From plain to fancy - a wedding band post

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Alicia

My wedding ring is a 3mm, half-round white gold band with “Joseph” engraved on the inside. My husband’s is 4mm and his engraving says “Alicia.” The bands are very simple and traditional, but they didn’t have to be. It’s just what we decided to choose.

The convention for wedding bands used to be the plain gold band, and many people still adhere to those conventions. However, brides and grooms alike have been using different styles of wedding bands that are more reflective of their personalities and tastes. That’s the great thing about wedding bands - just like your significant other, you can choose whichever one feels the most special and the most right for you.

I’ve compiled a list of some great wedding bands we have available at Turtle Love Co - from plain to fancy to everything in between.

Plain

These wedding bands are plain, simple, and sweet. They would match nearly any style of engagement ring. They let the symbol of the wedding ring do all the talking. Left to right: Classic 3mm Half Round Wedding Band, Classic 5mm Square Edge Wedding Band, Sterling Silver Wedding Band

Delicate

These bands are small, simple and elegant. Beautiful pieces to match with a small and delicate engagement ring, or just to wear on their own. Left to right: Delicate Silver Band, Unity Gold and Diamond Wedding Band, Classic 2mm Arched Wedding Band

Organic

These pieces appeal to those who are true nature lovers at heart. They are sweet, spirited and earthy. Left to right: Laurel Leaf Ring, Gold Branches Ring, Rose Gold Vine Ring with Diamonds

Sparkling

These pieces are bold, shiny and pack a punch. They are for the person who loves sparkle, shine, and flare. Left to right: Dainty Crown Diamond Ring, Classic Prong-Set Diamond Wedding Band, Gold Diamond Wedding Band

Bold

These pieces are strong and pack a punch. For the person who likes to stand out! Left to right: Renaissance Silver Ring - Wide, Satellite Wedding Band - White Gold with Black Diamonds, Equilibrium Silver Ring - Wide

What is YOUR favorite wedding ring style?

Currently Loving: Christine Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Aubin

Our Currently Loving guest post today is from none other than our Vintage Style Council Member of the Month! Here, she shows us how she would style her namesake ring, our Christine Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring circa 1950.

My name is Christine Mac and my blog The Fabulous Times is a Lifestyle blog that focuses on enjoying a beautiful life through positivity, vintage fashion, travel, photography, books, and places to eat and visit.

Christine from The Big Mac Blog

To me, buying vintage jewelry is an investment. Timeless design never goes out of fashion. A simple classic like pearl earrings are the kind of thing a girl can wear from the age of 18 through to her 70’s, providing she doesn’t lose one! I believe in classic design that is as relevant today as it was all those years ago.

Christine Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring

I feel so honored to have this incredible 1950’s Diamond Engagement ring named after me as it is representative of a decade I have a real soft spot for. I would team the Christine Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring with a vintage frock from the same era and bright red accessories:

1. Japanese 1950 Shirtwaist Style Dress with Metallic Pinstripes available at 1stdibs.com, 2. Christine Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring available at Turtle Love Co. 3. ‘Cat Eye’ Frames 1950s available at 1stdibs.com 4. Schiaparelli Glossy Red Leather Heels 1950′s, 5. Saks Fifth Avenue. Vivid red leather handbag at 1stdibs.com.

Thank you again, it’s so incredible to be The Vintage style Council Member of the Month. Hope you’ll all find time to stop by and say hello!

(Photo and collage courtesy of Christine from the Fabulous Times)

Fancy Dress Friday: “exploring the alternatives” edition

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Aubin

With the onset of cooler weather in the Northern hemisphere, we’ve been falling in love with rose gold all over again! Its color not only reminds us of the beautiful changing leaves of fall but it has a warm feeling that is comforting to see as we get ready for winter. On Tuesday, Aubin showed us two different styles of rings offered at Turtle Love Co. made from this gorgeous metal: the modern, streamlined designs of Jeannie Hwang and the more textured, organic rings by Dahlia Kanner and Midori Ferris Wayne. You can read the full article by clicking here.

Solar Flare Wedding Band - Rose Gold with Diamonds

Solar Flare Wedding Band in Rose Gold with Diamonds by Jeannie Hwang

We recently put out a call for questions on our Facebook page and received many interesting ones (if you have a question about anything jewelry-related, just email [email protected])! Many people are interested in learning about alternatives to traditional wedding and engagement rings so Alicia and Emily put together articles that help explore some of the alternatives out there. Alicia’s article about “rings that walk the line” gathered together some rings from Turtle Love Co. that transcend common stereotypes of gender and mix both feminine and masculine style elements. Emily looked at some engagement rings and wedding bands in her article that aren’t your standard plain gold ring, including our sterling silver Laurel Leaf Ring by Laura Serrafero. To read Emily’s article, click here.

