Royal Weddings
Weddings are a particularly exciting event at Royal Order. We hadn't envisioned that this would become such a huge arena for a brand that had it's beginnings in Rock & Roll and Biker Silver culture. But musicians and bikers fall in love and get married too and soon requested wedding bands and bridal party gifts with a twist. In no time the quickly growing clientele of silver collectors asked for more unique selections than the traditional designer jewelry brands were offering. VIP shoppers and celebrities ordered those same pieces in gold with diamonds and all manner of stone combinations. Many had distinctly personal ideas that we customized into new designs. Because we could. As we at Royal Order personally handle the manufacturing of every piece we were at liberty to fulfill the requests and found such satisfaction in becoming an integral part of people's love stories and their life's celebrations. We didn't do things the way other brands did and it turned into a hybrid market that had never previously existed. Safe to say we have widely expanded that market over the years with the demand for more imaginative style becoming part of the mainstream. We do stay of ahead though introducing new treasures consistently.
It is a special thrill when traveling abroad and across this great country, to meet the new generations of those early couples we designed for. It's with heartfelt privilege we meet the babies for whom we made toe rings and toddler ID bracelets and watch them grow and fall in love themselves. That they look to us to plan their own engagement rings is profoundly touching.
White Gold, Yellow Gold, and Sterling Silver Contrast
White gold is made by mixing pure gold with white metals like nickel or palladium, then usually coated with rhodium for a bright white surface, as GIA describes in its metals comparison. 14k white gold balances gold content with durability for everyday wear.
Yellow gold warms red stones and makes garnet look older, richer, more like antique jewelry. Against black stones it creates the sharpest possible light-dark break.
Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver mixed with 7.5% other metals. It is softer than white gold and develops a patina over time, which many designers deepen through oxidation to add drama and contrast. On an ornate ring with deep relief, that darkening in the recesses is the point.
Plating, Oxidized Finishes, and Long Term Care
Any dark finish on metal is a surface, and surfaces wear. Black rhodium plating thins first on the underside of the band and along high edges where your fingers rub.
Oxidized sterling behaves differently. Instead of flaking, it lightens gradually on raised areas while staying dark in the carved detail, which is why heavily worked silver often looks better after five years than on day one.
Practical care for a dark-finish ring:
-
Take it off before swimming; chlorine attacks plating and gold mounting
-
Clean with warm water, mild soap, and a soft brush
-
Expect re-plating on black rhodium every few years with daily wear
-
Store away from harder stones that can scratch softer ones
Solitaire, Halo, Three Stone, and Cluster Designs
Scale matters more than carat count here. A dark center stone reads visually smaller than a colorless one of the same size, so a slightly larger black stone often looks correctly proportioned.
Protecting Stones With Bezel and Prong Settings
Bezels are the safer choice for softer red stones. GIA's guidance on protecting vulnerable gems recommends bezels, partial bezels, or V-shaped prongs for stones at risk of chipping.
Prongs let more light into a faceted ruby and make the color brighter. They also expose the stone's edges and need checking; a bent prong can leave a gem loose and more likely to fall out. This considered in our designing process and prongs are placed carefully to avoid losing stones with normal ever day wear.
For a ring you never take off, a bezel-set center with channel-set accents usually gives you the fewest snags on open weave and knitted clothing and the least maintenance, but at Royal Order we keep this in mind while setting and polishing to avoid this happening.
Comfort, Band Profile, and Daily Durability
Comfort is not a small detail on a ring meant for a lifetime. Royal Order designs rings with comfort and wearability treated as essential, and that principle shows in how a band's inside edge, width, and weight are balanced.
A few things to feel for before you commit:
-
Interior profile: a slightly domed inside edge sits better than a flat one
-
Width: wider bands feel tighter; size up if you go over 6mm
-
gloves, pockets, and hair should be taken into account when selecting a tall ring design for any occassion
Sculptural rings with deep carving need the same attention inside the band as outside. Detail on the exterior design should sit comfortably against your skin and other fingers.
Building a Bridal Set With Dark Color Contrast
Plan the wedding band while you choose the engagement ring, so the two will fit together comfortably when the time comes to wear both. Keep in mind the eternity ring too.
