Changing tastes?

[pregcurious]

Back in the 90s I got a round diamond as an ering. Fast forward to today, and I prefer cushions, which is inconvenient as I have empty settings for round stones. (Yes they can be modified for a cushion. Thanks for those who helped me on that in another thread).

Are cushions just a phase for me? Will I like rounds again in 10 years? Have your tastes changed, and then changed again about something as fundamental as this?

 

[OreoRosies86]

My taste is constantly evolving. As a general rule I enjoy pink tones and antique cuts. However I am equally captivated by the sharp steeliness of a hearts and arrows round cut set in platinum. Every few months my "forever ring" desire changes

 

[deskjockey]

I haven't been into this very long but find my tastes/and interests changing/broadening quite frequently. I still want a garnet collection (would love a bunch of nice stackers like kelli has!) and ogle fancy stones on the regular, but I find myself getting very interested in more opaque cabs, too. Things like charoite and such.

Maybe that's not changing tastes, maybe I just want ALL THE THINGS.

 

[FrekeChild]

I haven't been into this very long but find my tastes/and interests changing/broadening quite frequently. I still want a garnet collection (would love a bunch of nice stackers like kelli has!) and ogle fancy stones on the regular, but I find myself getting very interested in more opaque cabs, too. Things like charoite and such.

Maybe that's not changing tastes, maybe I just want ALL THE THINGS.

This.

Although, my taste has evolved quite a bit over the years...I went from wanting only metal settings and refusing ANY diamonds....to having a ton of diamonds in settings and even diamond bands!

And shapes...rounds, ovals, cushions, etc are cool, but man, step cuts have taken over lately....But I'll never love hearts.

 

[EvangelineG]

Maybe that's not changing tastes, maybe I just want ALL THE THINGS.

Yup. Absolutely.

I am new to all of this too. And I have been bouncing around like a kid in a candy store when it comes to CSs! I think the real problem is that I want everything -NOW. So I am trying to really think hard about what I will actually wear when it is set, and to sloooow down.

My tastes and general fashion sense have remained pretty stable over the years. I like neutrals and classics. I am not a particularly flashy/showy type. And I think that influences what I want as far as jewellery pieces, so I try to give myself a bit of a mental smack down when I am ogling some bubble gum pink gem on the internet- I would never wear it IRL and I know that.

So I guess my answer would be that my tastes ricochet all over the place when it comes to what I am drawn to, but in fundamentals and what I would actually wear they remain pretty stable. Also the great thing about gems is the ability to reset. There was a time when a princess cut diamond solitaire would have been my dream ring...yeah...not so much so now, but I would totally dig a princess cut kite set in a pendant, so no loss there.

 

[chrono]

Over time, I have become more aware of other shapes and colours. I started out strictly as a MRB colourless diamond person. Moved on to cushions, then coloured stones. My love for CS continued to deepen and I entered the world of OECs and OMCs and FCDs. It is highly unlikely I will return to rounds again, except as accent stones.

My diamond preference evolution:
MRB -> modern cushion -> antique cushion -> EC

Overall evolution:
Diamonds -> CS. If I can afford it, FCDs would be my top choice.

 

[VirginiaZee]

deskjockey|1406216273|3719809 wrote:
Maybe that's not changing tastes, maybe I just want ALL THE THINGS.

Yup. Absolutely.

+1million

 

[T L]

When I first started out as a collector, I thought super dark tone = fine saturation. I used to buy all kinds of unattractive dark toned stones, thinking they were fabulous. My taste has then gone into liking lighter tones, medium, medium light and light toned. The saturation doesn't always have to be vivid, but I prefer lighter toned stones.

 

[Indylady]

I haven't been into this very long but find my tastes/and interests changing/broadening quite frequently. I still want a garnet collection (would love a bunch of nice stackers like kelli has!) and ogle fancy stones on the regular, but I find myself getting very interested in more opaque cabs, too. Things like charoite and such.

Maybe that's not changing tastes, maybe I just want ALL THE THINGS.

This.

Although, my taste has evolved quite a bit over the years...I went from wanting only metal settings and refusing ANY diamonds....to having a ton of diamonds in settings and even diamond bands!

And shapes...rounds, ovals, cushions, etc are cool, but man, step cuts have taken over lately....But I'll never love hearts.

+1

I just to be mostly into rubies and emeralds. Maybe because they're 'classics' or because I saw my mom wearing them, who knows. I found a gorgeous little heat-only burma ruby, and a really gorgeous emerald too, and I was in heaven. Then I got a fab cuprian; and then a Barry garnet, which I loved. Who knew I'd like garnets so much? Then a few cheaper spinels, just to see them in person. Then of course, realized that I loved spinels too. And FCD's. I have a few little yellows and oranges. I still love rubies an emeralds, but I don't have tunnel vision for them anymore.

