Tuesday, March 31, 2009

How to find best caterer?

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I love throwing parties. And not just small intimate gatherings either. I'm talking big time affairs with lots of food, plenty of booze and full on decorations. In short, I go all out when it comes to entertaining.

Let me give you an idea of what I'm talking about. A few years ago, I was in charge of planning a luncheon for the people I worked with at a local CBS television affiliate. It just happened the date of luncheon fell during the same week the network was airing a brand new Elvis Presley mini-series. As soon as I made the connection, the ideas started flowing like water from the faucet.

Thinking back to all those Elvis movies I watched as a kid, I chose the theme from my favorite of all time, Blue Hawaii. After choosing the theme, I worked out the menu. I went ahead and ordered two large pineapple baked hams, a few roasted chickens and a half a dozen pineapples. This was a good start to our feast.

When it came to decorations, I went crazy buying dozens of cheap grass skirts, covering all the tables in green and yellow linens. I even hand crafted a Paper Mache pig which I had turning over a fake spit. That was awesome.

But here's where things went sour, at least for me. In the two hours before the luncheon, I was crazy busy. I decorated the outdoor patio and moved everything into place.

And that's not all. Because everything was fresh from the oven, I ended up having to slice the ham and carve the chickens myself. Not to mention, preparing the pineapples and mixing together the salads. And to make things worse, I forgot ice. I didn't even get to eat because I didn't have time.

While I got high marks for the party, I decided that when the next luncheon comes around things would be done differently. I would put the stress of the party on someone else. That's when I started looking into catering services.

As it turns out, I could have hired someone to do all the work for about the same amount of money that I spent doing it myself. While I did like the planning and preparing aspects, it was just way too much to do while trying to do while completing my other daily job tasks.

But there are a few things to consider when choosing a catering professional.

You've got to plan ahead and plan early. Based on my experience, it's best to start the ball rolling a few months early (if possible).

Next, decide on the details. You'll want to have all the details for your event worked out. You'll need to the date, time, location and number of expected guests.

If you don't have a regular caterer, it's a good idea to ask around. Trust me, your friends and co-workers have been to enough catered events to know the difference between getting the job done and doing it right.

Doing a little research is always a good idea. That means find out how long your potential caterer has been in business, what kind of affairs they have catered in the past. And if you are a real detective, you'll want to check with the local health department. They'll have records of any problems or health violations filed against the business. Trust me, that's really good information these days.

Once you decide on a caterer, make sure you set up a face to face meeting where you can discuss menus, get to know the caterer and try some samples. And remember to seal your deal with a contract that includes every imaginable cost. At this point, you'll likely have to put down a 50% deposit. That's pretty standard.

In the weeks before your event, stay in contact with your caterer. They need to stay informed of any changes with the venue, the guest list or the theme.

And in the days before the event, plan a meeting with your caterer to go over final details including their arrival times and set up times. It's also a good idea of finalize your guest list with any additions or subtractions.

Although these tips sound pretty basic, they can help insure that you enjoy your next party as much as your guests. Take care.

Eddie Cadena is an Emmy and Telly Award winning writer working for Netricks, Inc., a Fresno-based web design firm. His interests include Fresno catering and entertaining. He is a frequent guest at the most exclusive Fresno banquets, but still thinks his mom is the world's best chef.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Unique Jewelry Buying Experience at The Jewelry Domain

Shopping for jewelry at TheJewelryD is truly a unique experience. The high quality images throughout the site illustrate each jewelry item to its finest detail. All jewelry items on the interactive website can be viewed in 360 degree angle, by clicking on the 360-Rotation links that are found throughout the site. This exciting new feature allows customers to carefully examine each jewelry item, before making a purchase. Each jewelry item on the site is offered in a large range of sizes, diamond carat weights, gold karats, yellow or white, or platinum, thus creating many price points for each product. These various combinations and the company's unique manufacturing process allow customers to customize any product based on taste, budget, and truly make it their own.