Rings by Midori Ferris Wayne

In other exciting news we had our first local meetup of the Vintage Style Council this past Wednesday. The Vintage Style Council is group of bloggers from around the world who help us spread the word about Turtle Love Co. and we recently let them name a collection of vintage engagement rings (which you can view on our site here). Erin from Just Plain Lovely, Laura from Fore Front Fashion, Alivia from Brunch in April, and Laura from Sweeter Salt joined us at Flatbread in Portland for a lovely dinner and some excellent conversation where we talked about everything from our pet dogs to the differences between New York and Portland and everything in between! Thanks to the Maine members of the VSC for coming out to the meetup and we can’t wait to have more gatherings in the future!

That’s all for now from Team Turtle Love Co.! We have some exciting announcements about a new service and new products next week, but if you’d like a preview in the meantime just hop on over to A Practical Wedding and read Adrianne’s guest post about what’s new at TLC!

Alternatives for a Gold Engagement or Wedding Ring?

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Emily

Have you been wondering what alternatives there are to a gold engagement or wedding ring? At Turtle Love Co we are passionate about finding beautiful and special alternative wedding and engagement rings to share with you. If you aren’t excited when you think about a traditional gold engagement or wedding ring, check out a few of these options:

The Diamond Vine Engagement Ring in rose gold is a lovely alternative to a gold engagement or wedding ring. This spin on the more traditional idea of a solitaire engagement ring and a plain band has an organic shape and texture is romantic and perfect for nature lovers.

The Nested Pearl Engagement and Wedding Band set features a sweet pearl wrapped in a nest of sterling silver. The nest imagery brings to mind ideas of family, home and protection, making this a perfect alternative to a gold engagement or wedding ring.

The Laurel Leaf Ring in sterling silver is another great alternative to a gold engagement or wedding ring. This ring has a whimsical and ethereal quality that is perfect for expressing sentiments of the heart.

We love helping people find the right ring, and with all the different options we offer at Turtle Love Co, we’re sure you’ll find the perfect alternative to the traditional gold engagement or wedding ring.

For ladies and gentlemen - Engagement and Wedding rings that walk the line.

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Alicia

I love when personal style challenges common gender binaries. It’s a feminist thing, I think. It’s rad to pick out clothes, shoes, accessories, even engagement and wedding rings with masculine AND feminine overtones, regardless of your gender. The more you mix and match, the more fun you can have.

I was thinking about this when responding to customer service emails and looking through the Turtle Love Co site. Someone wrote in recently about she and her partner were looking for rings that aren’t too masculine or feminine - something that walks the line between the two. Because love and style should have no limitations or constraints, we aim to make our site friendly to every person and every style. So, without further ado, I’ve put a list together of some of my favorite artists who create engagement and wedding rings that walk the line between feminine and masculine and strike what I think is a perfect balance.

Midori Ferris Wayne creates beautiful pieces with organic inspiration. They look stunning on men and women alike.

Heather Perry‘s Dryad rings mix bold, masculine shapes and textures with delicate stones. These are engagement and wedding rings for those who like to stand out.

Jeannie Hwang‘s rings feature modern, bold shapes in a variety of widths and designs. Some have diamonds in a straight, linear pattern, and some have more organic, curved shapes that hold the stones. The classic shapes of these engagement and wedding rings make them a great choice to match any style.

Rose gold is the word: a look at two different types of rose gold rings at Turtle Love Co.

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Aubin

A recent article in the New York Times declared that rose gold is the new preferred metal for high fashion jewelers, who find it a more discrete and softer alternative to traditional yellow gold. Turtle Love Co. has been an admirer of rose gold’s warm color for a while now and we offer a number of items in rose gold on our website. The color of rose gold is created by it being alloyed (mixed) with copper. In the case of 18K rose gold, the content usually equals 75% pure gold and 25% copper to create a pleasant slightly pink hue. Because of this mixing of metals, rose gold has a unique feeling of being both modern and traditional. With that idea in mind, we’ve put together a selection of wedding and engagement rings from our website that embody both the new and old feeling of this beautiful metal.

The rings that most exemplify the modern side of rose gold are made for us by San Francisco artist Jeannie Hwang. These rose gold wedding rings draw inspiration from the structures found in our solar system and use diamonds to conjure scenes of a solar flare or a constellation just starting to shine through a cloudless sky at sunset. The minimalist aesthetic of these pieces helps to highlight the beauty of the materials.

Constellation Wedding Band - Rose Gold with Diamonds

Solar Flare Wedding Band - Rose Gold with Diamonds

The softer side of rose gold taps into the natural shapes here on earth. When paired with specific textures, the gold can help turn a ring into a gently twisted tree branch or a swift river reflecting the morning sun’s rays. Our Diamond Vine Engagement Ring (seen here with our Rose Gold Vine Ring with Diamonds) is created by California artist Midori Ferris Wayne. Our Rose Gold Diamond Bouquet Engagement Ring is handcrafted by Dahlia Kanner in her studio in Rhode Island.

