My biggest lesson I’ve learned (for me) is I’d rather have a smaller jewelry collection of gold or platinum pieces that I wear daily/regularly that will stand the test of time vs. a large collection of costume or plated or vermeil jewelry. I do have a few costume pieces still that I enjoy, but from now I put my focus on pieces that will last a lifetime.
Best Jewelry Decisions You've Ever Made?
- Thread starter saligator
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My mom has told me that you will never regret buying 18k gold jewelry. My jeweler says the same. It’s classic for a reason.
I’m drawn to different kinds of jewelry and like variety in my pieces, but yellow gold will always be king for me.
I’m drawn to different kinds of jewelry and like variety in my pieces, but yellow gold will always be king for me.
My advice is quality over quantity. Buy fine unique pieces, as opposed to mass produced. Go for pieces that capture your attention.
Many people buy jewelry as an investment but I learnt that most do not increase in value significantly, unless it is a rare item. I would wear jewellery because I enjoy it rather than hoping for future returns.
Many people buy jewelry as an investment but I learnt that most do not increase in value significantly, unless it is a rare item. I would wear jewellery because I enjoy it rather than hoping for future returns.
This resonated with me, about how your taste can change as you age. I feel like my jewelry style has evolved a lot since my adolescent and earlier adult years.
Nowadays, I avoid buying costume (cheap) jewelry. Ultimately, you’ll stop wearing all that, and it’ll be a waste of money.
Don’t buy trendy pieces, either, since those can go out of style. (Although I do own a Cartier Love, which could swing between both trendy and classic, I guess?)
Overall, my best advice is to buy timeless and high quality jewelry—something that you’ll be proud to keep wearing as you go through different decades of your life.
I would go for something else but only if you are really good at pearls and have the possibility to buy from a reputable seller. However if you have seen a particular Mikimoto design then that is obviously what you shall go for.
Don’t sell it..I regret so much the beautiful jewellery I’ve sold over the years…hopefully I won’t make the same mistake again..
Lots of practical and useful advice here!
Buy for yourself, NOT to please others or to bequeath your treasures to favourite nieces or daughters - they might prefer not to wear them.
The ultimate luxe jewelry experience, I think, is having one, at most two signature pieces you adore and wear every day, that have been custom-made for you, and only you, according to your very own wishes, from design to each material to the uniquely personal end result
Buy for yourself, NOT to please others or to bequeath your treasures to favourite nieces or daughters - they might prefer not to wear them.
The ultimate luxe jewelry experience, I think, is having one, at most two signature pieces you adore and wear every day, that have been custom-made for you, and only you, according to your very own wishes, from design to each material to the uniquely personal end result
I totally agree with All of the above!Lots of practical and useful advice here!
Buy for yourself, NOT to please others or to bequeath your treasures to favourite nieces or daughters - they might prefer not to wear them.
The ultimate luxe jewelry experience, I think, is having one, at most two signature pieces you adore and wear every day, that have been custom-made for you, and only you, according to your very own wishes, from design to each material to the uniquely personal end result
I just had my first fully custom piece made and wholeheartedly agree. It’s my most favorite piece of jewelry I’ve bought.The ultimate luxe jewelry experience, I think, is having one, at most two signature pieces you adore and wear every day, that have been custom-made for you, and only you, according to your very own wishes, from design to each material to the uniquely personal end result
It took awhile to get here as I figured out my style though. It’s the culmination of all of my other purchases and learning from them.
I love this!Lots of practical and useful advice here!
Buy for yourself, NOT to please others or to bequeath your treasures to favourite nieces or daughters - they might prefer not to wear them.
