What Other Jewelry Brands Do You Buy/Wear?

[couturequeen]

For me, I would pass. I've been down that path and no longer own any midtier brand piece e.g. Roberto Coin, Kwiat, Hearts On Fire, Pomellato (well, I still have my Hearts on Fire diamond studs, but they are studs, so does that count? ).

That said, I would only get it if you really love a specific style (e.g. the Kwiat star). I would not get it if you are trying to save money and trying to get a similar luxury brand book. I would just save up for the luxury brand piece. For example, if you really really really love a Roberto Coin style, get it. Otherwise, get a VCA (some of his pieces are definitely VCA inspired anyway).

And yes...I agree with you... these brands are hot today, but maybe not tomorrow. Not really gone, but no longer the fashionable midtier brand people flock after.

But, if you really really really love a certain piece, go for it.
Jewelry is all about pleasure. Forget resale value, forget what's popular, forget what others like.
The only important thing about jewelry is that whatever you buy, it should put an ear-to-ear smile on your face. That is the true value of jewelry for me... pure enjoyment.

I love my Kwiat star. It actually gets more wear than my VCA pendants!

Agree with most of these points. If I could go back in time, I’d take an additional few months deciding to buy those mid-tier pieces, especially the ones with lower carat weights. As I age, I want more substantial pieces. Lifestyle has also had an impact on what I’ve let go. And the resale value is not there at all to help fund VCA.

But it’s OK to have pieces I don’t wear as often that are unique and more affordable. I also really like supporting independent jewelry designers. I have a fun “boutique” to play with and never struggle with finding something to wear.

 

[glamourbag]

I tried on the Tiffany Bow collection too! The Tiffany bow design is a perfect bow to me! The ring though was like kid's jewelry to me.

Okay... so... if you had tried on Tiffany and had on expectations from Noeud, I think you may like Tilda's Bow. It is so much more substantial than Tiffany, and it is very artistic. I like the Large ring shown, and it is a lot bigger than the smaller one that is online (the large one is not online, I'm not sure why). You can see it's wide, it covers over the side fingers. It is not as tall and "puffy", like a real bow though, probably for wearability.

I think if you want something wearable daily, you will like Tilda's Bow. I had in my mind a huge round bow on my finger.

I actually love the Tiffany bow, the one with the four loops. The Tiffany bow is the perfect bow to me... see how each loop is perfectly angled, four perfect loops showing the top and underside of the ribbon, both sides with diamonds! And the loops are designed to appear to cross over. The ribbon tails are exactly opposite each other, just as it would look in real life if you tied a real bow! And it's "puffy" too! This bow is the PERFECT bow to me! They just need to supersize this ring because it is so tiny, and of course the price point reflects that.

Here is a photo of the Tiffany bow ring I'm talking about. It looks huge here in the photo, but in real life, it's micro-size (I tried it on this week too in NYC). But what a perfect bow! Stare at it... look at the ribbon and how they twist, like one continuous ribbon. I can almost visualize myself tying and making that bow. It's perfection to me.

I think you and I envision the perfect bow because I agree completely with what you said about the Tiffany bow!!! It's gorgeous, perfect but too small. What a disappointment.
Ok, you are giving me hope to hold out for the Tilda's bow. I'll call the store next week for more details. I think from what you have said here that, yes, the larger one is better suited to what I would like. I do not need it to be huge but I would like it to be big enough (if that makes sense) and looking at it again in your picture it looks like it is. This could be a win. Fingers crossed (haha). Thank you so much again!

 

[BigAkoya]

I think you and I envision the perfect bow because I agree completely with what you said about the Tiffany bow!!! It's gorgeous, perfect but too small. What a disappointment.
Ok, you are giving me hope to hold out for the Tilda's bow. I'll call the store next week for more details. I think from what you have said here that, yes, the larger one is better suited to what I would like. I do not need it to be huge but I would like it to be big enough (if that makes sense) and looking at it again in your picture it looks like it is. This could be a win. Fingers crossed (haha). Thank you so much again!

Yes, makes perfect sense. Ask to see both sizes. Even the small is much larger than Tiffany, so the small may surprise you. When I tried on the small, it was definitely bigger than Tiffany. I told the SA I wanted it a tad bigger, and that’s how I found out they make a large version.

Good luck!

 

[BigAkoya]

I love my Kwiat star. It actually gets more wear than my VCA pendants!

Agree with most of these points. If I could go back in time, I’d take an additional few months deciding to buy those mid-tier pieces, especially the ones with lower carat weights. As I age, I want more substantial pieces. Lifestyle has also had an impact on what I’ve let go. And the resale value is not there at all to help fund VCA.

But it’s OK to have pieces I don’t wear as often that are unique and more affordable. I also really like supporting independent jewelry designers. I have a fun “boutique” to play with and never struggle with finding something to wear.

