There are approximately 2.5 million weddings in the U.S. each year, and according to the Wedding Report, the wedding industry is estimated to be worth $50 billion. Of course every bride to be needs an engagement ring. As such, weddings and all of their related fanfare are a potentially big business for jewelers.
The average American wedding costs approximately $26,000. That includes the purchase of flowers, an elegant dinner reception, the hiring of a dj or wedding band, and last but not least, the wedding dress and the jewelry. The 2012 national average cost of an engagement ring was $3,239. The average cost of wedding bands in that same year were $1,186.
Engagement rings come in all different shapes, cuts, and sizes. More recently, a trend toward selecting antique and unique jewelry has given way to the resurgence in interest of pearl engagement rings and other non diamond engagement rings. Pearls, pearl jewelry, pearl rings (specifically pearl engagement rings) are spectacular natural wonders.
Pearl engagement rings begin with a lone oyster. If a foreign substance infiltrates the shell of an oyster, the mollusk then creates a pearl sac to ward off any infection from this intruder. Pearls used in pearl necklaces and in pearl engagement rings can come form either natural or cultured sources. Of course, naturally sourced pearls are slightly more precious than cultured because they are rarer. Black pearls, or variations of them such as Tahitian pearl jewelry, are unique in that they are indigenous to the South Pacific.
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