A star made of diamond's! Could this planet supply diamonds for all of our diamond engagement rings?

1/09/2011

It was reported recently that astronomers have discovered a planet that appears to be made entirely of diamond, flying around in our galactic back garden! Of all of the planets known to us this one seems to be primarily made up of carbon. Scientist calculate that the carbon must be crystalline because it is to dense – effectively making this planet a diamond (or at least largely a diamond)! Matthew Bailes of Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne has been quoted that it is in essence “a massive diamond orbiting a neutron star every two hours in an orbit so tight it would fit inside our own Sun.”

The planet is roughly an eighth of the way towards the centre of the Milky Way, roughly 4,000 light years away from the Earth. It has been reported that the current measurements suggest that the planet which orbits its star every 2 hours and 10 minutes, has slightly more mass than Jupiter but is 20 times denser. It is possible that the planet is the remains of a once huge star that has lost its outer layers to the pulsar star that it orbits. Pulsars are small, rotating neuron stars that release a beam of electromagnetic radiation. Despite knowing this, it is not yet know what the planet will look like close up, however some claim that it would not be the type of shiny object we may expect.

Although it seems, unlikely that this planet will be harnessed in the near future to bring us at Mad About Diamonds new gemstones, we still have a great range of solitaire diamond engagement rings! If you are also interested in creating your own diamond engagement rings, we are able to produce handmade engagement rings, to your taste! For more information on our beautiful collection please call 0151 632 7747.

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Diamond Engagement Rings: Are people spending less?

1/09/2011

A recent study by the XO Group would suggest that there is a significant change in the trends concerning diamond engagement rings. For example the survey would suggest that 53% of grooms personally prefer the round cut, but 30% opt for princess cut diamond engagement rings. Another key finding was that white gold engagement rings are the metal of choice for this year’s on trend couples.

A key feature of this study is that the poor economic climate has not forced the average groom to choose a cheaper ring. In fact only 14% of those surveyed said that had chosen a cheaper ring due to the economy.  This fails to take into account the size of the original budget. As we are now used to budgeting long-term, the initial budget for the diamond engagement ring, may not have been as high as a contemporary from three years ago.  This is supported by the finding that overall couples are spending on average £400.00 less on rings than in 2008.

At Mad About Diamonds we have a huge range of diamond engagement rings to suit all budgets. As all of our rings are handmade in our uk based workshops and we are online retailers, we accrue less overheads and pass these savings directly to our customers.  Our online ring creation facilities mean that if you find the princess cut diamond engagement ring of your dreams, you can choose the clarity, cut, colour and carat of the diamond. This allows you to tailor your ring to both your tastes and your budget.

white gold engagement rings

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Diamond Dress Rings: A dog swallows a whole pack of diamonds.

26/08/2011

In the city of Albany, Georgia in America a jeweller who makes diamond dress rings (among other items), is now in possession of a ridiculously valuable mutt. The owner of the shop had gone to discuss rings with a couple in the storefront and had left four packets of diamonds on his desk. While he was busy discussing the merits of solitaire diamond engagement rings, his treasured pooch “Honeybun” had taken a fancy to one of the bags on his desk.

After the clients had left (perhaps with a beautiful shoulder set engagement ring!), the owner returned to his work in the back room and noticed one of the packets was missing. After a frantic search of the room, Honeybun approached wagging his tail and the jeweller reached the conclusion that the dog had swallowed the diamond. After a trip to the vets and an x-ray it was confirmed, after a day’s wait the gem was passed naturally without damage to it or Honeybun. An interesting fact about diamond dress rings is that on an x-ray only the metal fitting would show. This is because diamonds are comprised of carbon, which can only be recognised on x rays by the lack of an image.

Honeybun is not the first pampered pooch to have swallowed the gem of diamond dress rings this year. Back in March, a dog swallowed a three carat diamond worth an estimated £121500.00. Again, thankfully the diamond was passed without damage to the dog or the gem. In both instances the diamond was thoroughly sanitised and put back into manufacture.

Here at Mad About Diamonds, we personally craft all of our diamond dress rings. Just for your peace of mind, we don’t allow dogs in our workshops!

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Shoulder set engagement rings: Donald Faison proposes to long-term girlfriend Cacee Cobb

26/08/2011

Donald Faison, who is best known for his leading role in the hit comedy series “Scrubs” has finally popped the question to his long term girlfriend Cacee Cobbs. The pair has been dating for over six years and they opted to break the news of their engagement via twitter stating 'If you like it then you better put a Ring on it - Beyonce.'

Cacee Cobb is one of Jessica Simpson’s best friends, after working as a personal assistant on the show “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica”.  The pop star tweeted her congratulations to the happy couple. Jessica herself received a stunning shoulder set engagement ring from NFL star Eric Johnson, back in November 2010. Other celebrity well-wishers included Faison’s Scrubs co-star who posted on twitter; “congratulations…just wish I was there to run around you with sparklers”.

