Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Imagine you are able to have your heart desired messages for your loved one on your wedding rings. Or maybe you are a visual person and you are both connected via symbols. Imagine if you can have that in your wedding rings too.
Messages, symbols, words of love and more. If you can imagine it, share it with us. We'll see what we can do for you.
Connect with us at AskWendyLor@WendyLorArtisans.com or www.uniqueweddingbands.my
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Different cultures have different views on selecting a good
date for weddings.
Among the many cultures around the world, the Chinese and
Hindu cultures are the most adamant in ensuring a good, auspicious date is
selected.
Astrological charts are consulted when choosing a wedding
date that is auspicious for the Hindus.
Most likely an elder, knowledgeable family member, a priest or an
astrologist using birthdates and phases of the moon, chooses the date and time. Hinduism teaches that marriage is an
important duty for both men and women.
Hence selecting the wedding date and time based on compatibility and
affinity of the horoscopes of the partners is important because a marriage
joins not just the couple but two extended families.
Choosing a good date and time to perform important events
has been long used by the ancient Chinese. Up to today, it is still a very important task for different
occasions and choosing a marriage date is one of the many. Do you know that in this modern times,
choosing the right registration of marriage (ROM) date and time is more
important than the customary wedding date? Reason for this is because in the olden days there was no
ROM. A couple is considered
married after going through the traditional wedding customs, especially in paying respect to the ancestors and heavenly gods.
For the Muslims, month of Shawwal is the most favored month
to get married. Two months are
avoided, that is the sacred months of Muharram and Ramadan. As the Muslim calendar is based on a
lunar calendar, there are no “fixed” days or months for weddings except for the
two months mentioned above. As for
the timing, one can marry at any time of the day. In Malaysia, it is very common to have Muslim wedding
ceremonies coincide with the school holiday, as this is the time where families
and friends can get together to feast and make merry.
For the Catholics, any day or time is selected except for
Good Friday and Holy Saturday during Triduum. For practical reasons, some dates are not chosen when the
church is observing a special period of penance. Best advise is to ask your local parish on available dates
that works best for them and you can have your church wedding in full blast.
Whichever culture you may be observing, whether auspicious date
selection is observed or not, the most important thing to remember is to enjoy
yourself on that special day.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Besides creating unique wedding bands, we love creating unique proposal rings too. The way we create it is very much like the unique wedding band except that we get to know only the guys' side of the story. Ever wondered if you can put a poem in your ring or even an image that is very significant to you both? Or perhaps you want just a simple band with a special message inside or maybe outside, crafted tastefully? All these and more is possible.
Diamonds
It is very common to expect a solitaire diamond ring for a proposal ring thanks to the sustained marketing efforts of the diamond industry. It is one of our favourite gemstone to work with too. But did you know that the concept of using diamonds on proposal and wedding rings is less than 100 years old.
Scott Cunningham in his book Cunningham's Encyclopaedia of Crystal, Gem, and Metal Magic said, “Though the diamond is not a stone of love, it is worn to ensure fidelity and to reconcile quarrelling lovers. Today it is, of course, the most popular wedding stone, due in part to aggressive advertising, but other stones are perhaps more appropriate. This usage has no ancient history.”
Besides diamonds, we have worked with many other breath-taking precious and semi-precious gemstones. And it has been amazingly well accepted. Simply because of the reason behind the ring, including the design, the chosen gemstone and the message it carries.
Sapphire
Sapphire for instance, has been a traditional favorite among brides through the centuries, and not just because of its lovely blue hue. It is worn on rings to symbolize commitment, fidelity and romantic love.
One of our favorite proposal ring piece is set with a 1.5 carat Natural Baby Blue Sapphire and diamonds. A stunning piece not only for its' authenticity but also for the meaning it carries with it, a message of love from husband to wife. We apologize for not showing pictures of the real pieces as all of them are truly unique and as a respect for the couple's privacy.
Ruby
Ruby is a red colored transparent gem from the mineral Corundum. Interestingly, ruby and sapphire are different colored types of this very same mineral. Rubies have been historically renowned as the gem of kings and queens.
Emerald
Emeralds on the other hand are believed to have healing powers in the days long gone. These days however, this beautiful green precious stone is prized for its color and rarity.
Jade
Jade is said to symbolize love and eternity, and therefore a good choice for couples seeking to imbue their wedding rings with added meaning.
Choose to express your individuality and seek a greater departure from what is considered popular, semi-precious stones make exciting and unique choices. Amethyst, citrine, chalcedony, tourmaline, aquamarine, turquoise and kunzite are just some of semi-precious stones that come to mind.
