Comments | Posted in Blog By Ashley Stephens

Monday, July 1, 2019 10:07:07 AM America/Los_Angeles

Whether you've already asked or are looking forward to popping the question in the near future, finding the perfect engagement ring is a big deal! Like most big steps in life, communication is the first step, and picking out an engagement ring is no exception. Even if you or your partner are planning a surprise proposal, it's a good idea to discuss a few key factors as a couple.

You will wear your engagement ring for years to come, through all seasons and all life events, so now is the time to explore, discuss, and try on different shapes, styles, and sizes to find a ring that feels just right for you.

While you can visit our showroom today and purchase an engagement ring, there is a lot of value in a little preparation. Start with the questions below and visit our engagement ring experts when you are ready to find your dream engagement ring.

Which engagement ring styles catch your eye?

It's a good idea to get a basic understanding of different engagement ring styles to start off with. Consider a simple solitaire, a bold halo, or a pretty vintage design to get started. You can explore different engagement ring styles here.

What shape do you love?

There are a number of different diamond shapes or ‘cuts’ available, and having an idea of which you prefer (round, pear, heart, and more!) will make it much easier to find the perfect gem for your engagement ring. The diamond shape might be the most visually significant choice you make, so be sure to consider shapes that reflect your personal style.

Explore different diamond shapes and sizes here.

What kind of diamond or gemstone do you fancy?

Many couples are opting for engagement rings featuring a center or accent colored gemstones. Consider if you want only white diamonds, or if you'd like to include some color as a nod to your favorite color, birthstone, or the month you plan to marry. Consider sapphires, rubies, emeralds, or fancy-colored diamonds.

What does your budget look like?

It might not be the first thing you want to talk about when considering a proposal, but getting an idea of budget is healthy and helps set expectations for both partners. There are a lot of engagement rings out there, and getting an idea of budget early helps narrow the choices and keep you on track.

Do you know your ring size?

There are two ways you can find your or your gift recipient’s ring size. Simply use the ring size guide here using a few household items. Be sure to measure both at the beginning of the day and at the end, as your fingers are prone to change size slightly throughout the day.

Next up: Try it on for size.

While it's easy to fall in love with engagement rings on Pinterest or Instagram, it's also a good idea to try on different styles in person. You’ll want to know how the ring really feels and fits on your hand until you actually see it up close.

Let us help you find the perfect enagagement ring at our Huntington Beach showroom, or browse a selection online here. 

Comments | Posted in Blog By Ashley Stephens

Friday, June 7, 2019 1:02:00 PM America/Los_Angeles

If you're a busy woman on the go, a lover of minimalist style, or a fashionista traveling from work to happy hour, everyday jewelry pieces are critical to your style. Basic pieces look fabulous on their own, work with bolder jewelry, and never go out of style. Collect everyday earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings so dressing up your look is the most effortless part of your day.

Here are some of our go-to everyday pieces we love from Tacori at Affinity & Co. Jewelers:

EARRINGS

Make it yours. Because your ears like to party as much as you do. From everyday studs to statement dangles, earrings are the perfect addition that completes your look, in a style that's totally your own. Shop earrings HERE.

RINGS

Complemented with wedding rings or not, rings are an absolute must in any look. A stacked look is trending and allows you to wear your favorites and really show off your personal style. Shop fashion rings HERE.

NECKLACES

A necklace is often the final piece to make any look polished. A delicate pendant makes a statement on its own and is even better when layered with other favorites. We love these stunning diamond pendants perfect for every day wear. Now the question is rose gold or platinum? Shop necklaces HERE.

BRACELETS

We love bracelets alone or stacked with our favorite watch. Bracelets are wonderful alone; stack them together to up the impact. Shop bracelets HERE.

We are ready to help you find the perfect everyday jewelry at our Huntington Beach showroom, or browse a selection online here. 

Comments | Posted in Blog By Ashley Stephens

Tuesday, May 7, 2019 12:32:36 PM America/Los_Angeles

A halo engagement ring features a halo of smaller diamonds surrounding a larger center diamond. Unlike a solitaire engagement ring that showcases a single diamond, the halo engagement ring style pulls out all the stops to shine. This engagement ring style is perfect for the bride who really wants to maximize her center diamond— even making it appear a much larger carat size than it actually is!

Tacori halo engagement rings are perfect for brides looking for a romantic, classic look. This style can accommodate any diamond shape— and even works with three-stone engagement rings! If you are attracted to styles with maximum sparkle and a classic appeal, we invite you to explore Tacori halo engagement rings up close at our Huntington Beach showroom.

