What pieces do you consider essential jewelery items?

[Laila619]

My essentials:

Diamond engagement ring
Diamond wedding band
Fabulous pair of hoop earrings

 

[MichelleCarmen]

diamond eng ring & a wedding band
diamond studs
diamond pendant
and a pair of fun hoops - mine are just plain ones from BN and they're fun for when I go out. I think if a person is going to wear a pair of hoops, they should invest in a quality pair.

(I do not like jewelry on my wrists, but would guess a slim diamond tennis bracelet would be great if there were lots of social events to attend and I was a socialite. lol)

 

[Gypsy]

Wedding ring/set
Earrings, especially if a woman has pierced ears
Necklace or pendant
Watch

That's about it for essentials.

agreed. These would be the essentisls..

I agree about those being the essentials.

I agree. Except the the watch. In this day and age with cell phones. I don't think watches are necessities. Although I do have one. It's not fancy though (300 watch) and I have had the chance to upgrade it and haven't.

I don't have solitaire studs, and have had the chance several times to own a pair, but I don't need them. I have these diamond earrings (1 ctw) and every time I think: Studs? I think... not gonna see them, have diamond earrings, prefer pretty bling on my hands or around my neck. I also have dangle enhancers for them to make them more versatile.



I also have one diamond necklace and one pendant, and I'm planning on another (DH got me a Tahitian Pearl for Christmas). I prefer pendants to earrings because I can see them and they have more personality, and they really dress up an outfit or change an outfit's personality. Plus they are much more affordable. But I think three will be my limit.

I'd rather have ring options, and a nice RHR than studs right now. Eventually, sure I'd love 6mm studs. But that's a long way off. And not essential.

 

[monarch64]

If we are talking absolute essentials...earrings and a watch.

I think every female looks better with something sparkly right next to her face, hence earrings. And watches are essential to me because I do not always have pockets in which to carry a cell phone to tell the time.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

MC, I have to have a watch for work but you are right, many people do not. For me it is essential b/c I am not allowed to carry around my cell phone and have to time sessions.

 

[missy]

Ooo, fun!

The great equalizers:

- a tiara. Everybody needs a tiara for those days when they need a little reassurance that they rule.

- A really short choker necklace to set off the length of your neck: I like line necklaces myself, but I'm open-minded, you can have links or a riviera if you prefer.

- a really long necklace that can double as a belt. I love the ones I've been seeing recently of diamond briolettes pierced on both ends and strung on platinum wire. (BTW, is there a special name for this? Hunting them down is like looking for hen's teeth.)

- enormous pearl earrings. Big. Really big. Just because they're beautiful.

- great big chunky gold cuff bracelets, a matched pair. Like Wonder Woman.

- a diamond thumb ring.

- a jeweled lorgnette.

... just me?

Circe, you forgot a scepter. And a few large brooches. Plus a couple parures....

I fully agree with all of these essentials.
In fact, I have lent my tiara out several times to brides. Though it truly is not just for weddings anymore. You cannot beat a good tiara. Or scepter.

I can't believe no one has divided this way:

WHILE SINGLE
* nice, versatile watch
* signature piece (i.e -- cuff bracelet --OR-- pendant necklace --OR-- family heirloom RHR etc.)
* gold or platinum earrings (if ears are pierced) ---OR--- pearl clip ons (if no piercings)

ENGAGED
(all of the above PLUS)
* engagement ring (solitaire --or-- eternity band)

MARRIED
(all of the above PLUS)
* wedding band
* diamond studs

DIVORCED
(all of the above PLUS)
* all the bling you can buy with any settlement $$

And I like this list as well.

 

[Mrsacornblue]

Diamond wedding set (or multiple sets for various moods/occasions/days of the week) Remember the days of the week underwear? I want days of the week diamonds!

Diamond studs
Diamond hoops
Pearl studs
Silver/gold ball studs
Silver/gold dangly earrings
Diamond pendant
Colored stone RHRs
Statement pendant(s)
Classic watch
Fun watch

 

[Dee*Jay]

Diamond studs
W-band/ering
Stand alone ring (for those of us who are blissfully unattached!)
Decent watch
Pearls

 

[DivaDiamond007]

My essentials:

Ering
Plain wedding band
Diamond wedding band
Diamond stud earrings
RHR
Diamond pendant necklace
Pearl studs
Strand of pearls
Silver ball earrings
Hoop earrings in silver/WG


I'm still working on my list!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

MC, I have to have a watch for work but you are right, many people do not. For me it is essential b/c I am not allowed to carry around my cell phone and have to time sessions.

Opps, meant to address it to gypsy. Sorry MC for any confusion!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

essential, pshaw!

but, my list of essential non-essential items is:

-wedding set (not planning on changing anything about this in the near future...in the long term I would like to reset with better cut sidestones but only if I can use the current setting...)

