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Show me your Van Cleef and Arpels jewelry!

KristinTech

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 7, 2013
Messages
1,863
Long Magic pendant vs. short. Exact same size and same number and configuration of diamonds, but the bale on the long is really magical :love:

8F1BCF2F-4D2D-4A6A-A74F-0E1C1E70FB3B.jpeg
72392CF5-474A-4F89-BE19-2CAC33ACBAAF.jpeg

Long at two different lengths (second pic is ~6” shorter):

98FA73BE-A40D-400F-997F-0B80DA078F52.jpeg
A8C69DFF-48B2-4F8B-BE3C-D92CF140A303.jpeg

And with the Frivole BTF:

DEEA28CA-9744-4BB4-96E8-C0C2E7F79A44.jpeg


Love the BTF!! They had only YG and RG in store, no white unfortunately. I think I like the RG better on me, but I would stick with yellow to match the bracelet I already own…

70341A4C-0D48-4872-9EE7-E823E7E2B7AE.jpeg
4D26ECBB-81C0-4357-AED2-5BE9D4A311D6.jpeg


And these. OMG. OMG. They cost a non-trivial percentage of my house :lol: but they’re glorious. And SO unbelievably delicate on the ears!! If I ever win the lottery…

1BA5F2C4-0843-4C7E-8A10-F20F3CC9BE4D.jpeg
F0DDF0C2-6861-443A-96FC-9B772FA79A2E.jpeg

I’m going on a buying ban. And will be scheduling regular Couch Cushion Raking sessions. I want to get both Cosmos earrings before the next price hike, whenever that happens :???: I need group therapy to keep me honest!!

@yssie, of course you love those asymmetrical earrings! ;-) They are gorgeous.

Could you (and all others with input!) do me a huge favor? Post here, or start a new thread—whatever is easiest— I remember you and a couple of other posters discussed individual coloring and why certain pearls and metals look good on some and not others. I can’t remember what thread that was in… I’m really struggling about rose gold or yellow gold on me. And why I like platinum/white gold on my hands (rings), but not my neck? I’d like to do a little research this month before finally making my first purchase. Also, any metal considerations that are specific to VCA. I’m kind of stuck on “blendy” vs. “contrasty,” if that makes sense!
 

m-2-b

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
4,036
Long Magic pendant vs. short. Exact same size and same number and configuration of diamonds, but the bale on the long is really magical :love:

8F1BCF2F-4D2D-4A6A-A74F-0E1C1E70FB3B.jpeg
72392CF5-474A-4F89-BE19-2CAC33ACBAAF.jpeg

Long at two different lengths (second pic is ~6” shorter):

98FA73BE-A40D-400F-997F-0B80DA078F52.jpeg
A8C69DFF-48B2-4F8B-BE3C-D92CF140A303.jpeg

And with the Frivole BTF:

DEEA28CA-9744-4BB4-96E8-C0C2E7F79A44.jpeg


Love the BTF!! They had only YG and RG in store, no white unfortunately. I think I like the RG better on me, but I would stick with yellow to match the bracelet I already own…

70341A4C-0D48-4872-9EE7-E823E7E2B7AE.jpeg
4D26ECBB-81C0-4357-AED2-5BE9D4A311D6.jpeg


And these. OMG. OMG. They cost a non-trivial percentage of my house :lol: but they’re glorious. And SO unbelievably delicate on the ears!! If I ever win the lottery…

1BA5F2C4-0843-4C7E-8A10-F20F3CC9BE4D.jpeg
F0DDF0C2-6861-443A-96FC-9B772FA79A2E.jpeg

I’m going on a buying ban. And will be scheduling regular Couch Cushion Raking sessions. I want to get both Cosmos earrings before the next price hike, whenever that happens :???: I need group therapy to keep me honest!!

Thanks so much, @yssie, for trying on the long Magic Pave Alhambra pendant for me! It certainly looks fabulous on you b/c you model it so well! You've made my final decision even harder to make now!

BTW, the Cosmos earrings will make a nice addition to your collection! Totally swooning over here...
 

higanbanya

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 18, 2019
Messages
199
@astaeria That bracelet is so beautiful on you! Did you have it shortened/lengthened at all? I need to get to a boutique! I live two hours from Chicago, and hubby and I are also going to SF in November…. Hmm The problem is that I don’t even know what would be available.

