Totally worth it-totally not worth it!

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#271
Not worth it: Brighton, Pandora, and expensive costume designer jewelry like Chanel. Kate Spade, Jcrew, H&M, Michael Kors, anything "plated".

Worth it: For me, anything that's real silver, or gold. Can't go wrong with quality. Oh, and my Links of London rose gold skull bracelet. ( I think it's gold plated but it's so damn cool looking it gets a pass)
 
#272
Not worth it:pandora, coach tori watch, silver plated jewelry off ebay (duh!)

Worth it: silver heart of the ocean replica off ebay, diamond ring from an antique shop, pearl necklace from a thift store
I find second hand jewelry very interesting :) especially gold
 
#273
Vintage Leather said:
The problem with being on this board for a number of years is that you occasionally see posts you made in the past and thing "My god, who was this idiot... ooh... me." Yeah, see where I said "in 6mo to a year..." didn't happen. The jewelry box still needs to be cleaned out.

BUT, 4 years after my initial post:

Worth it:
-Vintage pieces, big and bold costume or delicate real. I've become a quality snob; more inclined to look at the back of a piece than I did at the front of it.
-Pins and brooches in sterling or gold
-DBTY set; I've worn the earrings for about 250 days out of the year - well over a third. My other earnings are sulking in their boxes about being neglected. I haven't worn the necklace as much, but its great as a dainty bit of sparkle.
-My double-strand pearl necklace. I have enough pearls to turn it into a three, and I've been debating if it would add or not...
-The big chunky white plastic necklace from the 40s that the Knight gave me for Christmas one year. It's appalling how much I wear it.

Not worth it:
- Anything I have functional duplicates of. Again, One is good, Two is not better, Three is just plain bad.
Looking through my jewelry, I had a tendency to buy into things I loved.
What I mean is, I loved the piece; it was beautiful and full and a joy to wear. Because I loved the one piece, I thought I loved the maker. So I bought more pieces by the same maker. I don't love them as much, and I'd rather wear the piece I found first. So... it only took me four years, and some painfully expensive lessons to learn to sit down, look at why I like something, and only get things that spark joy.
Click to expand...

Love the update!!
 
#274
Not worth it: I hate to admit it, but I think diamonds are ridiculously overpriced and I will probably not get the value back on my e-ring, despite buying it at a local family owned jeweler. I love my diamond, but I also own some brilliant CZ pieces for a much more affordable price and no one that I know of can tell the difference, especially on my ears. I have walked into jewelry stores with the sales associate staring at my ears to try and tell, but it's difficult with the hair and stuff.

- Costume jewelry, for some reason my pierced ears get sore and sometimes pus (tmi) due to some cheapo metals used. Not to mention little fake diamonds fall off, it breaks, tarnishes, you name it. Looks horrid after a season.

- Sterling silver, especially the really marked up stuff. Can't part with my money that easily...

- Gold plated anything. It will wear off and look embarrassing to wear anymore.

Worth it: My gold wedding band.

- Any gold pieces - my pierced ears are thanking me for that! Especially my small CZ studs, if I happen to lose one I won't be crying over it.

- My petite pearl pendant necklace that goes with a lot of outfits.
 
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#276
Worth it:
Unique artisan designs in silver - I have an amazing one of a kind pendant from a local designer which always gets compliments.
Antique or second hand silver and gold pieces because the mark up is significantly less.

Not worth it:
Costume jewellery
Delicate jewellery that doesn't stand up to regular wear. I've had clasps on bracelets and chains break. Thin gold items bend and distort, so I end up too reluctant to wear them.
 
#277
Not worth it:
  • Tiffany silver heart pendant - for some reason I cannot wear this for even a day without it beginning to tarnish, but my other silver jewellery is fine.
  • Anything I have in yellow gold, its just not really my style anymore... though I do eye off some of my mums yellow gold pieces strangely enough
  • My pandora and Thomas Sabo collections, I didn't wear either for very long and now they gather dust. Though I might consider taking all the charms off the Sabo and just wearing the chain as a bracelet

Worth it:
  • My opal pendant - I had this converted from ring form for my 18th birthday, the opal was originally gifted to my nan from my grandad, who I unfortunately never met. So this necklace is like his birthday gift to me. The pendant also contains gold and diamonds from my great grandmothers engagement ring, so its really very special.
  • Anything that was gifted to me by my grandmother or mum. They just get my style, my favorite pieces from them are my diamond huggies, my strand of pearls and my silver bangle.

On the fence:
  • My Hermes Kelly watch, I bought this second hand (it is authentic though) but am wishing I had waited and gotten palladium rather than gold plated. While I really love the style and do wear it from time to time I find the design and the colour slightly off-putting. If I do wear it I don't wear any other pieces (except my earrings). Plus I was given a watch for my graduation (its Citizen) and while its not designer I love the simplicity, also its silver toned so I prefer it over my H watch.
 