-pendant (I have the stone "chunky" and designed the setting, just waiting on the tax refund to pull the trigger on the setting--this is my #1 jewelry priority right now b/c I really miss my old pendant and can't wait to have this one on me 24/7)

-studs or leverback drops (I have my "wedding dress" earrings, though I wouldn't turn my nose up at 1.2 ctw milgrain bezel old cut studs in the future )

-diamond hoops (this is my 2013 project )

-colored stone RHR (I have the stone--a glowy orangey-red spessartite garnet--and picked out a setting--a custom design by Sally--but am waiting on this for financial reasons and b/c I might want to get a different colored center stone...and b/c I now have a gratuitous diamond RHR that I to wear)

-eternity band and/or 5-stone (for the blingy band look), I have an antique 5-stone and a LOGR rose gold bezel milgrain full cut eternity band I wear them both very often!

-yellow gold earrings of some kind (I have little gold hoops, would like to upgrade at some point)

-a set of pearls (got my freshadamas this year)

and then a fun assortment of funky statement pieces that are a little nicer than standard costume jewelry (like argentium silver or 14k gold and nice semi-precious stones).

I'd like a statement "cuff" bracelet, chunky RHR for my middle finger, and super visible necklace (this is also my 2013 project )

I don't really wear watches, but if I did I guess a watch might be on this list.

 

[Dandi]

Essentials ( ) for me:
Engagement ring
2 plain thin wedding bands, one for either side of e-ring
Diamond eternity RHR that doubles as a stand alone wedding ring on less blingy days (few and far between!)
Casual watch
Stand alone diamond studs
Large, thin, plain gold hoops
Smaller diamond studs to wear in my second piercings when I'm wearing my large hoops
Diamond toe ring

Dressy essentials:
Tennis bracelet
Diamond halo jackets for studs
Dressy watch

I used to have diamond pendant on this list but have gone off necklaces for some reason. I have everything on this list except the jackets, although they're probably flying somewhere over the Pacific right now, coming home to mamma!!

 

[Haven]

My rings are the only real jewelery that I own. I rarely wear earrings to work, and when I do, they're cheapo earrings. I can't stand wearing things on my wrist, so I don't even own a watch.

For me, I'd say the only essential jewelry item is a plain wedding band, and that's only because I'm married. And I don't even have one of those! Mine is a bit twisty, but plain enough, I suppose.

ETA: I have a full strand of pearls. Forgot about those. They definitely aren't essential, though.

 

[Echidna]

My bare essentials:
Watch
Engagement ring (solitaire) + wedding ring (plain band)
Diamond studs (not yet in my possession- have to save up )

Additional essentials:
Eternity ring (u-prong full eternity please!)
Selection of RHRs (ideally one with an Octavia, one three stone OEC, one coloured stone that I have)
Bracelets (one of which is Cookie's plain platinum bracelet by VC ; another is MissGotRock's HoF Solitude bangle)

 

[rosetta]

It's all essential baby!

Woman cannot live on diamanté alone.

 

[shihtzulover]

My essentials:

1. Engagement ring, with my wedding band to be added soon
2. Diamond stud earrings
3. Solitaire pendant
4. Nice watch

I would also like to add a tennis bracelet and diamond huggies to that list at some point, although those aren't as essential to me as the others.

 

[Phoenix]

I think what I have now are *my* essentials (+ a bit more, lol):

- 3 diamond erings (RB, pear, 3-stone)
- 2 diamond RHRs (coloured diamond, 5-stone band)
- diamond solitaire studs
- diamond cluster earrings
- diamond pendant
- diamond bracelet
- 3 diamond eternity rings
- SS + Tahitian pearl necklaces and pearl drops
- high-end watch

 

[Asu]

I guess the *really* essential things to me would be
my plain wedding band
a watch (my fossil watch with butterfly charms that my husband gave me years ago never leave my wrist,and I don't even like watches!)
a pair of studs in a modest size (I'm still working on these)

then,if there is still a bit of space..
my love bracelet
engagement ring/upgrade ring
couple of stacking rings that double as rhr
pearl studs and necklace
my thumb wg band
a tennis bracelet
an everyday necklace,like a solitaire one or a short dbty
a pair of jackets or danglies to add to the studs and make them istant fancy earrings.

 

[Fly Girl]

Wedding ring/set
Earrings, especially if a woman has pierced ears
Necklace or pendant
Watch

That's about it for essentials.

agreed. These would be the essentisls..

I agree about those being the essentials.

I agree. Except the the watch. In this day and age with cell phones. I don't think watches are necessities. Although I do have one. It's not fancy though (300 watch) and I have had the chance to upgrade it and haven't.

I picked those items as essential because these are what I have been wearing every day since I was 16, so they have stood the test of time. Of course in high school it was a class ring, then no rings in college until I was engaged at age 21. The necklace used to be gold-filled, then it was sterling, and over the years finally became platinum with sapphires and diamonds. Earrings were 14k yellow gold balls, then colored stones, and finally diamonds and fine pearls. I've never gotten a really nice watch, but I have worn a Seiko every day until recent years. I hesitated to say watch, because I agree with you Gypsy, in this day and age of cell phones, I do skip wearing a watch in the hot and sticky summer months. Still, it is really handy to look down at your wrist and tell the time. And, an easy-to-read watch is an essential when flying!