Thank you! ❤️ Had to get mine shortened by 8 links, and it took about a week in Singapore as the shortening was done locally (: heard from my SA that they had 40 pieces for the first batch which I bought from, and there will be subsequent batches in the future so it’ll be available soon enough!
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
58,547
I love VCA, especially the Frivole line. I only have a couple things from VCA so I can barely participate here. ;-) I did just get the mini Frivole YG (non-pave) bracelet. It was hard to find!

If you love VCA, you are more than welcome to participate! Everyone has to start collecting at some point, so even once piece is great to share! So post a picture sometime! I love Frivole, too, and don't have any yet!
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,263
@yssie, of course you love those asymmetrical earrings! ;-) They are gorgeous.

Could you (and all others with input!) do me a huge favor? Post here, or start a new thread—whatever is easiest— I remember you and a couple of other posters discussed individual coloring and why certain pearls and metals look good on some and not others. I can’t remember what thread that was in… I’m really struggling about rose gold or yellow gold on me. And why I like platinum/white gold on my hands (rings), but not my neck? I’d like to do a little research this month before finally making my first purchase. Also, any metal considerations that are specific to VCA. I’m kind of stuck on “blendy” vs. “contrasty,” if that makes sense!
Haha yes!! I can't resist symmetric asymmetry. But the pricetag - that I had no trouble resisting!! :lol:

It was @icy_jade who brought colours up!! know there was some convo in this thread - topic is totally irrelevant to VCA of course though!
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...colour-masterpiece.263412/page-3#post-4901334

But this link is more useful -
https://www.the16types.info/vbullet...81dbc221c7c1&p=1231792&viewfull=1#post1231792

A poster on The Other Forum made a distinction between "a diamond piece" and "a piece with diamonds" that really resonated with me. She felt that white metal transformed a design that would otherwise be "a piece with diamonds" into "a diamond piece"... That when white diamonds are set into white metal you kind of forget about the metal and just focus on the bling, whereas those same white diamonds set into yellow or pink metal - the metal matters more...

I know that some people have said they're warmer on some parts of their bodies and cooler on others. So what you're saying seems perfectly reasonable to me! I know that I'm much warmer without a summer tan. A tan cools me down quite a bit. And I feel like white metal is always a neutral, I'll mix white and yellow or white and pink without thinking twice. Pink and yellow together is more challenging for me... That combo - I do feel like you need other yellow and pink accessories to "play off", so to speak :twisted2:

So what piece(s) are you thinking about? You've got to share! :mrgreen:
 
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RunningwithScissors

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Messages
3,702
@yssie, of course you love those asymmetrical earrings! ;-) They are gorgeous.

Could you (and all others with input!) do me a huge favor? Post here, or start a new thread—whatever is easiest— I remember you and a couple of other posters discussed individual coloring and why certain pearls and metals look good on some and not others. I can’t remember what thread that was in… I’m really struggling about rose gold or yellow gold on me. And why I like platinum/white gold on my hands (rings), but not my neck? I’d like to do a little research this month before finally making my first purchase. Also, any metal considerations that are specific to VCA. I’m kind of stuck on “blendy” vs. “contrasty,” if that makes sense!

Hi KristinTech!

I can only describe the skin I live in. I have no idea if this applies to others or not. (I'm pale with pinky-overtones.) My guess is that other people's experiences will be different.

Here's what I've learned about myself and jewelry metal colors:

COMPLETELY FORGET the images you have in your head or mind's eye about what looks "good" with your coloring or your clothing colors. They are probably wrong.

INSTEAD, stand in front of a mirror and honestly look at yourself wearing 1) different colored metals and 2) different colored clothing. Wear each combination TWICE -- once in natural daylight, once at night in artificial light.

--------------------------

For me, I found:

1. Even though cool metal (platinum or WG) looks best with my skin tone in general, YG looks better when I am wearing black. Cool metal is just too cold for me to wear with black, it looks lifeless with black plus my pale skin and dark blonde hair.

