're not married to the ring and can always upgrade (add diamonds or go from white gold to platinum) later on to mark a special anniversary.
For the Chinese, getting married is a big occasion and often involves both sides of the families. In addition, there are many customs and traditions that young couples still practice today, despite often simplifying them to suit the current context.
The dowry jewellery (四点金) for example, is a 4-piece set of gold jewellery that is part of the betrothal gifts from the groom's parents to the bride. It also represents their sincerity in this marriage. The 4-piece set usually comes in matching designs consisting of a pair of earrings, a necklace, a bangle and ring. Indeed, wearing四点金 on your wedding day and with it the love and blessings from family and friends, the bride will surely be basking in charm.
At TFL, we have many beautiful and intricate sets in store. Do check out our distributor outlet when you are shopping for your dowry jewellery set!
His: Pure Love Trapeze Ring in 24K gold; Hers: Pure Love Trapeze Ring in 24K gold with trinity diamonds
24K gold is 99.9% to 100% pure gold that is not mixed with other metals and signifies the purity of love between the couple. The three diamonds on hers signifies the God-centred relationship they share.
With the plethora of designs of wedding ring in the market and the availability of customisation provided by most jewelers, getting a wedding band to mark one's lifelong commitment to his or her spouse has unfortunately become a big headache for many couples today. Furthermore, to make life easier when there are already 101 things to do before that special big day, we have decided to invest time in generating this post to help guide your wedding band shopping!
Here are some of the key factors to consider:
How does my wedding ring look with the engagement ring?
If you have already purchased your engagement ring, it will be important to consider how the wedding band will look with the engagement ring on the hand. It will be good to try on several wedding band designs to see how they look together. The width of the band can significantly alter the way it works with the engagement ring. Certain details such as milgraining (a string of tiny beads applied as an ornamental border) or a particular type of finish may look great when worn alone, but can detract from the overall appearance when worn together with the engagement ring.
What ring width is best for me?
The width of wedding ring is measured in milimeters. The standard ladies' simple gold or platinum ring ranges from 2 milimeters to 4 milimeters; the men's ranges from 3.5 milimeters to 6 milimeters. It is important to try the same style ring in different widths because you will be surprised to see how different the effect created by width alone can be. While a very wide band may be beautiful from a design standpoint, it may be less comfortable in hot weather like Singapore.
"Flat" or "half-round" band?
A flat band is flatter on the finger, while a half round has a somewhat curved or dome-like shape to it. This is all up to personal preference.
It is increasingly common today to have some gemstones added into the setting of the ring, giving it some live and making it stand out from the usual plain gold finish. For those considering the gem-studded bands, should the stones encircle the ring?
This would depends on personal taste, budget, comfort and fit. The primary benefit of having stones all around is that you never need to worry about the ring twisting on your finger. However, there is always the the risk that some of the stones (those on underside of the finger) are subjected to strenuous wear, which can result in breakage and loss over time.
Does the ring fit properly?
When selecting a gem-studded style, do make sure to try them and ensure that they fit your finger properly. Otherwise, you may easily find them feeling uncomfortable on your finger. This is especially true for rings with larger stones held by prongs and those with stones going part way around. A proper fit is critical to comfort as it affects the contour of the top portion of the ring.
The selection of wedding rings is truly limitless and simply beyond our scope of coverage in one article. We hope we have at least helped to simplify your life!
If you are the one of the lucky ones who are engaged or soon-to-be-wed, do look for us to help you customise and design your special wedding rings, uniquely yours.
Adapted from Engagement Wedding Rings by Antoinette Matlins & Antonio Bonanno
This month, TFL joins the rest of Singapore in mourning the loss of the nation's founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, without whom we will not have the peace and stability which businesses here enjoy today. The impact of this news is for all to see, but life has to go on and like what many leaders have echoed over the last few days, the spirit of the late Mr Lee stays on as we continue to labour for a better future and a better Singapore.
Before the close of the month and looking towards the future, we would like to share with you 6 Bridal Jewellery Trends for 2015, for all the to-be-wedded couples out there.
