What is your most expensive/valuable single piece of jewelry worth?

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I did a PS search for this question but I didn't find any answers. The poll answers are anonymous, so feel free to be as honest as you like. If your most expensive piece is something you received as a gift, or something that appreciated in value massively over the years, or something you scored as an absolute steal, please select the answer that corresponds closest to what it would cost for you to obtain that today at normal retail (so replacement value).

Please feel free to comment and share details of what that piece is, even if you don't feel comfortable stating actual numbers/pics in a comment that's tied to your profile!

Mine would be my studs - 3ctw I VS2 set in an 18kt halo setting.

 

[dk168]

Although I am not a fan of MRBs as rings, I was not going to say no when my mum finally let me have her G/H VS 1.94ct MRB ring!

So I re-purposed the stone and set it in a bangle in platinum.

DK

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Although I am not a fan of MRBs as rings, I was not going to say no when my mum finally let me have her G/H VS 1.94ct MRB ring!

So I re-purposed the stone and set it in a bangle in platinum.

DK

What a great use of the stone! I think solitaire bangles are so chic.

 

[maryjane04]

I think diamond prices have gone up heaps in the last year or two (since I got my 3.6ct M SI2 OMC)!

I was just on Alex Park's insta and the 2.81 N SI1 was 13k and OWD had a 2.96 K SI1 for 29k!

I should get my ring valued (noting that valuations are often over inflated). I do try and look for comparisons on OWD or other old cut vendors. We don't have many old cuts in Australia too so that would be so hard to replace.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I think diamond prices have gone up heaps in the last year or two (since I got my 3.6ct M SI2 OMC)!

I was just on Alex Park's insta and the 2.81 N SI1 was 13k and OWD had a 2.96 K SI1 for 29k!

I should get my ring valued (noting that valuations are often over inflated). I do try and look for comparisons on OWD or other old cut vendors. We don't have many old cuts in Australia too so that would be so hard to replace.

Diamond prices have absolutely exploded! It’s crazy! I have a friend who is getting married now and she went to buy her wedding jewelry with me (in india you are expected to wear the whole shebang, necklace earrings bracelets headpiece etc). The kind of set that would cost you around 33-40k USD 2-3 years ago was 55k today. That’s an insane increase!

3.6ct OMC sounds delish!!

 

[maryjane04]

Diamond prices have absolutely exploded! It’s crazy! I have a friend who is getting married now and she went to buy her wedding jewelry with me (in india you are expected to wear the whole shebang, necklace earrings bracelets headpiece etc). The kind of set that would cost you around 33-40k USD 2-3 years ago was 55k today. That’s an insane increase!

3.6ct OMC sounds delish!!

That is crazy! A 20k difference for the same set.. so I guess we can all safely say that everything we own has increased in value

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

That is crazy! A 20k difference for the same set.. so I guess we can all safely say that everything we own has increased in value

Some of it is also the price of gold, which is up something like $24 a gram from 2019. These sets tend to contain a lot of gold since most jewelry in India is high karat (diamond jewelry is usually 18kt, and traditional jewelry is 22kt). I dont remember offhand how much gold that set contained, but it must've been approx ~200g of 18kt for all the pieces in the set combined (one necklace, one pair of earrings, two bracelets and one headpiece), which means that out of the 20k increase, at least 3.6k of it can be attributed to increase in the price of gold alone (150g of pure gold x 24). Inflation / increase in cost of labour also adds a few grand to the price, but the rest of it is the increase in cost of diamond/pearls, which is insane if you think about how not a single stone in any of that jewelry was bigger than 10-15pts (though there were of course, a lot of them).

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Yikes !
The way the NZ dollar is right now
Im passing

 

[lovedogs]

I'm not entirely sure, given how much prices have increased lately. But I went off of the price I bought it for/the insurance value.

 

[upgradingmama]

For sure my new 4.06 H VS2 ring... And I waited to buy when prices are high. "Buy high, sell low" oh wait, I think I have that backwards... the story of my life

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I'm not entirely sure, given how much prices have increased lately. But I went off of the price I bought it for/the insurance value.