Faison proposed with a beautiful cluster ring, featuring a number of smaller gems positioned around a single central gem. If you are popping the question soon check out our shoulder set engagement rings, for a ring with more than diamond. Or if you are looking for more of a simple statement try our solitaire diamond engagement rings. Whether you opt for shoulder set or solitaire rings, you can be sure that you will receive the highest quality from Mad About Diamonds at the best prices. All of our handmade engagement rings are created by our experienced team, in our UK based workshops. This allows us to maintain the high quality of our work for which we are known, while keeping our prices low.

solitaire diamond engagement ring

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Which solitaire diamond engagement ring would you buy for a two hour engagement?

19/08/2011

The American Pie actress Tara Reid tweeted “I just got engaged” on Saturday 13th August 2011, only to be followed two hours later by another tweet declaring “… Love in Greece. . . . I am now a wife”.  Which leaves us here at Mad About Diamonds wondering if she had time to enjoy a handmade engagement ring? Tara is no stranger to engagement after being betrothed twice before. Once to American talk show host Carson Daly and then again to Michael Axtman, who bought her a stunning solitaire diamond engagement ring. You may be wondering if the couple even bothered with a ring this time round due to the apparent lack of preplanning, however, Tara has posted pictures of a pair of rings. The wedding ring is shoulder set with a row of diamonds crowing the piece. The engagement ring, in Reid’s typical style is a large yellow diamond and white gold engagement ring.

If you are looking for elegant handmade engagement rings, then take a look at Mad About Diamonds. We have a huge selection of rings in lots of styles including marquise engagement rings and solitaire diamond engagement rings. So if you are planning a long or a short engagement, then we will have the ring for you. As we make all of our rings in our UK based studio and only sell online, we keep our overheads low and pass these savings on to our customers. This means that you can buy stunning solitaire diamond engagement rings at an equally stunningly low price.

 

marquise engagement rings

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What are diamonds and why are they so impressive? Why should you choose diamond engagement rings?

19/08/2011

Diamonds are a precious stone that predates the oldest known life on earth. They typically consist of a clear / colourless crystalline form of pure carbon. Carbon is the chemical element essential to all life and is the only compound, bar trace impurities, in a diamond. Diamonds are made of the most tightly bound crystalline configuration, making the diamond the hardest structure known to man. It is only possible to scratch a diamond with another diamond.

These beautiful stones are mined under varying extreme conditions, such as the icy Tundra of the North and the African deserts in the South because diamonds require very specific geological conditions in order to form. Diamonds were formed billions of years ago, buried deep within the earth. They formed due to the exposure of carbon-bearing materials to a high heat and enormous natural pressure. This occurs only in one place on Earth, in the layer known as the mantle, which is roughly 150 to 200 kms from the Earth’s surface.

Diamonds came to the surface in rare eruptions of magma / molten rock, this created a pipe like shape which are now known as kimberlites as they were first discovered in the South African town of Kimberley in the 1870s. A small number of diamonds survived this journey and an even smaller number are of gem quality.

We think you agree that the above is a pretty good reason why you should choose diamond engagement rings, what with is being such a mystical and beautiful stone as well as having a great history. Moreover, today a diamond can be shaped in many different ways, you may choose a princess cut diamond engagement ring, for example. Diamonds can also be styled in many ways; you could have a solitaire diamond engagement ring, or choose a shoulder set engagement ring. Diamonds also compliment any outfit and diamond dress rings are timeless pieces. At Mad About Diamonds we believe that a diamond is a great gift for any occasion. For more information or to talk to our experts, please call 0151 632 7747.

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Diamond dress rings are the perfect accessories for the 2011 wedding season.

12/08/2011

As August has arrived, so has the peak of the UK wedding season and with it the need to dust of your diamond dress rings, ready for the wedding parties. Winter weddings are becoming a popular choice, offering the promise of beautiful snow laden panoramas followed by dining and dancing in a toasty banquet hall.  Spring weddings also hold a certain appeal, exchanging wedding rings in the season of new beginnings has an elegant symbolism. However, both of these seasons are exposed to the wrath of the British weather, leading to July and August being the statistically preferred month for entering matrimony.

For those of us not getting hitched, the biggest concern is working out what to wear for the various events. Diamond dress rings are the perfect piece of jewellery to accompany any wedding outfit. Mad About Diamonds have a huge selection of diamond rings to choose from, in a range of styles to suit everyone. We also have a wide selection of shoulder set engagement rings and solitaire diamond engagement rings in case you are feeling inspired to tie the knot yourself. At Mad About Diamonds we can offer lower prices than many of our competitors, as we create all our rings in our UK based workshop. Therefore, reducing our production and shipping costs and we choose to pass this saving on to you.

