Oscars 2010 had a number of surprises this year. As always, it is a great source to spot fashion and jewelry trends for the upcoming season. While some ensembles were way off target, there were a few starlets that were spot on. Ever-elegant Meryl Streep was our favorite pick of the evening. Draped in a hot white Chris March gown, those pave-set diamond and white gold earrings superbly complimented her overall look.

Reality star turned designer Nicole Richie announced her engagement today to Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden during a taping of an episode of “Late Show with David Letterman” set to air Friday night. The couple got engaged in New York on Valentine’s Day over dinner at Abe’s and Arthurs – a restaurant in the trendy Meatpacking District.

Richie’s signature taste in oversized accessories apparently extends to dazzling engagement rings as well. Featuring a 3-4 carat brilliant cut center stone surrounded by enchanting pave set diamonds, the platinum engagement ring is rumored to have cost Madden approximately $250k. After 3 years and 2 children together the couple plans to wed this summer.

2009 Miss America Trades Crown for Emerald Cut Engagement Ring

On the night before she had to turn her crown over, 2009 Miss America Katie Stam was given another beauty to take its place – a stunning emerald cut engagement ring. Taking her final walk on stage as Miss America 2009, newly engaged Stam is prepared to walk down the aisle this fall.

Stam’s fiancé Biran Irk proposed to the beauty queen on Friday during a fundraiser gala. Katie told the news agencies that she has been dating Brian for nearly three years and that he’s one of her greatest supporters.

“I started hyperventilating because I was so excited,” she told People.com about the proposal. “He dropped down on one knee and he said ‘I love you so much. Will you be my Miss America forever?’”

It’s with great pleasure that we officially announce the completion of the first phase of a redesign to our website www.FirenzeJewels.com. More than simply an aesthetic improvement, the new site was built from the ground up with cutting edge features that effectively showcase our ever-growing inventory and provide you with an enhanced diamond jewelry shopping experience. Some highlights you’ll find on the new site are:

• “Real-time” product sorting allowing you to refine each jewelry type by attributes such as style, gemstone and price. A similar feature can also be found through our diamond search to help you sort through over 30,000 G.I.A. and E.G.L. certified loose diamonds.
• A “virtual loupe” that effortlessly allows you to inspect a piece at any angle.
• Gift Finder section that compiles many new features throughout the site in order to help you find the perfect gift for any occasion.
• Special Offers section with sizzling deals on diamond fashion and estate pieces.
• Streamlined shopping cart that makes purchasing a breeze for both domestic and international customers.

Along with the many new changes, you’ll also find our new Winter 2009 collection. Stay tuned for more dazzling things to come!

      Continually expanding our presence within the social media community, Firenze Jewels is pleased to announce the launch of our new official Facebook Fan Page!  Become a fan to get instant updates on special offers, store events or details on new arrivals.  If you are curious about the latest designer jewelry trends or simply want to connect with others that share your passion for diamond jewelry then feel free to share your thoughts here.  Your feedback is always welcome and as New York Diamond District leaders it helps us strive to offer you the best service possible.

Click the button to visit our Facebook page.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we would like to feature our collection of diamond heart shaped pendants and other heart shaped Valentine’s Day jewelry gift ideas that have caught the eye of buyers in our showroom. The current availability of each piece is listed below. Please note that you must first inquire for a price quote on some of the unmarked designer pieces. Others marked unavailable can always be special ordered. Click on the image for further details. Happy shopping!

First and foremost, all of us at Firenze Jewels would like to wish everyone a happy new year and we hope that you and your family had a warm and pleasant holiday season. We’ve been hard at work preparing to release many bold initiatives for 2009, one of which includes a total rehaul of our website both inside and out. The new site is set to launch within the next few weeks. Our goal for this project has been to provide you with a more intuitive shopping experience while aiming to set a new web standard for the mid to high end diamond jewelry market online.

Speaking of luxury purchases, most New Yorkers have probably heard by now about NY Governor David Patterson’s controversial tax hike proposal. Part of his plan calls for an additional 5 percent tax on jewelry priced over $20,000. A recent article in the New York Post mentioned that a woman named Lisa shopping in the NY Diamond District was admiring a $48,000 necklace at Firenze Jewels and was concerned about how the proposed tax increase would affect her purchase.

We’d like to take this opportunity to remind our fellow patrons that Firenze Jewels continues to be one of the top places to find the greatest deals on diamond jewelry in New York City and in the world. In fact, many people may not realize that nearly 70 percent of the pieces in our showroom are priced below $5,000 even if most retail elsewhere for double that amount. Please stay tuned for the many changes to come shortly and know that we always warmly welcome your feedback.

From antique/vintage to classic designs, designer engagement rings have a distinct and individual appeal that has captured the hearts of many soon to be married couples in love. Whether it’s the exquisite craftsmanship that goes into a particular piece or the gorgeous design conjured up by some of the world’s leading designers, Firenze Jewels wants to review a few the most attention grabbing diamond designer engagement rings.