1. Modified halos
“The halo was extremely popular in 2014, and I think it will continue in 2015,” said Amanda Gizzi of Jewelers of America. “I don’t think it will be as dominating a trend as it was in 2014 but I do think, with people still being very budget-conscious yet wanting a large-diamond look, the halo will stick around for some time.”
From Estenza
2. Simpler settings
In place of the halo, Krodel is seeing more “interesting settings” with unusual cuts flanked by matching side stones--a large oval center stone with two smaller ovals, for example.
Danhov's “Classico” solitaire engagement ring
3. Unusual cuts
Other formerly passé cuts seem to be gaining momentum as well. “Shapes that really weren’t popular, like the marquise and the pear shape, are coming in again,”Tropila said.
Anna Sheffield’s “Attelage” ring
4. Colored stones
“People under 30 who are getting married for the first time, they’re the ones looking for something that isn’t traditional in any regard,” she said. “It could be a band or a colored gemstone, maybe a gray or an uncut diamond, something rough, in the Todd Reed style."
Palladium ring by Todd Reed
5. Stacking bands
"People are loving the idea of stacking bands now, this idea of buying a band that doesn’t have to match your engagement ring and then buying another band for an anniversary present or a life’s occasion,” Krodel said.
12-sided pave bands by Jane Taylor
6. Gem-set men’s bands
“Men’s bands are getting more and more stylized, with diamonds, etching or borders,” Tropila said.
18-karat yellow gold wedding band with a fissure cut
If you are inspired and would like to design your own rings, just drop us a mail for a customised consultation!
Greetings for the Lunar New Year! It has been exactly one year since we shared with you essential jewellery care information for you to maintain those precious items of yours in tip top condition. Here is what you ought to know about caring for your plated jewellery products, which is getting increasingly popular. Do clean your jewellery frequently to prolong its lifespan!
Dolceoro Turquoise Bracelet
Protection & Care:
Rhodium, Gold or any other Plating are very thin protective layer, much smaller than Human Hair thickness that we apply over the surface of our Sterling Silver or Stainless Steel products. Once Body Oil, Skin Sweat or residue of Body Lotions, and Cosmetics reside over the surface of our jewellery, it will attract and attach to dirt and environmental dust naturally; it then starts to bind and iteract chemically with jewellery plating resulting in irreversible dark greyish-brown spots that even penetrate through Silver base metal.
Oxidation (Tarnishing) on Plain Silver with no plating is dissimilar to above process. Silver Cleaning products or solutions are light solvents and as effectively they remove Oxidation (Tarnishing) on Plain Silver, they would certainly burn, darken or cause other damage to the plated surface.
Never spray Perfume, Fragrance over your jewellery
Prevent contact of abrasive soaps or Lotion with your jewellery
Avoid contact with Bleach, Chlorine or Salt Pool, Sea Water, High Pressure Steam, and the following chemicals: Petroleum distillates, Solvents, Acetone Base, Paint Thinner, Detergents, Nail Polisher, Fragrance and etc.
Cleaning:
Place jewellery inside of a bowl with warm water, add few drops of Lotion Free Hand Dishwashing Liquid (Dawn, Palmolive…), shake it smoothly to remove oil residue from it surface while some foam are formed, gently rub with hand for 2-3 minutes.
Rinse it several times with water, and submerge it into clean water (Distilled water preferred) for 1 minute or into Alcohol for 5 seconds to remove all water residues.
Wrap it with Paper towels, stretch & shake it to remove most of the liquids and lay it down over a fresh cloth to dry.
To celebrate our One Year Anniversary and Valentine’s Day, we are pleased to introduce our glamorous pearl collection specially made and designed in Italy!
Ever wondered what is all the talk about "freshwater", "saltwater" and "cultured" pearl? Why are some pearls white in colour, some pink and some even black? What exactly to look out for when purchasing pearls?
Hopefully after reading this month's sharing, we can help to shed some light on some of the jargons used in the marketplace and more importantly, guide you on your next purchase of one of nature's most beautiful creation!