A twist on a classic halo engagement ring, a Tacori Bloom is a gorgeous design detail that will make heads turn with its added pop of sparkle. Tacori Blooms perfectly wrap around the center stones for a seamless blanket of diamonds. The spotlight bloom adds just a dust of diamonds. It is positioned beneath the center stone for a dainty look that adds a little extra sparkle to your ring. 

All Tacori pieces are handcrafted with extraordinary care by artisans in California.

A Few of Our Favorite Tacori Halo Engagement Rings

Let us help you find the perfect wedding bands for your 2019 or 2020 wedding at our Huntington Beach showroom, or browse a selection online here. 

Comments | Posted in Blog By Ashley Stephens

Wednesday, April 3, 2019 8:41:27 AM America/Los_Angeles

Finding your perfect engagement ring doesn't have to be overwhelming. While we recognize the vocabulary around cut, color, style, and more can sometimes feel more like a lesson in terminology than picking out a meaningful piece of jewelry, we are here to make the engagement ring shopping process easier— and therefore more enjoyable— for you.

If you've ever felt lost when talking with a jeweler or doing engagement ring research, this vocabulary guide is for you. Save this handy guide so you'll never doubt again when finding the perfect ring for your partner.

The Only Engagement Ring Vocabulary Guide You'll Need

The Diamond

4Cs: Acronym standing for cut, color, clarity and carat— these are the top four characteristics to look for when purchasing a diamond.

Accent diamonds: Diamonds that surround or enhance the main diamond; they are typically smaller in size than the main diamond.

Crown: Top half of a diamond.

Halo: Ring of diamonds or stones surrounding a center diamond or stone.

Pavilion: Lower half of a diamond.

Scintillations: Sparkles in a diamond that are seen as the diamond moves under a light.

Table: Flat surface that is the uppermost part of a diamond; it is calculated by dividing the width of the table by the width of the diamond.

The Diamond Cut

Asscher cut: Square shaped diamond with a high crown, step facets, and a small table.

Cushion cut: Square cut diamond with rounded edges and the third most popular diamond cut.

Emerald cut: Rectangular shaped with small, rounded edges and a large, open table.

European cut: Antique diamond cut created before the precision created by modern technology was available.

Heart cut: Diamond in the shape of a heart typically found in solitaire settings.

Marquise cut: Long and narrow diamond-shaped similarly to a football. It’s best set with prongs on each end to protect the points from chipping.

Oval cut: A unique take on a round diamond. Oval-shaped stones come in a variety of widths ranging from slim to wide.

Pear cut: Combination of a round and a marquise shape diamond available in a variety of narrow to wide sizes.

Princess cut:The second most popular diamond cut, below round and above cushion. The cut has a square or rectangular shape when viewed from above, and from the side is similar to that of an inverted pyramid with four beveled sides.

Radiant cut: Square or rectangular diamond with minimal curved edges similar to an emerald shape.

Round cut: Circular-shaped diamond. It’s  the most common shape for engagement rings.

Trillion cut: Triangular shaped diamond, often used as side stones to frame a square diamond.

The Ring Style

Art deco: Rings created during or inspired by the art deco era from 1920 to 1935, known for bold line and geometric shapes.

Baguette: Meaning “long rod” in French, the baguette cut features long, clean lines, and is typically used in side stones.

Band: Ring that tends to accompany an engagement ring. Can be made of a precious metal, alloys, and/or include stones.

Bezel: Metal that completely surrounds the diamond or featured gemstone. A half bezel is the term used when half of the stone is framed by metal. Bezel ring settings are stronger and more protective than prong settings.

Colored diamond: Natural and dyed color diamonds. Popular diamond color options include yellow, pink, blue, chocolate and black.

Colored gemstone: Engagement rings featuring a colored gemstone stone ranging in a variety of colors. Popular gemstone options are sapphire and ruby.

Halo: Ring featuring a center stone that’s surrounded by a circle of stones. Engagement rings can have more than one halo, referred to as a double halo if two circles of gemstones encircle one center stone.

Hand-crafted: Ring that’s been made by hand instead of the casing process of filling a mold. It’s shaped by hand by the jeweler.

Pavé: Setting of stones where they’re placed close together so as to avoid seeing metal in between the stones.

Side Stones: Ring featuring a main stone and surrounded by smaller stones. Can also be referred to as a three-stone ring or a halo.

Solitaire: An engagement ring with a single, solitary center stone.

Tension set: Gemstone is held in place by metal on either side, thus creating tension.