Connect with us for more ideas on how to stamp the mark of your essence into the unique proposal ring that she will wear for a lifetime at askwendylor@wendylorartisans.com or +6012 267 8993.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
There are many we keep in touch with closely and some has even come back to us for their anniversary rings. Hey, who says you should only have an anniversary ring after more than 10 years of marriage. Couples do "upgrade" their rings, for example: from, perhaps, a 0.3 carat diamond to a 1-carat after the first child or perhaps, she has brought good luck to the hubby after the first year of marriage. Or simply because she deserves it!
We are always celebrating when we see or find out that many (& we really mean many) of the couples are now proud mommies and daddies. We can just imagine when the day comes that we are creating unique wedding bands for their second generations. We really look forward to that day.
We just want to take this opportunity to send our love out to all those who have crossed our paths and made our journey such a joyful one. We wish you all the best in bringing up your bundle of joy with much love, care, patience, tolerance and understanding.
Thank you for sharing your joy with us :-)
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
In Spring break of 1993, Rashid came over to Los Angeles to spend 9 days with me. I gave him a yellow gold Carreraycarrera ring from Spain. It had beautiful carved horse heads all around it. As Rashid is a Sagittarius and is also born in the Chinese Year of the Horse, the symbol of the Horse is especially meaningful to him. At this time we did not know that Muslim men could not wear gold. :(
When Rashid and I got engaged on February 6, 1994, we were both young, idealistic and had stars in our eyes. My engagement ring was a flashy solitaire in a diamond encrusted white gold setting paired with a plain wedding band to match. Rashid opted for a broad band of emerald cut diamonds also in a white gold setting. We had been erroneously told that Muslim men could wear WHITE gold. Again we did not do due diligence on this matter. :(
A year later I was expecting Rayhan and my fingers grew too chubby to wear both my rings so Rashid bought me a thick plain yellow gold wedding band to tide me over the pregnancy. By then he was also working long hours at the bank so for security reasons he too opted for a plain white gold wedding band.
When Rayhan was born in 1996, it took me almost a year to lose all the pregnancy weight so by our third anniversary; we decided to change our rings again. Rashid modified my original engagement solitaire into a classic Bunga Tanjung traditional ring design by adding a circle of Lazare cut diamonds around the solitaire. I opted to redesign his ring completely and changed it to a very manly large emerald cut sapphire framed by baguette diamonds all around. Both rings were still very flashy and eye-catching.
By 1997 we were both working for my Father in Construction and Development. As we literally learned everything from the ground up, flashy, expensive rings had NO place on the site so we both stopped using our wedding rings and wedding bands completely. :(
In 2004, we both hit a few rough patches in our lives and we thought perhaps we should change our rings yet again to something much simpler and more suitable for daily use. Boy o boy did the designer get our order wrong! We had asked for a simple design with a just a simple ring for him and 3 small diamonds signifying "I Love You" incorporated into my matching ring. What we got were 2 very heavy platinum rings with a very stylized curvy ribbon and filigree beading design with etched hearts carved on the sides. It practically screamed nouveau riche but as we had ordered it through our friend's jewelry company we both did not have the heart to tell him how much we felt the design was so over the top! After a few months of use, into the safe the rings went, never to be seen again. Back to being ringless again! :(
In the last 20 years, we have gone through many changes in our lives together. We have grown physically larger (oops), emotionally stronger (woohoo), mentally wiser (hopefully) and spiritually more enlightened (Amin). We have learnt not to take things or each other for granted and to appreciate everything that we receive be it good or bad from Allah SWT our Creator. After all everything is HIS Will and there are NO mistakes in life, only lessons to be learnt.
We finally decided to start wearing wedding bands again last year as we have survived many obstacles in our marriage and have emerged even stronger and more in love with each other than when we first met in 1992. Rashid and I are BFFs and I wanted someone who could "get" us to design our rings. As I don't believe in coincidences, I believe I was directed by our Creator to Wendy Lor the owner and designer of UniqueWeddingBands. After almost a year of conferring and designing, Wendy finally created what I believe will be the last wedding band set for us. Wendy delivered our rings to us last night and it was love at first sight. Along with the wedding rings came her story for the concept of the rings.
