Having one heck of a lucky day, help me spend $$$

[kelpie]

WOW! I can't believe it. I won two different contests today from two amazing jewelers. I am absolutely the luckiest girl in the world tonight! I also bought a lotto ticket, we'll see if the trend continues. Anyway I have a $200 gift certificate to Tiny Jewel Box in DC. I have a feeling that doesn't go very far at Tiny Jewel box. I know they have a annual sale in the spring where things will be 50% off (even the MC2, GAH!) but I moving overseas in 10 days so I probably won't be here to take advantage of it. I have a feeling there'll be more of a selection in the store but on the website the low-end choices are pretty lean. I'm thinking a 52" stand of multi-color pearls (in budget at $170). Or this crazy fish seleton bracelet which is over budget at $450. I do love rose gold, black rhodium and all things sinister looking so this is ultra cool. I don't have any bracelets but that is also because I have tiny wrists so kind of find them awkward and think a watch looks lovely and serves a purpose. What should I do? It's a NICE problem to have!

http://www.tinyjewelbox.com/item_retail.asp?parentId=123&id=265&item=0

 

[diva rose]

I voted! kekeke - Pearls was my choice but I am a pearls & diamonds person.
Also..I liked the fact it was within your budget.

 

[mary poppins]

Congratulations on winning the contests! I like the pearls.

 

[kelpie]

Thanks Dive Rose and Mary Poppins! Pearls are indeed a classic. I do already have a 17.5 strand of white fresh water pearls my husband bought which gets worn a lot. The idea of really long pearls does kind of fascinate, like Coco Chanel!

 

[Agent P]

I voted for the pearls too. They look so classy and elegant, dressed up or down.

 

[Gypsy]

Get the bracelet.

Is it my personal taste? No. But it is interesting and funky and I think you will smile every time you see it, and remember today. I think it's a piece for YOU, a piece that satisfies that part of you that is different from others and celebrates that. And it looks like it is nicely made. I'd kinda prefer it with a dragon instead of a fish skeleton, personally. But, then, I enjoy dragons.

 

[E B]

Get the bracelet.

Is it my personal taste? No. But it is interesting and funky and I think you will smile every time you see it, and remember today. I think it's a piece for YOU, a piece that satisfies that part of you that is different from others and celebrates that. And it looks like it is nicely made.

Completely agree with this.

 

[kelpie]

Very persuasive argument, Gypsy! It does really sing to me like it was made for me. But it is also another $250 and I quit my job last week to accommodate this move. I have to see how much I can spend. You are right that I would always remember today and this really exciting time in my life period, where I just got married, I'm moving to Tanzania having never even traveled before and everything is fresh and exciting (scary too!).

ETA- whoa crazy run-on sentence! Hope that made sense.

 

[Gypsy]

Very persuasive argument, Gypsy! It does really sing to me like it was made for me. But it is also another $250 and I quit my job last week to accommodate this move. I have to see how much I can spend. You are right that I would always remember today and this really exciting time in my life period, where I just got married, I'm moving to Tanzania having never even traveled before and everything is fresh and exciting (scary too!).

ETA- whoa crazy run-on sentence! Hope that made sense.

Made perfect sense to me. I love pieces that have personal meaning. And all the pieces I wear the most, that make me smile the most, do.

I understand about money being tight. I'd call and ask them if their price on it is final. You never know when someone is willing to make you a deal, and it never hurts to ask.

 

[kelpie]

Also, bracelet is a good match for my kick-butt ring where the specifications to the designer were "rose gold head, claws, and sinister aesthetic". They'd work really well together.

 

[Hera]

The bracelet! I like your style!

 

[Gypsy]

Also, bracelet is a good match for my kick-butt ring where the specifications to the designer were "rose gold head, claws, and sinister aesthetic". They'd work really well together.

Okay that just rocks. Who made that for you?

And seeing that I'm even more positive that the bracelet is something I would try to get.

