Cyrstal Bowersox's Engagement Ring Revealed

While the jewelry hound pack knows I love myself a diamond, I've always been a fan of the non-traditional engagement ring. Ever since Princess Diana got that stunning sapphire for her ill-fated union waaaaay back in 1981, I've been fascinated by brides who opt out of the diamond for their ring finger bling.


American Idol runner-up, Crystal Bowersox, isn't the first person you'd think of to keep Diana's company, but People reports her diamond-free engagement ring was all the rage at her surprise wedding to fellow folkie and longtime friend, Brian Walker last weekend.

The bride wore an organic, hemp and cotton wedding gown from Vermont designer Tara Lynn, according to People and sealed the deal with a 1.1-carat princess cut ruby ring designed by Walker and crafted by Chicago’s Traci Coughlin and Steve Quick Jewelers.

“There are no diamonds to be found as we don’t believe in the violence and injustice that occurs within the diamond trade industry,” Bowersox explained. “Both rings feature the masonry symbol, an infinity 8, and the Sanskrit symbol for the sound ‘om’ and a personal design that for us represents three: Brian, Crystal, and Tony.”

I won't judge her 'diamond-free' political statement (check out my previous rant on 'eco-friendly' jewelry for more on that), but I do love her ruby replacement. And for brides and grooms on a bauble budget, rubies and other gemstone styles are often a more affordable option than the traditional diamond.

I'm afraid I can't find a picture of Crystal's ring (yet!), but I found this ruby wedding band option on JewelClub for under $300 if you want to go the Bowersox route for your big day. Or for any day, by golly.

What do my fellow jewelry hounds think of the non-traditional engagement ring trend? Anyone out there have one? Weigh in!

Anna Paquin's Wedding Ring Revealed!

Sookie Stackhouse (aka Anna Paquin) said 'I do' to her favorite vampire, Stephen 'SSSSooookie No!" Moyer this weekend in a Malibu wedding fit for all creatures alive and undead.

Her wedding ring was spotted by the paps today as she flitted about town running errands with her mom. The vintage style was custom-made by jeweler Cathy Waterman, who also designed Moyer's simple wedding band (spotted here while he was skateboarding in LA).

Vampires skateboard?

Vintage diamond engagement rings must be popular with the blood-thirsty set. This vintage style was designed by Twilight author, Stephanie Meyer, as a replica of the ring Edward gives to Bella in the series.


To get a live glimpse of Anna's rocks, the happy couple will be presenting at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday with True Blood costar Alexander Skarsgard. (Come tweet with me and a bunch of other fab jewelry bloggers during the red carpet shenanigans - using #emmyjewelry hashtag)

Here's hoping they all come out like this!

A Jewelry Store Proposal?

Diamond rings have been given by way of champagne flute, dessert dish and just plain old bended knee, but recently one New Yorker used a jewelry store window to do the deed - and do it well.

The New York Daily News reports that one creative Manhattanite used an Upper East Side jeweler's display window to stage a fancy wedding proposal for the love of his life - and she said "yes."

"Oh, my God, it is beautiful," Alex Routenberg (26) said, as Tom DeBourcy (26) slipped a 2-carat diamond ring on her finger.

DeBourcy popped the question during a stroll past Jeri Cohen Fine Jewelry on Third Avenue, where he had arranged for flowers and a "Will you marry me Alexandra?" sign to be displayed.

The love birds attended the same high school near Chicago but didn't meet until he looked her up on (wait for it...) Facebook!

"I asked who the hell he was, and two and a half years later ...," she said.

And while the bride-to-be gave her sig. other props for the creative proposal, she was perhaps more excited to discover the jewelry store he used is the same one New York Housewife Jill Zarin frequents.

"I always walk by and say to my mom, 'This is the place where Jill Zarin goes!'"

Gotta love a woman with priorities.

Do you have a fun proposal story to share? Weigh in!

Nicole Richie Wears Wedding Band?

Nicole Richie is a jewelry maven, with her House of Harlow 1960 jewelry line hitting the big time and her signature boho chic style influencing fashionistas from coast to coast. But the former reality star is making news for jewelry of a different sort this week.