Pairing an Engagement Ring With Wedding Rings
Sit the two rings together before buying. A tall black center may need a contoured or notched band to close the gap at the base.
Royal Order developed bridal pieces because our diverse clientele and uniquely styled celebrities wanted more individual choices than the traditional selections offered in the wedding jewelry market. Couples asked for pieces that was more personal, often more elaborate, and frankly cooler. Pieces they could identify with and wear for a lifetime. That request shaped the wedding collection into something meant to be paired deliberately rather than pulled off a standard tray.
A bride is inarguably the princess of the wedding. Nothing is better suited than the glittering crown collection we offer in many sizes to compliment her gown and assure she feels as wonderful as she should on this special occasion. We didn't stop at the bridal couple. Stylists and wedding planners looked through the Royal Order catalogue to find beautiful necklaces for the mother of the bride, and groom's mother, sisters and bridesmaids. Long rosaries of pink and white pearls with pretty detailed hearts glittering with pave diamond frames or scattered pink sapphires, drop earrings of crowns holding pearls and pastel stones and delicate bracelets to co-ordinate a color scheme. Gifts for the entire bridal family. We never forget her Prince Charming either, adding beautifully carved cuff links and tie pins to complete the theme, and even waistcoat chain fobs for the elaborately attired couples. Special adornment for a special event to remembered.
Matching Bands vs. Deliberate Contrast
Matching sets read as one object. If the engagement ring is heavily ornate, a plain band in the same metal lets the detail breathe and keeps the stack from looking crowded. Or multiple bands deliberately crafted to fit together as one.
Skull, cross, star and crown motifs carry different affiliation for different couples. A carved band from the Citadel and Coronet collections offer a uniquely personal appreciation for the delicate old world beauty of ancient temples and cathedrals.
Pieces like the Allegra heart ring show how a single ornamented motif carries a ring without needing a large center stone. The Hearts and Roses designs work the same way.
Of all our engagement rings the Vamp has been the superstar with a large center stone and pave in the fleur-de-lys details on both sides. This design is beautifully balanced and has the right amount of gothic romance and dangerous departure from the expected. It has proven to be an irresistible confection of design to become our most popular ring from it's debut release.
Choosing a ring dedicated the love two people commit to share is entirely personal and is usually the first design they are drawn to. After looking through dozens of options we find couples almost always come back to those that first caught their eye. It's like love at first sight. Many know beforehand the particular rings they will select when joining their two futures together and wear the exact same style, often with different colored stone settings.
There is a long tradition of black and red engagement and commitment rings. This is steeped in folk lore and bares a dedicated following. Black diamonds and garnets are a particularly popular combination for these. Rubies always hold their own allure. With the beauty in color and facetted cuts of cubic zirconia available it is an attractive and affordable option. Royal Order offers many detailed designs for this look in the Louisiana and Antoinette collections.
Choosing your birth stone for wedding rings or the combination of both partners birth stones is a lovely choice to make and an extremely sentimental gesture.
There are no rules for nuptial jewelry, only the personal desire to express commitment in the way that makes you happiest.
Finding a Ring Crafted for a Lifetime of Wear
A black diamond engagement ring holds up because the material does. A ruby center does the same. Everything else in the ring, the plating, the prongs, the profile, is a maintenance decision you are making now on behalf of your future self.
Jewelry outlasts fashion cycles when it is built to. Some clients order second or third pieces because their adult children have been wearing the originals, which is the clearest test of construction there is.
If you are shopping for a ring and matching wedding bands with real meaning, look at how the Trellis and Venus and Tabernacle and Nirvana designs handle depth, relief and comfort. The same construction logic runs through the crosses and crowns. These designs are eternal but watch for new releases too.
To talk through stone choice, sizing, or pairing a band with an existing ring, reach the studio at customercare@royalorder.com
Diamonds rank 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it the hardest gem material and highly resistant to scratching. Diamonds can still chip or fracture from a hard blow, so check that prongs stay tight and consider a bezel if you work with your hands.
What Red Stones Work Best in an Engagement Ring?
Ruby is the strongest choice at 9 on the Mohs scale, followed by red spinel, then garnet at roughly 7 to 7.5. Ruby suits a center stone in a ring worn daily, while garnet works well as accent stones or in lower-profile promise rings where impact risk is smaller.
