wedding anniversary gift ideas

Whether you are celebrating your first year of marriage or the 25th year, an intimate celebration definitely keeps the sparks flying. As a doting husband, you can whisk your wife away to some romantic getaway or surprise her with that expensive jewelry she had been eyeing for months.

If you need some spark of inspiration, you can run through unique wedding anniversary ideas online that can give you a headstart. Among the popular wedding anniversary gifts nowadays are electronic gadgets, jewelries, weekend trips and adventure tours. However, an intimate dinner for two at your favorite restaurant is always a welcome and safe alternative. If you are in a rather tight budget, a candle light dinner at home with some soft music are also guaranteed to do the trick. But if you are need to shop for affordable and nice gemstone jewelry online, there are bracelets, rings, necklaces and even cubic zirconia jewelry at Gems N Gold. Whatever you plan to buy, always remember that it's always the thought that really counts so don't always think that only the expensive gifts will impress.

keep your silver jewelry properly

If you like to collect silver jewelry, you would agree that it is important to store them nicely in suede pouches after each use, to avoid oxidation. I tend to leave my Tiffany rings and necklaces on the table and by the time I remember, they will lose their shine and appear a little 'yellowish'. Now, that's oxidation.

Some people prefer to invest in silver bars instead of silver jewelry. For a long time, silver is regarded by many investors as a good investment and in fact, I was told that this is a good time to buy them if you have some spare cash. Available online at Monex deposit company, people are buying silver bullions for investment since the demand for silver is higher than its annual production. If you are keen to know more, check out how you can purchase silver coins online at monex.com

my brenda cheah's semi precious stone necklace

Okie dokie... these are some photos of my new splurge at Isetan today. Brenda Cheah is a talented and creative Singaporean designer who uses semi-precious stones for her exclusive jewelry. What I like about her jewelry is versatility. You can wear it many ways with different outfit. I just found out that the collection sold here is cheaper than Singapore. The difference lies in the material used for the necklace. She uses semi precious beads for the Singapore collection but in Malaysia, leather and silk ribbon are used. Personally, I'll go for the leather or ribbon ones over the beaded necklace for the big difference in price! It's almost dollar to dollar so why not? In Malaysia, her jewelry is sold exclusively in Isetan stores and in Singapore, in Takashimaya.

resources on stunning fashion jewelry

As usual, I am surfing the web for more resources on fashion jewelry websites and shopping portals. The thing is the internet is a real cool place to get updated fashion news at the lowest cost. Along the way, I tend to end up with some online purchases from these new found sites. Otherwise, they are definitely better than buying fashion magazines in the news stand. I found another great shopping site for handcrafted jewelry. Apparently, you can even start a home based business selling these stunning jewelry pieces. Anyone keen on that, click on the above link for more information. For more, here are some lovely handcrafted jewelry samples:

how many rings do you have?

Now I've just told you about the 4Cs of diamonds. So let's get ready to do some online shopping for some glittery stuff!


So, how many rings do you have? I have to confess that I have more rings than fingers put together, yet I'm still looking around for new styles to be added to my collection. Well, I have a dream ring and it's the Tiffany Lucida which cost a bomb! For now, I'm happy with a solitaire from Blue Nile or any fashionable white gold ones. Here's another place to compare and shop for your rings. At Shopping dot com, you can find Blue Nile, United diamonds, Mondera and a w-i-d-e selection of other rings in all sorts of styles and designs. Princess cut, round diamond, akoya pearl, semi-precious stones, white gold, sterling silver, platinum, engagement rings, wedding bands, eternity rings...etc.


What's nice is you can view many different ring designs and styles in one page and just for rings alone, there are fifty pages to browse through at shopping dot com. If it's too confusing, you can narrow your search by choosing the price range, jewelry material, brand, stone type or occasion. I don't know about you but I'm confused already with these thousands of options.

Go and see which one takes your fancy and put it in your wish list!

The 4Cs of diamonds

Hey ladies, this post is dedicated to you who adore diamonds and if you don't, it's still good knowledge here! Diamonds are graded based on these four criteria: color, cut, clarity and carat. So take a brief look at what they mean:

1) Color is the result of the composition of a diamond and it does not change. When a jeweler is describing the color of a diamond they are referring to the presence or absence of color in white diamonds.

2) The Cut is probably the most important of the Four C's. Let's see why.

Cut refers to a diamonds reflective quality. Most diamonds are cut with 58 facets. The brilliance of diamonds is heavily dependent on the cut. The different angles and the finish of a diamond determine its ability to reflect light and cause its brilliance and fire.

Remember that the cut of a diamond can have an impact on its durability as well as its beauty. Some cutting faults can make a diamond prone to breakage. A diamond that is cut too thin can also cause light to leak out of the back and the diamond will lose some of the sparkle.