2. Black earrings/necklaces (like onyx VCA) looked better with my white and light-colored outfits than they do with darker outfits. (Totally opposite what I thought before standing in front of the mirror!) For example my onyx VCA look the best with a white or pink blouse, t-shirt or cashmere sweater - crisp and sublime! Not heavy or wintery at all!

3. Rose gold blends into my skin and gives an overall "nude" appearance. While this isn't exciting on its own, it can play a beautiful "harmony" or supporting actor role to an outfit that plays the "melody" or lead actor role.

4. I like to have both high-contrast looks (like the black onyx with my light outfits and pale skin tone) and low-contrast looks (like rose gold which looks almost "nude".) Different occasions call for different looks. Both are equally worth having in our jewelry wardrobes.

5. If I wear two different color metals at same time, I need a "bridge" piece of jewelry to "merge" them. For example the Cartier trinity hoop earrings or the Tiffany Schlumberge ring (with mixed metals) are nice bridge pieces that combine two or more metal colors work as bridges. If I don't wear a bridge piece when I'm wearing jewelry of different metals, my wardrobe doesn't tie together well and looks discordant.

6. I like to have hierarchy in the jewelry I've chosen to wear each day. One piece only will have the spotlight; every other piece must play a supporting role. (I think of my jewelry as stations -- the neck, the ears, the write, etc.) I don't want every station screaming for attention. One piece/station only can be the star on a particular day or else it is too chaotic. Think of a symphony orchestra -- there's first violin, second violin, viola, cello, etc. Not everyone can play the solo or even the melody at the same time or it won't sound like music.

7. My own personal goal is to have one "line" (one piece for every station) in each of the color metals. I do not mean every piece will be VCA, but rather all the pieces I collect will be pieces I love and am proud of and will complement each other.

I hope this is helpful!
 
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yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,263
I love this breakdown @RunningwithScissors!!

4. I like to have both high-contrast looks (like the black onyx with my light outfits and pale skin tone) and low-contrast looks (like rose gold which looks almost "nude".) Different occasions call for different looks. Both are equally worth having in our jewelry wardrobes.
This is especially interesting.

Black used to be my go-to. Neutral, dark, almost always occasion-appropriate - can't go wrong, right? But my colouring is very warm and very muted - everything about me is some shade of brown! Turns out black really isn't flattering on me. Neither are jewel tones. Anything bright is going to wash me out.

My "grown up" wardrobe is almost exclusively low-contrast and that's clearly conveyed into my jewellery preferences too. I nearly always go muted over contrasty.

@RunningwithScissors @KristinTech Do you find that you actively prefer - or more often veer - low-contrast or high-contrast in your day-to-day?
 
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RunningwithScissors

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Messages
3,702
I love this breakdown @RunningwithScissors!!


This is especially interesting.

Black used to be my go-to. Neutral, dark, almost always occasion-appropriate - can't go wrong, right? But my colouring is very warm and very muted - everything about me is some shade of brown! Turns out black really isn't flattering on me. Neither are jewel tones. Anything bright is going to wash me out.

My "grown up" wardrobe is almost exclusively low-contrast and that's clearly conveyed into my jewellery preferences too. I nearly always go muted over contrasty.

@RunningwithScissors @KristinTech Do you find that you actively prefer - or more often veer - low-contrast or high-contrast in your day-to-day?

This is interesting. What metal or stones look low contrast against your coloring and outfits? Can you give us examples of "nude" jewelry that you love wearing?

You look fabulous in white pearls, (as in Mikimoto needs to hire you as a model!) but to my eye its because pearls have a nice contrast against your hair/skin tone. On me, white pearls look nude/low contrast, and aren't visually exciting like they are on you.
 
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yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,263
This is interesting. What metal or stones look low contrast against your coloring and outfits? Can you give us examples of "nude" jewelry that you love wearing?

You look fabulous in white pearls, (as in Mikimoto needs to hire you as a model!) but to my eye its because pearls have a nice contrast against your hair/skin tone. On me, white pearls look nude/low contrast, and aren't visually exciting like they are on you.