Black and Red Engagement Rings: A Guide to Stone, Metal, and Setting
Royal Weddings
Weddings are a particularly exciting event at Royal Order. We hadn't envisioned that this would become such a huge arena for a brand that had it's beginnings in Rock & Roll and Biker Silver culture. But musicians and bikers fall in love and get married too and soon requested wedding bands and bridal party gifts with a twist. In no time the quickly growing clientele of silver collectors asked for more unique selections than the traditional designer jewelry brands were offering. VIP shoppers and celebrities ordered those same pieces in gold with diamonds and all manner of stone combinations. Many had distinctly personal ideas that we customized into new designs. Because we could. As we at Royal Order personally handle the manufacturing of every piece we were at liberty to fulfill the requests and found such satisfaction in becoming an integral part of people's love stories and their life's celebrations. We didn't do things the way other brands did and it turned into a hybrid market that had never previously existed. Safe to say we have widely expanded that market over the years with the demand for more imaginative style becoming part of the mainstream. We do stay of ahead though introducing new treasures consistently.
It is a special thrill when traveling abroad and across this great country, to meet the new generations of those early couples we designed for. It's with heartfelt privilege we meet the babies for whom we made toe rings and toddler ID bracelets and watch them grow and fall in love themselves. That they look to us to plan their own engagement rings is profoundly touching.
White Gold, Yellow Gold, and Sterling Silver Contrast
White gold is made by mixing pure gold with white metals like nickel or palladium, then usually coated with rhodium for a bright white surface, as GIA describes in its metals comparison. 14k white gold balances gold content with durability for everyday wear.
Yellow gold warms red stones and makes garnet look older, richer, more like antique jewelry. Against black stones it creates the sharpest possible light-dark break.
Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver mixed with 7.5% other metals. It is softer than white gold and develops a patina over time, which many designers deepen through oxidation to add drama and contrast. On an ornate ring with deep relief, that darkening in the recesses is the point.
Plating, Oxidized Finishes, and Long Term Care
Any dark finish on metal is a surface, and surfaces wear. Black rhodium plating thins first on the underside of the band and along high edges where your fingers rub.
Oxidized sterling behaves differently. Instead of flaking, it lightens gradually on raised areas while staying dark in the carved detail, which is why heavily worked silver often looks better after five years than on day one.
Practical care for a dark-finish ring:
Take it off before swimming; chlorine attacks plating and gold mounting
Clean with warm water, mild soap, and a soft brush
Expect re-plating on black rhodium every few years with daily wear
Store away from harder stones that can scratch softer ones
Solitaire, Halo, Three Stone, and Cluster Designs
Scale matters more than carat count here. A dark center stone reads visually smaller than a colorless one of the same size, so a slightly larger black stone often looks correctly proportioned.
Protecting Stones With Bezel and Prong Settings
Bezels are the safer choice for softer red stones. GIA's guidance on protecting vulnerable gems recommends bezels, partial bezels, or V-shaped prongs for stones at risk of chipping.
Prongs let more light into a faceted ruby and make the color brighter. They also expose the stone's edges and need checking; a bent prong can leave a gem loose and more likely to fall out. This considered in our designing process and prongs are placed carefully to avoid losing stones with normal ever day wear.
For a ring you never take off, a bezel-set center with channel-set accents usually gives you the fewest snags on open weave and knitted clothing and the least maintenance, but at Royal Order we keep this in mind while setting and polishing to avoid this happening.
Comfort, Band Profile, and Daily Durability
Comfort is not a small detail on a ring meant for a lifetime. Royal Order designs rings with comfort and wearability treated as essential, and that principle shows in how a band's inside edge, width, and weight are balanced.
A few things to feel for before you commit:
Interior profile: a slightly domed inside edge sits better than a flat one
Width: wider bands feel tighter; size up if you go over 6mm
gloves, pockets, and hair should be taken into account when selecting a tall ring design for any occassion
Sculptural rings with deep carving need the same attention inside the band as outside. Detail on the exterior design should sit comfortably against your skin and other fingers.
Building a Bridal Set With Dark Color Contrast
Plan the wedding band while you choose the engagement ring, so the two will fit together comfortably when the time comes to wear both. Keep in mind the eternity ring too.