 

[kelpie]

Thank you! It was made by Logan at Hunt Country Jewelers in VA. Their website is huntcountry.com. Their prices are really reasonable... probably on par which those customized and upgraded pave settings everyone gets from china but soooooooo much nicer. Just my opinion.

 

[yssie]

Also, bracelet is a good match for my kick-butt ring where the specifications to the designer were "rose gold head, claws, and sinister aesthetic". They'd work really well together.

Okay that just rocks. Who made that for you?

And seeing that I'm even more positive that the bracelet is something I would try to get.

Hot d*mn what a ring!

Definitely agree with the bracelet!

 

[Autumnovember]

Get the bracelet.

Is it my personal taste? No. But it is interesting and funky and I think you will smile every time you see it, and remember today. I think it's a piece for YOU, a piece that satisfies that part of you that is different from others and celebrates that. And it looks like it is nicely made. I'd kinda prefer it with a dragon instead of a fish skeleton, personally. But, then, I enjoy dragons.

+1 to this, its YOU!

 

[kelpie]

Obviously I perfer the bracelet but will be with my husband who has been extremely tolerant of jewelry purchases this year but is keeping me in check, as he should be since i have no more paychecks after Friday! I'll go through my box and see if I can sell anything I'm just going to keep in a safe deposit box while we're in Africa to make up the cost difference. Have to also make sure it's not too chunky or it won't get worn.

 

[Gypsy]

Thank you! It was made by Logan at Hunt Country Jewelers in VA. Their website is huntcountry.com. Their prices are really reasonable... probably on par which those customized and upgraded pave settings everyone gets from china but soooooooo much nicer. Just my opinion.

Your opinion is noted and seconded. They have some lovely examples of their work on their site. And while I think their prices on their colored stones are a bit high, if they set other people's stones... nice find.

Really nice.

 

[kelpie]

Gypsy, I think it really depends. They have some loose peridot on their website where I have no idea why the material is so unique they're asking $450/carat. Other already set pieces the prices seem really good given the sum of the parts. They have untreated precision cut rubies (really nice material which is like unobtainium and almost never precision cut) for what I think are great prices. Their diamond prices are high but you can't really compare them because they're all cut in their design which has to be a lot of work. They set stones I already owned but I certainly hope I can get a ruby from them down the road.

 

[packrat]

Ohh I just love looking at that ring! I echo the others about the bracelet as well.

The same place did your oval minty Gene stone correct?

 

[Italiahaircolor]

The bracelet 1000% it's awesome.

 

[kelpie]

Ohh I just love looking at that ring! I echo the others about the bracelet as well.

The same place did your oval minty Gene stone correct?

Yup, they are my go-to people now. It's a privilege having them so close after years of searching for a good bench jeweler in DC. I'm working to unload some of my unworn stuff, so if I'm lucky I'll be able to get the bracelet. Fingers crossed!

 

[packrat]

I need to go poke around their site again. I made an account there after you got that kick ass ring above and something messed up so now it won't let me look at stuff. Just have to email them I guess.

 

[kelpie]

Woohoo, I sold $500 in old jewelry so budget is now $700!

 

[kelpie]

Want to guess want I got? They didn't have many pearls left after Christmas. The bracelet could not have been more my style. I found out it is stephen webster from the Jules Vern collection, makes sense since I am a lover of steam punk. However, it did need to be sized and even though I probably could have done it with my own pliers I opted against it and their bench was out. Maybe it was unrealistic but I also thought for $450 the rose gold accent should have been solid but I found out it was vermeil. Just the fact that it was a large bracelet (instead of say a necklace) worked against it, I don't like my wrists to feel clunky especially when using a mouse. So since I required instant gratification I got these sweet little Annette Ferdinandsen strawberry crystal earrings which were a little less than the bracelet. While tiny, they are gold and hand fabricated which I appreciate.

Like these but I paid more (well except that I had $200 off).

http://www.ylang23.com/shop_prodDetail.cfm?ShopBy=Designers&DesignerID=0&ShowList=1&CurrentPage=3&ItemID=28232&source=shopstyle