Some interesting facts about Pearls:
"Saltwater" vs. "Freshwater" pearl
This defines the habitat which pearls grow in. Saltwater pearls come from oysters and mussels in oceans, seas and bays. They are usually high quality and more expensive than freshwater pearls. Examples include Akoya and South sea pearls. Freshwater pearls, on the other hand, are found in mollusks in rivers, lakes and ponds. They are generally more irregular and varied in shape than saltwater pearls. Some examples are Biwa and Mabe pearls.
"Natural" vs. "cultured" pearl
Our demand for pearls has outstripped the supply of natural saltwater or freshwater pearls around the world, thus raising their prices. The Japanese were the first to develop technology for cultured pearl, whereby the mantle (outer membrane) of a 3 year old saltwater oyster is cut open and between 1 and 20 mother-of-pearl beads implanted. The bead, or nucleus, stresses the oyster which in response deposits nacre over it, thus creating a pearl. Natural pearls are mainly derived from the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, while the cultured ones are from Japan, China and Australia.
Colour of pearl
The colour of a pearl depends on the variety of mollusk it comes from and on the type of water habitat. It is a mixture of body colour and luster (overtone). For example, a "black" pearl could have a dark grey body colour with green or pink overtones. White-rose (white with rose overtone) is the rarest and most desirable colour of akoya pearls, hence would command the highest pricing. Needless to say, natural coloured pearls would have a higher value than any dyed or irradiated pearls.
Factors influencing pricing of pearls
Size/shape: Off-round pearls are more readily available and affordable than full-round ones.
Surface luster: Luster is the sharpness and intensity of images reflected in the pearl's surface. High luster generally means that nacre layer is thick and the pearl will last for a long time. Look for evenness of luster by spotting for dull, pasty areas on the pearls.
Surface quality: Surface defects such as spotting, raised bands, splits and colour spots will devalue a pearl.
Make: This describes the overall quality of a row of pearls. Lay the pearls on a flat surface and see if they sit side by side. If they have not been drilled centrally, this may cause the pearls to project out to one side.
Colour: The body colour of pearl should be even, without mottling or discolouration.
Finally, always remember that many factors can play tricks on your eyes and be used by jewelers to their advantage to clinch a deal. In order to judge the colour or luster of a pearl, always view them in diffused natural daylight and assess them on a neutral medium-grey surface rather than a bright white or black background.
Wishing all an early Happy Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day and we hope you enjoy your next pearl shopping experience!
Adapted from ‘The Jeweler's directory of gemstones' by Judith Crowe
Just 2 more days to Christmas! There must be a hundred and one thing that you are frantically trying to settle before you can finally relax and bask in the festive spirit. This Christmas is exceptionally special for TFL as this will be our first Christmas spent with you. Instead of being caught up in all the last minute sales pitch to achieve a higher sales record before the year draws to a close, we’d like to take some time to reflect on the creation of The Four Loves -- not solely a retailer of Timeless, Fine, Low-priced jewellery, but also to promote the expression of love to humanity whether it is Friendship, Kinship or Romance with your special someone.
And that is Christmas to us. A time to show love to one another, even to the much detested neighbour whose loud music disrupts your much deserved beauty sleep. It may seem easier said than done, but thankfully He first loved us and taught us how to love when sometimes it can be so difficult to do so. (1 John 4)
We invite you to ponder on the significance of Christmas to you.
May love, joy and peace be with you and your loved ones.
With a blink of the eye, the year is coming to an end and we are fast approaching Christmas.
We at TFL are all excited to launch a new series of charm bracelets called Venetiarium from Linea Italia, a reputable jewellery designer and manufacturer from Italy specialising in Murano glass beads to celebrate this Christmas with you. Unlike competitors selling similar products, each piece ranging from the bracelet, bead, element and even the stopper are all designed and made in Italy, bringing to you the finest artisan craftsmanship from the beautiful city of Venice. We are very humbled to be the first jewellery retailer in Singapore to be distributing these bracelets. What else to say it better than the promise from the manufacturer: "Every item in the Venetiaurum® Collection has been created by the capable hands of craftspeople on the island of Murano and have been skillfully combined with gold and silver by master goldsmiths in Vicenza, thus making them both unique in their kind as well as exclusively “Made in Italy”.
