Do you have a general style that runs through your jewelry pieces?

[eapj]

Simple and traditional. Classic. I had practically no jewelry until about 5 years ago and now, we’ll... I’m 45 and figure I should get some shinies while I still can and before my hands get too old looking.

I don’t have pierced ears and my wrists are too small for most bracelets so it’s rings and necklaces for me.

I am very drawn to romantic filigreed pieces but on myself, only classic works.

 

[Phoenix]

Phoenix--what do you do when it comes to a hard to find CS or hard to find piece?

I struggle between "Is this an impulse buy?" and "This is the closest I'm going to come to an untreated ruby/bixbite/emerald/paraiba/whatever in this exact color so I need to just get it!" For example--if my dream piece is 2ct diamond studs, its just a matter of saving money and buying a pair I want. If my dream piece is a 2ct unheated ruby, I may have to pounce on a 1ct unheated ruby with flouro, KWIM? And that is where I waver and doubt a little on whether I'm shooting myself in the foot by making a rash decision and going for something less than my dream, or whether I'm actually making my dreams come true buy finally getting that piece (and otherwise I'll be looking at photos online for eternity).

@Indylady, I am still not 100% out of the woods yet, haha. I still have difficulty dealing with whether I should go for the HG or compromise for the nearest match. For example, I've been lusting after a lapis necklace or bracelet at VCA and I just cannot buy it directly from VCA. On the secondhand market, lapis pieces are at 100%-200-300% etc... premium. So, do I go for one of those or do I just give up altogether? Authenticity issue aside, I just cannot justify paying the horrendous mark-ups. Another example closest to that you quoted is my obsession with a HG solitaire. You and many others on here may recall my asking and talking about upgrading my 5ct to a larger, whiter, super-ideal cut diamond. I struggled with this for many years and now have made peace that I will not ever get one and so will be happy with my 5ct as it. The way I see it that it's already a very large and expensive diamond, so I should just count my blessings and not get too greedy.

On the other hand though, I knew I wanted a Cartier pave Love bracelet for the longest time. I bought several non-pave versions and finally came to the realisation that only the pave one would do and that's what I bought and have been super happy with it since then - absolutely no regrets whatsoever. Even after I bought the pave one, I bought a couple of non-pave Love's and ended up selling them!

I think the issue is whether you'd be 100% happy with what it is that you're obsessing about (I use this word "obsession" bc that is how it is with me, lol). Look at what your current collection is...what is your style, what is your theme? Don't stray from it. Don't be lured in by the flavour du jour. Stick to what you want and go for it (within reason, lol). If you don't have a style/ theme yet, have a look at what you already have and pick out the pieces you love and WEAR the most, that should give you a clue. And I'd rather have fewer pieces that I absolutely love and will wear for many years to come, than many pieces just to satisfy the urge of the day.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Halos! Never met a halo I didn't like!

My earrings are mostly geared to entertain my kid and other children! Crazy earrings in wacky shapes!

This is where jade does a wonderful job! I have donuts with stars on them (space themed), fish (a favourite with the 6yo), leaves, big jade carved lace (a favourite with kids who love to touch), bows. I am working on accumulating more. I love to accumulate precious or semi precious stone earrings that are made to look like kitschy jewellery

My other jewellery is quite normal though. Lots of coloured stones! I am a colour person!

 

[MarionC]

Simple, classic and too small

 

[MarionC]

I do! My jewelry has been pretty carefully put together and coordinated, with most of it being casual and understated. I prefer quality to bling, so even my gold hoop earrings are custom made, 18 kt, and solid rather than hollow. I also have coordinated metal colors and have casual / semi casual / formal options in all 3 metals.

I have then added various rings to 'bring the party' - but that's more for fun, and even those rings can still be intentionally matched to the rest of my pieces.

So that's the one word I'd use to desrcibe my collection; intentional - and the intension is to have something for every possible occasion. There are no mistakes, no impulse buys. Anything like that has been removed over the years, paring my collection down, and beefing it up with higher quality pieces.

