Totally worth it-totally not worth it!

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Worth it: diamond studs, pearl studs, sterling pieces that I love and wear, 18-22k gold, mostly all pearls.
Not worth it: base metal funky jewelry (except the only Swarovski piece I own), one 18k ring with diamonds and another similar earring which I don't like now but not able to repurpose, sterling cheap rings which are just lying in the box.
 
Worth it to me is: My 18k gold, and platinum, precious stones, one Tahitian strand and certain name brand jewelry that retains much of it's value.
Not worth it: Anything in silver (I don't wear it), cheap pearls, and trendy jewelry that I know I'll eventually stop wearing.
 
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Worth it:
  • All of my custom jewellery made my by favourite jeweller (rings & necklaces). Each piece has been well thought out & because they are made by the same jeweller who made our wedding rings, each piece has sentimental value. Excellent quality, forever pieces.
Not worth it:
  • Any of my gold plated fashion jewellery, although some have served a purpose by showing me whether or not I should splurge on the real thing
  • The silver jewellery which I do not wear often. I have a couple of pieces (T&Co DBTY & T&Co Key) which are in my regular rotation which I would never part with.
Remains to be seen:
  • SS/WG Rolex Datejust with diamond markers. Bought this last week & while I absolutely adore it, it was A LOT of money. The most I have ever spent on a single piece of jewellery. I hope I wear it daily for the next 10 years - THEN it will be considered "worth it" to me
 
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worth it: wedding set,
T&Co gold, platnimum, diamond jewelry,
My sterling silver feather cuff (bought in paris)
My sterling silver tribal necklace (bought in paris)

Not worth it
Pandora bracelet so uncomfortable and heavy to wear when full, also the amount my husband spent = a 18k gold necklace from T&CO. it has sentimental value so I kept it.
Brand name Sterling silver pieces to include T&Co I sold most of the items I had, and kept a few I bought back in the late 90s-00s because of sentimental value.
David Yurman sterling silver, just not worth the money, I use and enjoy my no name sterling silver pieces I bought on my Paris trips
Cartier Tank Francaise Love the design, worked well, but I the battery changing! I should have got a Rolex date just, saving up for one.
I wanted to update!
Worth it
T&CO gold, platinum and diamond jewelry
18K Gold pieces purchased in Italy
T&CO SS bean pendant
Roseark sideways cross-worn daily
SS tribal necklace
SS feather cuff-worn daily
David Yurman 5mm cable bracelets-worn daily
buttercream Pearl studs
white pearl studs
18K Yellow gold and white gold studs
Rolex 34mm Air King-Love this watch, It's in my daily rotation
Cartier Tank Franciase- Mid size, (I owned the small size previously)

Not Worth it
The T&CO SS pieces I sold (I had quite a collection)
Pandora bracelet
David Yurman SS pieces besides the cable bracelets I kept.
Costume jewelry pieces from J Crew, etc...
 
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Worth it:
Cartier RG Ronde Solo, it’s so versatile and pretty, goes with everything and looks good after over 2 years of daily use.
Diamond studs, can wear them day or nigh.
T&Co silver Elsa Peretti initial pendant necklace...I never take it off and it didn’t tarnish. Looks as good as new.
18k + gold

Not worth it:
Antique gold boat ring with pearls and corals. It can’t be used everyday. I made this mistake and the corals look so pale now :(
Chunky rings aren’t practical and I rarely reach for them.
TAG Mop, no longer a fan of mop too ‘80s’ for me
Silver, not sure about it in general it’s too high maintenance for me (with the exception of my T&Co)
 
Worth it: fine, branded jewelry. One-of-a-kind pieces from lesser-known, not massively available/produced brands (has solid resale value because they rarely pop up on the eBay). White and yellow gold and platinum pieces.

North worth it: jewelry that's too big or too small for as I grow olde. This goes for length of earrings to necklaces (can't stand a 16 inch any longer). Anything that's too noisy or will show wear quickly. Pretty much anything not fine jewelry. Nearly all the silver pieces I've ever purchased, including Tiffany, Ippolita, anything off Etsy. Mass produced stones. Stones that are not semi-precious. Low quality and small diamond earrings. I think I have 5 pairs with inclusions because I didn't know/care about quality. Such a waste.

Would you mind sharing the brands that you believe retain their value?
 
Worth it:
Gifts;
Milestone markers that remind me I have achieved things that stretched and challanged me;
Things I love and wear.
Things that make me look better (makes me feel better);
Things that are comfortable and totally secure so can be worn without pain and worry ;
Things that don't 'scream' their brand;
Things that are well designed and beautifully made and can't be measured by carats and clarity alone;
On-trend fashion jewellery from the high-street (wear, enjoy, give away)
Brands that have excellent service and aftercare.