Founded 1977, Sunrise Jewelry Manufacturing Corporation (known as The Jewelry Domain on its website) has been leader of jewelry manufacturing for the past 30 years, and is known for its uncompromising quality standards and excellent service. Being the manufacturer, enables the company to provide its customers unbeatable prices, exceptional quality, and the greatest selection of fine jewelry. The company's extensive jewelry collection includes diamond bracelets, earrings, pendants, necklaces, rings, engagement rings, wedding and anniversary rings, and bridal sets. A special sweepstakes offer is now available where customers can win a $1,000 14k Two-Tone Gold,1 carat Diamond Fashion Bracelet!

Keeping customer's satisfaction in mind, The Jewelry Domain upholds the highest standard of quality for each of our products, while maintaining competitive prices. The goal of the company is to make the internet shopping experience surpass shopping in a store. The Jewelry Domain guarantees the quality of products will go beyond customers' expectations and take every step possible to ensure customer satisfaction from the point of sale to delivery.

The Jewelry Domain is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and is a registered member at the Jewelry Board of Trade (JBT), which further emphasis the company's credibility and customer-oriented philosophy. The company strives for excellence and is committed to the highest quality standards in the industry. Hoping you find this information useful for your next your jewelry shopping search. If you have questions or comments, please visit TheJewelrydomain is the leading manufacturer and seller of fine gold and platinum diamond jewelry, diamond bracelets, earrings, pendants, necklaces, rings, wedding & bridal jewelry, engagement rings,bridal and wedding sets, and wedding and anniversary rings.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

How to Choose the Right Catering Service

Choice of a catering service should be made wisely because food plays an integral role in a party and selecting an appropriate catering service make the entire process effortless. Before you start searching for the catering services, you should get yourself organized. It is better to make notes than storing everything in your mind.

Many aspects should be cleared before you finalize any caterer for the services. Every event would call for different catering services. Like wedding, which is a lavish and a lifetime affair requires someone who specializes in wedding catering.

After understanding your event and choosing your venue, sit down to make a list that contains all the details like date, time, location, kitchen availability, alcohol needs, serving needs, number of guests, dietary concerns, your expected budget, etc. of the event before you start researching for the caterers. Bidding online for your event is also a good idea because this opens doors to various catering services to bid for your event by saving your precious time and with this list you can receive accurate bids for your event on various gourmet websites like BidG

Discuss the menu and understand the area of specialty of the caterer service. Some catering services are little ridged in their menu choices so it's better to ask them whether they have set menus or welcome any customized menus according to theme of your party? Are they open to accommodate guests with food allergies? Do they use fresh, frozen or canned food?

Also see the color photographs of the food and decoration done by the potential party catering service in previous parties, and whether catering service will supply decorations, linens, tables, chairs, etc. for your event and clarify with them what all your event needs and the cost for the supplies.

Good service with good food makes your event great so question the number of waiters and bartenders that would be provided by the caterer service and get a commitment from them. Also ask for the ratio of servers to the guests and if taxes and gratuities are included in the final bid. Ensure the catering service also take care of the leftovers.

Myself webmaster of an online resource to find a caterer, catering service, food catering, party catering, culinary professionals for various types of events and parties.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

The Pros & Cons of Titanium Jewelry

Let's talk about titanium jewelry, we will cover the pros and cons and hopefully open up new options for you. Titanium was discovered in 1791, by William Gregor. On the Periodic Table, Titanium is symbolized by Ti. Titanium has gradually made a name for itself over the years, being used in a multitude of products. Titanium has been used in everything from aircrafts to human medical implants. It wasn't until the late 70's early 80's that titanium made its way into the fashion industry.

Titanium is very light and extremely durable, making it an ideal candidate for wearable jewelry. It is now made into eyeglass frames, bracelets, watches, rings, and earrings. Because it is so light, wearing titanium is almost like wearing nothing. The first titanium pieces were not overly attractive, as they were gunmetal gray in color. Granted, that specific color has its niche in the world; most buyers would not be attracted to its bland appearance. As with most products, time and technology improved on it.