Three-Stone: Ring featuring three stones, typically three diamonds or a diamond centered between two other stones. Known to celebrate a couple's past, present, and future together.

Unique shank: Engagement ring with an individualized lower part that goes around the finger, also known as a shank.

Vintage or Vintage-Inspired: These are classic-style engagement rings typically created, or modeled after, jewelry from the early 1900s or earlier. An antique engagement ring is technically defined as being over fifty years old.

The Metal

14k gold: Made of 14 parts gold and 10 parts other metals or alloys.

18k gold: Made of 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals.

24k gold: Pure gold. The softest gold, as gold gets softer the purer it is.

Alloy: A mixture of two or more metals mixed together.

Gold plated: Thin, almost microscopic layer of pure gold used to coat another type of metal.

Platinum: Precious metal with a silvery white color and shine.

Rose gold: An alloy of gold tinted with copper to create a rosy tone. The deeper the pink color, the more copper there is in the alloy.

White gold: Yellow gold mixed with a white alloy.

Yellow gold: The color of pure gold, yellow gold gets darker or changes color the more alloys are mixed with it.

Let us help you find the perfect wedding bands for your 2019 or 2020 wedding at our Huntington Beach showroom, or browse a selection online here. 

Comments | Posted in Blog By Ashley Stephens

Friday, March 1, 2019 8:37:00 AM America/Los_Angeles

Does your partner tend to feel lost when it comes what to get you for holidays, anniversaries, and other special occasions?

There's no need for him to spend hours searching for the perfect gift or to seek out an overpriced bouquet of flowers at the last minute to make Valentine's Day special. From direct to more subtle, we are sharing our top tips to help him figure out what you really want for Valentine’s Day.

Show And Tell

If you’re browsing on your phone and come across something you like (jewelry, a restaurant, or activity you can do together), don’t be afraid to show it to him. While you're at it, ask him his opinion on it, too!

Turn to Pinterest

While you are pinning your Valentine's Day outfit ideas, why not also create a board for Valentine’s Day gift ideas? If he is active on Pinterest, he will most likely see it on his own. If you want to be more straightforward, create a board titled “Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas” and share it with him.

Window Shop

If you happen to shop together, point out a few things you particularly. You might be surprised to find that your significant other is paying a lot more attention than it seems.

Walk Down Memory Lane

Has your partner knocked it out of the park on a previous Valentine’s Day or another occasion? Bring up how much that meant to you— and don't forget to include the specific parts that made it special, such as if he kept it a surprise, the restaurant you went to, a gift he gave you. This might inspire duplicate success!

Give Them an Early Gift

If your partner is more forgetful or didn't pick up on the other hints, consider surprising him with your gift a few days before Valentine’s Day. This sets the bar for what kind of gift you hope to receive, and reminds him that the holiday is around the corner!

Tag Them

Facebook and Instagram allow you to tag your significant other in any public post. Tag your partner on social posts that feature engagement ring styles, specific jewelry, or date ideas that you like. As Valentine’s Day approaches, your significant other will have a digital copy of your favorite things. Find gift ideas on our Instagram here. 

Tell A Friend

Whether it is an engagement ring, piece of jewelry, or date idea, people often consult their partner's friends for advice. Make sure your friends know what you want to make things easier for everyone is they ask!

Talk to Them

Last but not least, there is always the option to be direct. If there’s something you really want, tell them. Having an open conversation about gifts— including whether or not you’re going to splurge on something or opt something small— can be helpful for both of you.

Let us help you find the perfect Valentine's Day gift at our Huntington Beach showroom, or browse a selection online here. 

Comments | Posted in Blog By Ashley Stephens

Tuesday, February 5, 2019 8:20:21 AM America/Los_Angeles

Wedding trends are an exciting part of planning a big day— they suggest ways to add a unique twist to even the most traditional weddings. Here are five of the top wedding trends that we expect to sweep weddings of 2019. 

2019 Wedding Trends

Regal bridal looks

In the name of all things royal, expect a new wave of pageantry to enter bridal fashion. Brides in 2019 can expect regal capes, sleeves, and tiaras.

Wedding vibes and themes

Most brides today are looking beyond simply picking wedding colors. Today's brides are envisioning entire wedding themes— a vibe or feeling for their guests to enjoy.

Smoke bomb exit

An upgrade to a classic sparkler exit, smoke bombs are the new way to send the newlyweds off in color. Match the smoke to your wedding colors— or opt for a rainbow pattern for an all-out color display.