Yes! Totally agree with you. The Kwiat star is so gorgeous. No one does a star nicer than that in my opinion, the blend of marquise and round diamonds is unique and the sparkle is so nice.

 

[BigAkoya]

I love my Kwiat star. It actually gets more wear than my VCA pendants!

Agree with most of these points. If I could go back in time, I’d take an additional few months deciding to buy those mid-tier pieces, especially the ones with lower carat weights. As I age, I want more substantial pieces. Lifestyle has also had an impact on what I’ve let go. And the resale value is not there at all to help fund VCA.

But it’s OK to have pieces I don’t wear as often that are unique and more affordable. I also really like supporting independent jewelry designers. I have a fun “boutique” to play with and never struggle with finding something to wear.

Yes! Totally agree with you. The Kwiat star is so gorgeous. No one does a star nicer than that in my opinion, the blend of marquise and round diamonds is unique and the sparkle is so nice.

 

[DS2006]

Tried on some Graff pieces. Here is the large three butterfly ring and the large Tilda’s Bow ring. The SA was kind enough to offer her hands for mod shots. I was hoping I would love Tilda’s Bow to be honest.

@glamourbag FYI as you were interested in Tilda’s Bow as well. This large size ring is not on the Graff website.

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The bow is gorgeous! I agree with liking the style of the Tiffany bow, but it is strange they make it so small!

This one looks a little smaller than the one you tried on, but I really like it a lot, too. I don't see a lot that I really love outside of VCA, unfortunately.

https://www.graff.com/us-en/jewellery-collections/view-by-collection/tildas-bow/tildas-bow-classic-diamond-ring/RGR507_RGR507.html

I just wanted to comment on something we have touched on before regarding VCA....I cannot understand why Graff is making that whole bow collection (including the $520k high jewelry necklace!) in white gold and not platinum! In a ring, it might only be $1000 more, if that much!

 

[BigAkoya]

The bow is gorgeous! I agree with liking the style of the Tiffany bow, but it is strange they make it so small!

This one looks a little smaller than the one you tried on, but I really like it a lot, too. I don't see a lot that I really love outside of VCA, unfortunately.

https://www.graff.com/us-en/jewellery-collections/view-by-collection/tildas-bow/tildas-bow-classic-diamond-ring/RGR507_RGR507.html

I just wanted to comment on something we have touched on before regarding VCA....I cannot understand why Graff is making that whole bow collection (including the $520k high jewelry necklace!) in white gold and not platinum! In a ring, it might only be $1000 more, if that much!

Yes! That one is the classic bow and is $15K. The big bow in my photo above is $40K, but it's a lot bigger. You might like the classic bow if you don't like rings that are big and get in the way. Tilda's bow is really sparkly. Oh, there are matching earrings too!

Also, as FYI, the large three butterfly ring in my photo is $36K. It is now on the website.. odd. There is a smaller three butterfly ring, which is not on the website (their website is not the best). The small butterfly ring is the same size as the earrings, which is on the website. The earrings are $30K, so assuming a parir of earrings equals two rings, I would estimate the ring to be about $15-18K to account for the band.

Yes on platinum, totally agree with you! Very annoying especially since you and I love platinum! But as the VCA jeweler once responded to me when I asked him if I could get an Alhambra stone set in platinum, "Madame, platinum is reserved for high jewelry".

That is the one thing I like about Tiffany, they make their pieces in platinum.
These days though, I am having a hard time finding anything I like at Tiffany. I love colored gemstones, and I think Tiffany has great stones, but inventory is super low. I was looking for a Paraiba Tourmaline, but they only had one that was a decent size that I liked.

I would suggest definite try Tilda's bow.. it is really pretty and very unique. There are very few nice diamond bow collections. I am going to look at the collection more. It is very three dimensional and artistic which I love... like a bow come to life.

 

[sunnylovesjewelry]

how do you ladies feel about the tiffany t1 collection? i love one of the rings i tried on, but i’m worried since the collection is so new that it’s not classic and won’t endure

 

[BigAkoya]

I told myself I would not post photos anymore after seeing one of my photos posted on IG, but what the heck… just one more. If you see this photo elsewhere, you know it’s me because I’m always in some type of striped top!

Here is the Paraiba Tourmaline I tried on at Tiffany. They had another one, but it was very small. Inventory is very low everywhere as we all know.

 

[BigAkoya]

how do you ladies feel about the tiffany t1 collection? i love one of the rings i tried on, but i’m worried since the collection is so new that it’s not classic and won’t endure

I like T1 better than T. I feel T is very logo-y and flat, but some people like that.
T1 is more architectural, the slightly beveled edge made such a difference.

I think if you love it, get it! The enjoyment you get from wearing it will far outweigh whether it stays in fashion for 30 years. I do think T1 will remain iconic as Tiffany will keep advertising it. It's also a fresh line, and they keep adding pieces to it. They will certainly not discontinue it anytime soon.