Pros

One of the pros to owning a titanium piece is that less people seem to have an allergic reaction to it than gold alloys. This could be because it is not as mainstream as gold or white gold pieces. If you have not been able to wear gold alloy jewelry, titanium may be a suitable alternative for you. As I have said before, titanium is extremely lightweight. This is great for people who don't wear jewelry because of its weight or bulkiness. You cannot begin to understand how light it is until you have touched it for yourself. I suggest walking into your local jewelry store and asking to see a 10mm gold wedding band and a 10 mm titanium band at the same time. Once you have one in each hand you will feel the difference. Another pro is the durability; it is virtually indestructible through normal wear. Unlike gold alloys that wear down over years of normal use, titanium will hold strong showing very little wear over the years. Selection is another pro for titanium, as the styles have improved immensely since the first consumer pieces available. Titanium is now set with stones, die cut, paired with gold or white gold; so finding a suitable/fashionable piece is no longer an issue. Titanium is not rare, so the price is very affordable. Affordable, stylish jewelry is not always easy to come by, so this is a great alternative for the budget conscious buyer.

Cons

Since titanium is so durable, it is very difficult if not impossible to resize. This is bad for someone whose weight fluctuates. This is also a big drawback if you are using it for a wedding band. If you plan to own the piece for your entire life, your weight will change for the better or worse over the course of years. It is not possible to make the rings smaller, but it is possible to buff some of the excess metal away from the inside to make is a tiny bit larger. If it is scratched, not all jewelry stores are equipped to buff out scratches. Minor issues with the ring will most likely require the piece be sent out for repair. Titanium can be cut off in an emergency, but it may take a little longer than a gold or platinum ring. Most all hospitals and jewelry stores are equipped with a tool to handle such emergencies.

You could go on about titanium for days, and still not say all that could be said for it. With any luck at all this will help you make an informed purchase. Check out O for inexpensive titanium jewelry. Their styles are limited but very inexpensive; they have some small pieces to get your titanium collection started.

Friday, March 20, 2009

How to keep Jewelry safe while travelling?

Is there anything quite as lovely as gold and diamond jewelery on sun-kissed skin? Vacations are a terrific time to show off your most extravagant jewels, how disappointing to have to leave them at home. You are happy and relaxed and the last thing you need to worry about is having your jewelery lost or stolen. You can take them with you. There are measures you can take to ensure that your precious baubles stay safe.

The following 10 tips will help avoid you and your jewels from parting ways.

1. Make sure they are insured under your home insurance policy and make sure that holidays are covered. There is a lot to be said about having peace of mind.

2. Take pictures before you leave and keep them in your carry-on or purse. That way if anything is lost or stolen you have pictures to give the police and hotel staff. Also, if anything shows up you have proof that it belongs to you.

3. Don't waste your money buying "camouflage" jewelery boxes like hollowed out books or make-up bottles. They really don't fool anyone and thieves know to look through these.

4. Ensure that your jewelery is in good repair before you leave. Take it to a jeweler and have him make sure all clasps are secure, your gold chains have no weak spots and the settings on your rings are good and strong. You might be a bit more athletic on your holidays and you would be heartbroken if one of your pieces fell off and was lost.

5. Don't bring pieces you likely won't wear. The more jewelery you bring, the greater your chances of losing or having a piece stolen. A good bet is to have a nice "day jewelery" set and a nice "evening jewelery" set.

6. Stay at hotels that offer vault services for your more expensive pieces. There may be a small charge for this but its well worth it.

7. Pack all jewelery in your travel-on bag or your purse. Checked luggage is notorious for going missing. Even though most luggage comes back to you eventually, you don't need to spend the first two days of your holiday in a panic worrying about your jewels.

8. Never leave your jewelery in a shoe or under your towel while you hit the surf. Remember that if you thought of hiding it there, a thief thought of looking there. Leave them in the hotel room or in the hotel vault if you are not comfortable wearing them in the ocean.

9. If buying jewelery while on holiday make sure that if you take off any of your pieces off to try on new stuff, that you hand them to a friend to hold for you. Don't leave them on the counter. Vacation spots are a haven for pickpockets just looking for an opportunity and unguarded jewelery is easy pickings.

10. Take an inventory before you leave. Make sure all of your jewelery is accounted for before leaving your hotel. It's a lot easier to look under the bed while still in the hotel than having to call two days later when you notice it's missing.