You're so sweet! ❤️

White pearls and white diamonds are definitely about as contrasty as I get, I think! I have some dark body tahitians but I never reach for them. White pearls... I do prefer a white body over cream, but I want a strong pink overtone to warm them up - as strong as I can get. And I like the I/J/K diamond range over colourless, colourless is just too stark on me. But really, a J coloured diamond is still white, to your point - definitely still contrasty on me since I've got darker skin! Apparently that's just the allure of #diamonds overtaking all other sensibilities :lol:

@diamondseeker2006 and @m-2-b both have the pave and onyx vintage Alhambra bracelets. And both ladies look amazing in them!! The super high-contrast works with their colouring and their outfits. For me - the two bracelets on my wishlist are the pave and gmop vintage and the Tiffany Hardwear jumbo link in RG. My absolute dream never-happening-I-know VCA bracelet would be rock crystal in RG - forget "muted" or "low contrast", let's just go full-on invisible :lol:

These are my most worn bracelets. I'm bad and wear these pearl strands right next to metal knowing full well the pearls will get scratched. Lots of rose gold, a little yellow gold, a couple of token white metal pieces. Rose gold is very neutral on me.

I totally understand why you favour onyx earrings. Dark body tahitians would be stunning on you!! I think you'd look wonderful in blue akoya too... :love: Hmm. Curious. How do you feel about chalcedony and malachite?
 

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Missie1

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
855
Hi KristinTech!

I can only describe the skin I live in. I have no idea if this applies to others or not. (I'm pale with pinky-overtones.) My guess is that other people's experiences will be different.

Here's what I've learned about myself and jewelry metal colors:

COMPLETELY FORGET the images you have in your head or mind's eye about what looks "good" with your coloring or your clothing colors. They are probably wrong.

INSTEAD, stand in front of a mirror and honestly look at yourself wearing 1) different colored metals and 2) different colored clothing. Wear each combination TWICE -- once in natural daylight, once at night in artificial light.

--------------------------

For me, I found:

1. Even though cool metal (platinum or WG) looks best with my skin tone in general, YG looks better when I am wearing black. Cool metal is just too cold for me to wear with black, it looks lifeless with black plus my pale skin and dark blonde hair.

2. Black earrings/necklaces (like onyx VCA) looked better with my white and light-colored outfits than they do with darker outfits. (Totally opposite what I thought before standing in front of the mirror!) For example my onyx VCA look the best with a white or pink blouse, t-shirt or cashmere sweater - crisp and sublime! Not heavy or wintery at all!

3. Rose gold blends into my skin and gives an overall "nude" appearance. While this isn't exciting on its own, it can play a beautiful "harmony" or supporting actor role to an outfit that plays the "melody" or lead actor role.

4. I like to have both high-contrast looks (like the black onyx with my light outfits and pale skin tone) and low-contrast looks (like rose gold which looks almost "nude".) Different occasions call for different looks. Both are equally worth having in our jewelry wardrobes.

5. If I wear two different color metals at same time, I need a "bridge" piece of jewelry to "merge" them. For example the Cartier trinity hoop earrings or the Tiffany Schlumberge ring (with mixed metals) are nice bridge pieces that combine two or more metal colors work as bridges. If I don't wear a bridge piece when I'm wearing jewelry of different metals, my wardrobe doesn't tie together well and looks discordant.

6. I like to have hierarchy in the jewelry I've chosen to wear each day. One piece only will have the spotlight; every other piece must play a supporting role. (I think of my jewelry as stations -- the neck, the ears, the write, etc.) I don't want every station screaming for attention. One piece/station only can be the star on a particular day or else it is too chaotic. Think of a symphony orchestra -- there's first violin, second violin, viola, cello, etc. Not everyone can play the solo or even the melody at the same time or it won't sound like music.

7. My own personal goal is to have one "line" (one piece for every station) in each of the color metals. I do not mean every piece will be VCA, but rather all the pieces I collect will be pieces I love and am proud of and will complement each other.

I hope this is helpful!

I absolutely love this. You have put everything into perspective and gives general directions on how to create the perfect balance.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
58,547
Hi KristinTech!

I can only describe the skin I live in. I have no idea if this applies to others or not. (I'm pale with pinky-overtones.) My guess is that other people's experiences will be different.

Here's what I've learned about myself and jewelry metal colors:

COMPLETELY FORGET the images you have in your head or mind's eye about what looks "good" with your coloring or your clothing colors. They are probably wrong.