Venetiaurum Olive
Have you written your shopping list for this year? Why not pop by our online store or retail outlet at Fu Lu Shou today to catch a glimpse of these fashionable bracelets which are available in 925 Silver and coated in Rose Gold, Rhodium etc, giving you a range of colours to choose from. We have in store ready-made bracelets to allow a hassle free shopping as well as a wide variety of beads and elements for you to customise your very own bracelet or for that someone special this Christmas!
Bead selections in Red festive colours
An early blessed Christmas to you and all your loved ones :)
What a hectic October we have at TFL as we were busy checking out the various jewellery events held in Singapore this month to see what are the latest trends, and possibly bringing them to you in the near future.
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Singapore Jewel Fest at Ngee Ann City
We first visited Jewel Fest, Asia's most prestigious jewellery show held at Ngee Ann City, where we were bedazzled by the fine craftsmanship from long-standing jewellery brands such as Niessings from -Germany and Oro Trend from Italy. It was amazing, as we admire the different sophisticated fine jewellery on display at the show, which of course came with a high price tag as well. Jewel Fest is into its 12th year of running here and saw more than 50 international brands showcasing their products this year.
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Next, we visited the Singapore Jewellery and Gem Fair, organised by UBM, which was the same organiser as the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair which we attended in September. Although the Singapore fair held at Marina Bay Sands was much smaller in scale than the Hong Kong fair which covers several levels of the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, it was unique in many ways and certainly worth our visit.
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Intricate Jade Necklace by On Cheong Jewellery
Firstly, the Singapore presence was definitely stronger as more than 30 home brands participated in the fair including familiar names such as Taka Jewellery and On Cheong Jewellery, just to name a few. Secondly, many gems and jewellery suppliers from neighbouring ASEAN countries such as Cambodia and Thailand also participated in the Fair. They were certainly some of the biggest crowd-drawers as visitors were attracted by their colourful jewellery set in precious stones mined in the region.
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Myraid of Colours from Imperial Jewellery (Cambodia)
Finally, unlike the Hong Kong fair, we noticed Peranakan Jewellery amongst the midst from exhibitors such as Foundation Jewellers which specialises in these rich exquisite pieces. This Peranakan heritage is definitely unique to Singapore and its neighbouring regions.
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We at TFL are delighted to be able to attend these events and to share with you our humbling experience! To end off this post, check out some latest pieces in store from our Hong Kong trip. These chic sophisticated bracelets are made in 925 silver and easily matches any outfit of the day!
What a humbling experience it was for us at The Four Loves (TFL) as we made our maiden visit to this September's Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair. The magnitude of the entire fair was simply breath-taking, involving more than 3600 exhibitors from over 20 countries showcasing their products at 2 venues, namely the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre as well as the AsiaWorld Expo.
Do you see a Zebra? (Zebra necklace from Charmings)
Even though we were there for 3 days, I must say it was quite impossible to cover everything with such a limited amount of time. Every product we saw was special in its own way as they carry with them unique flavours of their country of origin, whether it was the fine stylish Italian made 18K jewellery or the sophisticated pearl collections made by the Japanese.
Elegant craftmanship (Pearls in collaboration with Japanese Jewellery Association)
A Jewellery Fair is never complete with just displaying the end product alone. We were pleasantly surprised to see raw coloured stones and diamond, jewellery manufacturing and testing equipments as well as display and packaging materials at the fair. To cater to the intellectual visitors in our midst, there were also daily seminars on various interesting topics such as "The Silk Road of Rough Jade Trading in China and Myanmar", which participants would have enjoyed.
Myraid of colours (Coloured stones from Aziz Ahmed Gems)
Being aware of the preferences of our local customers and constantly thinking out of the box, we were actively sourcing for suppliers who share the ethos of bringing Timeless, Fine, Low-Priced (TFL) Jewellery to our customers. As promised earlier, do stay tune to our website or visit our distributor Hock Ann Jewellers (FLS) to be updated of our new products.
I hope you are equally excited as us, the team at TFL, as we finalise details with our new contacts met at the fair to offer you more products that will add towards your glamour and beauty! To end off, check out these glam up version of the usual trusty Baby G watches!
Dolceoro Turquoise Bracelet
