Shopping

Filigree and Engraved Engagement Rings: A Fresh Take on Vintage Style

Sometimes the detail that makes you fall in love with an engagement ring is not the diamond.It is a tiny leaf pattern along the band. A delicate curve beneath the center stone. A textured border that makes an otherwise simple setting feel completely different.Those are the details worth exploring when you are drawn to vintage-inspired engagement rings.At Christopher Fine Diamonds in Chandler, we enjoy helping clients look beyond the center stone and consider the design around it. Filigree...

Shopping

Lab-Grown vs. Natural Diamonds: What to Compare Before You Decide

Choosing between a lab-grown diamond and a natural diamond should not feel like choosing a side in an argument. It should feel like making an informed decision about something you will enjoy wearing.At Christopher Fine Diamonds in Chandler, we offer both. Our approach is to help you understand the differences, compare individual stones, and decide which option fits your priorities.Before deciding, separate the conversation into a few questions: What does the diamond’s origin mean to you? What...

Shopping

Buying an Engagement Ring Near Gilbert? What to Compare in Person

A saved photograph can tell you which engagement-ring styles catch your attention. It cannot tell you how a ring will feel on your hand, whether you will love the diamond in different lighting, or how your future wedding band will sit beside it.For couples shopping for engagement rings near Gilbert, Christopher Fine Diamonds offers the opportunity to explore those details at its nearby Chandler showroom, with natural and lab-grown diamonds, existing ring styles, and custom-design options. Before...

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From CAD to Finished Jewelry: What You Can Change Before It’s Made

Sometimes a custom jewelry project begins with a diamond you already own. Sometimes it begins with a few inspiration photographs. And sometimes the starting point is simply, “I know what I like, but I haven’t found it yet.”You do not need a finished design to begin a conversation with us.At Christopher Fine Diamonds in Chandler, we help clients turn those starting points into custom engagement rings, wedding bands, and other meaningful jewelry. Our in-person CAD Jewelry Design Experience brings...

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Jewelry Appraisal vs. Resale Value: Understanding the Difference

You find an old appraisal tucked inside a jewelry box. There is a detailed description, perhaps a photograph, and a dollar amount that seems to answer a straightforward question: “What is this worth?”Before using that number to make a decision, there is another question to ask: What kind of value does the document describe?An insurance replacement appraisal and an offer to purchase your jewelry answer different questions. One helps document what replacing a piece could cost. The other tells you...

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Can Your Ring Be Resized? What Tempe Jewelry Owners Should Know

A ring does not have to be broken to need attention. Maybe your engagement ring keeps turning sideways. Perhaps your wedding band has become uncomfortable. Or you have inherited a meaningful piece that you would love to wear, but the size is wrong.Before putting it away—or assuming it only needs a quick adjustment—start with an evaluation.At Christopher Fine Diamonds, we welcome clients looking for jewelry repair near Tempe at our nearby Chandler showroom. Our in-house jewelers look at both the...

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Why Your Wedding Band Doesn’t Sit Flush—and What to Do About It

You love your engagement ring. Then you try a wedding band beside it and notice something you had not considered: a gap.Does that mean you chose the wrong engagement ring? Not necessarily. Does it mean you need a completely new setting? Not automatically.How closely two rings sit together depends on their shapes and dimensions. The structure beneath your engagement ring’s center stone may occupy the space a straight wedding band would need. The wedding band’s height and profile matter, too.At...

Food + Beverage

Nando's of Mesa

The Neighborhood's Best Restaurant Article by Ashleigh Underwood The heat lingers and the calendars change but there is something to still get excited now that we are officially in fall—new menus at our favorite restaurants. October in Mesa doesn’t exactly get fall weather. However, the less intense heat allows us to go out and experience our favorite places, enjoy the outdoors, and try something new. Nando’s of Mesa has spent the summer embracing change and changing up a lot of things. They...

Food + Beverage

Danica—a Different Side

A Q + A with Danica Patrick on her life after racing Article by Michaela Hetherington | Photography by Provided You spent so many years in a world built around speed, while wine requires patience, time and an appreciation for the process. What has winemaking taught you that racing never could? Wine is a slow sport, not a fast sport. You have to be patient. Racing was all split-second control. Wine runs on Mother Nature's timeline, and Napa forced me to slow down in a way nothing else ever...

Food + Beverage

Elevate Your Coffee

Article by Booch Hause | Photography by Sonja Stafford Give yourself the pleasure of a slow morning, with an elevated coffee drink that you can make right at home. Try this Salted Date Pistachio Latte with Vanilla Mascarpone Cold Foam   For the Pistachio Crème: 1 cup dried dates, pitted 1 cup boiling hot water 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt   For the Vanilla Mascarpone Cold Foam: 1 teaspoon mascarpone cheese 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla tincture or...