The ultimate luxe jewelry experience, I think, is having one, at most two signature pieces you adore and wear every day, that have been custom-made for you, and only you, according to your very own wishes, from design to each material to the uniquely personal end result
The thing most important thing I learned when jewelry hunting is: Don't be afraid to try on jewelry! Especially in stores-- and especially if you worry about spending on jewelry wisely. It's totally easy to just look at a catalog and point out stuff that looks cool or cute-- but it's a different case if you don't like the way it looks on you-- and that's okay. Def agree with other ppl here-- take time to find the things that you love and don't be led only by trends. Trends can help us find inspiration and ideas but sometimes might not be the final destination for everyone in finding the tastes that suit them the best. There's also some jewelry maybe you buy for everyday wear and some for special moments.
But with buying jewelry knowing if the material is something your skin doesn't have any allergies with is pretty important too. Staying with sterling silver plated/gold plated is always a safe option usually. Anybody with sensitivity to metals in general and sensitive skin-- opting for stones/beads/resins/etc. is also a great material replacement for jewelry options. I've bought a few pieces of jewelry for myself and bf with stone materials because we are both sensitive skin people.
Inspo/Places to shop for jewelry: local shops in your area, big department stores(Nordstroms, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Macy's type of thing), jewelry stores at malls, Etsy!(such a good place to find stuff if you already know what you want), local art-fair shows, bazaars, flea markets, pre-owned jewelry sites/stores for rare pieces.
But with buying jewelry knowing if the material is something your skin doesn't have any allergies with is pretty important too. Staying with sterling silver plated/gold plated is always a safe option usually. Anybody with sensitivity to metals in general and sensitive skin-- opting for stones/beads/resins/etc. is also a great material replacement for jewelry options. I've bought a few pieces of jewelry for myself and bf with stone materials because we are both sensitive skin people.
Inspo/Places to shop for jewelry: local shops in your area, big department stores(Nordstroms, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Macy's type of thing), jewelry stores at malls, Etsy!(such a good place to find stuff if you already know what you want), local art-fair shows, bazaars, flea markets, pre-owned jewelry sites/stores for rare pieces.
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Diamond shrinkage…it’s real! I see posts all the time about this especially with studs, TBs and e-rings. IMHO, get the biggest carat weight, best specs (4 Cs) you can afford. Find a good jeweler, you trust, that offers an upgrade service.
It's been almost 9 years since I started this thread and I have a few updates on some good jewelry decisions:
1) Agreeing to let the jeweler have that stone of mine she was setting to be recut. The recut came out amazing and it was, bar none, the absolute best jewelry decision I've made in a long time!
2) Resetting the bezel set diamonds I had into new bezels that show them off better. This was a great decision. The bezels are less clumsy and more light comes in. I went from meh to LOVE with these.
3) Selling the three stone ring I had that had bad vibes for me (lol, but that's what it seemed like) and getting a fantastic solitaire and a great pair of bezel set earrings made instead.
How about you all? Since some time has passed, have you made any more good jewelry decisions?
1) Agreeing to let the jeweler have that stone of mine she was setting to be recut. The recut came out amazing and it was, bar none, the absolute best jewelry decision I've made in a long time!
2) Resetting the bezel set diamonds I had into new bezels that show them off better. This was a great decision. The bezels are less clumsy and more light comes in. I went from meh to LOVE with these.
3) Selling the three stone ring I had that had bad vibes for me (lol, but that's what it seemed like) and getting a fantastic solitaire and a great pair of bezel set earrings made instead.
How about you all? Since some time has passed, have you made any more good jewelry decisions?
Just discovering this thread, but here are mine:
- If it's not exactly what I want, ask. The worst I'll get is a no, but most of the time, jewelers are happy to oblige and use gold instead of silver or swap stones or they'll suggest alternatives if not feasible.
- Not eschewing classic pieces despite my quirky tastes. Classics are incredibly versatile and there are so many nuances to jewelry that can make a simple piece personal. One of my best purchases is a diamond station necklace. While I can make it look simple when needed, I often layer it. There's also a star cutout on the back of each setting that makes it more to my taste. I'm looking at diamond studs and there's so many variations, from the cuts to the settings to the prongs. It's a matter of finding what suits me.