INSTEAD, stand in front of a mirror and honestly look at yourself wearing 1) different colored metals and 2) different colored clothing. Wear each combination TWICE -- once in natural daylight, once at night in artificial light.

--------------------------

For me, I found:

1. Even though cool metal (platinum or WG) looks best with my skin tone in general, YG looks better when I am wearing black. Cool metal is just too cold for me to wear with black, it looks lifeless with black plus my pale skin and dark blonde hair.

2. Black earrings/necklaces (like onyx VCA) looked better with my white and light-colored outfits than they do with darker outfits. (Totally opposite what I thought before standing in front of the mirror!) For example my onyx VCA look the best with a white or pink blouse, t-shirt or cashmere sweater - crisp and sublime! Not heavy or wintery at all!

3. Rose gold blends into my skin and gives an overall "nude" appearance. While this isn't exciting on its own, it can play a beautiful "harmony" or supporting actor role to an outfit that plays the "melody" or lead actor role.

4. I like to have both high-contrast looks (like the black onyx with my light outfits and pale skin tone) and low-contrast looks (like rose gold which looks almost "nude".) Different occasions call for different looks. Both are equally worth having in our jewelry wardrobes.

5. If I wear two different color metals at same time, I need a "bridge" piece of jewelry to "merge" them. For example the Cartier trinity hoop earrings or the Tiffany Schlumberge ring (with mixed metals) are nice bridge pieces that combine two or more metal colors work as bridges. If I don't wear a bridge piece when I'm wearing jewelry of different metals, my wardrobe doesn't tie together well and looks discordant.

6. I like to have hierarchy in the jewelry I've chosen to wear each day. One piece only will have the spotlight; every other piece must play a supporting role. (I think of my jewelry as stations -- the neck, the ears, the write, etc.) I don't want every station screaming for attention. One piece/station only can be the star on a particular day or else it is too chaotic. Think of a symphony orchestra -- there's first violin, second violin, viola, cello, etc. Not everyone can play the solo or even the melody at the same time or it won't sound like music.

7. My own personal goal is to have one "line" (one piece for every station) in each of the color metals. I do not mean every piece will be VCA, but rather all the pieces I collect will be pieces I love and am proud of and will complement each other.

I hope this is helpful!

I have come to many of the same conclusions! One is that I do try wear one special piece at a time and the rest is understated. Reminds me of the old advice to put on your jewelry and then take off one piece! I see people on IG that seem to think it looks good to wear everything in their jewelry box at once (such as a stack of 6 bracelets on each arm!). To me, that totally takes away from the beauty of the individual pieces.

Another thing is metal color. I love all the metal colors but unfortunately I can’t wear anything but white metal near my face. I ordered two or three yg VCA pieces last fall to try, and looking in the mirror, it just didn’t look good. So I went for the wg onyx bracelet instead. I had tried the solid rg bracelet before, and I didn’t like the color on me in the solid textured metal. But I would be interested in trying the rg gray mop with pave pieces. Maybe just a little rg would work! But who knows when I’ll ever go to a boutique again! I tried to buy another wg piece this month and the items I was interested in aren’t available. So I may just have to postpone any further VCA purchases for the time being.

Oh, and I’ve always been a fan of having one piece to tie metal colors together, too. A watch is also a good piece to use for that.
 

RunningwithScissors

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Messages
3,702
@yssie -- here's your rock crystal bracelet preloved:

I hadn't heard about VCA rock crystal pieces before, but they look beautiful in an understated way.

Thanks for showing us a peek at your daily wear bracelets, a lovely grouping, I bet they give you joy when you put them on in the morning. :)
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,263
@yssie -- here's your rock crystal bracelet preloved:

I hadn't heard about VCA rock crystal pieces before, but they look beautiful in an understated way.

Thanks for showing us a peek at your daily wear bracelets, a lovely grouping, I bet they give you joy when you put them on in the morning. :)

Oh wow - I've never seen one preloved before! They were introduced for the 50th anniversary of Alhambra - but they're not in general circulation. My SA said she'd see if she could get me one... I don't really have the sort of purchase history that would merit one, so it's a bit of a question mark. That's a really hefty markup over retail, the FP ;(
 

icy_jade

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 1, 2009
Messages
6,131
Anyone getting the holiday pendant this year? Have not been impressed enough by the pics to want to see one in real life, but would love to hear your thoughts if you have seen it.

