How has your jewelry style changed over time / life stage?

[Pomelo]

How has your jewellery style/preferences/habits changed over time and/or through various life stages?

This has been on my mind because, with a six month old baby at home, what I wear now is completely different to before.

I'd love to hear your perspective!

I'll start:
In my 20s, I preferred daintier pieces such as a small DBTY necklace, small chain bracelets, freshwater pearls / simple hoops and bands/eternity rings. These were mostly bought new, at retail. I started going to auction viewings and it opened my eyes to antique and vintage pieces.

In my early 30s (pre-baby), I focused on two things, (1) antique and vintage, and (2) signed pieces. Even better when the two category intersected! I got into bolder styles and designs, would wear multiple rings on multiple fingers, and generally be adorned at all times. It was a lot of fun!

Now in my mid-30s (with a baby), practicality matters a lot on a daily basis. I don't want the back of my studs to poke into his delicate skin, so I wear simple sleeper hoops. I don't want his little fingers to hurt when they tug at my necklace, so I'm usually necklace-free (although I've found that a nice thick strand of pearls works well!). I definitely don't want any poop in the gallery of my rings, so I go for a plain or eternity band

 

[pearlsngems]

I used to wear hoop earrings but stopped after I had a baby for reasons of self preservation. Babies like to grab things-- hair, hoops-- and yank! Not good for ear lobes!

 

[seaurchin]

Unfortunately, my jewelry style has gotten far more expensive over time!

 

[Lookinagain]

My style has evolved from more modern style pieces to more antique style pieces. I tend to only wear smaller hoops, if I ever wear hoops, and not larger ones. I tend to never wear my bracelets, especially bangles, probably from working at a computer.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

this is a great question! For reference I'm in my late 20s/early 30s (I don't want to define it more closely than that). I think when I was very young, though I always liked jewellery, my tastes were defined a bit by what my mother had/liked/wore. I also only wore her pieces, naturally!

I went through a major WG phase (I would still say its my preferred metal, tbf) and for the longest time I would wear very little (if at all) YG or RG. Now I wear quite a bit of YG (though WG still reigns supreme) and I also mix metals a lot. I also went through a phase of rejecting traditional jewellery - I would rarely wear it and tended to dislike it. Then I had a sort of snap change at some point and started to LOVE it when I hit my 20s. Now I absolutely adore it and wear traditional pieces mixed with my western wear all the time (especially earrings and rings). I rarely wore jewellery in my neck earlier unless it was a fancy event, then I swung to the neck-mess extreme for a bit, and now tend to wear a pendant a couple times a week.

I think one of my biggest changes came around diamond preferences, and that can partially be pinned on PS! I had no knowledge or idea about OECs before I found PS and I grew to really love them (I do someday want to buy an OEC, but I swear I'm cursed with them). The other change that I think came about in me was my thoughts around diamond colour - I always considered myself someone who was completely indifferent to diamond colour but over time I've become more sensitive - I still would be okay going down to a "near-colourless" I (maybe J), and I actually really love the LOWWWW colours (like the U-Vs and W-Xs of the world; since they can face up a 'fancy' grade) but I dislike the cape colours in the middle (M-N-O).

 

[Bron357]

I had a list of jewellery desires from about age 16, having bought and paid for my first gold ring at age 8 (took a years worth of birthday, Christmas and chore money).
Slowly over the decades I ticked them all off one by one and in some cases “upgraded” pieces. I sold my assembled gold charm bracelet when I inherited my grandmothers one though I did transfer over the meaningful charms.
When I was younger and working I would plan both my clothes and jewellery every day. I always wore a brooch on my coats or at the top button of my blouse. I worked in finance so smart dressing was required.
Now I’m retired I don’t have as many opportunities to wear my jewelry so I make a point of changing over my RHR, my bracelet and necklace every week. I tend to wear different earrings every day so they all eventually get a turn.
I am slowly downsizing my vintage watch collection, at the peak I had over 70 - yep.

 

[LilAlex]

I used to only buy new things from a proper Jewelry Store (with capitals) and had to be reassured by an attractive SA that my taste was indeed exceptional and the item was indisputably very pretty . I would carefully weigh how well something aligned with my wife's taste and her other accessories. (Turns out her taste was and is eclectic and her early jewelry "wardrobe" was mostly contemporary and base-metal and influenced more by our post-education financial circumstances than anything else.) And, yes, she could take anything back that I bought her (maybe every couple years) but never did -- I'm not insane. Or at least not by that metric.

