What 5 jewelry pieces should a girl in her 20s focus on acquiring?

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#121
1) A good watch; I've had my Omega Seamaster since 16 and haven't wanted another watch until now.
2) Everyday necklace; Mine is a Tiffany key in titanium
3) Simple earrings (pearl/diamond/studs) which must compliment an outfit but not too flashy; I have white pearl set and Tahitian pearl set.
4) Necklace to coordinate with simple earrings; I have a complimenting pendant for both earrings and several strands of white pearls (mostly gifts)
5) Bracelet that can stack with your watch or wear stand alone; for this I have my Hermes bracelets.

Minus the few gifts, every year once I acquired my job and met my savings goals, I bought myself jewelry and built up my professional wardrobe. I want to acquire diamond studs and a diamond solitaire, but I want these to match my wedding set. :)
 
#122
bakeacookie said:
1) A good watch; I've had my Omega Seamaster since 16 and haven't wanted another watch until now.
2) Everyday necklace; Mine is a Tiffany key in titanium
3) Simple earrings (pearl/diamond/studs) which must compliment an outfit but not too flashy; I have white pearl set and Tahitian pearl set.
4) Necklace to coordinate with simple earrings; I have a complimenting pendant for both earrings and several strands of white pearls (mostly gifts)
5) Bracelet that can stack with your watch or wear stand alone; for this I have my Hermes bracelets.

Minus the few gifts, every year once I acquired my job and met my savings goals, I bought myself jewelry and built up my professional wardrobe. I want to acquire diamond studs and a diamond solitaire, but I want these to match my wedding set. :)
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That is a great way to go about doing it. What Hermes bracelet do you have?
 
#125
I'm trying to think back when I was in my 20's.
1. Diamond solitaire necklace
2. Nice, decent watch (Citizen, Bulova, Michael Kors)
3. Pearl studs
4. Diamond studs
5. Nice statement earrings (sterling silver, or gold, platinum, etc)
 
#127
Timeless pieces.

1. A good watch - Rolex, Cartier
2. Diamond studs
3. A small pendant necklace, something simple.

I can't think of a 4th or 5th (well I can but then the list becomes very expensive and not sure how realistic it is for a woman in her 20s).
 
#128
My list would be:

1) a nice watch
2) an everyday pendant, such as a solitaire or a diamond pendant
3) for those who wear earrings, a nice pair of studs or earrings (I don't wear earrings at all because my hair is always down and I can't have piecing
4) a simple bracelet / bangle
 
#129
bakeacookie said:
1) A good watch; I've had my Omega Seamaster since 16 and haven't wanted another watch until now.
2) Everyday necklace; Mine is a Tiffany key in titanium
3) Simple earrings (pearl/diamond/studs) which must compliment an outfit but not too flashy; I have white pearl set and Tahitian pearl set.
4) Necklace to coordinate with simple earrings; I have a complimenting pendant for both earrings and several strands of white pearls (mostly gifts)
5) Bracelet that can stack with your watch or wear stand alone; for this I have my Hermes bracelets.

Minus the few gifts, every year once I acquired my job and met my savings goals, I bought myself jewelry and built up my professional wardrobe. I want to acquire diamond studs and a diamond solitaire, but I want these to match my wedding set. :)
Click to expand...


Funny! While I don't disagree with you, I just realized that I no longer own "simple" earrings....they're not me. I realized that the only time I wore them was to have something in my ears when I worked out. The most sedate pair I have are Temple St. Clair moonstone cluster earrings, the larger size.

So, here's my two cents:

1. ok, YES on the simple earrings, but they don't have to be diamond or pearl studs, though they certainly can be. But you can also do something small but a little less basic VCA Alhambra or Frivole earrings (I love the large, but the small are perfect in your 20s!) or a cluster or floral design.

2. Absolutely, everyday necklace. Many like the tiffany key, I have a VCA Alhambra single motif. In my 20s I wore a solitaire diamond. Basically, any universally appealing design on a single chain will do, unless you are a "Pearl Girl", then go for that.

3. Good watch. This is a must.

4. Bracelet - whether a tennis style or a bangle or even pearls.

5. Something FUN! Why not? Everything else is classic, and while always beautiful, maybe a bit boring. Boho is always in, so maybe a longer necklace for single or double-wrapping or layering with the above, or dangly earrings or even ear cuffs. Something that shows a little more of your personality and can come out to play on the weekends or at night.