Wow mrs b, you are an inspiration!

 

[mrs-b]

Wow mrs b, you are an inspiration!

Thanks, @Jimmianne! By the time my jewelry collection is perfect, my skin will probably be too wrinkled for it to look any good anyway! D'oh!

 

[Indylady]

Thanks, @Jimmianne! By the time my jewelry collection is perfect, my skin will probably be too wrinkled for it to look any good anyway! D'oh!

I, too, am in love with your collection !!! Your pieces are just perfectly timeless. I'm especially captivated by your south sea drop earrings--they're just so elegant. And your bangles. And your seven stone ring. I also often wear a plain gold bangle.

I have a pair of ruby and pearl drops that are conceptually sooomewhat similar to yours, with pear and round rubies (they're assembled in a different shape though, mine are somewhat of a fan-type shape) and a drop pearl in yellow gold. I wanted to take a photo for you but I'm a little alarmed that I can't find them--I'm very hopeful they're in the house and will snap a photo to share once I find them.

 

[mrs-b]

I, too, am in love with your collection !!! Your pieces are just perfectly timeless. I'm especially captivated by your south sea drop earrings--they're just so elegant. And your bangles. And your seven stone ring. I also often wear a plain gold bangle.

I have a pair of ruby and pearl drops that are conceptually sooomewhat similar to yours, with pear and round rubies (they're assembled in a different shape though, mine are somewhat of a fan-type shape) and a drop pearl in yellow gold. I wanted to take a photo for you but I'm a little alarmed that I can't find them--I'm very hopeful they're in the house and will snap a photo to share once I find them.

Yes pls! Rubies are my all time favorite stone.

You can't find them??! Eeeeek! Hoping you can find them pronto!

 

[Indylady]

@Indylady, I am still not 100% out of the woods yet, haha. I still have difficulty dealing with whether I should go for the HG or compromise for the nearest match. For example, I've been lusting after a lapis necklace or bracelet at VCA and I just cannot buy it directly from VCA. On the secondhand market, lapis pieces are at 100%-200-300% etc... premium. So, do I go for one of those or do I just give up altogether? Authenticity issue aside, I just cannot justify paying the horrendous mark-ups. Another example closest to that you quoted is my obsession with a HG solitaire. You and many others on here may recall my asking and talking about upgrading my 5ct to a larger, whiter, super-ideal cut diamond. I struggled with this for many years and now have made peace that I will not ever get one and so will be happy with my 5ct as it. The way I see it that it's already a very large and expensive diamond, so I should just count my blessings and not get too greedy.

On the other hand though, I knew I wanted a Cartier pave Love bracelet for the longest time. I bought several non-pave versions and finally came to the realisation that only the pave one would do and that's what I bought and have been super happy with it since then - absolutely no regrets whatsoever. Even after I bought the pave one, I bought a couple of non-pave Love's and ended up selling them!

I think the issue is whether you'd be 100% happy with what it is that you're obsessing about (I use this word "obsession" bc that is how it is with me, lol). Look at what your current collection is...what is your style, what is your theme? Don't stray from it. Don't be lured in by the flavour du jour. Stick to what you want and go for it (within reason, lol). If you don't have a style/ theme yet, have a look at what you already have and pick out the pieces you love and WEAR the most, that should give you a clue. And I'd rather have fewer pieces that I absolutely love and will wear for many years to come, than many pieces just to satisfy the urge of the day.

I can't quite articulate a style yet, so I think I'm still in the process to figuring that out. Hilariously, when I first read your post, I thought HG was a jeweler I'd never heard of!! (I have now come to the conclusion that it must mean holy grail). LOL! I was like...."Harry.....Graff...was there a merger!?" Totally, yes--sometimes I wonder too why I keep looking since I have a lovely jewelry collection already.