Now I just look for things that knock me out and ask her what she thinks. Any era recent or old, any gem or no gem at all, any metal, (almost) any price-point -- it just has to be beautiful. I have even seen really cool designs in costume jewelry and thought how nice it would be to do that the right way. I used to be afraid to trust my own taste whereas now I'm almost afraid not to.

I used to have a list of wants and now those boxes are still mostly unchecked and may never be checked. I'd sooner buy something "redundant" that really catches both our eyes than look for something that we "need" but are not super-excited about. I "owe" her some non-terrible diamond studs after a dreadful internet purchase decades ago. But she loves them and wears them and thinks upgrading would be dumb -- like getting rid of the serviceable dishwasher that still works just to get the stainless front.

Unfortunately, my jewelry style has gotten far more expensive over time!

This, for sure. It may not look it to the casual observer, though. No giant diamonds, which is the only surefire giveaway for most folks 'round here.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i wish it was now fun and exhuberatnt but im still working on it

i used to just wear smaller pieces and infrequent, my jobs have never been good for jewellery, i didnt fancy getting a ripped ear or being degloved when i worked in a timber yard (on the desk but i pulled my fair share of timber)
im still afraid of loosing the good stuff after loosing a couple of bracelets just walking home carrying a shopping bag

i have progressed from smaller (not minimal) pieces to learning to stack and layer
i now dont worry what is in fashion or what others might think

im learning to mix and match
i now want much bigger pearls
im wearing bigger necklaces

i still love brooches
i feel inspired my my grandma and her sisters

i have now 'progressed' to much bigger clasps and who cares what anyone thinks, at least i can do my necklaces up now

of course i want a great big shonking diamond and one day ill get one !

 

[DutchJackie]

I wore silver in my teens. Dainty pieces. Mostly earrings and pendant necklaces. But a persistent skin rash changed that. I was advised to change to gold. In my twenties I wore mostly dainty gold pieces. Earrings, pendant necklaces and bracelets and one ring on my middle finger. Again a persistent skin rash changed that. I was advised to start wearing titanium. It’s my late twenties now. I have a job and I bought a titanium capsule set of two pairs of earrings, two necklaces and a bracelet. All in the same style so they could be mixed and matched. Early thirties and babies. I stopped wearing jewelry completely. Only for occasions. DH gifted me pieces (in platinum and palladium white gold) for anniversaries and special occasions. But I rarely would wear them. Enter early fourties (present day). Babies days are in the past. I happily wear my DH’s gifts and love that he insisted on them back when I was not wearing anything. I have also collected a nice wardrobe in titanium for daily wear. I wear some jewelry almost everyday. I still have home days where I wear nothing. So every decade has been different.

 

[Roselina]

I moved from silver to white gold and from there to rose gold. Very few yellow gold pieces.
I also moved from only modern (bought first hand) to antique (buying second hand) and/or modern pieces (stones reset). I hardly ever buy first hand nowadays.
Finally I moved from wearing more pieces at once to wearing very few pieces. I feel overloaded quite fast. When I wear what I call a "stand alone" ring I go with small earrings and when I wear stand alone earrings or a bracelet I go with a simple band. I like it when one piece gets the full attention. I am - today - the less is more type.

 

[missy]

Yes, my jewelry style has changed but also stayed the same
I have come (sort of) full circle
I will explain

When I was young I didn't care much for jewelry and rarely wore any
But I loved my mom's black opal and my grandma's OEC ER

When I got engaged I knew nothing about jewelry
Started finding out what I loved and what I did not love
Changed ERS a few times
Found the OEC ER of my dreams

Started an earring collection of antique drops/dangles etc
I also have many necklaces. Too many to count

Fast forward to the present
I still love jewelry but rarely wear anything but my earrings and sometimes if I can fit my OEC ER on my finger
But generally I wear an Enso band due to my knuckles
And just wear earrings with it

I still adore my OEC ER and my Cartier Black Opal (that my parents gave to me a long time ago)
I appreciate and love bling now more than when I was young

But once again, I rarely wear jewelry
I do prefer being unadorned and free
Just like when I was young


The two pieces that started my (slow burn) obsession with beautiful jewelry

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I started buying my own jewelry at 18 and now I'm 38, two kids 8 & 3yo.

I used to love to have complete sets of matchy jewelry. Everything was white gold and platinum antique-ish in style. As time went on and I saw what I really gravitate towards and value, everything changed.