Pairing an Engagement Ring With Wedding Rings
Sit the two rings together before buying. A tall black center may need a contoured or notched band to close the gap at the base.
Royal Order developed bridal pieces because our diverse clientele and uniquely styled celebrities wanted more individual choices than the traditional selections offered in the wedding jewelry market. Couples asked for pieces that was more personal, often more elaborate, and frankly cooler. Pieces they could identify with and wear for a lifetime. That request shaped the wedding collection into something meant to be paired deliberately rather than pulled off a standard tray.
A bride is inarguably the princess of the wedding. Nothing is better suited than the glittering crown collection we offer in many sizes to compliment her gown and assure she feels as wonderful as she should on this special occasion. We didn't stop at the bridal couple. Stylists and wedding planners looked through the Royal Order catalogue to find beautiful necklaces for the mother of the bride, and groom's mother, sisters and bridesmaids. Long rosaries of pink and white pearls with pretty detailed hearts glittering with pave diamond frames or scattered pink sapphires, drop earrings of crowns holding pearls and pastel stones and delicate bracelets to co-ordinate a color scheme. Gifts for the entire bridal family. We never forget her Prince Charming either, adding beautifully carved cuff links and tie pins to complete the theme, and even waistcoat chain fobs for the elaborately attired couples. Special adornment for a special event to remembered.
Matching Bands vs. Deliberate Contrast
Matching sets read as one object. If the engagement ring is heavily ornate, a plain band in the same metal lets the detail breathe and keeps the stack from looking crowded. Or multiple bands deliberately crafted to fit together as one.
Skull, cross, star and crown motifs carry different affiliation for different couples. A carved band from the Citadel and Coronet collections offer a uniquely personal appreciation for the delicate old world beauty of ancient temples and cathedrals.
Pieces like the Allegra heart ring show how a single ornamented motif carries a ring without needing a large center stone. The Hearts and Roses designs work the same way.
Of all our engagement rings the Vamp has been the superstar with a large center stone and pave in the fleur-de-lys details on both sides. This design is beautifully balanced and has the right amount of gothic romance and dangerous departure from the expected. It has proven to be an irresistible confection of design to become our most popular ring from it's debut release.
Choosing a ring dedicated the love two people commit to share is entirely personal and is usually the first design they are drawn to. After looking through dozens of options we find couples almost always come back to those that first caught their eye. It's like love at first sight. Many know beforehand the particular rings they will select when joining their two futures together and wear the exact same style, often with different colored stone settings.
There is a long tradition of black and red engagement and commitment rings. This is steeped in folk lore and bares a dedicated following. Black diamonds and garnets are a particularly popular combination for these. Rubies always hold their own allure. With the beauty in color and facetted cuts of cubic zirconia available it is an attractive and affordable option. Royal Order offers many detailed designs for this look in the Louisiana and Antoinette collections.
Choosing your birth stone for wedding rings or the combination of both partners birth stones is a lovely choice to make and an extremely sentimental gesture.
There are no rules for nuptial jewelry, only the personal desire to express commitment in the way that makes you happiest.
Finding a Ring Crafted for a Lifetime of Wear
A black diamond engagement ring holds up because the material does. A ruby center does the same. Everything else in the ring, the plating, the prongs, the profile, is a maintenance decision you are making now on behalf of your future self.
Jewelry outlasts fashion cycles when it is built to. Some clients order second or third pieces because their adult children have been wearing the originals, which is the clearest test of construction there is.
If you are shopping for a ring and matching wedding bands with real meaning, look at how the Trellis and Venus and Tabernacle and Nirvana designs handle depth, relief and comfort. The same construction logic runs through the crosses and crowns. These designs are eternal but watch for new releases too.
To talk through stone choice, sizing, or pairing a band with an existing ring, reach the studio at customercare@royalorder.com
Diamonds rank 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it the hardest gem material and highly resistant to scratching. Diamonds can still chip or fracture from a hard blow, so check that prongs stay tight and consider a bezel if you work with your hands.
What Red Stones Work Best in an Engagement Ring?
Ruby is the strongest choice at 9 on the Mohs scale, followed by red spinel, then garnet at roughly 7 to 7.5. Ruby suits a center stone in a ring worn daily, while garnet works well as accent stones or in lower-profile promise rings where impact risk is smaller.