Free To Be You, Marquise

In Praise of The Much-Maligned Marquise

Stop hating the marquise shape* diamond, you guys.  I know, it’s easy to lift a round brilliant-clad hand to your mouth and snigger at the idea of wearing one of these diamond shaped diamonds.  But don’t think you’re better than the marquise.  You’re not.  The marquise used to be someone.  The marquise used to be the hottest thing in engagements. 

I wouldn't say no!  Gorgeous, Thomas Cleaver.

Why?  Because once upon a time it was the 1980s.  Once upon a time (from 1980 to 1987, according to our friends at RDI) you were no one if your boyfriend didn’t propose with a marquise diamond.  When the Rubix Cube was flying off shelves and long before Jar Jar Binks ruined everything, the marquise was there, glinting its little facets out, as if summer would never end. 

We've got each other.  And that's a lot for love.  (Thanks, Virgin Media)

But it did end.  Baby Jessica fell down that well in 1987 and nothing good happened for the rest of the decade.  (Arguably: nothing good happened ever again.)  At least not for the marquise.  Maybe it was how the marquise kept getting caught in their legwarmers.  Or maybe the marquise’s ability to look much larger than its actual carat weight became less of a selling point as we moved out of the big 80s. 

Who can say?  All the marquise knows is that it woke up one morning next to Bill Murray and BubbleTape: once beloved staples of the 80s, now written off as has-beens. 

Sad.

But there is hope!  For one thing, Bill Murray has enjoyed tremendous success in the new millennium!  Everyone loves him again and he’s doing the best work of his career.  Bubble Tape is again for sale as the leading adhesive-themed chewing gum.  And take a look at hipsters.  If they’re bringing back comically large glasses frames and unflattering pants, certainly they will espouse the cause of the marquise. 

Can these punks save the marquise?  (Courtsey of Motley Mamma)

Maybe the best reason to anticipate resurgence in marquise interest is that it IS beautiful.  Maybe we no longer love the super skinny ones, maybe the shard of ice on your finger look will never return to fashion, but get some proper proportions on that diamond and you’ll have a classic that will endure, like the trickle-down economics beloved of Reagan, rather than a trendy piece of yesteryear like the PogoBall deflating in your parents’ basement. 

And while we associate the marquise with the 1980s, we’d be wise to remember that it’s ever so much older than that.  Older and wiser, for it must know it will endure to see popularity again.  Did you know that the marquise is called such because King Louis XIV of France ordered a diamond cutter to cut him a diamond in the shape of his lover’s lips (she was a marquise)?  Yeah.  What do you think of that, oval?  The marquise was born of love.  What other diamond shape can claim that?  And lucky for our friend the marquise, love will always be popular. 

*you might call it the marquise cut, but you would be dead wrong.  Dead. Wrong.  “Cut” refers not to shape but to how well the diamond cutter did lining up facets on a diamond. 

Blinded by Carats

Good afternoon, dahhlinks! 

In light of last night's super shocking "Bachelor" season finale, I thought now would be a good time to talk (more) about celebrity engagement rings.  What did we think of Courtney's blingy ring?

Yawn.  And thanks to Brides.com for the image.

It's big! And halos are so hot right now, as Natalie Portman showed us a few weeks ago.  And didn't you love how Courtney was like, "Omg, I love this ring!  And you, too, Ben..."   It's a testament to the power of the ring, isn't it?  I wonder how many women say yes just because of the ring.  It's a good a reason as any, no?  No?  Okay.  But I gotta tell you, even if it was, like Carrot Top or Sean Avery doing the asking, I'd have to really think hard before rejecting, say a Grace Kelly-type trinket.  So family dinners would be tough and neither would probably ever get along with your mom, but come on?  Nine carats?  Really makes you think. 

Could this ice-hearted goon give you enough ice to make it worth it?  Probably. 
Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com.

One also must wonder, what becomes of all the glorious engagement rings when the marriage doesn't make it in the face of this harsh, harsh world?  Whither Kim Kardashian's rock?  How about anything of Elizabeth Taylor's?  JLo's first engagement ring?  Is that languishing in a sock drawer somewhere, suffering a fate similar to Jessica Simpson's?  Where do these extravagant little innocent victims end up?  They never did anything but sparkle and try to keep a doomed marriage from falling apart too soon.  Bless these brave little soldiers.  Someone start a telethon. 

What if they were going cheap?  Cheap enough for us star-struck mortals?  Would you buy a used engagement ring when the marriage it came from didn't work out?  Do you believe in bad mojo?  Or would you think that a quick re-rhodium dip could electroplate the bad luck off? 