This is Wendy's personal note to us on the concept of the "Anchor of Love" for Raja Rashid Idris & Sarah Carol Shun. "A design concept based on the filigree theme, sitting on a ring of weight, hence the "Anchor of Love" was conceived. I have made the patterns very elaborate to make it look grand on the outside. This is to symbolize your social status. But what makes your rings very special is the weight. Yes! The weight of your rings. Your UniqueWeddingBands are deliberately made to feel heavy. The weight of the ring is like the anchor to a ship. It symbolizes strength. Your rings serve as a reminder that you can make a difference to those around you. A relationship is to be worked on and not to be walked out of. Because you are making it work, your advice on relationships carries weight. You are an anchor for each other and all those around you. God Bless for Eternity." ~ Wendy Lor
Both of us really like our new wedding bands and despite the additional weight both rings are really comfortable to wear. Rashid’s ring is made out of Suasa, which is totally acceptable for Muslim men to wear and mine is made out of white gold. The design has no embedded gemstones and its intricate design alone makes it feel like we are wearing a tiny piece of fine art from Wendy Lor. Thank you Wendy for making such beautiful rings for us. Thank you Chai Li for transcribing our very long-winded love story so faithfully for Wendy and keeping us in the loop over the last year on the progress of our rings. May our Creator bless you both always! Well this is our love story over the years and over many sets of wedding rings and wedding bands. May Allah SWT continue to bless our marriage with HIS mercy, love and grace. Amin. :)
"Our new Anchor of Love" rings:
Picture courtesy of Sarah Carol Shun.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
It's wonderful when we get enquiries from guys who want something special for their loved ones. The guys that we eventually meet after some initial introduction via email are absolutely sweet and charming.
It's very heart warming indeed when we hear the reasons why they would want a uniquely designed proposal ring for their chosen one.
Some really do fall in love at first sight. He knows for sure that she is the one he wants to grow old with, after spending much time knowing her. Some only find out that the one that's been in front of their eyes all the time has been THE one all this while. Some find the true one after traveling half the globe to find her on the other end. Some have known each other as kids, grew up as teenagers, and fell in love as young adults. The stories are aplenty.
You definitely have your own story to tell. No matter how many we have met, not one story of love is exactly the same. So to all the guys who are in love, and have chosen that special one to be THE one, share with us your stories and leave the rest to us. We will have that special essence captured in your proposal ring and she will only want to say YES immediately.
One of the major benefit besides having your unique story captured in the unique proposal ring, is the unique wedding band will be made to fit. This means SHE will wear both the unique wedding band and proposal ring as if they were made as one. And indeed they are, simply because our idea and conceptualization begins with the end in mind.
Connect with us at askwendylor@wendylorartisans.com or call +6012 267 8993 to get the ideas rolling.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
We are assuming you have proposed (for the guys) and you have said yes (for the gals). And you both are on the same page on getting this rolling.
First of all, get that blank sheet of paper or notebook or iPad, anything that will help you record down the checklist. Trust us, you do need this. So that, things AND people are not left out.
Next, set your Date. Hopefully, the date you choose gives you ample time to prepare what you need. But in case, it doesn't, don't sweat ~ this quickie guide will get you sorting out the bigger stuffs!
The next thing we are suggesting is probably not in many checklists out there, but it sure does make magic happen. Big Magic! The tip is Get Help!!! You'll be surprise how many willing helping hands there are out there. After all, weddings are a family affair. Friends often offer to help out as well. You are really not alone. All you need to do is Ask.
Once you get the above into place, you are ready to go into the details such as wedding location, wedding guests list, wedding card design, wedding photography, wedding gown, wedding ring, wedding make-up, wedding cake, wedding bouquet, wedding reception menu, wedding theme and last but not least, your honeymoon spot. We know of many couples that choose to forgo this as they say much has been spent on the big day, leave this for later. However, we realize that this is an important bonding session for newly weds, and should be in the major checklist, just like the rest.
The fun, as they say and we have experienced it, is in the journey. Here's a toast to you from us!
Friday, November 11, 2011
This set of UWB is called "The Heart of Gold". I named it after the couple, whom to me has the greatest heart of gold, not just for each other, but for the people around them and all that are surrounding their lives. They have also showed me that it is absolutely OK to be just who we are. Acceptance is the key.
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| Seldom do we see a pair of male hands tying the wedding bands to the ribbon on the pillow. This pair of hands did a fantastic job at Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore. |
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| Pair of "Hearts of Gold" sits comfortably on the pillow set |
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| Cupcakes, candies and everything sweet |
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| With tis I marry thee |
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| Nothing beats having your family and closest friends with you on your most special day |
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| "The Heart of Gold" on where it belongs |
Monday, October 17, 2011
I had the privilege of visiting Jakarta a few months back ~ yes, I know this is much backdated but still something worth sharing with everyone. This round was to make a set of UWB and set of jewelry for a heartwarming couple, Luke & Widya who will be tying the knot sometime next year.