Besides the watch, which is nice but to me is more of a "requirement" than a "fun" piece, I always go for earrings first, because they frame your face, which is pretty much what everyone sees first. You can wear the same necklace every day, but if you can change up the earrings, you always look different.
 
#130
At 31, I've pretty much finished my jewellery collecting and would recommend any of these items:

1. Diamond studs
2. Cartier Love bracelet
3. Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust or Cartier Tank Francaise PM (in steel/gold)
4. Cartier Trinity ring in tri-gold or Cartier Love ring
5. Round solitaire pendant
 
#131
Well since I'm in my 20s...
1. Simple stud earrings (mine are cz because I feel weird about wearing diamonds)
2. A gold bangle
3. A classic watch
4. An everyday necklace
5. A simple everyday ring

Everything in between are fun pieces I layer with these because I am not into the "plain" look. I say, have fun!
 
#132
Thinking back to my jewelry "goals" and "must-haves" from my 20's to now, 20 years later, here are my thoughts:

1 - The classic watch. This needs to be your definition of ThePerfect watch. For me, I wanted a bright royal blue face, diamond markers, a timeless brand, one I knew I had to save up for so that its value meant something to me. I bought a TAG link with a blue face - we couldn't find one with diamond markers anywhere at the time. It consumed one whole paycheck at my first post-graduate job. 10 years later, I almost added an Omega but went with TAG again and fulfilled my need for diamond markers, and conveniently a diamond bezel. A bonus would have been roman numerals, the old school watch kind where "4" was written as IIII instead of IV.

2 - Pearls. A nice pearl strand either in a choker length or the very long, layerable length. This will go with any dress up, business casual, or casual dress that may be hard to match jewelry with otherwise. Of course, it doesn't have to be a necklace, a nice pair of pearl, pearl and diamonds, or hanging pearl earrings with a touch of drama will do just as nice. I don't think a set is necessary, but it doesn't hurt. Remember, "Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance."

3 - An everyday bracelet. I discovered the beauty of the Cartier Love bracelet early on. I wasn't anywhere in the realm of having a person to share the meaning of the bracelet with so I kept it in the back of my mind as a "one day" sort of thing. I ended up receiving an 18kt gold buckle-locking bangle bracelet from my mother to encourage me to follow my goals. That was my everyday bracelet for many many years. And because I'm the sentimental type, I decided to create my perfect charm bracelet to commemorate special milestones with my husband. This is now makes the rotation as part of my every day bracelet collection.

4 - A gemstone piece. Whether it's your birthstone or favorite gemstone, I think a ring or pendant in your absolute favorite in its most absolute glory should be a must-have piece. I went with a 5 stone garnet that I now rotate with a halo set aquamarine. It's a touch of color that's your own.

5 - The ultimate go-to-shoe. It isn't a jewelry piece, I know. But in my 20's I needed to have and searched high and low for the perfect shoes that I could wear out for special occasions. Knock-offs weren't going to do. They needed to be the real deal, simple and dressy, and only to be worn on those special occasions. A great pair of shoes will finish out an outfit no matter what it is. I ended up getting mine in my 30's, but no matter. They were dressy, though not simple (they were covered in studs), but they served to finish off my suits at conferences around the world. Totally worth it.
 
#133
anniekins127 said:
Bumping this thread up -- I love it!

I'm a 24 year old single woman living and working in San Francisco. I'm looking to replace a beloved Michael Kors watch that's about 5 years old now and is starting to show its age. I have some of the staples on this list and so many of you mentioned a "nice" watch. Which brands or styles constitutes a nice watch for a 20-something? I like the Michele and Cartier tank styles (though I believe my true love would be a Cartier BB), though either Cartier would be quite the stretch for my budget right now. That said, the Michele is still expensive, and I've seen on TPF that there are questions over whether a Michele is worth it, hardware-wise, and if it's really just a trendy watch that will go out of style. I'd love your thoughts on these or other brands. TIA!
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You and I are the same age. Have you tried Bulova? I have a precisionist watch that I brought almost two years ago and it has held up very well. For me, it satisfies my watch needs as I wait get to get my Cartier.
 
#134
1. Watch (I had a Cartier Tank, the gold plated Must de Cartier)
2. Gold bangle bracelet
3. Diamond or Pearl earrings (stud or leverback depending which suits you best)
4. pretty enamel pieces like the Hermes bracelets or maybe Laurel Burch (the non-cat designs) earrings with your best colors.
5. something vintage or antique from an era that you love, Deco was my favorite.
 
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