 

[rubybeth]

For me, it would be:

1. e-ring and wedding band, and some stacking bands to mix and match
2. RHR (I have a colored stone in a halo but want a 5-stone trellis, but stacking rings for RHRs are fun, too, since they can commemorate all kinds of things and don't need to be expensive to look good)
3. earrings (studs or huggies if studs aren't your thing)
4. watch that matches wedding set
5. diamond pendant or DBTY necklace for daily wear
6. earring jackets to dress up studs when needed
7. pearl earrings and necklace (I have a pearl pendant and studs I wear all the time)
8. a bracelet of some kind (I wear fakeys now but would love a bezel DBTY bracelet to wear next to my watch)

I live a pretty low-key life, I wear khakis and corduroys to work, and my most dressed-up is usually when I attend a wedding.

 

[Imdanny]

A watch and wedding ring. Although I wish we could wear jewelry as much as women or as much as men in Tudor England. For one thing I'd like a long chain.

 

[zoebartlett]

Studs - diamond, SS, whatever type...
Small hoops
Engagement ring and wedding band

That's it. Those are pretty much my staples and what I wear on a daily basis. I don't even have a watch, I just use my phone for telling the time.

 

[Enerchi]

It's all essential baby!

Woman cannot live on diamanté alone.

So true, so true!!!

And Missy - love the additional "Divorce essentials" - settlement purchases!

IMO:
studs (diamond or pearl or both)
pendant (diamond or pearl or both - something classic)
necklace (something frivolous and a statement piece)
watch
wedding band
engagement ring
classic bracelet (all metal or metal and stone [diamond/sapphire/ruby})

Anything else becomes gravy... (or settlement, depends on your marital status, perhaps??)

 

[anitabee]

engagement ring
diamond band
stud earrings with some sort of stone (diamond, citrine, sapphire, etc)

i just so happen to own and wear a lovely right-hand sapphire ring but i certainly do not consider that to be essential. i think of it as a bonus item.

i like things simple.

 

[stargurl78]

When I think of essentials, I think of the pieces that I wear almost every day. So for me, that would just be:

Wedding band
Engagement Ring
Diamond Studs
Watch

I also think its good to have a nice RHR and a dressier pair of earrings (or some jackets to dress up studs). I don't really wear necklaces that often so I'm not sure that a necklace or pendant is really an essential piece for me.

 

[kelpie]

Yeah, I could do without all of it but if we are building a wardrobe; for me it's:

Studs
A "grown up" watch
Pearls
Whatever your marital accoutrements may be

ETA: Oh yeah, hoops are a very versatile addition. 1" rose gold hoops for $60 were one of my first jewelry buys and they are as fabulous as ever.

 

[slg47]

"Essential" is so subjective! This is what I (28 years old, newly married and living in a small South African town) consider essential:

1. A plain band
2. A diamond band
3. Diamond studs
4. Diamond pendant
5. Dressier pendant
6. Dangly drops (ideally SLG47's pearl drops!)
7. A diamond bracelet
8. Plain(ish) watch
9. Dressier watch

So far I only have 2 and 4. My jeweller is currently making 3 and 5 and I hope to have 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9 by the end of the year!

Trekkie-thank you! I will say the pearl drops are very affordable (under $100!) so I think everyone should have them too

 

[PrincessCath]

Earrings (any kind.) I feel naked without earrings. The rest is optional.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

MC, I have to have a watch for work but you are right, many people do not. For me it is essential b/c I am not allowed to carry around my cell phone and have to time sessions.

Opps, meant to address it to gypsy. Sorry MC for any confusion!

No confusion...I actually use my cell phone as my watch, as well. lol But, if I had to wear one for work/can't use cell phone, I'd get one, but probably an inexpensive one. I can't imagine spending thousands on a watch unless I was in a corporate job where appearances are everything! lol

 

[iLander]

I'd like to put in a plug for watches;

I used to use my cell phone as a time keeper, and I am in front of a computer all day. But somehow, the time didn't seem real. It seemed chopped up and my life felt oddly sporadic. It took me almost 10 years to figure it out. It's the whole digital thing!

Since I've been wearing a watch again, I feel more grounded. I can see each day as a continuum, a flow, as the little hands trace each minute around and around. I can see 2 pm coming closer, I can see it pass by. It's doesn't leap out at me, seemingly out of nowhere, anymore. I feel a little calmer, too.

So. I'm rebelling against digital time. I just don't like it anymore.

But to your original question;

Pair of real gold earrings
Wedding band
Decent gold necklace

I think after that, it's just fluff. Such glorious fluff!