VCA ~ Van Cleef Arpels Discussion thread!
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I am torn between two BTF rings. The frivole pave is absolutely stunning but not sure this is a piece I will feel comfortable wearing casually, to the office, running errands, etc. I also do not love the way it sits on my finger. For the price, it is absurd to purchase and have it sit in a safe. The two butterfly ring, is spectacular as well and think this could be worn more casually. Does anyone have each and could provide any insight
Have you decided on the piece you want? I would recommend going in and chatting with some of the SAs. Find the person who clicks with you best and they will take note of what you like with time and become a really good SA. This has worked so well for me at VCA and Hermes. I find VCA service excellent worldwide and gifts would be a natural progression once you continue to be a regular customer. PM me if you need names. HTH!
Both are spectacular - I love the two butterfly ring on you and agree it’s unique & can be worn casually or dressy - the same ring in Lapis is next on my list, as well.
The Frivole is gorgeous, no doubt, but the 2 butterfly is just so charming!
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I'm not much help as I love both but the two butterfly is on my list (high on my list LOL) and is more user friendly if you do a lot of things with your hands due to lower profile. I vote two butterfly! The only thing to consider is: if you are looking at the RG pave/MOP mix, the MOP is more sensitive than the full pave or pave/sapphire versions.
My favorite too! They sell them at CVS.
I, of course, favor the clear ones with the rainbow strand inside.
Hi! I have posted a lot about this ring and the earrings (with photos), so you probably know I love this ring! I have it in the pave WG. I wear it casually all the time along with my matching earrings (right now... WFH... I'm wearing a striped top with white skinny Bermuda jean shorts). It's not flashy at all. I wear it on my fourth finger. It's super wearable, and even though it is described as a BTF ring, because the flowers are so close together, it is more like a big flower ring which I love. The Frivole design is very artistic, the 3D heart-shaped petals with the pave diamonds are amazing. The butterfly ring is nice, but to me, not so creative. It is definitely more simple and "casual" as you mentioned.
I like my jewelry to "pop" which I think is the whole point of wearing BTF and other big rings.
And "pop" does not mean dressy, pop just means bold. Bold can be dressy or casual.
I would suggest you look at these two rings and take out the VCA label from you mind... that always helps me see the piece for what it really is without any brand attached to it.
What do you see? To me...
- I see a ring with beautiful 3-D diamond flower with angled leaves, a ring that pops, very artistic, chic, that can be worn with jeans, to work, for evenings, etc.
- I see a ring with a butterfly design, more youthful, the design is a bit simple and flat, and probably a design that for me, I might get tired of.
I just want to share my thoughts for another point of view so you can weigh and compare the look of each ring for yourself and decide. It's all preference, and it's the look you prefer when wearing these pieces. There is no right or wrong as all jewelry, VCA or not, has its own look.
For me, if I could only have one BTF ring, I would choose Frivole BTF.
I think the Frivole looks stunning on you. I think the butterfly is a more subtle, so I vote Frivole!
Just my two cents, and I hope this helps. Good luck to you!
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These look fun! I think I will try some as I now seem to be putting my hair up all the time. Thanks for sharing! You always have such creative things (e.g. Panda hanging on a chain!).
Thank you for your perspective. I’m definitely going to try both on again and make a final decision. I do love the frivole. My only concern was could I wear it casually without drawing too much attention. So glad to hear that other do.
Question for all VCA experts - What factors do you consider when picking between 10/20 motif Alhambra and magic pendant from the stone?
I have 10 motif onyx and MOP. I get to wear my MOP necklace casually and for special occasions. However, I rarely wear dressy black outfits and I am wondering if I should gotten the magic onyx necklace instead of 10 motif.
I have 10 motif onyx and MOP. I get to wear my MOP necklace casually and for special occasions. However, I rarely wear dressy black outfits and I am wondering if I should gotten the magic onyx necklace instead of 10 motif.
Hi! I'm certainly not a VCA expert, but I can give you my thoughts.
I choose necklaces for their wow factor as I like a necklace that pop and make a statement. I also like a necklace that can be worn casually. I do not like the dainty look. With those requirements, for me I choose the 20 motif.
I find the 20 motif is very casual (google ladies who wear long necklaces and you see tons of long necklaces & strands). A long 20 motif just swings and goes with everything. You can also wear it to work or the evening. Super lovely, makes a great statement.
I find the 10 motif limiting in that I wear rounded necklines the most, and the 10 motif competes with the neckline. I also think a short "necklace" (not a pendant), requires more effort to match an outfit. It's not as carefree as a 20 motif which you can basically just toss over a tshirt, sweater, or blouse. A 10 motif looks more dressy to me compared to the 20 motif.
I wear my 20 motif with a tee and skinny jeans, and to me, it looks very carefree, casual elegant. Adds a nice touch to a simple outfit. Wearing a 10 motif with a tee and jeans seems a bit out of place to me, like a person is trying to dress up a tee and jeans, so it has the opposite effect. That's just me.
The Magic pendant does not pop as a necklace to me. It's more a long chain with a charm at the end, and you mostly see the chain. The eye has to look down to see the motif, so to me the Magic does not have that wow factor that a 20 motif does. It's preference as some people want a more subtle "long chain with a charm" look.
It sounds like you are not wearing your 10 motif often. Maybe sell the 10 motif and get a 20 motif? That way, you have your 10 MOP and a 20 oynx. I think if you are used to the boldnes of a 10 motif, you may be disappointed with the Magic pendant as the look is really a long chain with a charm at the end. Try wearing a plain long chain and add a big charm to it, that will give you an idea of the Magic.
Just my two cents to share my thoughts. I hope it helps to make your decision. There is no right or wrong answer as all options are lovely... it's really all about preference and what fashion look you are trying to create.
Good luck!
Thanks for the reply! I completely understand your views on magic pendant. I returned my Malachite magic pendant for this very reason. I had it for about 15-20 days and everytime I tried it on and took pics, I felt it only worked when the chain was doubled. When I wore it as a long chain, it didn’t work on my frame and when I tried different styles like lariat it didn’t feel like my style.
I am not planning to sell the 10 motif(too much loss in resale) but I am going to try attaching another 10 motif and see if I like 20 motif. I tried on 20 motif about 3-4years back and maybe I should revisit the style again.
Yes, I totally agree with you on the Magic pendant. I think you will love the 20 motif! I'm small (5' 2", 108lbs), and I love the long swingy chain on me. I hope you can try it on again. Good luck!
I don’t own any magic, yet. I would likely only wear it double chained so I am more likely to buy one of the special edition pieces (likely HK or japan) since I like the size better.
Otherwise I pick which style to buy based on neckline. The 10 goes with everything for me. Even a T-shirt it can peak out the side. I wear a variety of necklines and I find the 10 perfect. For my blue agate 10, I commonly wear it with white round collar T-shirt’s so I add my bracelet to it to make it a 15 so it hangs lower over top of a round neckline. If you want an inbetween length then adding a bracelet might give you options to enjoy your 10 and then otherwise you have a set to wear.
I only wear my 20 long with dresses or with a jacket and skirt/jeans. Otherwise I double it. I find some 20s too much doubled and looks messy. So the 20s are more limiting to me since I would not wear casually long with a T-shirt.
Why don’t you wear your 10 onyx?