For bracelets, I really am hard on them. I got rid of all diamond bracelets and have replaced them with heavy sturdy silver, solid gold bangle, etc. All of my bracelets are Marla Aaron or other bracelets that I've modified so they can be worn with different locks, connected to each other, etc. I have a few necklace chains that are the same and I love that I can mix and match them whenever I want. This is the jewelry that satisfies my ADHD and desire to fiddle.

Other than that, I used to have a TON of earrings. Anything from lots of little studs to drops and studs and hoops, all of it! AND, I hardly ever change my earrings. I have daily staples that I leave in and ONE pair of James Meyer dangles which I'll occasionally switch to. These are on French hooks and I've already modified them a bit so I can remove the current leaf motif when I want and switch to a different dangle. I'm currently planning on some crazy multi-gem drops.

Rings I've paired down a ton on. I've owed, reset, and sold so many different bands I think I've tried everything at this point. I'm not good at eternities, I will break some stones. My fingers are small but short so I can't wear a ring wider than 5mm. I like to really have only a few. One that I love with my engagement ring, one with colored stones when I want to wear my colored stone RHR, and ONE day I'll have my perfect "stand alone band". I have ideas but I'm still planning.

One of the biggest thing I do enjoy now is custom jewelry. I enjoy the creating and setting process so much. Nearly everything that I really love is custom. Everything has a story behind it or a sentimental meaning. I no longer buy something just BC "it's pretty". It has to be more meaningful for me or I will bore of it and sell it.

I'm at the odd point of sentimental that I'll never get rid of my ER diamond BC the same cutter cut my stone and my husbands. And he's a lovely man who sent my son ancient mosaic floor fragments just BC I let him know my son is a total "rock kid". Meaningful has become everything as I've gotten older.

 

[LilAlex]

DH gifted me pieces (in platinum and palladium white gold) for anniversaries and special occasions. But I rarely would wear them...Babies days are in the past. I happily wear my DH’s gifts and love that he insisted on them back when I was not wearing anything.

Oh I gotta meet this guy!

 

[DutchJackie]

Oh I gotta meet this guy!

His dad is the same.

 

[LilAlex]

His dad is the same.

So was mine . A child of the Depression, he was the most frugal guy in the world but he bought some lovely things for my Mom. I always thought that she was the driver but in waning lucidity at the very end of her life she waved it all away and said "Oh, your father always liked looking at them."

 

[Tonks]

This is such a fascinating question!

Like you, @Pomelo , my jewelry style changed dramatically when we had children. We had twins, and while I was still in the hospital my husband gifted me a pair of studs. Until then I had never really worn studs—I was way more a hoops or dangles earring person. But he was brilliant to have thought of it, because before I knew it, there were two chubby sets of baby hands always grabbing at my ears. I’ve really only worn studs since (though my kids are teens now and WELL past the earring grabby stage). Having worn them for so long, I feel odd and not like me with dangles or hoops.

Metal color has changed. Growing up everything was yellow gold. Once I was buying my own pieces I moved emphatically to white metals, kind of as a backlash against all that 80s and 90s gold. I only started to dip my toe back into yellow and rose gold recently, and I am really enjoying that!

Watches changed significantly. For years and years I wore a tiny 26 mm ladies’ Rolex datejust. Now I’m very happily in 40 mm men’s watches. I like the look as well as how much easier they are to read!

Overall I’ve moved from quantity to quality. I would rather have fewer pieces that are better quality that I can wear daily. I’m trying top be honest with myself about how I wear things prior to purchase.

Oh, branded pieces. When I was younger I was convinced they were a waste of money. I have grown to love many branded pieces and to appreciate the design and the value that brings. There’s more to the value of a piece than the price of the raw materials.

Aesthetically, my very young self found classics boring. My current self loves classics and likes the idea of shapes and pieces that will stand the test of time. When we got engaged I did not want a round brilliant. And 20 years later I have a gorgeous round brilliant and couldn’t be more thrilled.

Hilariously, I used to not like bracelets. Now I wear a stack of them daily.

 

[Matata]

My style changed along with my earning power and while I appreciated sparkly things from a young age, it wasn't until I joined PS that I became a wretched heap of angst about angles, clarity, hue, saturation et al. Gold was my holy grail until platinum overtook it and now I wear mixed metals and don't give a hoot. My style changes with every piece I have made from simple lines and single stones to pieces crusted with gems, modern to vintage to antique and back to modern again. It also wasn't until I joined here that size mattered, then it didn't, then it did, then....