Not worth it:
Things bought because they were discounted;
Things bought because the were almost as good as the real thing;
Things bought for resale value/investment value;
Things too fragile to wear;
Things that I can't find!
 
The best strand of pearls that your money can buy. Timeless, classic & can be worn casual & dressy.
A pair of pearl or diamond studs. Timeless & are forever
A classic watch ( Patek or another brand that appeals to you) & a gold bracelet ( link or cuff)
Only buy what you love & wear clothes that make you feel wonderful
Mark special occasions with wonderful gifts to yourself or given to you by that special person
Enjoy your life
 
I’ll be the latest person to resurrect this thread!

I’ve loved reading through these.

Worth it:

Platinum floating 0.5ct diamond necklace: when I look at this now after 10 years of wear, I find it a bit boring but it has 100% earned its keep. Practically indestructible. I’ve even worn it backpacking
Fabergé simple rose gold pendant. This elevates every outfit. It’s so elegant.
Lisa Eldridge “Anderson” ring: tentative because it’s new, but I’ve had so many compliments

Not worth it:

I hate to say this, but my wedding band. I had it made by a jeweller and the craftsmanship is, though not terrible, workmanlike. I wish I had held out for a designer ring/better jeweller
The earring I had made to match one belonging to my late mother. Jeweller (different one) made an awful hash of it and I was too awkward and British to say
9k gold (what’s the point)
All costume pieces, including designer: Swarovski, Dior, Juicy etc
Links of London charm bracelet. Clinks against desk, looks immature
Most silver. Hate polishing. Rings lose their shape
 
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Totally WORTH IT for me:
18kt jewelry:
Designer - love my VCA collection, my delicate Tiffany pieces and the Ippolita lollipop line

Smaller brands that I have discovered over the years:
Kiki McDonough
Annoushka
Temple St. Clair
Catherine Zoraida
Mappin & Webb
Jude Frances

Custom pieces made by my jeweler

Vintage pieces both inherited and purchased

Milestone Jewelry - I have continued this tradition and added to it in my own family. All the girls in our family received a gold ID bracelet with their name hand engraved on it by our grandmother. My daughter and I actually have one from the exact same shop ([emoji173]️ that as it is so special). I have things bought and saved for my daughter as she reaches certain ages/ milestones and I have things for my sons (more utilitarian like silver belt buckles that are hand engraved, collar stays, cuff links etc) as well (although not nearly to the degree as I have purchased for my daughter as I seem to use her as an excuse that sometimes works on my DH [emoji23]LOL)

No name but quality pieces that have quality stones and for me thats nothing below 18k due to allergies

Totally NOT WORTH IT for me:
Costume jewelry (aside from my allergies preventing me from wearing it, I would rather save that money towards real jewelry that can be passed down or sold as it will always have some value for the gold and stones)

Silver jewelry (allergies again, but I just personally have never liked it. I also do not like it as accents on anything like accessories, shoes or handbags etc, again this is my personal preference)
 
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I’ll be the latest person to resurrect this thread!

I’ve loved reading through these.

Worth it:

Platinum floating 0.5ct diamond necklace: when I look at this now after 10 years of wear, I find it a bit boring but it has 100% earned its keep. Practically indestructible. I’ve even worn it backpacking
Fabergé simple rose gold pendant. This elevates every outfit. It’s so elegant.
Lisa Eldridge “Anderson” ring: tentative because it’s new, but I’ve had so many compliments

Not worth it:

I hate to say this, but my wedding band. I had it made by a jeweller and the craftsmanship is, though not terrible, workmanlike. I wish I had held out for a designer ring/better jeweller
The earring I had made to match one belonging to my late mother. Jeweller (different one) made an awful hash of it and I was too awkward and British to say
9k gold (what’s the point)
All costume pieces, including designer: Swarovski, Dior, Juicy etc
Links of London charm bracelet. Clinks against desk, looks immature
Most silver. Hate polishing. Rings lose their shape

I have been considering adding a small diamond pendant to my collection because I can see how it would go with everything, but I'm also concerned it'll be a bit boring. Would you recommend me getting one?
 
I have been considering adding a small diamond pendant to my collection because I can see how it would go with everything, but I'm also concerned it'll be a bit boring. Would you recommend me getting one?

Hmm. Hard to say. It’s a workhorse piece: if you want something you can put on and forget about through work, exercise, sleep, showers, getting pulled at by babies etc you can’t go wrong. I wore it constantly (and I mean constantly—it only came off to be cleaned) for 12 years, and it still looks as good as new.

On the other hand, the minimalism of mine is looking a bit dated, and I’m still not sure if anyone ever noticed it! Certainly nobody commented on it.

How much would you plan on wearing it? How much jewellery do you have—does this fill a gap? Do you need something really hard wearing?
 
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