Investment pieces for 30+

GPR

Member
Jun 30, 2015
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Hello ladies,

What kind of jewelry would you all for ladies who are 30+? I am looking for pieces I can keep forever. For example, I imagine I could use birkin/kelly bags for the rest of my life. I used to love Kate Spade when I was younger but it just doesn't look right on myself anymore. I don't own jewelry other than simple diamond studs. I'd appreciate any kind of suggestions. Thanks in advance!
 
I would buy staples you can wear every day and then add more “special occasion” pieces slowly.
I think your “investments” in jewelry should go to what you will use the most. I am a SAHM with a casual lifestyle (I do dress up a bit every day and wear nice bag and makeup on a daily basis) and for the first few years with my daughters I preferred shopping for nice earrings because that is what I wore the most. Now that my youngest is three I’m wearing more bracelets and necklaces, so now I’m buying both (and I still buy earrings, I love them).
I hate the feeling of rings on my fingers so I only have a few, I only wear my wedding rings every day, my other rings are all statement/cocktail so I only wear them for a few hours.
I wear different versions of the same things every day, I can share what I wear if it would help:
-earrings (usually small/studs)
-1 or 2 necklaces
-watch
-2 gold bangles
-wedding rings

I feel that I would look better with an every day RHR, but I can’t find one that is comfortable enough without being too skinny.
Next on my list is a tennis bracelet or a diamond bangle. And a thick gold bracelet.
 
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In my opinion jewellery and fashion aren't really investment pieces. You buy it because you like it and shouldn't expect it will increase in value over time.
I don’t think the OP was referring to “investment” as pieces that increase in value, but rather as pieces that are worth the investment of money. Kind of like a black Chanel jacket — timeless pieces.

My 2 cents:
  • Anything you buy has got to look good with jeans as well as dressy attire.
  • Diamond studs
  • Tennis bracelet
  • Strand of pearls (if your style is conservative)
  • Cartier Love bracelet
  • VCA 10-motif
  • One fabulous piece that makes your heart sing every time you look at it. Some of my favorites are from Graff. The diamond Butterfly pendant and earrings aredrop dead gorgeous. They also have a diamond bangle for $10K that is just exquisite.
Don’t settle. Save for what you really want.
Unbranded jewelry does not hold its value at all.
 
Pearls can be so much fun! They are not just meant to be for conservative styles. A pearl strand can be fabulous with denim (jeans and jacket) and a white shirt or a loose black cashmere sweater.
Long pearl necklaces are fabulous with V necks and open shirts. Pearl studs give an immediate glow to anyone’s complexion...
Go for AAA round freshwater pearls if you are on a budget (or AAA baroque as long as their luster is high); but if you can afford it I would recommend A/B Tahitian or South Sea pearls. AAA Akoya are great too but more classic.
 
Browse around online and offline and see what sings to your heart.

First- what you like. Second- what fits your skintone/personality. Third- how you feel wearing it.

If these three are positives, you have succeeded in buying a piece of jewellery you’ll cherish deeply until you pass it down to your daughter.

What metals do you like? White gold, yellow gold or rose gold?
What gemstones are you interested in? Diamonds, pearls, sapphires, rubies.
How do you dress? Do you love minimalistic, vintage, modern or feminine?
What fits your lifestyle? Are you cool tone or warm tone?

I loved a Chopard rose gold heart shaped pendant with floating diamonds since I was 19 years old. I couldn’t afford it comfortably until I was 24 years old. When I finally got it, it feels like finding something that belonged to me. It was bubbly, playful and feminine, which suit my personality. I can’t pull off Bvlgari B.zero because they are too masculine and chunky for my liking.

Meanwhile I’ve bought diamond pieces on a whim that I half regret because it did not really suit me. Buy jewellery that you have in your mind often.

Could be tennis bracelet, a watch, akoya pearl studs, etc. Buy what makes your heart sing. Does it make you glow? Do you feel precious? Is it a piece that will be your trademark look?
 
30 is young. What you like at 30 you might not like at 50. Just buy what you like and enjoy. If your looking for longevity I suppose stick to classic designs but who knows if you will still like it 30 years from now.