The basics were easy buys, and when I was picking those out I thought they reflected my style...but turns out they were just classic basics and I still need to come up with a more distinct theme! I'm sure that sounds weird, but imagine that you buy bread and milk all the time, and your fave food is a chicken piccata--of course you keep bread and milk in the house but it doesn't really define what you l-o-v-e to eat, KWIM? And yes, it is sooo hard not to get distracted by the jewel or dream of the moment. I almost bought a 2ct EC sapphire because it was a good deal and in a beautiful three stone EC setting...and another beautiful unheated sapphire in a gorgeous platinum setting with baguettes...but my dream has always been one nice ruby or emerald, and I deferred, because I knew I'd keep hunting for emeralds anyway.

Curiously, what I love the most is a tiny 4.5mm Burmese ruby--I think its the flouro that really pulls me in. Its so tiny though...

 

[MarionC]

Thanks, @Jimmianne! By the time my jewelry collection is perfect, my skin will probably be too wrinkled for it to look any good anyway! D'oh!

I hope we are never too old to look fabulous!

 

[Indylady]

Yes pls! Rubies are my all time favorite stone.

You can't find them??! Eeeeek! Hoping you can find them pronto!

I know! I was just wearing them days ago. I'm hopeful this one is just taking a quick field trip somewhere in the house and that I'll find it soon.

 

[rubysweettart]

It's fascinating to read how you go about building your collections.

Mine is a bit eclectic but I think I can narrow them down to 4 categories:

1. Classic - this would be my wedding ring, my pearl earrings, diamond studs, and a sapphire necklace my hubby gave me

2. Vintage - these pieces I've mostly found in pawn shops - a handmade blue zircon ring from the 40's, my art deco diamond ring, ruby half eternity band; family heirlooms

3. Nostalgic - this is for the pieces I've bought on vacations, especially the strands of pearls picked up in random places in the Philippines that take me back; they may not be Pricescope quality but the sentimental value is precious (I bought a strand of black pearls on a boat when we went snorkeling with a random stranger on day 1, so those were my "this is the day we die or get kidnapped or have an incredible adventure story to tell" set)

4. Game of Thrones - this is my new obsession; anything that looks unique and like it came out of a fantasy novel; lots of engraving, unusual stones with character; like my new wedding set: a gray, rose cut diamond with engraved halo, my aqua cabochon that is in a yellow gold, handmade setting that looks like a crown

I also do this with my clothing now - I have 3 categories and if it doesn't fit into one, I don't buy it because I won't wear it. I feel weird being matchy, I won't usually wear pearl earrings with a pearl necklace; I think I'm going to need to some styling tips here so I can move into wearing my jewelry like a grown up.

 

[Matata]

My general style is expensive and my taste preferences bounce wildly between clean lined, diamond/gem crusty, and vintage.

 

[violet3]

I think I do - On a daily basis, I generally only wear my few diamond pieces. My engagement ring is an eternity band, and then I my grandmothers soliatire ring, and a second band gifted to me by my aunt. In my ears I wear diamond huggies, which sort of look like diamond bands for the ears. So pretty much all my jewelry is the same!

 

[luv2sparkle]

I like bling and I like real. I am not one for trendy jewelry pieces or any kind of boho look. I don't own much costume jewelry, and what I do own I never wear. I may wear different colors of metals but it is all good quality. Many women I know wear trendy costume stuff and pretty much all I wear is at least 14k, and even the sterling pieces I own are high end. I like other people wearing some of these pieces but I can never get myself to wear it. It is just not me. That is about all I can come up with in terms of style.

 

[Nikki1415]

My jewelry falls into three categories Classic (diamond studs, necklace), Antique (three rings), or Weird Modern (the bezel diamond champagne ring and Keshi pearl eternity band). I recently started my fine jewelry collection (like 3 yrs ago) and I used to buy Antique sterling jewelry and weird modern pieces. When I fall in love I fall in love and don't really care if my pieces match but they do end up matching in the end (still need to find pearl pieces to match the ring grrrr).

 

[Indylady]

Nikki--I love your pearl ring!!