Winners of the Roman Jewelers Wedding, photographed by Transposure. www.transposure.com Angela and Joe, winners of the Roman Jewelers Wedding, received their photography services free from Transposure. Take a look at these pictures and stay tuned for information about Roman Jewelers Wedding 2010!

Nancy and Alan had already picked out an engagement ring, and Nancy did not think that there were any surprises left. But Alan wanted to do something unique for his formal proposal of marriage. Nancy & Alan on their wedding day in December of 2008. Nancy collects "water pens," which are pens with floating scenes in the barrel. Alan decided to have a very special water pen custom made, showing a floating photo of Nancy's engagement ring and another photo of a left hand inside the barrel of the pen. When the barrel of the pen is tilted, the ring floats towards the hand. When the pen is turned over, the barrel reads "Nancy, will you marry me?" Alan picked up Nancy's finished engagement ring from Roman Jewelers, but he did not tell Nancy that he had it. They went for a bike ride at her mother's house, and as they sat resting on the porch afterwards, Nancy talked about her work at the "Make A Wish" Foundation. Alan said that she could fulfill yet another wish with this magic wand, and he handed her the pen. Then he formally proposed and put the engagement ring on her finger. Nancy still cannot tell this story without holding back tears - she was so touched by the sentiment of Alan's proposal.

Frank and Carolina came from two different parts of the world. Carolina grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, while Frank was raised at the Jersey Shore. Carolina came to the United States to study art, and when she and Frank met on Long Beach Island, they quickly realized how much they had in common. It didn’t take long for them to know they were meant to spend the rest of their lives together. On the day of Frank’s proposal, Carolina was exhausted—but for the happiest reason imaginable. Frank had planned an unforgettable surprise, complete with an engagement ring from Roman Jewelers. On December 21, 2008, Carolina arrived at Frank’s parents’ home in the afternoon for a family Christmas party scheduled later that evening. Instead, she was greeted with a candlelit lunch and a huge bouquet of roses. After lunch, Frank handed Carolina a small white box containing a note. The note explained that he had hidden ten little white boxes with red bows throughout the house. Each box held a message explaining one of the many reasons he loved her. The final note revealed that a special gift awaited her in a white box tied with a white bow. As Carolina searched, she discovered that the Christmas tree was decorated with nearly one hundred white ring boxes—all empty. Finally, Frank asked Carolina to look inside her Christmas stocking. There, she found another white box. Expecting just one more clue, she opened it—only to discover her engagement ring from Roman Jewelers and a note asking, “Will you marry me?” Overwhelmed with emotion, Carolina cried and said yes. Now, Carolina and Frank are happily planning their wedding and their future together.

“Reserved for a Nervous First-Time Engagement Ring Buyer,” reads a sign in one of our parking spots in front of our jewelry store, Roman Jewelers in Flemington, NJ. I am not kidding; we actually do have such a sign. We installed it because we wanted to eliminate one more stressful moment in the engagement-ring purchaser’s life – looking for a parking spot. There is a lot of anxiety associated with an engagement ring purchase. Well, let’s face it, diamonds are expensive. And what about the setting for the diamond? Shape, style, price; these are just a few of the decisions to be made. Where does an engagement ring purchaser usually start? Years ago, the answer would have been “New York, 47th Street” (if you live on the East Coast). Today, it is the Internet (regardless of where you live). When it comes to diamonds, education is the key. How you acquire the knowledge about diamonds is up to you: libraries, bookstores, numerous websites, retail jewelry stores, or friends who already went through a diamond-search process. From all of these sources, you can find enough information about diamonds to become a gemologist! So, now you are ready, you are prepared, you acquired enough knowledge, right? The jeweler places the diamond for you under the microscope and… everything you learned about diamonds and thought you understood simply evaporates. Where is that inclusion? Why can’t you see it? And the girdle, where is the girdle? Facets; there should be fifty-eight of them. Are they all there? Of course, the lab grading report is a tremendous help. Highly trained professionals did the homework for you and listed the color grade, clarity, polish and symmetry, diamond proportions, culet and girdle description, and diamond fluorescence for you. However, diamond grading reports don’t tell you the whole story; they simply cannot. Two diamonds with very similar grading grades will look different. Just like two people with similar physical characteristics: hair color, eye color, height, weight, and age might be similar, but do they indicate that we are talking here about twins? Your biggest help will come from the knowledgeable, talented, and passionate-about-diamonds staff of a retail store. Ask questions, listen carefully to explanations, look at the diamond under the microscope, compare diamonds with similar grading characteristics, and pick the one that “speaks to you”.

No, you won't find Imperial Faberge Easter Eggs at Roman Jewelers! The Easter Eggs designed and crafted by the Russian jeweler Peter Carl Faberge are extraordinary objects of art given by the last two Russian czars to their czarinas as Easter gifts. The eggs are masterpieces through which the history of Russia at the end of the 19th century through the Great Russian Revolution of 1917 could be told. They tell a fascinating story of love, privilege, beauty, and the downfall of a Russian dynasty. Faberge's Imperial Easter Eggs are the pinnacle of the jeweler’s art. Every jeweler dreams of achieving the level of craftsmanship that Carl Faberge was able to achieve. As jewelry designers, we can only strive to reach higher and higher levels in the work that we produce. We can study Faberge’s work and learn from his phenomenal craftsmanship. And we can love, and we can tell of our love with special words, special gifts and, yes, with a gift of an Easter Egg.