In terms of shapes, I used to love cushions and ovals, and find myself gravitating towards step cuts now. I just love the crisp lines.

Will you like rounds again? By this, I'm inferring--'Should I keep my round settings?' I think, yes--unless you're feeling more devoted to cut rather than color, and you think that you would absolutely not buy another round or spend the money to modify your settings for a cushion, I'd go ahead and keep them. You never know when the perfect color might pop up in a round; and even if it pops up in a cushion, you could have the setting modified. Setting prices just seem to keep going up; I'd hang onto a setting if I liked it.

 

[cookies]

I started out with round stones as well, and evolved to appreciate ovals and cushions. Round is a bit too symmetrical for me now, and the "standard" round brilliant cut is no longer as exciting to me as other cuts and shapes. Antique cushions with chunky facets and a roundish outline are my favorite at the moment.

Color-wise, I used to prefer bright, eye-popping red/ purple/ pink colors. And I preferred the stones to be extra-large, LOL, thanks to my big finger size. Now I am leaning towards slightly more subtle colors, like sapphire blue, aqua green. I am also willing to trade size for better colors now.

My taste on metals has changed as well. I went from white gold to palladium, then platinum, then rose gold. The rose gold is more pleasing to my eye than white metals, which I noticed after many expensive projects.

My view on settings has changed quite a bit. I started out with prong settings. I was also crazy about halo rings for some time, and my e-ring is a halo. Then I discovered James Meyer's bezel work. After I got one of his creations, I couldn't go back to prongs any more. Recently, I found out that tension settings can be beautiful and feminine, so I am going to try and get something in that department next.

 

[Tanzigrrl]

Like Cookie, I started out with white gold and moved to platinum. Only in recent years have I discovered how much I prefer the warm tones of rose gold.

 

[JewelFreak]

I'd say my tastes have broadened -- I like more things than I used to -- but not drastically changed. Except that cutting quality now makes me almost as breathless as hue & saturation. I also have gotten to love certain inclusions that charm me & connect the stone more to the stuff that goes on inside the earth, where I used to want only IF stones. I still like cushions, step cuts, some round cuts -- but still dislike marquises & pears. I'm loving colors I never would have even looked at earlier, too.

--- Laurie

 

[MrsCornishWed]

I just really want all the things. I love how much I learn on PS even if I find CS frustrating at times.

I have since got over my 'wedding rings are for life'
... I can see I'm going to have many sets. Thank fully I have a daughter to pass them on too!

 

[lilmosun]

The biggest difference, is that smaller pieces get lost on me (oh I wish I was back to a 5 1/2 size ring that many of you where - actually, good thing I don't or I'd be buying all those pieces on louptroop ). A couple of years ago, I pulled together all the pieces that I knew I would never wear or needed to be adjusted for a trip to my jewelers - and lost the entire bag

But over the decades, I've had a few evolutions...

- I went through a "only yellow gold" phase because I wanted people to know it was gold and not sterling silver
- I went through a classic mikimoto pearl and pearl enhancers phase
- I went through an omega chain and slides phase followed by my slide bracelet phase
- Then I went through a costume jewelry -bling and vintage- phase
- I went through a freshwater pearl (all sizes shapes and colors) and sterling silver run
- The past year, I've been on a CS ring and diamond/gold bracelets binge

I do go through periods where I revisit my phases and cycle through the old stuff and for the most part, I still love them. So I guess my taste hasn't changed so much as one of something never seems to be enough. I could never afford some of the things I see here but I do have more than my fair share (of course, if I wasn't such an impulse buyer, I guess I could).

The crazy part is that I took up beading with some friends so I have drawers of that stuff too.

I have a problem.

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

A couple of years ago, I pulled together all the pieces that I knew I would never wear or needed to be adjusted for a trip to my jewelers - and lost the entire bag

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The crazy part is that I took up beading with some friends so I have drawers of that stuff too.

I have a problem.

Lost your bag of jewelry - Ouch, I'm so sorry about that!

I have a problem ----> Me too!

 

[missy]

I am not sure my tastes have changed so much but instead that I am more self aware of what I really love and appreciate. Sure we are constantly evolving and maturing for lack of a better word so to some extent our aesthetic preferences are changing. Personally I have always loved old cut diamonds but I just wasn't aware that is what I loved until I came to PS and realized hey that's what I am crazy about! I always loved my grandmother's ring but didn't make the connection as to why. So my tastes regarding jewelry didn't change as they were always present but it just took time for me to become aware of what they were. I guess I'm the slow kid on the jewelry block.

 

[pregcurious]

Wow, thanks for all the responses! It's interesting to see how everyone's tastes evolve.

Elliot, I love when a cut is beautiful too, whether it be MRB or big facets.

