jewelry Regrets

[Mrs.Hermess]

My first love above all Luxury items, was and still is, jewelry. For my sweet sixteen I did not want a birthday, I wanted an emerald ring. Over the past 30+ years, I have bought, hoarded, collected, gifted, and ultimately resold a lot of jewelry across all categories.

My biggest jewelry regrets (due to style or economics) on no particular order are:

1. Buying trendy or some designer jewelry that I saw someone wear (Bulgari, VCA, Cartier, Tiffany, graff).

2. Cartier love bracelets- because they are not comfortable, I don’t need 5 of them, but I cannot part with them.

3. Diamond tennis necklaces. I love them but I hate them, they tangle my hair, cannot sleep in them, have cracked several of the necklaces (still have them).

(Mods if this thread was previously credited, please move/delete-I searched)

 

[emchhardy]

I don't have too many regrets since the pieces I lost interest in over time, I've ended up selling anyway, although obviously for much less than for what I paid. I would say, if anything, being more disciplined with some of my early purchases. When I first started buying jewelry, I bought a lot of Tiffany sterling silver pieces. While I love all of the pieces that I currently have, I certainly could have gotten by with less (in silver) and put the money instead towards higher end pieces since now I'm pretty much priced of Tiffany gold, etc. unless I buy secondhand. I would also say being more open to other designers as well when I first started collecting (I almost exclusively bought Tiffany & Co.) as some of my favorite pieces are through other designers (i.e., Sofia Zakia, etc.).
ETA - One regret now that I think about it...getting caught up in the Pandora jewelry craze. I have one completed bracelet that I hardly ever wear and another (bangle) that only has a few charms but again, rarely wear as well. I don't think, even if I sold them, that I would recoup even close to what I paid so I figure I'm stuck with them. While I like them enough (to keep vs. sell for a big loss), if I added everything up (cost of charms, etc.), I would have rather have put the money into something else but it is what it is.

 

[A bottle of Red]

I love my graff pieces, so I'm curious what you regret buying from them?
No regrets except losing/ not appreciating some pieces as a teenager.

 

[lill_canele]

Hmm, probably the only regret would be not doing enough research on a fine jewelry piece.

I have a lovely Tiffany gold bangle. The issue is with the design of the lock mechanism.
It isn't the most secure unfortunately. It a slim button that sticks out. If I hit it or press it against anything, the bangle will unclasp. Also, over time, the lock mechanism will loosen as I wear it throughout the day, so I do need to constantly close it.
Fortunately, checking up on it does not bother me as much as I thought it would and I do wear it relatively often. But it is not a worry-free bracelet and I do have to think about what occasions or places to wear it to.

 

[Deleted 698298]

Oh my, where do I begin!?
Many regrets unfortunately and it most of the time has to do with comfort of wearing and how it pairs with what I wear.
One expensive regret was my Pomellato Iconica ring. I had one in plain gold and one with gems, sold them both for fraction of the price So so uncomfortable to wear daily - but crazy enough I absolutely adore the design and might even buy again one day!
Another regret is just generally buying too much. I don’t even wear most of my jewellery, why do I keep buying it??

 

[Mrs.Hermess]

I don't have too many regrets since the pieces I lost interest in over time, I've ended up selling anyway, although obviously for much less than for what I paid. I would say, if anything, being more disciplined with some of my early purchases. When I first started buying jewelry, I bought a lot of Tiffany sterling silver pieces. While I love all of the pieces that I currently have, I certainly could have gotten by with less (in silver) and put the money instead towards higher end pieces since now I'm pretty much priced of Tiffany gold, etc. unless I buy secondhand. I would also say being more open to other designers as well when I first started collecting (I almost exclusively bought Tiffany & Co.) as some of my favorite pieces are through other designers (i.e., Sofia Zakia, etc.).
ETA - One regret now that I think about it...getting caught up in the Pandora jewelry craze. I have one completed bracelet that I hardly ever wear and another (bangle) that only has a few charms but again, rarely wear as well. I don't think, even if I sold them, that I would recoup even close to what I paid so I figure I'm stuck with them. While I like them enough (to keep vs. sell for a big loss), if I added everything up (cost of charms, etc.), I would have rather have put the money into something else but it is what it is.

! I didn’t even mention the silver era. I purchased lots of small items that I ended up selling (or gifting) for a small fraction of what I purchased. This is very insightful.

 

[Mrs.Hermess]

I love my graff pieces, so I'm curious what you regret buying from them?
No regrets except losing/ not appreciating some pieces as a teenager.

I love graff pieces, but I just did not wear them. They are lovely but didn’t fit into my lifestyle. I kept deferring to wear them for a special occasion but when the special occasion came, I would end up wearing custom pieces (I suppose because my graff were smaller bracelets and some earrings)

 

[Mrs.Hermess]

Hmm, probably the only regret would be not doing enough research on a fine jewelry piece.

