Wise and esteemed VCA lovers: I am in desperate need of your guidance and opinions!! Here’s my delightful predicament:
I have an appointment set to make my very FIRST VCA purchase on Friday (squee!): Alhambra 5 Motifs bracelet. I have been planning this purchase for about a year, during which time I have been constantly vacillating between Guilloché, Onyx, and Classic yellow gold.
This is going to be my only big jewelry purchase for at least a couple years as I have rapidly accumulated a few pieces from 2019 into this year. I hope to wear it as a daily piece (although I probably won’t, knowing me) and I want to be able to enjoy it without constantly worrying about babying it (even though I inevitably will). Scratches really bother me, though they are surely inevitable with jewelry, so I will be wearing this bracelet alone and not stacked. I baby my jewelry and handbags particularly since I am an incorrigible klutz lol.
The guilloché absolutely makes me swoon, no doubt about it. It is my holy grail bracelet as I am not into most bangles. The motifs look like little drops of sunlight and every time I see them in action I practically drool a little.
That being said, I am deeply concerned about the scratches and every SA I have talked to has vehemently attempted to dissuade me from the guilloché in bracelet form as soon as I mention my interest. When I booked my boutique appointment today, however, I was told by the lovely SA that the bracelet CAN be sent to Paris if need be down the road to have a motif replaced, similar to the stones. This made me feel a lot better. I think the guilloché would be a show-stopper as a standalone piece, but for over $1000 more, I need to be sure I will not regret it and won't be too afraid to wear it.
The Onyx is so gorgeous and I adore the shine. There’s something so sultry and edgy about the combination of black and gold with this piece. When I tried the bracelet on in person, I loved it more than I thought I would. I am fair so it really pops on my skin tone. I wear a lot of black and it’s one of my favorite colors. I’m concerned about the stones when it comes to fingerprints and damaging the finish over time, etc. I also wonder if this combination is substantial enough on my wrist alone, despite the contrast between the stones and my skin. Will I feel like I’m settling?
Classic yellow gold is by far the most carefree which is extremely appealing, though it is my least favorite aesthetically. While I love the texture, the highly yellow matte finish just doesn’t look the best on me particularly in comparison to the other two and I find it a little underwhelming.
I have tried on both the Onyx as well as the Classic (though it was an SA’s personal bracelet purchased from several years ago). Pictures are below. The only guilloché piece I could try on was the one with diamonds (wow!). I have never seen the full 5 motifs in person yet.
Ultimately I’m trying to decide between what sparks me the most joy and what is most practical for my lifestyle, but these are at total opposite ends of the spectrum for me, despite their equal importance. All three are beautiful, so to say that I am torn is an understatement. If you read my entire post, THANK YOU!! Any and all feedback would be greatly valued and I appreciate your time.
I have an appointment set to make my very FIRST VCA purchase on Friday (squee!): Alhambra 5 Motifs bracelet. I have been planning this purchase for about a year, during which time I have been constantly vacillating between Guilloché, Onyx, and Classic yellow gold.
This is going to be my only big jewelry purchase for at least a couple years as I have rapidly accumulated a few pieces from 2019 into this year. I hope to wear it as a daily piece (although I probably won’t, knowing me) and I want to be able to enjoy it without constantly worrying about babying it (even though I inevitably will). Scratches really bother me, though they are surely inevitable with jewelry, so I will be wearing this bracelet alone and not stacked. I baby my jewelry and handbags particularly since I am an incorrigible klutz lol.
The guilloché absolutely makes me swoon, no doubt about it. It is my holy grail bracelet as I am not into most bangles. The motifs look like little drops of sunlight and every time I see them in action I practically drool a little.
That being said, I am deeply concerned about the scratches and every SA I have talked to has vehemently attempted to dissuade me from the guilloché in bracelet form as soon as I mention my interest. When I booked my boutique appointment today, however, I was told by the lovely SA that the bracelet CAN be sent to Paris if need be down the road to have a motif replaced, similar to the stones. This made me feel a lot better. I think the guilloché would be a show-stopper as a standalone piece, but for over $1000 more, I need to be sure I will not regret it and won't be too afraid to wear it.The Onyx is so gorgeous and I adore the shine. There’s something so sultry and edgy about the combination of black and gold with this piece. When I tried the bracelet on in person, I loved it more than I thought I would. I am fair so it really pops on my skin tone. I wear a lot of black and it’s one of my favorite colors. I’m concerned about the stones when it comes to fingerprints and damaging the finish over time, etc. I also wonder if this combination is substantial enough on my wrist alone, despite the contrast between the stones and my skin. Will I feel like I’m settling?
Classic yellow gold is by far the most carefree which is extremely appealing, though it is my least favorite aesthetically. While I love the texture, the highly yellow matte finish just doesn’t look the best on me particularly in comparison to the other two and I find it a little underwhelming.
I have tried on both the Onyx as well as the Classic (though it was an SA’s personal bracelet purchased from several years ago). Pictures are below. The only guilloché piece I could try on was the one with diamonds (wow!). I have never seen the full 5 motifs in person yet.
Ultimately I’m trying to decide between what sparks me the most joy and what is most practical for my lifestyle, but these are at total opposite ends of the spectrum for me, despite their equal importance. All three are beautiful, so to say that I am torn is an understatement. If you read my entire post, THANK YOU!! Any and all feedback would be greatly valued and I appreciate your time.
I found some other pics of me trying on the hammered/onyx as well less recently.