The price increase always seems insane to me. My mom had some jewelry of hers valued recently for insurance purposes (replacement value), and the necklace (which she purchased 15 years ago) has now quintupled in value.

For sure my new 4.06 H VS2 ring... And I waited to buy when prices are high. "Buy high, sell low" oh wait, I think I have that backwards... the story of my life

Oh but what a beauty, so worth it The years of enjoyment you’ll get out of wearing it will be worth the extra pennies (the whole entire truckload of them!)

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

As an update on the results:

The most common bracket, with 36% of the votes, is 20k-50k, which seems to make sense to me going by the SMTB posts I see around here. Next highest is 10-20k bracket, with 18% of votes. The vast majority of people have their single highest piece at 1-50k (84% of responses, which again seems pretty intuitive)! On the higher end, we have one voter in the 100-150k range and one in the 250-500k range, and no one voted 500k+ (Yet!) though there’s some posters I’ve seen over the years who could probably clock in there as well

 

[Piper70]

Very much along the lines of @yssie’s description! I was 32 and had had a series of rollercoaster, unsatisfactory relationships behind me. I was at the point of giving up on men when lovely DH came along. He was so calm and caring and consistent, a major contrast to everything before. He has never wavered in his commitment to me and our children, he gives me peace and love, couldn’t ask for more, really.

I think diamond prices have gone up heaps in the last year or two (since I got my 3.6ct M SI2 OMC)!

I was just on Alex Park's insta and the 2.81 N SI1 was 13k and OWD had a 2.96 K SI1 for 29k!

I should get my ring valued (noting that valuations are often over inflated). I do try and look for comparisons on OWD or other old cut vendors. We don't have many old cuts in Australia too so that would be so hard to replace.

My jewelry lady just said she needs to update some of my appraisals because Diamond prices have gone up so much.

 

[heididdl]

I bought my studs last year and the prices I see for the equivalent GIA 3X stones g/h SI. Are up $10000 from what I paid

My mothers ER 3.66 emerald $20000 more than my parents paid at the least

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I bought my studs last year and the prices I see for the equivalent GIA 3X stones g/h SI. Are up $10000 from what I paid

My mothers ER 3.66 emerald $20000 more than my parents paid at the least

Thats an insane increase over a one year period! Holy crap!

I don’t even want to think about what my parents paid for my mom’s ER in the 80s lol, compared to its value today.

My jewelry lady just said she needs to update some of my appraisals because Diamond prices have gone up so much.

My mom did this activity recently with some of her pieces. She has stuff that’s gone up five times in price since she bought it (admittedly purchased 15-odd years ago).

 

[vintageinjune]

Hmm... my lab diamond earrings are the single most expensive jewelry purchase I've made to date.

Mentally, I'm budgeting $20-25k for my 10 year anniversary ring (lab grown diamond for the center stone), which would be by far my largest purchase yet, and probably the most I'd be willing to ever spend on any jewelry, period, until my house is paid off and I've got enough for retirement.

 

[mrs-b]

@AllAboardTheBlingTrain - are we talking US dollars? Because the same piece of jewelry in Australia, for example, is waaaay higher than in the US - even allowing for the dollar exchange rate.

 

[heididdl]

Thats an insane increase over a one year period! Holy crap!

I don’t even want to think about what my parents paid for my mom’s ER in the 80s lol, compared to its value today.



My mom did this activity recently with some of her pieces. She has stuff that’s gone up five times in price since she bought it (admittedly purchased 15-odd years ago).

My mom got engaged in 1957 lol a few years ago

 

[heididdl]

Hmm... my lab diamond earrings are the single most expensive jewelry purchase I've made to date.

Mentally, I'm budgeting $20-25k for my 10 year anniversary ring (lab grown diamond for the center stone), which would be by far my largest purchase yet, and probably the most I'd be willing to ever spend on any jewelry, period, until my house is paid off and I've got enough for retirement.