One collection I love from Tiffany is Elsa Peretti. The bone cuff, bottle pendant... those designs are so bold. Yet they have been around since the 70s I think. And DBTY has been around forever too. Are these at the height of popularity now? Probably not, but they are classic. I wear my bone cuff and large bottle necklace, super fun for summer.

My opinion... spending money on a nice piece of bling is similar to spending money on a nice vacation.
Are they both necessities? No. But are they both worth it? Totally!
With a nice vacation, you have wonderful memories.
With a nice piece of bling, you don't need memories... you can stare at your piece all day!

Just my two cents to answer your question. I hope that helps.
I say go for it! Which ring is it by the way if you don't mind me asking?

 

[sunnylovesjewelry]

I like T1 better than T. I feel T is very logo-y and flat, but some people like that.
T1 is more architectural, the slightly beveled edge made such a difference.

I think if you love it, get it! The enjoyment you get from wearing it will far outweigh whether it stays in fashion for 30 years. I do think T1 will remain iconic as Tiffany will keep advertising it. It's also a fresh line, and they keep adding pieces to it. They will certainly not discontinue it anytime soon.

One collection I love from Tiffany is Elsa Peretti. The bone cuff, bottle pendant... those designs are so bold. Yet they have been around since the 70s I think. And DBTY has been around forever too. Are these at the height of popularity now? Probably not, but they are classic. I wear my bone cuff and large bottle necklace, super fun for summer.

My opinion... spending money on a nice piece of bling is similar to spending money on a nice vacation.
Are they both necessities? No. But are they both worth it? Totally!
With a nice vacation, you have wonderful memories.
With a nice piece of bling, you don't need memories... you can stare at your piece all day!

Just my two cents to answer your question. I hope that helps.
I say go for it! Which ring is it by the way if you don't mind me asking?

i love the bottle pendant ❤️ would love to see any mod shots you have. and i agree, i adore the architectural and modern look of the collection, so crisp and clean.

 

[BigAkoya]

I

i love the bottle pendant ❤ would love to see any mod shots you have. and i agree, i adore the architectural and modern look of the collection, so crisp and clean.

I really love the bottle pendant. I have three... the large, medium, and the one with the turquoise stopper. The bottle pendant with the turquoise stopper is the small size, so I wear it with the CBTY turquoise sprinkle necklace. I'm a bad mod shot person, but here are some photos so you can see for comparison or to get ideas.

Oh... the turquoise stopper screws off. So cool!

I think you will love it too! Hope this helps.

 

[sunnylovesjewelry]

i

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I really love the bottle pendant. I have three... the large, medium, and the one with the turquoise stopper. The bottle pendant with the turquoise stopper is the small size, so I wear it with the CBTY turquoise sprinkle necklace. I'm a bad mod shot person, but here are some photos so you can see for comparison or to get ideas.

I think you will love it too! Hope this helps.

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i love the one with the turquoise stopper...such a lovely pop of color

 

[BigAkoya]

Since I'm on a roll and this thread is for sharing other brands...
Last photos... promise, so please bear with me.

Another brand I love is Mikimoto.
As part of my NYC weekend visit, I went to try on earrings to match my Lotus ring, but they didn't match.
I love the Les Petales Place Vendome collection. I love the large ring, but the earrings in this collection were either too tiny or too overpowering for me.

Here is the large ring (not shown on the website). They do have the matching earrings on the website. The earrings were way too big on my ears. As in hanging off the earlobe big, not a good look. I do love the ring! It pops! I put the Mikimoto ring next to my Lotus ring so I could text hubby a photo for him to see size comparison (hubby did not come with me to NYC, but I bugged him all day with bling photos).

Here are the matching earrings in case anyone is interested. To me, this is such a beautiful collection and there are more larger pieces not on the website.
Les Pétales Place Vendôme Earrings (mikimotoamerica.com)

 

[EpiFanatic]

Since I'm on a roll and this thread is for sharing other brands...
Last photos... promise, so please bear with me.

Another brand I love is Mikimoto.
As part of my NYC weekend visit, I went to try on earrings to match my Lotus ring, but they didn't match.
I love the Les Petales Place Vendome collection. I love the large ring, but the earrings in this collection were either too tiny or too overpowering for me.

Here is the large ring (not shown on the website). They do have the matching earrings on the website. The earrings were way too big on my ears. As in hanging off the earlobe big, not a good look. I do love the ring! It pops! I put the Mikimoto ring next to my Lotus ring so I could text hubby a photo for him to see size comparison (hubby did not come with me to NYC, but I bugged him all day with bling photos).

Here are the matching earrings in case anyone is interested. To me, this is such a beautiful collection and there are more larger pieces not on the website.
Les Pétales Place Vendôme Earrings (mikimotoamerica.com)

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This Mikimoto line is so glamorous. Those earrings look stunning.