Jakarta has a population of 9.58 million. It is the most populous city in Southeast Asia and the tenth-largest city in the world. So you can imagine the sea of people in one shopping complex especially when it is a public holiday or the weekends. I was over-whelmed just by staring at the heads from the top floor of one of the bigger complexes.
I say I never work a day & this still stands true. And this is simply because I love what I do & I make my work my play and vice versa. Therefore, whenever I travel, one of the things I do is to look for the best kinds of food, local ones especially, because I love good food :)....
Before I continue, I must stress that this is not a food blog. This next part about food is just an appetizer before I get to the jewelry creation section.
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| It's the special sauce that makes this 'rojak' (mix of fruits) so GOOD! Then, I found out it is because of the palm sugar (from the coconut tree) which gives the sauce its' unique fragrance. A must try if you are visiting Jakarta! |
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| My favorite fish in Jakarta ~ the Gurame. If you have never tried Gurame while in Jakarta, it also means you have never really been to Jakarta. |
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| Sambal belacan - ground chili with shrimp paste ~ a must-have condiment to go with Gurame and rice. Incidentally these 5 empty saucers of the sambal were finished by just one person! |
There you go, my top 3 must-eat item while in Jakarta. I have a fourth one, but unfortunately, did not take a picture of that. It's the juice alpokat ~ avocado smoothie blend with chocolate sauce. Super duper yummy.
Next up, back to the jewelry business. It warms my heart every time I meet couples who have known each for the longest time, goes through the roller coaster route, takes a few turns to learn about life and finally realizing that they were meant for each other. And this sums up my experience of meeting one of the most heart warming couples ever, Luke and Widya.
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| After hearing their stories, it's ring size measurement time. All our rings are created for comfort fit. |
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| Nothing beats the old-fashioned measuring tape when ensuring a personalized necklace is at the correct length |
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| Even an ear-ring is measured for accuracy & comfort |
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| A bracelet to complete a full set of jewelry for the lovely bride |
For display of the final pieces, we would need to wait for my future posts as it is still work-in-progress for now.
Last but not least, a big thanks to Luke and Widya for their blessings for allowing us to share their snapshots and UWB journey.
Monday, October 10, 2011
All our UWB customers had experienced the magic of the software we are using for our jewelry designs and we were honored to be invited as one of the key speakers to share our success story on using Solidworks at Solidworks Innovation Day 2011. The theme this year is "Winning in Business."
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| An audience of 200 ~ 90% engineers wondering what is a jewelry artisan doing in their field? |
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| All were amazed at the jewelry pieces created with Solidworks |
When asked why Solidworks, an engineering software over many other jewelry design softwares, here's what Wendy has to say, ""I thought of only one thing, “What do I, as an artist, have in common with an engineer? The secret is, “an engineer and an artist, they both see things in 3D. The only difference is an engineer see things in terms of linear because of all the lines and we artist, think in terms of curves. It's amazing how the engineering sector has gone so far and I told myself I must learn this. Even IME (Solidworks' largest distributor in Malaysia) didn't really believe we could use this then.""
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| Wendy Lor with Yew Kay from IME, her Solidworks "Sifu" |
”For the longest time art and science can never meet eye to eye. But the moment you find that bridge to bridge the both of them, it opens up to a whole new world of possibilities. And this is where we are talking about the blue ocean. The world is big enough ~I have found mine, I hope you find yours too." ~ Wendy Lor on bridging the gap between arts and science through Solidworks for her jewelry designs.
In brief, Solidworks offers 3-D mechanical design software that helps engineers speed up product development, translates designs into 3-D models, and communicate product ideas more effectively for customers and collaborators. Customers range from consumer products makers to automotive and aerospace companies. And now, the jewelry industry too :-)
Monday, April 4, 2011
The catchphrase 'Diamonds are a girl's best friend' has become a popular part of the modern culture thanks to the sustained marketing effort of the diamond industry.
Women, and men, have come to expect that an engagement ring would have to be a diamond ring. Many also assume that should wedding bands be embellished with gems, the stones would have to be diamonds too.
Yet not many realize that the concept of having diamonds on engagement and wedding rings is new – in fact, less than 100 years old.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
We do quite a number of anniversary rings. It is an extension of the unique wedding rings concept, except that it has more 'meat' to it. This is for the simple fact that the couple has been with each other (in the eyes of the law) for more than 1 year. The 'oldest' anniversary band on our record is 30 years. Soon, a 50th year anniversary band will be in the making for a very loving senior couple.