I don't want to go here but if that is the case you might consider that center stone as a earth grown as they aren't sure if lab grown will ever hold the value even though you will probably never resell it. I know that if I got in a pinch I could sell my early grown diamond jewelry.
Meant with all due respect

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Thats an insane increase over a one year period! Holy crap!

I don’t even want to think about what my parents paid for my mom’s ER in the 80s lol, compared to its value today.



My mom did this activity recently with some of her pieces. She has stuff that’s gone up five times in price since she bought it (admittedly purchased 15-odd years ago).

Ok thanks
that means i can just sneak into the next bracket up

Defiantly not converting from the kiwi into the greenback

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

@AllAboardTheBlingTrain - are we talking US dollars? Because the same piece of jewelry in Australia, for example, is waaaay higher than in the US - even allowing for the dollar exchange rate.

I meant the US$ equivalent of what you paid/what that piece is valued today, in order to make it easier to do an apples to apples comparison. I know that means that people buying a piece in countries like Australia/UK will have ended up paying “more” while people buying a piece in countries like India/Thailand will have ended up paying “less”, but since you’ll be seeking out your replacement in the same country it still seems fair.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

@AllAboardTheBlingTrain - are we talking US dollars? Because the same piece of jewelry in Australia, for example, is waaaay higher than in the US - even allowing for the dollar exchange rate.

Tell me about it
I literly weep at some of the prices i see from the Americans - and that's taking into consideration the exchange rate (whoch isnt always so bad if you arnt in a hurry and need something say today)
But then we have the shipping cost and right now its like a slow boat from mowhere getting stuff from the US

So for this thread i just ignored the conversion - made me feel a little better

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

The deposit on my house cost less than some of these beauties

(Well double glazing wasn't a thing here until very recently)

Anyway enjoy your sparkles
I love them all

 

[maryjane04]

I meant the US$ equivalent of what you paid/what that piece is valued today, in order to make it easier to do an apples to apples comparison. I know that means that people buying a piece in countries like Australia/UK will have ended up paying “more” while people buying a piece in countries like India/Thailand will have ended up paying “less”, but since you’ll be seeking out your replacement in the same country it still seems fair.

I bought from the US so I got a better deal hahaha so for a replacement in Australia it would be more than what the current market prices are in the US!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I bought from the US so I got a better deal hahaha so for a replacement in Australia it would be more than what the current market prices are in the US!

But I figure if you’re comfortable buying from the US you’d be comfortable buying a replacement from the US as well, right?

That’s why I didn’t specify “living” versus “buying” haha, because until very recently I used to live in one country and buy in another.

 

[maryjane04]

But I figure if you’re comfortable buying from the US you’d be comfortable buying a replacement from the US as well, right?

That’s why I didn’t specify “living” versus “buying” haha, because until very recently I used to live in one country and buy in another.

Yeah I would be open to it! Of course I know the deals are all in the US and hence all my jewellery purchases are from the US. Just not sure what my insurance company thinks. I should definitely check that when I get all my valuations updated! Thank you for the timely reminder

 

[Demon]

The deposit on my house cost less than some of these beauties

(Well double glazing wasn't a thing here until very recently)

Anyway enjoy your sparkles
I love them all

Some of them cost more than our house when we bought it. Of course that was quite a while ago, but still..

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Some of them cost more than our house when we bought it. Of course that was quite a while ago, but still..

I wonder if gold or real estate has gone up more over the last 20 years

 

[dk168]

Would I spend my own money to get a 1.94ct earth-mind OEC diamond?

Nope, as I would not spend my own money on a stone that trumps my 1.19ct EC that I bought myself.

It may be smaller in carat weight and less in monetary value than my mum's 1.94ct MRB, however, it is very sentimental to me with a sob story attached.

DK

 

[Demon]

I wonder if gold or real estate has gone up more over the last 20 years

I'm going to guess gold, but I really don't know.