There are three types of gold – White gold, Rose gold, and the more common Yellow Gold. The purity of gold is expressed in karats. 24k Gold is 99.9% pure gold and is far too soft to be practical for rings. 18k gold is 75% pure gold and is generally considered the highest purity practical for rings.

Along with specifying the metal and the stone and year, now you can also select a special effect for your stone. Stone options add a little more to the cost of the ring. Depending on the jeweler, here's some of the stone effects you can pick from:

-- Astralight stone effect - Astralight is a special option underneath the stone and it gives the stone the illusion of a rainbow beneath it. Astralight can be done on either smooth or faceted stones.

-- Sundance stone effect - The Sundance effect also can be done on either smooth or faceted stones. It is a special effect under the stone that gives the illusion of rays beneath the stone.

-- Encrusting effect - This is where an embedded yellow gold symbol or yellow gold letter is placed into the top of your stone. Encrustings look better on darker stones and are available on smooth stones. This effect should not be combined with either the Sundance or Astralight stone options.

-- Protected emblem effect - This is a symbol or letter design located underneath the stone. This effect works better with the lighter colored stones and is available on smooth stones.

Class rings are also very popular as simple fashion accessories, even for people who have not attended a particular school or college.

As we transition from an industrial nation, men’s tastes have evolved to desire small embellishments and men have become a little more refined in their tastes. Nowhere is this more evident than in the world of mens rings. What once was simple understated and economical in styling has become a market that has exploded with revolutionary designs and very unique styling.

With new contemporary alloys like palladium, tungsten, titanium and black titanium choices for the type of metals used are vastly superior to the metals used in previous years. With companies like Artcarved inlaying 18 ct gold into their titanium rings and designers like Edward Mirell making black titanium rings inlaid with grey titanium and three diamond sets, it’s obvious that we have reached a new pinnacle in the development of marriage rings for men.

For those of you not looking to make the most important commitment in your lives just yet fear not, rings are not just being made for the men who are getting married. The market has exploded for designers making rings for everyday use. They are looking for rings to relay a sense of style and refinement. Rings designed to shine but yet maintain a rugged look. Today’s rings are for the everyday man, which is evidenced by the exclusive Orange County Choppers collection available only from a select dealer. These designs are as radical as the bikes being made in upstate New York and show off a sense of ruggedness that most men dream of.

Every day use of rings to show style has become an important part of our culture. Every professional sports franchise presents rings to their champions at the end of each season which are proudly warn to show the world that they are champions. You may not have a Super Bowl ring to wear but you can easily show the world your fashion style with a multitude of rings like the very limited, highly sought after Timoku style rings made by Edward Mirell. Rings like the Timoku beveled edge band are very hard to find and will be valuable for years to come.

If you are looking for the special design for your wedding day or you are looking for the perfect style for your night out on the town then the world is your oyster! These revolutionary designs are waiting for you but hurry because they don’t always last long!

What is the difference between an antique ring and an estate ring?

"Antique" normally refer to rings that are over 50 years old. Rings less than 50 years old but purchased used are considered "Estate" rings.

What are the styles of different eras?

The Victorian Era (1835-1900) - Victorian era antique rings usually featured diamonds or pearls set in yellow or rose gold. The ring styles varied from simple elegance to intricate detail. Many settings featured rows of diamonds that were cut with an extra facet in the bottom of the stone. This was known as a mine cut.