Personal and Beautiful Custom Designed Earrings from Roman Jewelers Whose initials are DJM? They belong to one of the customers of Roman Jewelers. Her husband asked us to make a pair of unique, one-of-a-kind custom cluster diamond earrings for her, but with a caveat: he wanted to incorporate her initials into the design. He also wanted a classic look, along with a cluster of diamonds set so closely together that they would appear as one large round diamond. How does a custom jewelry designer satisfy both requests—a classic cluster of diamonds comprising a circle of diamonds and three initials, all in one design? Is it even possible? For an experienced jeweler familiar with custom design challenges, it absolutely is. And here is the solution we came up with. The front of the earring is a cluster of diamonds set using a technique we call “invisible setting.” With this technique, the diamonds are set extremely close to each other, with prongs visible only on the outer circumference of the earring. If you look very closely at the image, you truly cannot see prongs between the diamonds in the center. Now for the interesting part. Turn the earring upside-down and look at the back. Do you see the three initials engraved on the reverse side? We cut the initials directly into the metal on the back of the earring. These initials represent the first letters of the first, middle, and last name of the wife of the gentleman who ordered these earrings. But to us, they also carry a hidden message: “I love you. I want you to have a truly unique piece of jewelry. These were made especially for you, and only with you in mind. Wear them in good health.”

Custom-designed tanzanite pendant by Roman Jewelers of Flemington and Bridgewater, NJ Would you like to own an heirloom gemstone? If so, Tanzanite may be the perfect choice. Tanzanite can be purchased today, but it is estimated that it will only be mined for another 10 to 15 years. Beyond our generation, this extraordinary gemstone will only be available through inheritance or auctions—making it an ideal option for a custom-designed heirloom piece. Tanzanite is found in only one place on Earth: the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. This rare gemstone is admired for its exquisite blend of purple, blue, and violet hues. Strong blue and blue-violet tones are often enhanced by flashes of red radiating from within the stone, making tanzanite truly irresistible. Tanzanite gemstones range in color from deep royal blue to lighter shades of periwinkle. Although the stone was formed approximately 585 million years ago, it was not officially “discovered” until 1967. Today, tanzanite appeals equally to gemstone collectors and to those seeking a custom-designed piece that is rare, unique, and deeply meaningful. Our custom jewelry designers at Roman Jewelers often refer to tanzanite as a dream stone. Tanzanite pairs beautifully with platinum, white gold, and yellow gold, and its vibrant color complements all skin tones. You truly can’t go wrong with tanzanite—it is a beautiful, brilliant, and exceptionally rare gemstone. If you already own a tanzanite and would like it set into a stunning, one-of-a-kind design, we would be delighted to create something special just for you. It is a piece you will cherish for years to come—and one you will be proud to pass on to the next generation.

Custom Designed Diamond Necklace by Roman Jewelers The red carpet is the best part of the Oscars for most of us. In fact, Oscar fashion trends set the stage for what we will be seeing in magazines and stores throughout the coming year. As jewelers, we pay attention. We need to know what our fashion-forward customers will be looking for—and we don’t want to disappoint them. Below are a few of our observations from the 82nd Academy Awards. The jewelry worn at the Oscars—with the exception of a few ladies who opted for chandelier earrings—was overall classic diamond jewelry. From simple studs to drops to clustered styles, many stars wore diamond earrings paired with matching diamond bracelets. Take one of our big winners (and personal favorite), Sandra Bullock. She wore her own diamond earrings with a matching bracelet—a big deal considering most celebrities borrow jewelry from top designers. Director Kathryn Bigelow paired diamond stud earrings with a pear-cut and round pavé diamond bracelet. Maggie Gyllenhaal accented her floral dress with a vintage 1940s diamond and platinum bracelet featuring emeralds and sapphires, along with 19th-century diamond and ivory “Calla Lily” earrings. Charlize Theron also embraced a vintage look with a marquise diamond and platinum bracelet, paired with diamond and platinum cluster earrings. The yellow diamond trend continued as well. Best Supporting Actress Mo’Nique selected a princess-cut yellow diamond tennis bracelet, a radiant-cut light yellow diamond line bracelet, and radiant-cut fancy yellow and colorless diamond earrings to complement her sapphire blue gown. Kate Winslet wore a yellow diamond necklace created exclusively for her by Tiffany—but we have a very similar style right here at Roman Jewelers. Yellow diamonds are classy, rare, and make a true statement about personality. We absolutely love them. The best part is that these looks are easy for consumers to emulate. Diamond jewelry pairs effortlessly with both everyday outfits and elegant evening looks—because diamonds truly go with everything. Pull out your own diamond treasures and visit Roman Jewelers to have them polished or refashioned. While you’re here, be sure to explore the latest diamond styles as well. Most of all—enjoy your diamond jewelry. It’s fashionable, timeless, and smart.

A rare 507.55 carat diamond, of exclusive color and clarity, was discovered in South Africa. What would you do if you had $35.3 million just sitting around, waiting for the perfect opportunity? Would you spend it on a rare, magnificent diamond? Last September, London-based Petra Diamonds Company unearthed a 507.55-carat rough diamond at its Cullinan mine in South Africa, dubbed the "Cullinan Heritage". Today, the diamond was sold to the Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Company Ltd. at a tender in South Africa for $35.3 million—the **highest sale price ever achieved for a rough diamond**. Why such a high price? This reflects the incredible rarity of the diamond in terms of size, color, and clarity. A few statistics: At 507.55 carats, the Cullinan Heritage is among the world's **20 largest high-quality rough diamonds ever unearthed**. It is one of many h