Recycle Your Old Jewelry
You probably have some broken or tarnished pieces lying around in your jewelry box or hiding in the bottom of a drawer somewhere. You could collect your old gold and take it to a jeweler and have it made into a custom wedding band. If you have gemstones from old rings, pendants, or earrings, they can be fashioned into new settings on a new ring. Get your mom, your future in-laws, or even your friends involved and sort through old jewelry to see what you can come up with.
Check out thrift stores, pawn shops, and online ads for used jewelry. If you can get something for a steal, it's worth it to have the materials that can be made into something new. eBay and Craigslist are great places to find things other people are getting rid of. Many rings were never even worn; a jilted lover may like to recoup some money from the ring and you'll get a great deal. You could even place your own ad looking for rings to buy. Make sure what you are getting is legitimate; have it appraised if necessary.
Old wives' tales consider pearl engagement rings to be bad luck because the pearl represents tears. Another old superstition states that wearing pearls on your wedding day foretells of the tears you will cry throughout your marriage.
It might be a little pricey to have a ring custom designed, but if you are providing all of the materials all the jeweler has to charge is labor, which should cut a huge chunk off your bill. Shop around to see who gives you the best deal and request to see samples of their work. If you cannot find a good jeweler, check out local artists and visit arts and crafts shows and local art galleries, even a rock and gem show. You might be able to commission a ring that is a true piece of art.
The princess ring — three to five diamonds in a row across the top — was fashionable during the early twentieth century in the United States. Sometimes you can date a ring just by the settings and the style, or even the number of stones. Today the three-stone styles are very popular, although you don't see much of the five-stone princesses anymore.