Richie has been spotted by X17 wearing what appears to be a gold wedding band on, well, the finger that tells the world that you're hitched. Despite denials from hubby, Joel Madden, to the contrary, Nicole seems to enjoy flaunting the ring finger bling and keeping us all guessing in the meantime.

What do you guys think? Did she and Joel run off shotgun style before their latest addition (a son named Sparrow) arrived? Or is she just having fun with the paps on this one?

Weigh in!

American Idol Judge Weds in Dozens of Diamonds

Wedding jewelry for most of us consists of a diamond ring and matching band and perhaps some pearls here and there. But if you’re a celeb, the high-end jewelers come out in droves to make sure you’re dripping in their diamonds – and American Idol judge, Kara DioGuardi is no exception.

The superstar songwriter and Bikini Girl wanna-be walked down the aisle on July 5th in Prospect, Maine wearing a Vera Wang gown and almost 100 carats of diamonds from jeweler to the stars, Neil Lane.

She sparkled in a 30-carat diamond-and-platinum bracelet and chandelier earrings with 20 carats of diamonds. The total value? $250,000.

"She wanted something glamorous," jeweler Neil Lane told People about DioGuardi's wedding bling.

I guess 250 large qualifies.


Kara got engaged to Mike McCuddy, a general contractor, on December 8th after a year and a half of dating. The engagement took place while they were on vacation in Mexico and the alternative engagement ring was another Neil Lane creation featuring a smokey topaz center stone instead of the more traditional diamond fare.

In fact, many women today are going for colored stones instead of diamonds for their bridal bling – including the Today Show bride, who is sporting an emerald solitaire on her ring finger for her big day.

What do you guys think? Would you wear a colored stone engagement ring or are you afraid to buck with diamond tradition? Weigh in! And in the meantime, take a gander at Jewelry.com’s education section about the many ways to skin the engagement ring cat.

Ok. Bad metaphor. But you get the idea…

How To Choose A Wedding Band

While traditional gold bands will never go out of style, modern brides and grooms are opting for more unique options in the wedding band department these days. Here are a few tips to keep in mind and important links to Jewelry.com's treasure chest full of affordable and fashionable options.

Although gold is still the metal of choice for wedding rings, platinum has become extremely popular as a bridal metal. The allure of platinum is its unparalleled strength, durability and purity. Many wedding rings also combine the warmth of yellow gold with the cool white of platinum, providing a contemporary twist to a traditional classic.

For those who like the look of platinum but can't afford it, there is always white gold. White gold, which is pure gold that has been mixed with nickel, zinc, silver or other white metals, costs considerably less than platinum, but is also less durable.

Not only can today's brides and grooms choose from a dizzying array of fashionable solid metal bands, but they can also opt for wedding rings with diamonds or colored stones. Channel set bands - rings with a line of small diamonds set in a groove, or channel, along the band - are particularly popular.

An increasing number of men are choosing wedding rings with diamonds, as well. One word of caution, however: when buying either a men's or women's diamond wedding band, make sure the stones are small enough so they don't overpower the engagement ring.

Other considerations for buying a wedding ring include:

Consider your lifestyle. If you or your spouse are athletic, outdoor types or work with your hands, pure gold (24 karat) probably isn't the choice for you because it's scratches and shows wear easily due to its softness.

Consider your existing jewelry. Look at the kind of jewelry and watches you already wear, and consider how your wedding band will look next to them. A bride-to-be also needs to consider whether she'll wear her wedding band and engagement ring on the same finger, or whether she will move her engagement ring to her right hand and just wear the band on her left. If she plans to wear them together, she'll need to choose a wedding band that matches the engagement ring and sits comfortably against it.

Establish a budget. Plain gold bands can be bought for less than $150, but fashion comes with a price. High-fashion bands with diamonds or other gemstones can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on the size and quality of the stones and the workmanship of the piece. Also keep in mind that a men's band tends to be more expensive than a woman's, because it tends to be larger, wider and denser.