Follow these ten tips for safeguarding your expensive jewelery and you will have a terrific, worry free holiday, and when both you and your jewels are safely home your friends will all be awed by the photos of your pretty sun-kissed skin set off by your beautiful jewelery.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Pearls and their Care

PRECIOUS PEARLS

Nothing shows off a lovely lady's smile like a glistening strand of pearls. These natural wonders are also popular for earrings, bracelets, brooches and more.

From a bride's best adornment to an everyday accent, pearls are a special staple in many women's wardrobes. After all, a pretty set of pearls can go with nearly any outfit!

WHAT ARE PEARLS?

Pearls are organic compounds, unlike gemstones, such as diamonds, emeralds and rubies. Genuine pearls are produced inside oysters. Basically, a grain of sand becomes trapped inside the oyster shell, and layers of nacre form around it. Eventually, a precious pearl is created.

This treasured item, valued for its purity and shimmer, has long been popular for jewelry and other adornments.

Today, cultured pearls are made by planting seeds inside oyster shells to facilitate the process. Also, many simulated pearls (some made from mother-of-pearl) and man-made imitations are also available.

The following instructions pertain to genuine and cultured pearls. Imitation pearls may require separate steps, as their durability may be somewhat questionable.

PRESERVE YOUR PEARLS!

First and foremost, pearls are meant to be worn. In fact, as long as you wear them gently, your pearls will actually retain their lovely luster much longer, if you wear them. They can become dull with long-term storage in a dark box.

Avoid wearing your pearls to bed. Give your precious pearls a rest while you are sleeping.

Also, do not wear a pearl necklace with metallic chains or other neckwear. Such items can easily become entangled, damaging your pearls or breaking the strand.

Do not put on your pearls before applying antiperspirants, cosmetics, creams, fragrances, hairsprays or lotions. It's better to clip on your pearls as a finishing touch!

If you wear your pearls while you eat, make every effort to prevent your pearls from coming in contact with foods, beverages, or condiments. acidic foods, in particular, can harm the luster of your pearls.

Wipe your pearls gently with a soft cloth before storing them. If pearls are dusty or linty, dampen the cloth first. Be sure pearls are fully dried before stowing them!

Store your pearls in a soft cloth sack or lined box, apart from other accessories. Chamois, flannel, velvet, or velveteen are excellent choices. Pearls can scratch easily, so you need to protect them.

Remove your pearls for bathing, swimming, lounging in a sauna, stepping into a whirlpool, undergoing beauty treatments or when entering other areas where water or chemicals may harm them.

Have your pearl necklaces restrung, if beads begin to separate. Generally, pearls may be strung on sturdy materials, such as fishing line or dental floss, with a knot placed after each bead. If you're not sure, ask a jeweler to inspect the condition of the string. Professional restringing is the best bet.

RESTORE SOILED PEARLS

You can clean your pearls with warm soapy water. Dry them gently, but thoroughly, with a soft cloth. Lay them flat on a clean (light-colored) towel to dry. Flip the strand over periodically while drying.

If your pearls are stained or soiled, you may need to consult a professional jeweler to restore them to their original beauty.

If you take excellent care of your prized pearls, you will enjoy them for a lifetime. Your lovely pearls will serve you well forever.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Platinum or White Gold, which one for Wedding Band?

There are a number of considerations people take in determining whether they want white or yellow gold, but often platinum isn't considered. There are a number of reasons why you'd want to take platinum over white gold and several reasons why you might prefer the white gold over platinum. Because it is much more difficult to work with than gold, there are far fewer jewelers in any given city that will craft custom platinum rings than will work with gold. If you have a particular artist in mind to craft the ring of your dreams, platinum may simply not be an option.

Platinum is more expensive. Not only is the metal more valuable, but it is more costly to craft and anneal as it melts at higher temperatures than gold. One recent development in China is the introduction of palladium jewelry which shares most of the properties of platinum, but is less expensive. Western markets, however, have not been swept up in the palladium trend and continue to be dominated by platinum and gold.