Monday, March 21, 2011
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| Women Magazine July 1999 |
Wendy Lor, the jewelry artisan was spotted since 1999. I found this article in a very old magazine ~ a magazine which has probably changed its' name or does not even exist anymore? This was an interview with Wendy Lor, the jewelry artisan in July 1999 and that's 12 years ago! Just look at her picture, much younger and (chubbier too!).
In case you can't read Chinese, the main title says, "Mona Lisa, the cause of Wendy Lor's 'sufferings' to being a jewelry artisan." The sub-title reads, "The pair of hands that cook and cater are the same pair of hands that make jewelry." In a nutshell, the article talks about Wendy Lor's ups and downs in her journey to being a master jewelry artisan.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
My secret, I share with them, is to find something you love to do and make that into your work, hence one never has to work a day! It's that simple. And that is how I am able to turn my passion of creating wedding rings into my work.
I am surrounded by wonderful people every day. People who are in love, people who are about to start a new journey in their lives and people who have been in the journey of marriage, and still very much in love. What touches me most is when I meet a couple who has been married for more than 30 years, and still so much in love.
It is their love and their life stories which are my source of inspirations. These inspirations keep my passion burning. Hence the creations of their unique wedding bands.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
In those times, wedding rings were fashioned from such materials as reed and weed, and worn on the left ring finger. These were meant to indicate the wearer's marital status. However, although the bond of marriage may have lasted, the rings themselves rarely did.
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| Ring made of reed and weed in ancient times rarely last |
Friday, January 7, 2011
Over my years of coaching apprentices, I've come to realize that one of the reasons why some people never finish what they start is because they are trying to achieve perfection the first time. Also, it is the same reason why some people are stuck at one thing - not being able to complete it. This is why there is the old saying of "practice makes perfect".The concept of "practice makes perfect" is crucial in the jewelry making field. It is OK to not make it the first time. Start one piece, finish it. Start another, finish it. Not happy, do it again, finish it. The key is to finish anything one starts. And the cycle goes on. A skill needs time and patience to mature.
Perfection is when one realizes that perfection is not about being perfect after all.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
An extract from the Soft Wax Technique created by Wendy Lor, workshop held on 4 January 2011 on "Drawing":
""Everyone CAN draw!" exclaims Wendy Lor at her Soft Wax technique workshop held on 4 January 2011. Her views on drawing:
"What is drawing? If you say you can't draw in comparison to those who can draw and paint 'beautifully', then you are right! But if you were to look at the context of drawing not in comparison with anything, then that is not right. All you need to do is to pick up a pen or pencil and start flowing with it, you are already drawing.
I don't believe that only the artist and the "gifted" ones can draw. Everyone CAN draw! The only thing is whether you can draw like copying nature to the exact details. That is not what we are dealing with. We are dealing with whether you can draw or cannot draw and the answer is everyone CAN draw!
Friday, December 31, 2010
2010 has been a very eventful year for us at WendyLorArtisans.
Unique Wedding Bands as a brand, was born. All who are on the WendyLorArtisans platform were made an instant "nanny" ~ be it the sales & marketing team, the production team or the design team.
As in any organizations, people come and people go. We are not spared the pain of letting go, together with the joy that comes when someone new appears. We wish those who have moved on to pursue their dreams elsewhere, well. May the values practiced in our organization continue to serve as their guide on their new paths. At the same time, we welcome new family members who have recently joined our platform a wonderful journey of self discovery through internal growth and great learning.
Year 2010 was a year of tremendous internal growth for everyone on the WendyLorArtisans platform, me included. It was a year of fertilizing seeds which we sowed years before. The roots have started to grow and gotten a strong and firm grip on the ground. This foundation is preparing all of us for the greater course to come and to bring us to a whole new level of participation in life. Today, 31 December 2010 is the day we celebrate and appreciate the efforts put in by all.
The Divine Being has blessed us with abundance and may He continue to bless and protect us. In anticipation for a greater year in 2011, may He continue to guide us to grow strong internally ~ with this the physical aspect will be manifested in tandem. As within, so without.
My wish for everyone for the year 2011 is of abundance ~ abundance of love, joy, peace, good health & awesome wealth!
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| Miracles do happen ~ Rainbow at dawn |
All my love,
Wendy Lor
Sunday, December 19, 2010
These days, there are many options available to those buying wedding jewelry. However, there is a factor that is often the least considered in the purchase of the wedding ring.
First of all, let's examine what is considered cool or warm metal. Simply put, gold, rose gold (a gold and copper alloy), bronze, brass and copper are considered warm metals because of their respective colors.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
When we first met, we were 2½ weeks away from their registration date. We had only 2½ weeks to work on their concept, design and the full works.
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