VCA white gold bracelet choice

[HockeyMomma]

Hi! I am hoping for your experienced opinions regarding an everyday white gold bracelet. I prefer the flexible style over the bangles. I would like it for everyday but I take off my jewelry for showers, sleeping, cooking, cleaning, etc. I am otherwise fairly active and clumsy so it will bear some trauma. My current pieces: WG pave sweet ear studs, WG WMOP bracelet and VA ear clips, WG medium perlee pearls of gold ring, Cartier Tank Must small, wedding set in platinum. I love my WMOP VA set but I want an all gold bracelet option for everyday wear. I realize this is completely subjective but would love other opinions. Thank you in advance!

My thoughts:

1. Six motif pave sweet bracelet: Is it too dainty? Would the flipping drive me bananas? I've seen flipped photos and though not obvious I definitely see the different I would not get the five motif due to budget which is flexible but I cannot wrap my head around it and I worry it would be a bit too much for everyday.
2. WG guilloche: love the art deco feel, love the scale, flipping not an issue, but scratching and dirt catching is a problem, and is it too blingy for casual wear?
3. 5 motif WG hammered: by far the best choice, durable and understated. Problem is its SO or MTO and I doubt I would ever qualify because I don't want a huge collection, just a handful of precious pieces, or wait for a preloved one and hope for authenticity. Could get the rose gold version but my collection is 100% white gold and that would be settling. RG picture only for illustration. Is there a chance it will come into regular collection? Is preloved a terrible choice?

 

[880]

Is preloved a terrible choice?

I would strongly hesitate / be very cautious re preloved VCA Alhambra. Bc CAD computer design that can create exact duplicates and the fact that VCA has not succeeding in protecting intellectual property right to Alhambra make this a strong target for replica designs.

 

[Swellgal]

I have the sweet 6 in WG/pave. Check out some of my recent comments and photos of this (click on my handle and search my posts). I highly recommend. Here’s a couple photos of the back side. Lots of comments on this bracelet on this forum, if you have a search.

 

[HockeyMomma]

I would strongly hesitate / be very cautious re preloved VCA Alhambra. Bc CAD computer design that can create exact duplicates and the fact that VCA has not succeeding in protecting intellectual property right to Alhambra make this a strong target for replica designs.

Yes. I’ve read horror stories. Thank you for affirming.

 

[HockeyMomma]

I have the sweet 6 in WG/pave. Check out some of my recent comments and photos of this (click on my handle and search my posts). I highly recommend. Here’s a couple photos of the back side. Lots of comments on this bracelet on this forum, if you have a search.

I’ve seen your photos! Thank you for sharing them! It sways me toward this piece! I also like the idea that I already have earrings to wear as a set. I wonder if it’s too dainty. I’ve held my earrings to my wrist and they look well proportioned. I suppose I worry my eye is used to the vintage size and it will look off. I wish one could try pieces on in the boutique.

 

[meemeetoo]

I’ve seen your photos! Thank you for sharing them! It sways me toward this piece! I also like the idea that I already have earrings to wear as a set. I wonder if it’s too dainty. I’ve held my earrings to my wrist and they look well proportioned. I suppose I worry my eye is used to the vintage size and it will look off. I wish one could try pieces on in the boutique.

I think the sweet size is actually perfect for everyday wear, though I am biased as I wear the RG hammered sweet 6 motif 24/7 even when traveling. The pave will be enough on its own so you feel like you have a little something going on, but it will also stack with everything VCA or non-VCA.

 

[Swellgal]

I’ve seen your photos! Thank you for sharing them! It sways me toward this piece! I also like the idea that I already have earrings to wear as a set. I wonder if it’s too dainty. I’ve held my earrings to my wrist and they look well proportioned. I suppose I worry my eye is used to the vintage size and it will look off. I wish one could try pieces on in the boutique.

I have that piece as well as the YG VA pave/guilloche and I will say it is very dainty comparatively, and the diamonds do not catch the eye as much as the much larger VA size diamond motifs, but of course, it’s a lot cheaper too. I like both for different applications. It’s very lightweight; you hardly feel it on. So if you want a little sparkle with no hassle, it’s a great bracelet. It is not a showstopper like the Vintage size though for sure. I really love mine stacked with a tennis bracelet and ring. It just depends on what you would combine it with (if anything) and what look/feel you’re going for. Good luck! I also love that WG VA guilloche 5 motif…to me it gives a masculine /strong feel with high shine/glamour that I really admire though I do typically favor more feminine styles.

 

[HockeyMomma]

I love the idea of lightweight! I currently don’t wear anything other than my watch. I can see myself stacking with a tennis bracelet for special occasions but that would be rare.

I actually love a more masculine/sporty look in general.

I suppose the pavé bracelet is ultimately the best choice as it works with my daily earrings as well. I wish the hammered was more attainable.

 

[HockeyMomma]

I think the sweet size is actually perfect for everyday wear, though I am biased as I wear the RG hammered sweet 6 motif 24/7 even when traveling. The pave will be enough on its own so you feel like you have a little something going on, but it will also stack with everything VCA or non-VCA.

I think it’s the way to go! I’m talking myself into it. I do wish they made it hammered in WG so the flipping was a non issue.

 

[Swellgal]

I think it’s the way to go! I’m talking myself into it. I do wish they made it hammered in WG so the flipping was a non issue.

I’m gonna be honest, you sound like you’re trying to talk yourself into the pave sweet because of your earrings, but you sound like you want more of a sporty impact too. I’d order the guilloche. Don’t listen to people talking about it scratching. You already said you take care of your jewelry and don’t wear it to sleep, shower, etc. and it’s not that delicate. About once a week I wash my guilloche/pave bracelet with soap and water while it’s on my wrist. It cleans it up like new. And if you really LOVE sets, you could buy the guilloche bracelet AND matching earrings for almost the price of the pave sweet.

 

[HockeyMomma]

Wow. I hadn't thought of that option but it's genius! Are the VA guilloche earrings wearable? I assumed they were super heavy. Are they heavier than the MOP VA?

 

[mocktail]

The guilloche is pretty eye catching, but as it gets scratched it becomes less flashy because the scratches interrupt the reflection of the light. Even scratched, I think it is actually “flashier” than the pave. I am clumsy and wear my guilloche 24/7 and love it even all scratched up.

I have the hammered also and love it too, but if the vintage pave had been in my budget I would have chosen it. I love diamonds, though.

 

[Swellgal]

Wow. I hadn't thought of that option but it's genius! Are the VA guilloche earrings wearable? I assumed they were super heavy. Are they heavier than the MOP VA?

I don't have any of those earrings, so I can’t speak to that. I’m glad you like the suggestion and I hope you get something that makes your heart sing!

 

[HockeyMomma]

Found a thread here about relative earring weight and the guilloche comes out significantly more than the MOP. That may not work for daily wear. More to think about at least.

I could always get the guilloche set next for special occasions. I've always been a massive art deco fan and these inspire that.

 

[HockeyMomma]

The guilloche is pretty eye catching, but as it gets scratched it becomes less flashy because the scratches interrupt the reflection of the light. Even scratched, I think it is actually “flashier” than the pave. I am clumsy and wear my guilloche 24/7 and love it even all scratched up.

I have the hammered also and love it too, but if the vintage pave had been in my budget I would have chosen it. I love diamonds, though.

Who doesn't love diamonds? Ha! I do too! I don't think the scratches would bother me for some reason, but pave motifs might. Definitely having a goldilocks moment about the white gold hammered.