Platinum is much harder than gold. The more pure the gold is, the softer it is and 24 carat gold is completely impractical for any kind of jewelry. If a ring is going to stand the test of time, it should be as low as 10 carat gold and even there it will wear away and grow thinner over time. Platinum, however, is much less resistant to erosion and will last literally for generations - virtually for ever.

The hardness of platinum gives it one serious flaw, however. It is hard to scratch, but when you do scratch platinum, the scratch will remain ugly and won't wear away, so if your wedding band is going to be platinum, you shouldn't be wearing it while you garden or exposing it to rough surfaces. Of course you shouldn't be exposing white gold either, but platinum is much less forgiving in this regard. A scratched platinum ring can be repaired, but this too is costly.

Because gold rings must be of a low carat, they contain a high percentage of other metals. White gold is still made out of pure gold which is always yellow, but it is mixed with white metals, so that it has a mostly white appearance. Platinum, however, has no yellow pigment at all, so it'll be a purer white. If you're setting a diamond of high grade white color in your wedding band, a little bit of yellow in the metal will make the diamond's color appear to be of lower value than it actually is. A platinum ring is pure platinum and isn't "cut" with low grade metals. This makes it more costly, but also more special.

The metals that are mixed with gold to make white gold may include nickel or silver and in very high end white gold it is possible that platinum or palladium is used. Nonetheless, while pure gold is non-reactive and hence hypoallergenic, white gold made with silver, nickel, or other metals may cause a reaction in people who are very sensitive to silver jewelry. Platinum is hypoallergenic like gold, but a platinum ring has no irritation-inducing impurities.

In order to make white gold look particularly white, it is often plated with rhodium, a very valuable metal in the platinum family. Rhodium is very hard and every bit as beautiful as platinum, but it is applied in the thinnest possible layer over the gold. In time, the rhodium will wear through and the white gold will appear less shiny and less white. This is unavoidable and the only remedy is to have the ring re-plated. Likewise a ring plated with rhodium may not cause an allergic reaction, but one with the rhodium worn down may start to cause problems for the wearer.

The long story short is that a platinum ring is more expensive, harder to have custom made, and harder to repair if scratched than white gold, but is clearly superior in every other way. A platinum ring will last forever and can be passed down through the generations as an heirloom.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Smart investment in expensive diamond?

Diamonds are beautiful, yes. But so are emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and other gemstones. Until a few decades ago, diamonds were just one gem among many. But then in 1934, the DeBeers cartel set up the Diamond Trading Corporation and began what may be history's most brilliant advertising campaign. Before 1934, men gave women any sorts of gems they wanted to; in "Busman's Honeymoon," Lord Peter gives Harriet a "whacking great ruby." Today, thanks to decades of brilliant advertising (the slogan "A diamond is forever" was first used in 1947!), only mavericks want anything other than a diamond, and we're urged to buy diamond anniversary rings, diamond trilogy rings, diamond eternity rings, diamond right-hand rings (for divorcées and independent women), diamond pendants, diamond tennis bracelets, and soon, doubtless, diamond-encrusted toilet seats.

Synthetic diamonds were invented in the 1950s. From primitive beginnings, these diamonds have evolved into stones so perfect they can fool even professional jewelry appraisers. As part of its "Gem Defensive Programme," the DTC has developed instruments that allegedly can detect all "treatments, synthetics, and simulants" (if they're indistinguishable even to jewelers, WHO CARES?), and the DTC is lobbying hard for synthetic diamonds to be labeled as such. Presumably their hope is to stigmatize the less-expensive synthetics in "defense" of their profit margin.

Pearls have been valued as gems and objects of beauty for centuries, so much so that "pearl" means something rare, fine, and "of great price." A hundred years ago, a pearl necklace was worth a queen's ransom. Today, thanks to cultured pearls (real pearls grown on a "farm"), you can get a much bigger, showier pearl necklace for $5 plus shipping and handling from a variety of "waste your money with our cheap stuff" mail-order outfits.