7B217667-09D5-42D2-87B3-C336EEF3134F.jpeg

Unfortunately my first impression was spam:
4CE0984A-4C69-4F16-92AA-88F234C745C4.jpeg

But I probably should caveat that I grew up eating spam (called luncheon meat in my part of the world) and absolutely love spam with instant noodles. Mmm yum.
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,263
I like it. I don’t wear necklaces but if this was a bracelet stone I’d be all in!

Edit - I like the texture.
I will say that when I first heard it was going to be rhodonite I was expecting it to be translucent strawberry red facet grade rhodonite - which I don’t believe is exactly common! Then I heard it wasn’t, and I was fully expecting to dislike it. So the fact that I ended up at #Like is admittedly a surprise to me!
 
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Kim N

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 6, 2005
Messages
6,463
Anyone getting the holiday pendant this year? Have not been impressed enough by the pics to want to see one in real life, but would love to hear your thoughts if you have seen it.

7B217667-09D5-42D2-87B3-C336EEF3134F.jpeg

Unfortunately my first impression was spam:
4CE0984A-4C69-4F16-92AA-88F234C745C4.jpeg

But I probably should caveat that I grew up eating spam (called luncheon meat in my part of the world) and absolutely love spam with instant noodles. Mmm yum.

I don't think I'll ever be able to UN-see spam now! :lol:
 

Fabulous50

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 30, 2015
Messages
606
Anyone getting the holiday pendant this year? Have not been impressed enough by the pics to want to see one in real life, but would love to hear your thoughts if you have seen it.

7B217667-09D5-42D2-87B3-C336EEF3134F.jpeg

Unfortunately my first impression was spam:
4CE0984A-4C69-4F16-92AA-88F234C745C4.jpeg

But I probably should caveat that I grew up eating spam (called luncheon meat in my part of the world) and absolutely love spam with instant noodles. Mmm yum.

I love it and hopefully going to see it soon, will post pictures.
 

RunningwithScissors

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Messages
3,702
Anyone getting the holiday pendant this year? Have not been impressed enough by the pics to want to see one in real life, but would love to hear your thoughts if you have seen it.

7B217667-09D5-42D2-87B3-C336EEF3134F.jpeg

Unfortunately my first impression was spam:
4CE0984A-4C69-4F16-92AA-88F234C745C4.jpeg

But I probably should caveat that I grew up eating spam (called luncheon meat in my part of the world) and absolutely love spam with instant noodles. Mmm yum.

I don't think I'll ever be able to un-see the spam now!
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
58,547
I think it's a very pretty stone and good for a pendant since it isn't as hard as some others. I just prefer Magic size pendants except for the pave, so I won't be getting one.
 

LLJsmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
12,641
Hi KristinTech!

I can only describe the skin I live in. I have no idea if this applies to others or not. (I'm pale with pinky-overtones.) My guess is that other people's experiences will be different.

Here's what I've learned about myself and jewelry metal colors:

COMPLETELY FORGET the images you have in your head or mind's eye about what looks "good" with your coloring or your clothing colors. They are probably wrong.

INSTEAD, stand in front of a mirror and honestly look at yourself wearing 1) different colored metals and 2) different colored clothing. Wear each combination TWICE -- once in natural daylight, once at night in artificial light.

--------------------------

For me, I found:

1. Even though cool metal (platinum or WG) looks best with my skin tone in general, YG looks better when I am wearing black. Cool metal is just too cold for me to wear with black, it looks lifeless with black plus my pale skin and dark blonde hair.

2. Black earrings/necklaces (like onyx VCA) looked better with my white and light-colored outfits than they do with darker outfits. (Totally opposite what I thought before standing in front of the mirror!) For example my onyx VCA look the best with a white or pink blouse, t-shirt or cashmere sweater - crisp and sublime! Not heavy or wintery at all!

3. Rose gold blends into my skin and gives an overall "nude" appearance. While this isn't exciting on its own, it can play a beautiful "harmony" or supporting actor role to an outfit that plays the "melody" or lead actor role.