I have a lovely Tiffany gold bangle. The issue is with the design of the lock mechanism.
It isn't the most secure unfortunately. It a slim button that sticks out. If I hit it or press it against anything, the bangle will unclasp. Also, over time, the lock mechanism will loosen as I wear it throughout the day, so I do need to constantly close it.
Fortunately, checking up on it does not bother me as much as I thought it would and I do wear it relatively often. But it is not a worry-free bracelet and I do have to think about what occasions or places to wear it to.

Oh my! I think if it’s the T gold handle with the diamonds/I have the same one and had issues since the day my husband gifted it to me. Tiffany replaced it twice. Now I have my 3rd Tiffany but I am afraid to wear it because it opens up if the closing mechanism touches anything (given the price point of 8-10k, you would think it would have a secure closure).

 

[papertiger]

Right now, the only regret I can think of are my Annoushka pieces because their CS is worse than useless. That's more the brand than the pieces though, I actually like the pieces I have, I just can't wear them e.g. my earrings lost a butterfly and never mind not give/sell me one, they don't even contact me.

OK rant over.

I regret not being able to find my Cartier Lion ring. I am still hopeful I hid it from myself.

If you asked me this a few months ago I would also say I regretted buying my vintage aquamarine and diamond ring (wasn't so expensive and from a local jeweller) because I thought thought he stone was cloudy and . I wore it a couple of years ago when I first had it, then put in a draw. Then I cleaned it!!!!!! It had never occurred to me a fine jewellery store wouldn't clean their jewellery before putting it out.

I wish I still had my father's watch he wore everyday every day (18K Omega). I have watches but this was personal. Unfortunately, my mother sold it (even though I offered to buy it for more than the reserve est) and I was so PO. And still am .

 

[Mrs.Hermess]

Oh my, where do I begin!?
Many regrets unfortunately and it most of the time has to do with comfort of wearing and how it pairs with what I wear.
One expensive regret was my Pomellato Iconica ring. I had one in plain gold and one with gems, sold them both for fraction of the price So so uncomfortable to wear daily - but crazy enough I absolutely adore the design and might even buy again one day!
Another regret is just generally buying too much. I don’t even wear most of my jewellery, why do I keep buying it??

I do not know the brand but will now have something else to stalk! . I feel exactly the same, I buy and buy, and end until only wearing my (travel) wedding band.

 

[Allthingsheart]

My biggest regret was wasting money in my youth buying costume jewelry. I had so much costume jewelry where I had a this drawer system that was organized by the rainbow. I had a red drawer, orange drawer, yellow drawer, etc. The last two drawers were separated between cheap costume silver and gold jewelry...lol. Now I only have a few fine and semi-fine pieces of jewelry. I have enough that I can fit in small box. I do not plan on adding more.

 

[leechiyong]

Lost items has to be my biggest jewelry regret. It took me far too long to realize I had to be diligent 100% of the time or I’d risk never seeing the piece again. I wish I’d learned better habits and bought adequate storage systems (I always underestimated how much I had) much earlier.

 

[sosauce]

Hmm, probably the only regret would be not doing enough research on a fine jewelry piece.

I have a lovely Tiffany gold bangle. The issue is with the design of the lock mechanism.
It isn't the most secure unfortunately. It a slim button that sticks out. If I hit it or press it against anything, the bangle will unclasp. Also, over time, the lock mechanism will loosen as I wear it throughout the day, so I do need to constantly close it.
Fortunately, checking up on it does not bother me as much as I thought it would and I do wear it relatively often. But it is not a worry-free bracelet and I do have to think about what occasions or places to wear it to.

for the bangle, you can request a safety clasp/latch to be added to the bangle to make it more secure. Make sure it's not the safety chain, because then you have a somewhat unsightly string of metal that flies everywhere. (Unless, you happen to like that look.)

 

[sosauce]

Oh my! I think if it’s the T gold handle with the diamonds/I have the same one and had issues since the day my husband gifted it to me. Tiffany replaced it twice. Now I have my 3rd Tiffany but I am afraid to wear it because it opens up if the closing mechanism touches anything (given the price point of 8-10k, you would think it would have a secure closure).

is it the T bangle-kind-of-cuff with the opening? Or is it the T two bangle with the button on the side?

If it has the button on the side, you can request a safety clasp to be soldered to it, to make it more secure. I even met someone who had two safety clasps soldered on for extra security. One on the top and the other on the bottom.

 

[lill_canele]

for the bangle, you can request a safety clasp/latch to be added to the bangle to make it more secure. Make sure it's not the safety chain, because then you have a somewhat unsightly string of metal that flies everywhere. (Unless, you happen to like that look.)

oooo, good to know! thanks!