And that's the problem with diamond jewelry as an investment. I am currently in possession of a family heirloom, a beautiful antique ring with 17 small mine-cut diamonds. It goes to the oldest girl in the family when she turns 18, and I believe it first belonged to my great-great grandmother. When the ring was given to me in 1970, it was appraised at $2,500. Two years ago, with the cost of living having multiplied about eightfold since 1970 and the price of gold rising, I had the ring appraised again. I fantasized that it would be worth at least $25,000. I was astounded to discover that, thanks to synthetics, my wonderful heirloom is now worth . . . $2,500. In other words, it had LOST about 88 percent of its value!

I had been trying to think up excuses NOT to pass "my" ring on to the oldest girl of the next generation, but now, why not? By the time Emma turns 18, my beautiful heirloom will probably still be worth $2,500, but $2,500 then will be what $250 is today. (Thank you, George W. Bush!) But the ring will still be beautiful, it will still be an antique, and it will still have sentimental value.

And THAT is why one should have expensive jewelry — not because it is expensive, but because it gives the wearer joy or has meaning in the wearer's life. If you're looking for a smart investment, invest in companies that serve the common good. Invest in solar power, in wind power, in biofuels that aren't made out of food, in other "green" concerns. Invest in organizations that make microloans to the world's poor. Invest in companies that maintain our nation's infrastructure; invest in companies that care more about social responsibility than how many hundred million a year its CEO should make.

Invest in education, as opposed to propaganda or "ignorance-only" education. Don't succumb to the allure of those gorgeous commercials and buy expensive diamond jewelry only because 74 years of brilliant advertising have made you believe that only expensive diamond jewelry can show your love. It's an "investment" in an asset that's overpriced to begin with and will only decrease in value.

For a smart investment, invest your money in people's hopes and dreams, not ostentatious "stuff." "Stuff" is never going to love you back.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Seaching For Good Jewelry Manufacturers

One interesting fact is that many very good companies are not famous while some with good but not excellent products are well known in the field.

Marketing is the reason. For instance, the "designer" jewelry made of sterling with gold accents by "David Yurman" is pretty well known. In my opinion, it is overpriced. I don't care for this jewelry while others will prefer a "Yurman" piece above all others. Tastes vary. Marketing affects taste, too, I suspect. Marketing is a large, large aspect in the "famous" nature of a particular manufacturer.

I was in the state of Virginia the fall and happened into a Finks store. A good 3 showcases were nothing but Yurman items. There is a minimum amount a store must display in order to be a Yurman seller. As I here it, about 3 showcases is a minimum. That is why those who can sink a lot into one line will carry the line and promote it.

For instance, Saks carries the line as well as Neiman Marcus. Such large stores can essentially have a "David Yurman" sub-department! That is marketing, speaking of famous but not always the best goods.

Tiffany and Company is certainly well known. This is for good reason: Name recognition built up over years in the business. Products are of generally very good quality and much is promoted of "designer" items with a designers name used for recognition of a particular line of jewelry sold by Tiffany.

Think of the little sterling luggage tags Tiffany produced long ago and we find folks holding on to those bits of metal like it was platinum instead of silver. Of course, the tag has the famous Tiffany name stamped in. Without the name, this would be another simple silver charm. With Tiffany, the word "quality" is inherent in the name.

You see, this question is much more involved than a list of manufacturers. I will now give you some names of manufacturers who do excellent work and produce very good jewelry items. Some are famous to "those who have heard about them" and some are not famous at all outside the jewelry trade. Pubic recognition is often altogether different from recognition within the trade. This list is very short. Many manufacturers are out there who would be at the top of a product quality list and short on name brand recognition. Here are a few manufacturers I consider tops in what they do:

Jostens. Class rings (as for school graduations, etc.) Art Carved. Wedding rings and Class rings

Hearts Afire. A recently "name branded" diamond of the "hearts and arrows" type, now expanding into jewelry. Jabel, Finished jewelry and findings(parts for jewelers to use such as solitaire mountings). This company is not well known and I believe they lag several years behind the market in design. Yet, the product is excellent.

Oscar Hyman. This company is known by high-end jewelry purchasers. The products are superb in design, technical and finishing work and in the wonderfully well matched gemstones. They make rings, bracelets, etc. with many diamonds and beautifully cut and matched colored gems of high quality.

