Malachite or Carnelian bracelet?

[cromagnon]

If only I listened to all of you guys in regards to VCA being a slippery slope… So, I’m currently contemplating between getting malachite or carnelian bracelet. I love both, but malachite is my favourite. However, everywhere I look I see a huge “beware” sign. I still love my sweet mop set, but now, 5 years later, I see why whenever someone asked for advice, you kept recommending the vintage size.

I currently wear (24/7) the YG VA Guilloché pendant and bracelet, YG Frivole mini pave bracelet and mini earrings with emerald, Cartier XS D’amour bracelet. Occasionally I switch out from Frivole mini earrings to YG VA malachite earrings.

Although I love guilloche bracelet, I always preferred the look of 2 VA bracelets stacked vs wearing only 1 or wearing with bangle.

Given my both pair of VCA earrings contain green stones, it makes total sense to go with a malachite bracelet. But my VCA SA advised against it.

Out of all stones, I like only malachite & carnelian - both in dark hues.

Which one would you recommend? Or do you think it’s too much? My dainty bracelets I wear on my right wrist, while my VA on the left. What do you think?

 

[lynne_ross]

If you are going to wear it daily and stacked then I would get carnelian as it is very hardy stone. I have Mala bracelet and I wear it maybe every other week. I typically stack it with rock crystal or blue agate or lapis/pave. It has held up very well over the last 7 years and I don’t worry about it. But I don’t know how it would hold up if I did this daily.

 

[Bisoux78]

If only I listened to all of you guys in regards to VCA being a slippery slope… So, I’m currently contemplating between getting malachite or carnelian bracelet. I love both, but malachite is my favourite. However, everywhere I look I see a huge “beware” sign. I still love my sweet mop set, but now, 5 years later, I see why whenever someone asked for advice, you kept recommending the vintage size.

I currently wear (24/7) the YG VA Guilloché pendant and bracelet, YG Frivole mini pave bracelet and mini earrings with emerald, Cartier XS D’amour bracelet. Occasionally I switch out from Frivole mini earrings to YG VA malachite earrings.

Although I love guilloche bracelet, I always preferred the look of 2 VA bracelets stacked vs wearing only 1 or wearing with bangle.

Given my both pair of VCA earrings contain green stones, it makes total sense to go with a malachite bracelet. But my VCA SA advised against it.

Out of all stones, I like only malachite & carnelian - both in dark hues.

Which one would you recommend? Or do you think it’s too much? My dainty bracelets I wear on my right wrist, while my VA on the left. What do you think?

Malachite if you're not going to wear it daily. Carnelian if your'e the type that never likes to take off their wrist bling. I'd suggest a Malachite necklace more since it has less contact with hard surfaces and water. I've seen way too many damaged malachite bracelets to recommend it.

 

[Serpentine2806]

I had a malachite bracelet. After wearing it for only a couple of months, it started showing signs of wear: a little discolouration and the centre of the stone became matte. I wore it daily but was careful not to get any fluids on it. Every time I looked at it, I felt stressed out. So, I sold it and got a carnelian bracelet instead. I did love the malachite stripes, though. My Tiger Eye bracelet is now a better option for me, as it’s not as fragile.

 

[EpiFanatic]

Carnelian if the malachite growing dull will bother you. If you love malachite and would rather see it on your wrist more than any other, then just get the malachite and swap it out when it gets too dull. VCA will replace for you for a fee per motif. Although I think you will need to exchange all the motifs at one time.

 

[allanrvj]

If you like your jewelry looking pristine and shiny all the time, don't get malachite.

If you live in a humid place or you use a humidifier in the room where you store your jewelry, don't get malachite.

If you use hand creams or wash your hands a lot while wearing your bracelet, don't get malachite.

If you sweat easily, or you like wearing jewelry during activities where you sweat a lot like hiking or working out, don't get malachite.

Malachite cannot be restored, only replaced, and you cannot replace just one stone. VCA will replace all the stones, and I think it's about 200 eur per stone, I'm not sure.

Malachite is best when it doesn't make direct contact with skin and the air surrounding it is not humid. Or if it does make contact with skin, it's only worn occasionally.

 

[Sky01]

The rose gold guilloche with carnelian is also a good option.

 

[Sophie0121]

The rose gold guilloche with carnelian is also a good option.

Well I wanted to propose YG guilloché and paved alternate 5 motif … I really prefer guilloché and hammered 🥰

 

[cromagnon]

If you are going to wear it daily and stacked then I would get carnelian as it is very hardy stone. I have Mala bracelet and I wear it maybe every other week. I typically stack it with rock crystal or blue agate or lapis/pave. It has held up very well over the last 7 years and I don’t worry about it. But I don’t know how it would hold up if I did this daily.

Do you think carnelian bracelet would clash with my mini Frivole earrings with emerald stone in center?

I had a malachite bracelet. After wearing it for only a couple of months, it started showing signs of wear: a little discolouration and the centre of the stone became matte. I wore it daily but was careful not to get any fluids on it. Every time I looked at it, I felt stressed out. So, I sold it and got a carnelian bracelet instead. I did love the malachite stripes, though. My Tiger Eye bracelet is now a better option for me, as it’s not as fragile.

That is my concern. I’m fine with normal wear and tear, but not with it being trashed… hence my doubts about malachite. I did consider all stone variations including the Tiger eye, but I’m not into brown colours to begin with, hence I didn’t like it enough to splurge on it. Thanks for advise, much appreciated

If you like your jewelry looking pristine and shiny all the time, don't get malachite.