I'm not superstitious.  In fact, my fiancee gave me my mom's engagement setting with a larger stone replacing the original center stone.  So what if my parents got divorced?  Doesn't make that ring any less gorgeous.  Loved it when I was three, love it now.  Of course it's early days and the thing could, conceivably, be cursed.  But I'm optimistic.  Just like Courtney and Ben were.  Wait, no.  Just like Jessica and Nick were.  Shoot, no.  Just like Marilyn and...whatever.  Eff.  Just like Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart.  Or Calvin and Alice Trillin.  There, that's better. 

So what think you, reader?  Can engagement rings be cursed?  If you do think so, would there be a carat weight that would push all your fears to the side?  Try our friends at Celebrity Bride Guide if you need convincing.  Or just want to look at pretty sparkles.


xo,
Bay Area Beth

Oscars, Leap Day, and Double Halos All the Way

Hello, friends!

Did everyone have a nice (or kind of boring, as they turned out to be) Oscars on Sunday?  I'd seen a total of two movies nominated for anything so I was really just there for the sparkly things. 

Highlights for me included:

Michelle Williams wearing Tangerine Tango!  And, yes, kind of speaking with a weird accent for one who grew up on Dawson's Creek.  She, and many others, went for clavicle-hugging necklaces.  We've got some great ones in the store!

We're black pearls, so we might draw Johnny Depp to your neck.  No bad thing, right?

Milla Jovoich's cute pre-Oscars interview where she said that she mostly likes to watch the Oscars at home with her family, but if the Academy calls upon her to do something, she's there.  That's just how I am!

That whimsical interpretation of going to the movies that Cirque du Soleil did.  It was exactly like going to the movies!  There's always people on wires when I go!  Hole in one, you wacky Canadians. 

Shifting topics, is everyone ready for Leap Day? Leap Day is the time to do things you wouldn't normally do! Like propose to a man! Ladies, if you're tired of waiting for your man to make a move, come on in and get your own darn ring. Or pick out a lovely wedding band for your unsuspecting future husband. And for those of you not in the market, please do take this Leap Day to indulge yourself. Buy something amazing for yourself and then tell your bank account it'll be another four years before you do it again.  We would be delighted to help you with that! 

Twist Omegas make perfect Leap Day gifts!

Last but not least, check out Natalie Portman's ring.  A lot like this one of ours:

Double Halo!  What does it mean??

Halos (a ring of smaller diamonds encircling your center stone), double or single, are very popular right now.  And not to worry, we can do recycled materials and all of our diamonds are conflict-free, too!  Take that, Padme.

So there it is, amigos!  Thanks to Us Weekly for the NP scoop and my favorite snarky website, Go Fug Yourself for the Oscar coverage.  Thanks for reading and have a blessed and happy Leap Day!

xo,
Bay Area Beth

Awards Aplenty

Welcome to Bay Area Diamond's inaugural blog post!  We hope to see a lot of you as we bring you the latest from Bay Area Diamond, Northeast Wisconsin's premier family jewelry store.

Check out our "About Us" page to find out--wait for it!--more about us.  For now, let's get to the fun parts.

First!  What's everyone looking forward to at the Oscars this Sunday?  I like the pretty dresses, but I do keep an eye out for the jewelry, too.  What's your favorite moment in Oscars accessories history?  Mine has to be a certain coeur de la mer from that little film about the boat they did a few years ago. 

Quoi?  This petite bauble?

We'll keep you posted on the trends from this year's ceremony and how to translate Hollywood wacky into everyday normal.  My predictions?  Loads of tangerine tango (color of the year, don't you know!) and emeralds.  You heard it here first. 

And while we're on the subject of awards, you simply must stop in to take a look at our exclusive, award-winning collection of Mark Schneider rings.  Want something unique?  Something that will set you apart from the crowd?  Consider Mark Schneider.  His rings are beautiful when set with colored stones and make gorgeous engagement rings.  And although he has some pretty lofty designs, which I love, he does a lot of magic with bezel settings as well.  Ideal for if you work with your hands a lot or have to take gloves on and off all day. 

My name is "Escape."  I'm perfect for doctors or dental hygenists!

We've seen so many of your lovely faces in for engagements lately and we couldn't be happier about it.  Engagements are one of our favorite parts about working here.  We love setting up the perfect engagement ring for couples.  Love.  It.  Seriously, that enthusiasm you get from us is 100% genuine.  Just like our diamonds.  And your love.  So if you're thinking of getting hitched, you can't do better than letting the team at Bay Area Diamond kick start the fun. 

Thanks for reading, friends!  Stay tuned for such topics as:
Why It's Ok To Find Your Spouse On-Line But Not Your Diamonds
Ode to the Marquise Cut
Antwerp: The Belgian City Diamonds Love Most
and
Readers' Jewelry Myths: Exposed

xo,
Bay Area Beth