Stuller, this is a findings house now expanding into the finished jewelry field. Based in Lafayette, Louisiana, this company started small but has grown tremendously. Stuller is not a brand name recognized by the public. However, with the retail jeweler, this company gets high marks for quality. I am not very familiar with the finished goods but expect the quality to be high.

I am sure this list is disappointing to you. There are many other manufacturers who should be there but I have to go with what I have seen.

The Asian influenced has much to do with what is sold today comes from foreign manufacturers. Look at Taiwan, China and Thailand and you will see the sources for much of the goods sold by companies such as Wall Mart, J.C. Penney and many others including mall chain stores. This was not the case years ago but is the common event today.

Some of the imported goods are well done and much is not. Price is the dictator here, beyond name recognition or quality. Unfortunately, the average consumer is not educated in determining quality of jewelry and neither are many sales people who have the job to sell the product, as if selling socks or umbrellas.

Is it Brand-Name recognition? Ten years into the Branding Revolution, 95 jewelers out of 100 will say that they can't sell or tell one branded diamond from another. Or, if they can, then their sales associates sure can't.(And you should hear these people talk about their employees.)

"I've never once had a customer," says this store's manager, "who came through my door asking for [the nationally branded diamond he's just sold onto]. But we average two significant [brand-name designer] sales a week - and always to customers who came in asking for him. That's branding." Curiously, this store doesn't carry Rolex or Breitling, though they have done so in the past.

Some jewelry are now being manufactured featuring diamonds from the fairly recent introduction of "blue ice" or "Canadian Ice", diamonds from a strike in the Northern Territories. I see a real future for diamonds from Canada. Marketing is underway and the appeal is good, as I see it.

Victor Epand is the owner of a huge online jewelry superstore featuring the greatest selection of jewelry including personalizable items. Clearance Sale items are here: .

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Care for Engagement Rings

I was so upset last night. I looked down at my ring and realized a small diamond fell out! It was one of the small ones on the band. I told my FH and he got upset with himself for buying the ring. He got it from Zales so hopefully they can fix it. Ive only had it for a month! I hope this doesnt happen often. I just hope Im not too rough on it.

My ring is from Zales too. My came with a garentee that if the stone should fall out it would be replaced. You should check that out. Zales is a reputable company so it shouldn't be a problem.

I got a better one. MY WHOLE DIAMOND FELL OUT. I had it for a couple months and one morning I woke up and I had a big whole in the middle of my ring. (My fiancee was out of town and I was so scared to tell him about it). I tore my whole house apart for the next week looking for it, retraced my steps from the day before with some friends, and we had no luck in finding it. It really sucks because he had saved up for 1 1/2 to be able to buy me that. It's not just about the money we lost, he designed that with the jeweler and I will never be able to get that back. We didn't have the ring insured yet (I didn't know this) and the jeweler said he can put in another diamond but it would cost us $2500; so needless to say, I am without a ring.

We dont have insurance either, but Zales covers the diamonds regardless having insurance or not. We plan on getting insurance but just havent got around to it yet.

Depending on your homeowners insurance company, they may cover it. My parents policy covers damage to our items as well as extra for the jewelry we own. You might want to see what yours covers.

I wear it all the time except for when I shower. I get it cleaned once a month though. Plus I clean it myself everyday after I shower. My ring gets loose in the winter when the weather is cold, but it never slips past my knuckle. It spins a lot, but doesn't come off. If your scared it might fall off, they have these new plastic, flexible wraps that you can put around the bottom of your ring. Kinda like a rubber grip to stop it from coming off. Then at least you don't have to have it sized.

Make sure whoever your FH buys your ring from, sizes it right. It should feel a little tight going over your knuckle and should not be easy to come off. You should have to push your ring up to go over your knuckle. I have had mine for a year and have had no problems loosing it or sliding off my finger.

Do not wear your ring in hot tubs.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for 4EngagementR is the best place to buy engagement rings, wedding rings, and diamond rings. Browse through our selection of wedding jewelry and engagement rings here:

Friday, March 6, 2009

Event Catering Business

Now it is completely accepted fact that catering is a very good and profitable business. But the business is not so easy for the starters. People often face some problems in the initial days since this business is all about planning and 'market reputation'. The 'market reputation' is responsible to receive the catering orders. Since the market reputation is nearly nil in initial days, it becomes a real problem to get the catering orders. So now in this article we will discuss a little about the procedures to start the business of catering.