Diamond Vine Engagement Ring and Rose Gold Vine with Diamonds

Rose Gold Diamond Bouquet Engagement Ring

Currently Loving: Adelle Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Aubin

The Adelle Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring is one of the most unique antique engagement rings in Turtle Love Co.‘s collection. Its bold, geometric design makes it stand out while its .45ct old mine-cut diamond adds a feeling of glamour. It’s the mix of traditional and modern in the ring’s design that drew Vintage Style Council member Erin of Just Plain Lovely to choose it as her current favorite.

“Though it dates back to 1915, the Adelle Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring carries an unmistakable romantic elegance that fits with any age,” she says. “I couldn’t help but picture a sun-drenched, mood-based music video while seeking out images to accompany the piece. With that said, however, I couldn’t decide between the romantically indie or the classically sassy. You’re either in a seriously romantic mood, slowly drifting through a deserted vineyard with the Adelle on your finger and your sweetheart by your side, the train to your vintage dress trailing lightly in the wind… (“Love and Some Verses” by Iron & Wine) OR You’re feeling romantically sassy, the Adelle glinting from the hand that playfully brushes back your hair while you complete a tiny shimmy and wink at your honey across the cobblestoned alley, which just so happens to be outfitted with tiny white lights… (“Knock Me a Kiss” by Louis Jordan) It’s all about mood and the Adelle takes you from one to the next. Now excuse me while I put on my floral crown and hop the next flight to Tuscany.”

Check out Erin’s inspiration board and learn more about the Adelle Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring.

(Photo from One Love Photo)

Fancy Dress Friday: “all that glitters” edition

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Aubin

This past week at Turtle Love Co. was full of everything that glitters, from gold and silver, to diamonds and sparkly nail polish.

This past weekend, Alicia taught us the best ways to care for some of our rings in her post “On the care and keeping of sterling silver jewelry.” Highlights of the article included answers to frequently asked questions like how to clean silver jewelry that has areas of oxidization in its design and a look at which gems should NOT come in contact with a polishing cloth.

Nested White Pearl Engagement Ring from Turtle Love Co.

Not all gems are equal when it comes to their care. Pearls, like the one in this Nested White Pearl Engagement Ring, are soft and would be damaged if polished.

On Monday, Vintage Style Council Member Theresa from Despising Life is So Passe shared why she currently loves our Fiona Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring. The ring, which is circa 1950 and features a .14ct brilliant-cut diamond set in a scalloped, raised box setting, was part of a pinboard made by Theresa based around a Fall outdoor wedding reception. If you would like to see this Currently Loving post, click here.

Yesterday, our TLC teammate Emily, who loves painting her nails in new and interesting ways, wrote a post about how to make your engagement ring stand out by painting an accent nail. The ring in her post is our Dainty Blue Topaz Gold Solitaire, which is crafted by Laura Serrafero using 14K satin-finished gold and a 4mm bezel set blue topaz.

nail art accent nail artisan engagemnent ring blue topaz gold solitaire

Dainty Blue Topaz Gold Solitaire from Turtle Love Co.

We’ve been working on getting all of our newly arrived vintage rings up on the Turtle Love Co. website and even the Turtle Love Committee has been pitching in. They’re seen here attempting to measure our Megan Vintage Diamond Engagement Ring. You can view the ring (with proper non-turtle determined measurements) by clicking here.

Turtle Love Committee, September 21, 2012

Such helpful little turtles!

Nail Art that Complements Your Engagement Ring

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Emily

You may have noticed that nail art has gotten really popular lately. From geometric patterns to painstakingly hand painted florals, nail art is a great new accessory. My personal favorite variation on the trend is what I call the accent nail.

Dainty Blue Sapphire Gold Solitaire from Turtle Love Co.

The great thing about painting an accent nail is that you can use it to highlight your ring finger and your beautiful artisan engagement or wedding ring. Turtle Love Co.‘s lovely Dainty Blue Topaz Gold Solitaire by Laura Serrafero is one of my favorites, and an accent nail adds a little extra specialness to this petite engagement ring. Do you think you’d try an accent nail?

Vintage wedding photos: 1940s Newlyweds

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Aubin

Prior to World War Two, it was not common for a man to wear a wedding ring. However, by the time this couple was married in the late 1940s it had become more popular for the groom to receive a wedding ring during the marriage ceremony. One reason for this is that during the war the ring would give the man a reminder of his family back home. It was also traditional for the wedding rings and engagement ring to be made of the same metal. In that spirit, we at Turtle Love Co. offer a modern take on the traditional engagement and wedding rings with this Nested White Topaz Engagement Ring Set and Hammered Silver Ring. These rings are made by Jen Burrall in Portland, Maine and are handmade from recycled sterling silver and the engagement ring features a 7.5mm white topaz in a 10mm wire bezel setting. To learn more about these rings, please click the photo of them below.

Nested White Topaz Engagement Ring Set and Hammered Silver Ring (click for more info)

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Monthly Archives: September 2012