If you live in a humid place or you use a humidifier in the room where you store your jewelry, don't get malachite.

If you use hand creams or wash your hands a lot while wearing your bracelet, don't get malachite.

If you sweat easily, or you like wearing jewelry during activities where you sweat a lot like hiking or working out, don't get malachite.

Malachite cannot be restored, only replaced, and you cannot replace just one stone. VCA will replace all the stones, and I think it's about 200 eur per stone, I'm not sure.

Malachite is best when it doesn't make direct contact with skin and the air surrounding it is not humid. Or if it does make contact with skin, it's only worn occasionally.

I live in NY, so humidity is a problem. Thank you for your insight

The rose gold guilloche with carnelian is also a good option.

Actually this bracelet is on my wishlist. However, I’m not sure if pairing it with YG guilloche would be redundant. Would you wear them paired or separately?

Malachite if you're not going to wear it daily. Carnelian if your'e the type that never likes to take off their wrist bling. I'd suggest a Malachite necklace more since it has less contact with hard surfaces and water. I've seen way too many damaged malachite bracelets to recommend it.

Thank you for your input. I’d be fine with replacing the stones maybe once. But I don’t think I’d be comfortable doing that more than than once. And by the look of it, the wear and tear happens to fast for malachite pieces, hence my doubts about it.

Well I wanted to propose YG guilloché and paved alternate 5 motif … I really prefer guilloché and hammered 🥰

You mean just a guilloche paired with hammered? That actually sounds good… I might look in to it. In regards to alternating anything with pave - it’s outside of my budget. And quite frankly I wouldn’t be comfortable with spending more than 10K at most on a jewellery piece.

Carnelian if the malachite growing dull will bother you. If you love malachite and would rather see it on your wrist more than any other, then just get the malachite and swap it out when it gets too dull. VCA will replace for you for a fee per motif. Although I think you will need to exchange all the motifs at one time.

That is my dilemma: my heart sings whenever I see a malachite VCA. However, when I spend my hard earned money on something, I want it to last. As I mentioned in one if my replies, I’m fine with wear and tear as long as it happens gradually. And it seems malachite is degrading quite quickly and prominently whoch would bother me…Do you think carnelian bracelet would clash with my mini Frivole earrings with emerald stone in center?

 

[lynne_ross]

Do you think carnelian bracelet would clash with my mini Frivole earrings with emerald stone in center?

They are so far away no one will notice if colour of stone is different.
I like the other proposed option of guilloche pave too. That would be a perfect neutral pairing. Then you could get malachite earrings or necklace later.
If you love green the other option I can think of is buccellati opera bracelet in green enamel. Cons it is enamel (which some don’t like), only one coloured motif. Pros it is green and very durable and will go with your pieces.

 

[sngsk]

I agree that if you intend for this to be an everyday piece, carnelian will be a better choice. But if you intend to rotate it with other pieces and are ok with being careful with not getting it wet, I say go with malachite if that is what makes your heart sing.

I have had my malachite bracelet for over 2 years now, live in a humid climate and I use it maybe once a week. I personally don't use hand cream very much but I have gotten a couple of drops of water on some motifs a couple of times (which were quickly dried off) and it is still looking good!

 

[cromagnon]

They are so far away no one will notice if colour of stone is different.
I like the other proposed option of guilloche pave too. That would be a perfect neutral pairing. Then you could get malachite earrings or necklace later.
If you love green the other option I can think of is buccellati opera bracelet in green enamel. Cons it is enamel (which some don’t like), only one coloured motif. Pros it is green and very durable and will go with your pieces.

The Buccellati opera collection is stunning, however it’s much more dressier than VCA. On daily basis I wear casual clothes and I want a stack that I can enjoy 24/7. The alternating pave is beautiful, but it’s outside of my budget and willingness to spend that much money. Thank you for your advise though

 

[Berengeria]

I think the green in the earrings and the red in the bracelet could be very pretty. It might be more difficult to have it make sense with your outfits depending on what you wear, or it could be a very subtle, cute pop of color.

If you really love green and want a green bracelet, maybe something outside of VCA's catalog would be a better fit.

 

[lynne_ross]

The Buccellati opera collection is stunning, however it’s much more dressier than VCA. On daily basis I wear casual clothes and I want a stack that I can enjoy 24/7. The alternating pave is beautiful, but it’s outside of my budget and willingness to spend that much money. Thank you for your advise though

Sorry missed your other comment on budget. You can’t go wrong with carnelian if that is what you decide. It is a beautiful stone and I see people wear it daily where I live.
One last thought, is tiger eye. I saw you said you are not fond of brown. Neither am I but I love tiger eye. I have earrings (butterfly 2 motif) and they serve as a neutral. The colour works with everything. Tiger eye and piesterite are my favourite stones since the pattern moves and changes as you tilt the stone. They are gorgeous to admire and pictures do not capture the stone well.

 

[auditgirl3456]

My first Alhambra 5motif was malachite, as green is my fav color. I dropped it on my bathroom floor within two weeks of purchase and 3 stones cracked :/. My SA was kind enough to let me return and purchase something else for no charge. I now have carnelian and a few others - i can wear my carnelian 24/7 and have a dark dark color! I am always itching to purchase malachite, but can’t justify it after my initial incident. Hope this helps!