Deskjockey, I was bitten by the opaque cab bug too. I bought a cab jade earlier this year that I should post.

Freke, I love your collection, and it's been interesting to see it evolve. You are so good at finding settings. I still have never set a single one of my CSs.

Evangeline, I go back to classics too. My tastes change over time, so it takes me a long time to make a decision because I am wary that my tastes will change again.

Chrono, I love your EC journey on RT.

TL, I am starting to appreciate lighter tone. I used to only like the standby "jewel tone" stones, but they don't sparkle the same as light toned.

IndyLady, good advice. I just need to stick to it! My tastes have also changed in that I like bigger stones than I used too . I wish gold prices would go down!

Cookie and Tanzi, I'm also on the platinum band wagon. I love it's heft.

MrsCornish, I agree that it's nice to have multiple rings. I am planning on giving them to my daughter.

lilmosun, you're at the right place! I'm sorry you lost your bag. This is going to sound strange, but iLander has helped a few of us find our gems/jewelry. You can start a thread and ask for help.

Missy wrote "they were always present but it just took time for me to become aware of what they were". I feel this way too. When getting ready to set a stone, I draw pictures of my dream setting(s), and then look for commonalities. Then I try to go the classic route so that I don't get tired of that design later, and I can sell easily if needed.

 

[D&T]

what I have found out about myself, over many many expensive projects, re-sets, redo, scrap and sell are
-I have always gravitated towards more contemporary modern with a touch of classic
-not too much frills
-not too much prong work...
-I finally figured out that I LOVE colored stone for the Center, flanked with a diamond on each side a la Three stone. My first ever three stone ring was bought at age 20 when I purchased a square semi bezel amethyst set with one side diamond gypsy set on each shank. That was purchased years before my e-ring, and my e-ring was similar in design too. My current is similar in design element only just a few more diamonds on the shank...
-I only like a few substantial large pieces now.
-I like gemstones at least 7-8mm min but definitely under 11mm
- I like only a few colors and mineral
- Since I can't make up my mind which I like more yellow gold or white metal, I wear two tone.

 

[FrekeChild]

PREG!!!!!!!!!!!! You need to set some stones, woman!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't admire them all of the time unless you're wearing them!

 

[chrono]

PREG!!!!!!!!!!!! You need to set some stones, woman!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't admire them all of the time unless you're wearing them!

Yes, and no. Yes, because I would love to see more jewellery from Pregcurious but there are ways to admire beautiful unset gems all the time too.

 

[Kelli]

I haven't been into this very long but find my tastes/and interests changing/broadening quite frequently. I still want a garnet collection (would love a bunch of nice stackers like kelli has!) and ogle fancy stones on the regular, but I find myself getting very interested in more opaque cabs, too. Things like charoite and such.

Maybe that's not changing tastes, maybe I just want ALL THE THINGS.

YES! ALL THE THINGS!!! And thanks for mentioning my stackers, deskjockey.
I've gone through so many phases, but realizing my tendency to be that way, I've stuck (for the most part) to really affordable stones and silver settings. There are many things I covet, but most will have to wait until I hit the lotto. I could probably sell what I have (taking a huge hit by the way) and save for a year or two and get something SUPER nice, but I guess I prefer variety. If I spent all my money in one place, I really don't know how I'd settle on what to get.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I used to buy stones and diamonds because they were "valuable" and not always the best quality. Since then I have sold off anything that does not look beautiful to my eyes or was not of good quality. I prefer old cut diamonds over modern cuts and prefer lighter blue sapphires over the coveted intense blue colors. I also try not to get carried away by what is "in" on PS at any given time although it is fun to look at other peoples gems and jewelry.

 

[woofmama]

I find it incredibly hard to make decisions on gem stone jewelry. I find myself in awe of these statement type pieces but then back out of buying because IRL I'm not going to wear them. When I found PS I knew I wanted an EC diamond and a step cut band. Those were my first purchases. Then all of the safe jewelry wardrobe stuff, diamond studs and a pendant.

I have been pretty consistent in my setting style, I love modern bezel stuff or classic three stones. I like to look at art deco pieces but when I bought a ring last year even though it was beautiful I fell out of love quick. I also just found an ornate sapphire ring of incredible quality, but am having second thoughts on that. I think I would tire of it quickly or only wear it a couple of times a month.

I lurk on CS everyday, yet have only put together one CS ring, my malaya garnet from gemrite with the classic bag sidestones.
I want a beautiful sapphire, a mint garnet, a top quality red spinel, an emerald and a FY diamond. I look at all of the vendors,
have the funds set aside, but talk myself out of every purchase. I get paralyzed over it. I really need to start doing threads and get a few gems crossed off my list.

I'm so glad I found PS when I did. I would hate to have spent money on poor quality when I finally have the money to spend.