3) During the formation process, inner flaws, or inclusions occur in most diamonds. The number and size of these inclusions determine what is referred to as the clarity of a diamond. Diamonds that are clear create more brilliance and therefore are rarer and highly priced. To be considered flawless, a diamond must have no surface or internal imperfections.

4) Carat is the unit of weight by which diamonds are measured.

When you go to the store to make a diamond purchase, do not be shy! Ask questions, get the answers you need to make an informed purchase. Shopping for certified diamonds enables you to make an informed selection. Knowing the four Cs allows you to shop, compare and purchase the best diamond at a fair price. But, before making a purchase, shop around and decide what shapes and styles really appeal to you.

black diamond, anyone?

Any woman for black diamond? Personally, I'm not very drawn to it as it doesn't sparkle and tends to resemble onyx or artificial black stone but when it's combined with sparkling diamonds, it can be dazzling and alluring. It's the design that counts and makes all the difference. This is a cool one of those sophisticated diamond rings that I saw in an online catalog and the design is contemporary and stylish. Set at 14K white gold with a total diamond weight of 1/4ct. It's on sale at $399.95 (usual price at $595) at reeds.com ( Item # 18899898 )

mauboussin 'moi aimer toi'

Last week, I sneaked out of Mandarin Oriental hotel to buy a gift for my speaker and his wife. As usual, I would do a quick window browse as I walked towards the gift shop. For a long time, I have wanted to step inside the Mauboussin store in KLCC but just never had the chance but that day, I didn't know what happened but I stopped at the window display and was invited to step in.

Well, I told the sales assistant that I only had 5 minutes to browse so she showed me this cute ring with an artistic floral flair. I put it on and honestly, I was tempted to pull out my credit card. But I was also 'sober' enough to give it back to her cos the ring was almost RM8K!! For a white gold ring with a 0.15 carat diamond in the middle, that was luxury shopping! I knew I would be paying for the trusted brand and quality of Mauboussin but still, I couldn't bring myself to make that purchase.

I walked out of the shop politely and was so glad I exercised some self control :) Look at the ring - nice or not?

dragonflies, butterflies and flowers...

I'm beginning to like the creations of Busarin, this talented young jewelry designer from Thailand. Once a DJ, she decided that that was not her passion and went on to pursue her love for jewelry design. Being a fan of nature, she incorporates her love for butterflies, dragonflies and flowers into her works. I like the feminine touch seen in her necklaces, bracelets, earrings and chokers. The creative mix of semi precious stones and stainless steel add to the charm and modernity of her lovely designs. check her stuff out at Novica.com

amethyst bracelet by busarin

Last weekend, after having lunch with Dexter and Kim, we passed by a novelty shop and being women, Kim and myself hoppped right in. I was right away attracted to a lovely necklace made of semi-precious stones and crystals, a nice creation that came with a hefty price tag.

I love semi precious stones jewelry and enjoy buying them but the problem is I tend to forget wearing them. And sometimes, getting on time for appointments is already a struggle so how would I have time to pick and choose my accessories. All WAHM know what I mean.

But never mind, most of us own more than what we can possibly wear! If you, like me, adore amethyst stones and floral inspired jewelry, check out these lovely handcrafted ones by Busarin Hutawarakorm at Novica jewelry (novica.com). This is my personal favourite and it's only $39.95. Find Busarin's bracelet at Novica.com

Sterling Silver Double Heart Pendant

Mother's Day is around the corner so I take the opportunity to go online shopping! I spotted this lovely Sterling Silver Double Heart Pendant at Blue Nile, one of my favourite online jeweler.

3 years ago, I saw a silver charm bracelet at Tiffany going for a price so high that I forgot what now! Then, my DH referred me to Blue Nile and lo and behold, I saw the exact same bracelet (in white gold instead of silver) selling at a fraction of the price... I got my brother in law who was coming back to Malaysia to be the 'courier boy' :)

Back to this heart pendant... the two interconnected hearts dangle from chain with each heart laying nicely and catching the light beautifully. $40 at Blue Nile.

And if you like to shop with some discount off Blue Nile jewelry, I found some coupons which you may like to keep handy.

* This is NOT a sponsored post :)

Sterling Silver Double Heart Pendant

My Favourite Online Jewelry Store

I love shopping online. I had bought lots of stuff online, from books to designer bags to diamond earrings! That was how I first got to know Blue Nile, the largest online store for certified diamonds and fine jewelry.

I had bought a 'Tiffany look-alike' white gold bracelet and a pair of diamond earrings (also Tiffany look-alike)from this fabulous online store. All thanks to my brother-in-law and cousin, they graciously brought them to me during their visits to Kuala Lumpur. I only wish Blue Nile delivers internationally.

If you are looking for a Christmas gift (for yourself or a loved one), there is a host of Blue Nile deals you can check on. You can even buy your favourite jewelry using coupon codes.

To find out more about buying with coupons and coupon codes, check out: www.couponchief.com