Revamped registries

With more couples getting married later in life, less couples are in need of the basic dishes and KitchenAid Mixer. In 2019, expect to see more personalized registries from honeymoon funds on.



Unique venues

Couples are straying from traditional venues and embracing out-of-the-box wedding locations. Distilleries, raches, greenhouses, and breweries are gaining popularity as unique wedding venues.

Let us help you find the perfect wedding bands for your 2019 wedding at our Huntington Beach showroom, or browse a selection online here. 

Comments | Posted in Blog By Ashley Stephens

Wednesday, January 2, 2019 1:04:07 PM America/Los_Angeles

December is a busy month nestled between Thanksgiving and the new year— and with big holidays of its own— and it is also the birth month for people celebrating their birthday in the 12th month of the year. Those celebrating a birthday in December can expect a cooler birthday as the month has the shortest daylight hours and marks the beginning of winter.

A few facts about December birthstones:

• Fewer children are born in December than other months. December is part of a four month cycle between November and February where the birth rate worldwide drops, reflecting many couples' choice to avoid the holiday season when planing their pregnancies.

• December's Zodiac signs are Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 - January 19).

• December is also Universal Human Rights Month and National Read a New Book Month.

• December was the 10th month of the year until January and February were added to the front of the Roman calendar.

• Many celebrities celebrate a December birthday: Lucy Liu (12/2), Walt Disney (12/5), Larry Bird (12/7,) Frank Sinatra (12/12), Bob Barker (12/12), Taylor Swift (12/13), Jamie Foxx (12/13), Vanessa Hudgens (12/25), Ludwig van Beethoven (12/16), Samuel L. Jackson (12/21), Sir Isaac Newton (12/25) and Stan Lee (12/28).

• The birth flowers of December are narcissus and holly.

• December has three birthstones: Turquoise, Zircon and Tanzanite.

More on December's three birthstones:

TANZANITE

A one-of-a-kind gemstone, Tanzanite is known for its exotic deep blue color with a rich overtone of purple. This popular blue gemstones comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and striking assortments of blue tones. Tanzanite was first discovered in 1967 in Tanzania, East Africa, and was added to the official birthstone list by the American Gem Trade Association in 2002. Tanzanite is also the suggested gemstone for the 24th wedding anniversary.

TURQUOISE

Turquoise is one of the oldest known gemstones has enjoyed worldwide popularity for centuries. A favorite of Egyptian Pharaohs and early Native Americans, this beautiful blue gemstone is believed to offer healing powers, promoting the wearer’s status and wealth, protecting from evil and bringing good luck.

ZIRCON

Zircon is best known as a bright blue gemstone, but it is also available in beautiful earth tones of green, dark red, yellow, brown, and orange. Popular in the Middle Ages, Zircon was said to aid in resting, bring prosperity and promote honor and wisdom in its owner. Other special properties include fighting evil and avoiding jealousy, protecting from insomnia and promoting happiness and self-satisfaction.

Let us help you find the perfect December birthstone gift at our Huntington Beach showroom, or browse a selection online here. 

Comments | Posted in Blog By Ashley Stephens

Thursday, December 13, 2018 12:53:33 PM America/Los_Angeles

Customer Appreciation Holiday Party

at Affinity & Co. Jewelers
December 15th, 10 am to 6 pm
Receive a Special Gift with every purchase
Refreshments will be served

*Holiday Hours Begin December 8th
Monday - Friday 10 am - 7 pm
Saturday 10 am - 6 pm
Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm

Comments | Posted in Blog By Affinity Blogger

Monday, December 3, 2018 3:20:41 AM America/Los_Angeles

A solitaire engagement ring showcases the dazzling beauty of a single diamond. This engagement ring style is perfect for the bride who appreciates elegance and simplicity— and brides looking for a classic, traditional engagement ring. In a solitaire engagement ring, the diamond takes center stage, unlike a halo engagement ring or three-stone engagement ring. This engagement ring style is typically paired with a prong setting to maximize the sparkle.

A solitaire engagement ring setting is a perfect choice for any diamond shape, from round to pear to heart. This classic style can be personalized with metal colors, accent diamonds, and other details that will make an engagement ring one-of-a-kind. With a single center diamond, this ring style is a classic choice that never go out of style.

Our Favorite Solitaire Engagement Ring Settings at Affinity and Co. Jewelers:

Let us help you find the perfect solitaire engagement ring at our Huntington Beach showroom, or browse a selection online here. 

Comments | Posted in Blog By Ashley Stephens

Thursday, November 1, 2018 2:05:47 PM America/Los_Angeles