Investing in diamond dress rings, simply for a wedding may seem extravagant however; the true beauty of a well-crafted diamond dress ring is that due to the simple elegance of a diamond, the rings complement almost any outfit. Wedding outfits tend to be on the classier side of party ware and as such are perfect for the addition of a piece of diamond jewellery.

 

diamond dress rings

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Diamond engagement rings stolen in England riots

12/08/2011

The cost of the violence and vandalism across the UK was shown on Wednesday night when hospital admissions and arrests were added up. The people of the cities affected began clearing up the burnt-out vehicles and shopkeepers attempted to add up their losses in looted stock and broken premises. The riots are believed to have started after the shooting of suspected gangster Mark Duggan on Thursday. The violence led to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, cutting his holiday short in order to deal with the distress in the cities.

Many jewellery businesses were affected in Manchester and Bristol, with thousands of pounds worth of diamond engagement rings stolen. The scale of destruction has shocked shopkeepers into boarding up their shops in fear that the same destruction may happen again. In Bristol, the police have released dramatic footage of a jewellery shop being looted. A positive thing is that the alleged rioters have been caught on CCTV and their faces have been shown to the public in order for people to come forward and name and shame those stealing expensive diamond engagement rings from exclusive jewellery shops. Fortunately for Mad About Diamonds our business is purely online, therefore we haven’t been affected by the devastating riots that have spread across the UK.

All of our diamond engagement rings are made to order, in our in house workshop by experienced Goldsmiths and Stone Setters. If you are looking for diamond engagement rings; whether in a marquise cut or a princess cut diamond engagement ring, Mad About Diamonds is your one stop shop. For more information please call 0151 632 7747.

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Jennifer and Justin have pre-engagement rings! Are you looking for a diamond engagement ring?

5/08/2011

Jennifer Aniston is no stranger to the gossip mills when it comes to her love life. After her divorce from Brad Pitt there have been rumours of engagements, but this one is somewhat different, according to some, there has even been speculation that the pair are planning to be wed before the year is over. Justin Theroux, who has been pegged as an eternal bachelor living the singletons dream in NYC, has seemingly done a 180 degrees turn in his life since his relationship with Jen began, only weeks ago. Although there have been some rumours that he may be experiencing a mid life crisis going from rugged / bearded to chic “leading man” practically overnight, others believe the two may have found what they were looking for. 

These engagement rumours are also different because Jen and Justin are wearing matching rings on important fingers that have been said to be “pre-engagement” rings. What on earth is that I hear you ask…? Well one can assume that it is something similar to the American “promise” ring that didn’t really take off over here. The idea being that the ring signifies a commitment but does not come with a wedding date attached. Although the idea is sweet, why not buy your partner a diamond engagement ring without setting a date! Alternatively, if you are not ready to make a commitment that big why not choose a beautiful diamond dress ring for your partner as it is a classic that will complement any outfit and been seen as a lovely gift. 

Whether you are looking for a diamond engagement ring or a diamond dress ring, Mad About Diamonds have something to suit what you’re looking for with your budget in mind. With our ring customizer you can adapt any style, whether it’s a princess cut diamond engagement ring or a cluster diamond dress ring, you can make your own perfect ring. For more information or to speak to our specialists, please call 0151 632 7747


 

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Another royal wedding and yet another beautiful diamond engagement ring on display

5/08/2011

Zara Phillips, 13th in line to the throne, has recently married English rugby captain Mike Tindall in a royal ceremony at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh on the 30th of July 2011. Wearing a beautiful dress designed by Stuart Parvin, who’s known to be one of Her Majestie’s favourite couturiers and Jimmy Choo shoes. Zara married Mike after dating for eight years. Mike chose the plain platinum wedding band which, it is fair to say beautifully sets off Zara’s stunning solitaire diamond engagement ring, which has shoulder set pave diamonds on a platinum setting.

Guests naturally included the newlywed royals The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge who flew back to the UK for the event. After a vodka fountain and most guests leaving the next day looking a little worse for wear, including Tindall himself who was still wearing his wedding outfit, both 30 year-old Zara and 32 year-old Mike are back to work, as they are both preparing for their sporting events. Zara, who is a former European Eventing Champion is in the middle of preparations for the Gatcombe International Horse Trials and Tindall for the pre-Rugby World Cup friendlies. 

If you are looking to buy an engagement ring then Mad About Diamonds have a beautiful and extensive range of diamond engagement rings available, either on a platinum, gold or white gold setting. We love Zara’s solitaire diamond engagement ring, whether you are a round cut fan or more of a princess cut girl, Mad About Diamonds has a ring for you. The rings are also customisable so can suit any budget! With the summer in full swing, now is the perfect time to buy a diamond engagement ring for your loved one, you’d be MAD not to!

Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Rings

 

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