Totally agree. I am 38 and a SAHM and my taste is already very different to what it was at 30, so I can only imagine how it may change again by the time I get to 50. That said, I try to stick to classic staple pieces (for me - diamond studs, diamond hoops, diamond tennis bracelet, gold bracelet, diamond eternity ring) but mix them up with some more fun pieces such as gemstone drop earrings and rings. One big change for me recently has been discovering a passion for earrings, especially drop earrings. Until a year or two ago I only wore diamond or pearl studs on a daily basis.
 
Totally agree. I am 38 and a SAHM and my taste is already very different to what it was at 30, so I can only imagine how it may change again by the time I get to 50. That said, I try to stick to classic staple pieces (for me - diamond studs, diamond hoops, diamond tennis bracelet, gold bracelet, diamond eternity ring) but mix them up with some more fun pieces such as gemstone drop earrings and rings. One big change for me recently has been discovering a passion for earrings, especially drop earrings. Until a year or two ago I only wore diamond or pearl studs on a daily basis.

Yes I’m a bit older than you. I agree about staple pieces like diamond studs (I wear every day!). I mix in other less expensive trendy pieces but I think as we age, lifestyles change and our tastes change.
 
I don’t think the OP was referring to “investment” as pieces that increase in value, but rather as pieces that are worth the investment of money. Kind of like a black Chanel jacket — timeless pieces.

My 2 cents:
  • Anything you buy has got to look good with jeans as well as dressy attire.
  • Diamond studs
  • Tennis bracelet
  • Strand of pearls (if your style is conservative)
  • Cartier Love bracelet
  • VCA 10-motif
  • One fabulous piece that makes your heart sing every time you look at it. Some of my favorites are from Graff. The diamond Butterfly pendant and earrings aredrop dead gorgeous. They also have a diamond bangle for $10K that is just exquisite.
Don’t settle. Save for what you really want.
Unbranded jewelry does not hold its value at all.
This list!!
Wish I had it when I was 30 and I could have avoided spending thousands of dollars on mistake jewelry.
Fortunately I have everything on this list except the VCA 10 motif— working on it.
For my pearl strands I chose Tahitian.
Feel free to add some other fun bolder pieces but don’t deviate too much from this list.
 
I think any piece of jewellery that will go with multiple outfits is a winner. Nothing too trendy, and in my opinion a good mix of branded and unbranded pieces. Yes, unbranded pieces don’t hold their value too well, but jewellery is a consumption good not an investment, and they are cheaper/more unique than branded ones, so it evens out in my opinion.

My personal bucket list (I don’t own all of these things yet, but I want to) is along the following lines: diamond studs; tennis bracelet; strand of pearls; at least one pair of earrings, necklace/pendant, and bracelet in yellow, white and rose gold; earrings & necklace/pendant with coloured stones in colours I wear often (red, green and blue, but the kind of stone specifically will depend on price); dramatic cocktail ring; brooch/scarf pin; everyday watch; and dress watch.

Aside from this, I would add in things that I like as and when I came across them, and buy them more because I like them. I do have some other stuff already but I don’t consider them “staples”!
 
This list!!
Wish I had it when I was 30 and I could have avoided spending thousands of dollars on mistake jewelry.
Fortunately I have everything on this list except the VCA 10 motif— working on it.
For my pearl strands I chose Tahitian.
Feel free to add some other fun bolder pieces but don’t deviate too much from this list.
Trust me, this list was honed through thousands of dollars of misspent money. I’m hoping that the thirty somethings on the Forum can learn from my mistakes.
 
I don’t think the OP was referring to “investment” as pieces that increase in value, but rather as pieces that are worth the investment of money. Kind of like a black Chanel jacket — timeless pieces.

My 2 cents:
  • Anything you buy has got to look good with jeans as well as dressy attire.
  • Diamond studs
  • Tennis bracelet
  • Strand of pearls (if your style is conservative)
  • Cartier Love bracelet
  • VCA 10-motif
  • One fabulous piece that makes your heart sing every time you look at it. Some of my favorites are from Graff. The diamond Butterfly pendant and earrings aredrop dead gorgeous. They also have a diamond bangle for $10K that is just exquisite.
Don’t settle. Save for what you really want.
Unbranded jewelry does not hold its value at all.

Hi! Is it true that diamond bangle from Graff is priced around $10k? I always thought Graff is extraordinarily expensive.
 
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