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

From a young age my goal was to own a huge diamond. And a Rolex. Was engaged with a 1.50 MRB. Then got a fairly sizable fancy shape for my 20th. Wore it for ten years and then I couldn't remember any of the reasons I wanted one. I sold it. I'll never own a large diamond in a ring or earrings ever again. Large colored stones.....that is is now where my passion lies. And I don't wear my latest Rolex, either.

The thing that hasn't changed--is my love for heavy gold bracelets and necklaces. I could give Mr T a run! And I STILL love Tiffany!!!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

As a child I liked anything rainbow. Plastic was fabulous. Plated metal and glass were fine - I still have a faux-pal pendant that IMHO is really pretty.

As a teenager I would find a necklace or ring that I loved and wear it with everything for a year or more. I spent a little more to get silver rather than base metal to avoid my skin turning green. I was still fine with simulants, although I was starting to understand that plastics dull and coatings wear off, so I started to prefer synthetic gems. Kids where I lived did not go around wearing much gold and genuine gemstones, so synthetic stones set in silver was high end.

Even now I consider silver to be a quality material for jewelry, perfectly fine for setting gemstones or wearing to work. And I am still fine with synthetic colored gems and don’t need natural colored gems.

In college I wore the same ring every day and switched up a few necklaces and bracelets. I liked complicated filigree and engraving but not flashy jewelry.

After getting a diamond engagement ring, I fell in love with rainbows all over again and decided that more rainbows were better, therefore bigger diamonds are better. I upgraded my e-ring from 1 to 2 carats, which got a lot of attention since I was young and spent no money on clothes or shoes or bags or hair or makeup. I also started wearing gold and platinum.

Turn out big diamonds are indeed pretty but I do not get much wear out of them. I went back to a smaller e-ring with higher color and clarity. Lab grown diamonds are awesome and now I can justify getting a few big ones to wear 3-4 times a year. I got a ring custom made with a 4.5 ct LGD and sure enough, I wear it every other month, if not less.

In my yuppy job days I did the one-of-everything look with one ring on each hand, one bracelet, one necklace, and one set of earrings. I started matching my jewelry to my outfits so I got more variety. I started collecting nicer pieces to go with the yuppy wardrobe. It was expected to spend money on jewelry as well as all those clothes, shoes, handbags and so forth. I got a few name brand pieces but I did limit those to things I like for other reasons. But since I never did develop a taste for large jewelry pieces, I went for less common things. Instead of a diamond solitaire pendant, a black opal. Instead of a diamond tennis bracelet, a line of pretty pastel sapphires. Instead of a diamond anniversary band, a color-change stone.

After changing jobs, I no longer have to spend money on a yuppy wardrobe. So after all that evolution plus a few years of post-yuppy collecting, I have ended up with a large variety of jewelry — mostly gold, silver, diamond, and synthetic colored gems — consisting of less common cuts of stones under a carat, in simple settings. Most people can’t tell by looking what it cost which is fine by me since I do not need to impress anyone.

My natural diamond collection is almost complete and my future collection starting in a few years will probably be re-sets and weird lab diamonds.

 

[dk168]

Whatever Shrinkage Syndrome applies, in that I like to have bigger and better pieces.

Be it pearls, diamonds and colour stones.

I kept putting on weight including my hands. For clothes I just buy bigger sizes or had clothes made bigger to fit me.

Rings I had made 20 years ago are now too small for my hands.

I do not believe I have changed much style wise, in that my list of "Don't Likes" has not changed much.

DK

 

[mrs-b]

The older I've become, the more I become obsessed with the double C's - clean and classic. I can never get those lines too pure.

I love soft and artistic, creative, and organic, organic, organic! I feel as I've aged that my brain has become increasingly tired with excessive detail, so I like things pretty - but stripped back. My 3 stone Beloved setting was meant to be a temp setting while I came up with something more...striking? fru fru? more detailed?...until I realized that it was *exactly* what I love - great lines, strong curves, soft but clean and hopefully will not date. I am still 100% utterly in love with her profile. But 30 years ago - would I have liked her? I don't know. Possibly not.

Balance, symmetry - those things relax my brain, so they're important to me. I want all those claws to be identical and to point at the exact same angle into the center of the middle stone, tyvm! And everything I do now is what I call a "destination piece" - in that I won't be remaking it, so it needs to be perfect. So workmanship is everything.