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#278
I've got another not worth it to add to my list :smile1::smile1:

Memoire eternity band. It's gorgeous and the price was great because it fit my finger - in the middle of winter :(. These sausage like hands of mine that swell at the first salty thing or heat are not meant for an eternity band that cannot be sized. Ha!

Beautiful ring but now I'm letting it go to reinvest in something I can wear all the time. I'm finally learning that just because something is pretty or appealing to my eye, I need to ask myself if it's really something I'll enjoy. Live and learn :):):)
 
#279
Worth it anything gold or platinum metal wise. Quality gemstones vs fakes. A nice classic watch is a great staple.


For me not worth it coach anything from jewelry to key chains they simply do not last long at all. Tiffany silver that will scuff up in no time and tarnish to boot. Not a fan of silver jewelry in general for that very reason. And last but not least anything costume, why waste money on something that will get a handful of uses and will not last or you'll get bored of quickly.
 
#280
Worth it: Pandora. Love it. The cost per wear makes it very affordable to me.
New love is Trollbeads. Pricey, but sometimes it is possible to find some bargain.
Love diamonds, it is great when the collection grows.
I love my gemstones, and how I can change my jewelry if I no longer like the style of it.
Not worth it:
some custom ordered pieces, they were pricey, not necessarily good in quality.
I usually sell the pieces no longer worth it to me.
I probably only regret selling couple pieces. I actually reuse my gold and silver and make something new out of it. Recycling, right!
Watches. Over the years I paid more for darn batteries. 15 dollars, or 35 dollars to change battery in expensive watch once a year. It adds up. I ended up giving as a gift some of my watches because I no longer want to pay for battery change. I buy 1 watch per year. Now I try to keep my collection under 8 watches.
 
#281
Worth it:
Rolex watch
Chanel CC earrings
VCA Alhambra single motif ( many motifs are overpriced, I think)

Not worth it:
Cartier love bracelet - can't sleep in it, seen it on other people who wear it for couple of years - it looks veryyyy scratched up, annoying screw system.


On the fence:
David Yurman open bangles with topaz and other yellow stone (forgot the name) - love it, it's beautiful, but do not wear it. Plus it's uncomfortable.
 
#282
Worth it:
- 14k yellow custom gold pendants and diamond initial earrings from local jeweler,
- Venus by Maria Tash 18k yellow gold and white gold earrings/nose rings
- Surprisingly, my gold Michael Kors buckle bangle that I have had for a long while now that barely tarnished.

Not worth it:
- Yellow gold-filled earrings with colored stones I purchased in my early 20s. They look childish.
 
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#283
Worth it, not because of cost but because of wear: Tiffany heart and bead bracelets, pandora bracelet, pearls I received for 16th b-day (many years ago!!) Tiffany atlas hug earring, tiny cz studs for second piercing and MK gold tone and cz hoops that go with everything!

Not worth it: All the Kohls, Target, home party, etc stuff that broke or sits in the drawer because I got bored after a few wears, sigh.
 
#284
Not worth it : Tiffany WG anything, I feel like people think it's silver.
The money I've spent on real pearls, should have just gotten cultured for cheaper
Fashion watches that are like 400 dollars. I'd rather spend more and have something I can keep forever.

Worth it: my ballon bleu, Chanel j12, simple Tiffany silver- it polishes up well it for the price it add good variety, and I'm sure the love bracelet I'll be getting soon will be worth it :)!
 
#285
Worth it: my diamond ring tcw 3.5 ct, flower diamond pin tcw 2 ct, diamond bangle tcw 3.5 ct, loose diamonds tcw 1.6 ct that iam planning to set with south sea pearls soon, Nyonyas brooches and kerongsangs from 1910's from my mother's grandmother, loose amethyst stones, loose Sleeping Beauty turquoises that I acquired from a gematologist whom bought those turq from Bvlgari supplier, 1960's hand carved Mother of Pearl (lace carved and oh so painstakingly beautiful) from Jerussalem that gifted to me from a Jordanian jewelry designer who used to sell in Harrods London, genuine carved ivory (elephant, not mammoth) pendant and earrings given by my best friend's mother, Tahitian pearls earrings bought for me by my late mother, diamond pendant in white gold as a graduation gift from my best friend, my 22k boy charm ( it has my son's name on the back) and calender with my wedding's date and my husband's name, lastly my late mother's wedding ring, my great grandma's gold set, and other gold that handed down to me after my mother's death.

So not worth it: costume jewelries that i bought at the fairs or bazaar and $250 Lunch at the Ritz fish earrings that i bought in Carmel back in 2003 ( hellooo what was i thinking, i could get an Hermes scarf with that money), charm bracelets with chinese crystals and plastic pearls ( soo cheap looking and the crystals dulled and scratched in no time), all handmade jewelries with laminated papers and freshwater pearls, and other knicks knacks i bought during my college year.
On a fence: BV bag ( it is smaller for my current taste), marc jacobs stella bag in pink, coach bags, martin margiela wedges ( half size too small), chanel resort flats ( canvas and white leather).
Iam hoping to buy: Mikimoto bracelet or ring, VCA ring, a classic watch from watch maker's house.
 
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