4. I like to have both high-contrast looks (like the black onyx with my light outfits and pale skin tone) and low-contrast looks (like rose gold which looks almost "nude".) Different occasions call for different looks. Both are equally worth having in our jewelry wardrobes.

5. If I wear two different color metals at same time, I need a "bridge" piece of jewelry to "merge" them. For example the Cartier trinity hoop earrings or the Tiffany Schlumberge ring (with mixed metals) are nice bridge pieces that combine two or more metal colors work as bridges. If I don't wear a bridge piece when I'm wearing jewelry of different metals, my wardrobe doesn't tie together well and looks discordant.

6. I like to have hierarchy in the jewelry I've chosen to wear each day. One piece only will have the spotlight; every other piece must play a supporting role. (I think of my jewelry as stations -- the neck, the ears, the write, etc.) I don't want every station screaming for attention. One piece/station only can be the star on a particular day or else it is too chaotic. Think of a symphony orchestra -- there's first violin, second violin, viola, cello, etc. Not everyone can play the solo or even the melody at the same time or it won't sound like music.

7. My own personal goal is to have one "line" (one piece for every station) in each of the color metals. I do not mean every piece will be VCA, but rather all the pieces I collect will be pieces I love and am proud of and will complement each other.

I hope this is helpful!

Hi @RunningwithScissors , I love your discussion about color. I’ve never really used jewelry and color in once sentence before until VCA really challenged me mentally and emotionally. I’m generally one of those people that are afraid of color and veer toward contrasty neutrals. Black, navy, white. When I want muted I go gray and beige. Yeah. You can see I’m a huge risk taker. :lol: But since encountering VCA I have learned to appreciate how visually beautiful and emotionally uplifting color can be. The hard part is to find colors that are obvious, that flatter, that make a statement, are interesting, yet still can go with everything. A tall order. So I’ve struggled and finally found combos that I meet those criteria for me, which usually are not in their standard offerings. All are WG and with their usual colors. I’m waiting for a WG and carnelian bracelet special order to be done. And if I like that, earrings to match down the road. Then I would love the blue agate in WG too. YG blends into my skin tone and RG even more so. I love rich deep colors but with WG so they pop. Otherwise I think deep colors blend too much with my warm tones.
 

Missie1

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
855
Anyone getting the holiday pendant this year? Have not been impressed enough by the pics to want to see one in real life, but would love to hear your thoughts if you have seen it.

7B217667-09D5-42D2-87B3-C336EEF3134F.jpeg

Unfortunately my first impression was spam:
4CE0984A-4C69-4F16-92AA-88F234C745C4.jpeg

But I probably should caveat that I grew up eating spam (called luncheon meat in my part of the world) and absolutely love spam with instant noodles. Mmm yum.

I really want one but I have blown the budget for this year. I will see if still available in November then maybe
 

RunningwithScissors

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Messages
3,702
Hi @RunningwithScissors , I love your discussion about color. I’ve never really used jewelry and color in once sentence before until VCA really challenged me mentally and emotionally. I’m generally one of those people that are afraid of color and veer toward contrasty neutrals. Black, navy, white. When I want muted I go gray and beige. Yeah. You can see I’m a huge risk taker. :lol: But since encountering VCA I have learned to appreciate how visually beautiful and emotionally uplifting color can be. The hard part is to find colors that are obvious, that flatter, that make a statement, are interesting, yet still can go with everything. A tall order. So I’ve struggled and finally found combos that I meet those criteria for me, which usually are not in their standard offerings. All are WG and with their usual colors. I’m waiting for a WG and carnelian bracelet special order to be done. And if I like that, earrings to match down the road. Then I would love the blue agate in WG too. YG blends into my skin tone and RG even more so. I love rich deep colors but with WG so they pop. Otherwise I think deep colors blend too much with my warm tones.

Oh I can't wait to see your special order carnelian and white gold bracelet! That will be fabulous!

I completely understand what you are saying. Sounds like you know yourself and have put together a lovely capsule wardrobe of outfits and jewelry that work together and make you feel comfortable and happy. I know you have such a lovely collection of VCA! One of the really enjoyable things for me looking through this whole VCA thread is seeing your special order pieces using white gold.
 
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