Size? Meh. I love pieces of all sizes, but given that my finger is a size 7, larger tends to look better, but anything can work if the design is right.

I still love Victorian jewelry, but no longer buy it. And I still like rose gold - but yellow gold has my heart, and I'll take that to the grave.

 

[ExplorePS]

@Pomelo - congrats on the new baby! sweet of you to think how your jewelry impacts him.

I'll say over the course of 15 years from my 20s to my late 30s, Pricescope was the biggest influence on jewelry style changes. I had no idea that antique stones even existed. Also there were rings you can wear and buy that wasn't engagement or wedding related?! As a child, I recall that none of my family members really wore their "fancy items" unless it was for a big event such as a party. So it was really eye-opening that it is ok to wear bling on a daily basis and as you mentioned, there are different situations that make more sense than others.

I've always preferred styles that aren't trendy that will stand the test of time so that hasn't changed. I have a few modern pieces and a few antique pieces but don't mind mixing and matching.

The metal preferences have changed overtime. Now I prefer gold on my skin tone but still interchange with my white gold/platinum pieces for variety.

On work days, I wear my pieces that have an eternity component (ring or tennis bracelet etc) as there isn't much wear and tear in an office setting. On the weekends, I switch over to the 5 stone ring.

Maybe this is a change in taste or maybe it's because I've satiated the adornment options for my fingers, but I'm surprised that I would enjoy earrings as much as I do now. I used to think that I prefer diamonds where I can "see them" as opposed to in a mirror. However, there is something fun that makes me feel glammed up that a ring or necklace just doesn't seem to hit for me.

 

[glitterata]

I don't think my style has changed much. I have a large collection of mostly (though far from exclusively) Victorian things I've collected over the decades--flea market finds, ebay bargains. For a long time I kept them tucked away to gloat over but didn't wear them much.

Lately I've started wearing more of my jewelry more often. I'm getting on in years, and how much longer will I have to wear it? Everybody already thinks I'm a giant weirdo; now they can think I'm a giant weirdo who wears a lot of crazy old jewelry. I hope it entertains them.

I'm not always draped in diamonds or campy Victoriana, though. I still often leave the remarkable stuff at home (or in the bank) and just wear one or two discreet little pieces, the way I used to do for years.

 

[mrs-b]

I don't think my style has changed much. I have a large collection of mostly (though far from exclusively) Victorian things I've collected over the decades--flea market finds, ebay bargains. For a long time I kept them tucked away to gloat over but didn't wear them much.

Lately I've started wearing more of my jewelry more often. I'm getting on in years, and how much longer will I have to wear it? Everybody already thinks I'm a giant weirdo; now they can think I'm a giant weirdo who wears a lot of crazy old jewelry. I hope it entertains them.

I'm not always draped in diamonds or campy Victoriana, though. I still often leave the remarkable stuff at home (or in the bank) and just wear one or two discreet little pieces, the way I used to do for years.

I love the way you think, @glitterata.

 

[stracci2000]

The older I get, the more I love big pieces. Big heavy rings and bracelets are currently my passion.

When I was younger, dainty pieces were my thing. But I'm an old lady and I can wear anything I want!

l still wear simple hoops and some pearl or diamond stud earrings, but I also add big bold rings and bracelets.
Gold or silver, antique or modern, I love it all. I like to layer two pearl strands together for more impact. Wide sterling cuff bracelets are my favorite.
When I wear yellow gold, I prefer wide or chunky rings and a statement necklace or larger pendant.

I'm not gonna live forever, so I'm not saving the showy stuff for a special occasion.
I'm enjoying it now!
(Disclaimer: I'm not as bad as Iris Apfel....)

 

[lulu_ma]

Pre-PS I was a relative minimalist-you all know the rest of the story...

 

[Calliecake]

@lulu_ma, I’m so glad you didn't stay a minimalist. You have brought others lots a of joy reading about your collection.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

you know thinking more about this i feel like ive gone full ciricle and have gone back to liking the things i liked as a little girl in the 70's, bigger is better, beads and also the them quite unfashonable very shinny rhindstone brooches of my great aunty that i used to play with and grandma's very mid century big bold 'gold' brooches

but in saying that i have never been a minimilist

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

I would love to be Iris Apfel! Too bad I track closer to Mimi on Drew Carey.

I never wore jewelry as long as I had horses, good way to lose a finger. Now in my 60s I pile it on my arthritic fingers and stretched earlobes. Anything tasteful should be attributed to Pricescope.