Let me tell you about the basics of the Hawaii private catering service business. If you are fond of cooking, planning and group activities, then catering is undoubtedly a great career option for you. You can precede this business from your home too. Hawaii Catering services are of two types in general. First one is called the mobile catering and the second one is known as the event catering. Of them, the event catering is more popular and the profitable to 'catering business persons'. The 'event catering' includes the catering services in various conferences or parties in purpose of the birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and some other private parties. Even it is not always necessary to go for each and every type of catering services in the initial days. It is always better to go for the wedding caterings only in the initial days. Since wedding is full of entertainment and joy, and food is a vital component in joy and entertainment, a good wedding catering service can lift you 'market reputation' a lot in a single day. Even if you wish you can be recognized as the 'wedding catering specialist' in future too.

When you are opening a catering company, the business plans are very much vital. Without the proper planning, you will not be able to be successful in this business at all. You can have a 'business loan' to expand your business. Expansion of the business means that you buy all the necessary catering equipments and own them. But I will suggest you to not to go for the loans in the initial days of your catering business. In the initial days, you should tie up with any good catering equipment supplier and use their equipments in the events against some money. If your business starts go through the right way then you will be able to buy the catering equipments by your own within some months with the money of your profit. The planning also includes the ways to make your brand name popular to the people. You can use the newspapers or the audio-visual media as the component of advertising your business along with the Internet. In these days of tough competition, the proper advertisements can do wonders for your business. Along with the mentioned basics, you should appoint some modest and workaholic people as the 'food servers' and the 'catering guide. Immense importance should be given to the cook of your catering company. Lastly, you and your people should be polite and modest to the guests of the particular event while working.

Author Bio:

George Walker private caterers Hawaii offers Hawaii private catering, Breakfast catering, buffet catering, catering equipment suppliers, corporate event catering, wedding catering events, catering for special events, catering guide, planning your event, catering menu, catering party, catering services, catering supplies, dinner party catering, full service catering, private catering.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

How to Choose the Best Wedding Jewelleryf

Wedding is one of the biggest event for bride and groom both. This is generally a onetime affair for people in whole life. Bride and Groom both want to look the best among crowd. Bride is laden with loads of jewellery on her marriage. But do you really know how much tough task it is to choose wedding jewellery for herself and that too in short time duration. Wedding jewellery is generally an asset for woman and coming generations, so women want it to be perfect. They take lots of time to chose their dress and wedding jewellery.

Best Wedding Jewellery - Although woman love to have a jewellery item on every part of body since ancient time, and its no tough to judge which one to choose and which should be rejected.

Since man enthused elsewhere of their caves women have been adorn themselves with items in order to make themselves more gorgeous. Jewellery is so old that it has been found beside fossil frame. Jewellery has been created to dress every single part of the body. Jewellery has been used over the years for a number of special purposes.

If you're going to buy wedding jewellery for you, you should know the following things:

1. The most significant quality of jewellery is its glow or radiance

2. All designer jewellery products comes with a quality certificate clearly stating the composition of metals inside them, ask for certificates and get all insights.

3. Avoid chalky or dull jewellery because they will be weak and may break easily.

4. In case of Diamond Jewellery you need to know the basic 4C concept (Color, Clarity and Carat).

Quality jewellery is not cheap but they will last a lifetime. Freshwater jewellery is becoming very affordable. Not all of us will be in the market for "Real Jewellery" and lucky for us there are plenty of options.

Before making decisions of buying jewellery, have a sneak peak over the latest buzzwords of fashion and jewellery to know what the recent trend is. Also consult your elders for the quality and tradition of some jewellery products according to the wedding customs. And most importantly take help and suggestions from the jewellery store owner and their in-house customer care consultants.

R is an U.K. based Diamond jewellery manufacturer, engaged in production of high quality diamond jewellery. Diamond jewellery manufactured by Rivazge contains 100% certified diamonds. To know more about our products, visit: