Your thoughts on sparkle during daytime & choice of an everyday necklace

[Berengeria]

Hi All! I would like to get myself an everyday necklace that can be dressed up or down. Something along the lines of a simple pearl or diamond pendant. I have a few questions/concerns that I am hoping you lovely folks can help me with.

I've read numerous places and was raised with the idea that sparkle is for night time only, thus diamonds are to be worn during the day only on a wedding/engagement ring. If I choose a diamond pendant, will it be considered tacky or uneducated to wear it during the day? Or has this "rule" gone the way of matching your purse to your shoes?

If I choose a pearl pendant, which is considered more formal, a drop pendant or the ones where the chain goes through the middle of the pearl? I would like to be able to wear this necklace with dresses on semi-formal occasions like funerals, weddings, work dinners, etc. Or is a single pearl not dressy enough for these types of events?

I wear mostly yellow gold but also wear a lot of 2-tone and sometimes wear silver or white gold. I think diamonds tend to look better with white gold/platinum, while with pearls, it depends on the tone of the individual pearl. I don't know if I should get something in yellow gold or one of the white metals.

I'm also torn between maxing out my budget on one really nice necklace vs getting two less nice ones, one in yellow gold and one in white.

Any input and thoughts are appreciated. TIA!!

Some ideas along the lines of what I have in mind follow:

 

[880]

Get one necklace. Either a solitaire or a pearl can be dressed up or down, but I think both can be worn daytime casual. The idea that diamonds are only for nighttime is a bit old fashioned, analogous to croc or leather bags for day/ satin or jeweled minaidiere for evening.

Note: if you like pearls, there are a variety of extremely fun, beautiful, well priced options. From semi baroque, baroque, or Edison, freshwater, in all colors, sizes, shapes, lengths. If you want a more substantial necklace, a strand of pearls, or pearls fixed on a chain at set intervals is a nice option. Etsy might be a fun place to look for all budgets. Have fun shopping

 

[papertiger]

The only reason diamonds were for after 8pm was because old mine cuts were often deeper, not often letting much light through the table/facets and/or not appearing the reflective best until the candles/gas were lit after dark. With brilliant cuts that's less an issue.

Fire and scintillation is still seen best under certain electric light (which is why jewellers are usually expertly lit) but I think most people can appreciate the different contexts of modern diamonds.

Choose a nice pearl or diamond according to your own personal taste and style.

 

[Love Of My Life]

Diamonds & pearls in a way have become very modern & can be worn day into evening.
I'm a pearl girl & suggest you look at Tiffany (Elsa Peretti) who does diamonds by the
yard as well as some other jewelers for pearls & diamond pendants just to see what is
available in the marketplace including Mikimoto as well as various internet sites as there
are lots of different shapes & colors that you may like depending on how they look on your skin
Don't know what kind of necklines you favor but think about what will look well with your clothes
(turtleneck, jewel neck, crew neck, open collar & V neck, etc)
Would buy one important necklace that you could wear everyday

 

[snibor]

That’s a very old and dated rule imo. Diamonds all day. It’s actually quite more modern to wear during the day. I’m not a Pearl fan but that’s me.

 

[Berengeria]

Thanks to those who have voiced opinions so far. Keep 'em coming!

I did figure out one of my questions. I already have a few cute pendants that I wear with white metals (not in a formal setting, but for everyday wear), but I have nothing in yellow gold. I have a lot of chains but no pendants. So, I think I will focus on a diamond or pearl pendant in yellow gold, although I really do think diamonds tend to look better in white metals. I guess I'll look around and see what I find.

How about the issue of the pearl drop vs the pearl with the chain going through it? My instinct tells me that the chain going through it makes it more casual. If that's the case, then I'll scratch that one off the list since I want something that can go into evening.

 

[limom]

Pearls are really attractive but you have to be careful. A diamond is easy breezy. You can do whatever with it and clean it once in a while.
A pearl can’t handle hairspray, sun lotion and more. But if you are willing to baby your peal, some designs are spectacular and less common.
It all depends on you.

 

[citykitty24]

Diamonds are all day, any day now! Wear what makes you happy. With the advent of lab created stones (a polarizing topic!), diamond jewelry is also more available to more people than in the past. I see it worn all the time at a wide range of budgets in the large city where I live.

Pearls are pretty but as @limom points out require a bit more care; diamond jewelry is carefree and easy to clean whenever.

I would suggest trying some pieces on to see what appeals to you most.

 

[Misha333]

+1 to Diamonds for Everyday Wear!

I used to think diamonds only looked their best in white metal, but I've realized that perspective is a bit outdated. Diamonds set in yellow gold can be equally stunning—if not more so! For example, Cartier's C de Cartier and Cartier 1895 necklaces showcase how beautifully yellow gold complements the sparkle of diamonds. The chains on these pieces are especially dazzling and add an extra layer of elegance.W hile prices online might seem sky-high, the actual price depends on the stone size and quality. For reference, a 0.25 CT Cartier necklace will be around $2,500–$3,000.

That said, you don’t need to stick to branded pieces. I mention these only because they’re the ones I’ve personally seen with exceptionally sparkly chains. Whether branded or not, a well-crafted diamond necklace in yellow gold can be perfect for everyday wear.

 

[Berengeria]

I tried on a 1ct diamond today (ignore the silver chain). I liked it more than I thought. The pendant is white gold but I tried it with a yellow gold necklace and really like the way it looked. I wear a lot of 2-tone jewelry so if anyone notices, it will just look like another 2 tone thing. However, tbh, the white picked up the color of the yellow gold chain so it wasn't even noticeable that the colors were different. If I bought it like this, and wore white gold on a more formal occasion, I could change the chain to white gold. Plus the white gold really does make the diamond look nicer imo.

But, I'll try some other options tomorrow or this weekend.

 

[JulieKat]

How about the issue of the pearl drop vs the pearl with the chain going through it? My instinct tells me that the chain going through it makes it more casual. If that's the case, then I'll scratch that one off the list since I want something that can go into evening.

I definitely think the chain going through the pearl looks more casual.

 

[QuelleFromage]

The trend at the moment is for full tennis necklaces in daytime, so one would think a single diamond pendant would be absolutely fine and very classic.

 

[kemilia]

Diamonds all day in my world! Lab & mined sparkle on my hand & wrist while I'm driving on sunny day (and I clean them before I put them on--very important). As for pearls I have a vintage pearl necklace (approx 20") that I wear for more "fancy" stuff like meetings, etc.

And I have, what was at the time a pretty inexpensive larger/baroque necklace from a flea market that gets the compliments because the pearls are so NOT matched--all are kinda wonky in shape and color. There is beauty and style in the misfits, IMO (don't turn me in to Mikimoto!).

 

[HauteMama]

I tried on a 1ct diamond today (ignore the silver chain). I liked it more than I thought. The pendant is white gold but I tried it with a yellow gold necklace and really like the way it looked. I wear a lot of 2-tone jewelry so if anyone notices, it will just look like another 2 tone thing. However, tbh, the white picked up the color of the yellow gold chain so it wasn't even noticeable that the colors were different. If I bought it like this, and wore white gold on a more formal occasion, I could change the chain to white gold. Plus the white gold really does make the diamond look nicer imo.

But, I'll try some other options tomorrow or this weekend.

View attachment 6088728

That is just beautiful! And I actually think it is a great idea to get the pendant set in white gold and then change out the chain depending on your mood or outfit. Personally, while I do love pearls, I would go with a diamond pendant for everyday wear. it is lesslikely to be damaged and easier to clean than pearls.

 

[Berengeria]

Went shopping and there weren't actually that many options in the way of a simple setting like I'm looking for. Lots of extra diamonds and halo settings but very few solitaire pendants. Oh well. I like what I like regardless of what's trending and I like a single gem. I do have some questions for those of you who have more knowledge and experience with diamonds. I've been doing some reading, but still have questions.

1. Are Blue Nile and James Allen good sources of diamonds? I notice that the prices on both of their websites are lower for better quality as compared to what I'm seeing in the stores.

2. For a diamond pendant between 1ct - 1.25ct, will there be a noticeable difference between SI1 and VVS2? The diamonds in the stores were mostly H color, SI1 or SI2 clarity, but for about the same price, I can get H color, VVS2 on James Allen (same carat).

3. Does it matter if the diamond is graded by IGI or GIA?

4. With regards to pearls, they had a simple akoya pearl pendant on 14kt white gold for $130 (no chain). The color and shape were very nice (no flaws) but the luster was only so-so (it was shiny but not mirror-like). Is this a reasonable price or is that impossible to determine without seeing it?