How do you define a "signature piece"

[Peepa]

Is it something that someone wears often?
A piece that only that person has within circle of friends?
Something expensive?

 

[Indylady]

Hmnn..

something unqiue, that one most probably wears often. Sometimes, it can be the same thing worn over and over, or it can be the same type or style of thing that is used often.

 

[Jennifer W]

I think it's something that you associate in your mind with the wearer, possibly for a combination of all the reasons you suggest. I don't think it's necessarily what the wearer would identify as their 'signature' piece, either.

What one person notices and admires and associates with another person, the next person may overlook completely - I suspect a signature piece is in the eye of the beholder, as much as anything else.

 

[Andelain]

I tend to think of it as something unique or uncommon, possible designed by or for the wearer. Several PS'ers have described my yellow gold ring and the pendant shown in my sig line as signature pieces. I agree there, because if you see them you know you're looking at me.

 

[Peepa]

For some reason when I think of a signature piece, I think of Lisa Simpson's pearls.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

For certain, not something expensive, but rather a piece that a person always wears, you expect them to be wearing it (and wonder where that item is when they aren't wearing it! - like my friend ALWAYS wears a diamond pendant - and the first time in five years I saw her w/out it!), and is part of who they are.

Generally, I think of a signature piece as a non-classic, but among those I know, we all have generally classic diamond pieces so a "signature piece" may simply be a certain bezel pendant a friend of mine wears on a long chain.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

To me, it's an item I associate with a person--not a wedding ring or engagement ring...but something else unique to them. Items that you don't see other people wearing. They don't have to be expensive. My BFF wears an antique claddagh necklace. She picked it up years ago during one of her many trips to Ireland. While the claddagh is pretty well known, this has little characteristics that make it a unique piece. I know someone else who took two .25 diamond ear studs and had a bow ring made. She always wears that. I consider that her signature piece.

For me it's my ring in my avatar and my swan necklace.

 

[TravelingGal]

For certain, not something expensive, but rather a piece that a person always wears, you expect them to be wearing it (and wonder where that item is when they aren't wearing it! - like my friend ALWAYS wears a diamond pendant - and the first time in five years I saw her w/out it!), and is part of who they are.

Generally, I think of a signature piece as a non-classic, but among those I know, we all have generally classic diamond pieces so a "signature piece" may simply be a certain bezel pendant a friend of mine wears on a long chain.

I agree...I think of a signature piece as non classic, because it has to stand out a bit and be unique to be a signature. My friend always wears a VCA alhambra pendant, but I don't think it's signature because so many people have it.

 

[Haven]

I think of signature pieces as those things someone would wear if they were dressing up as you for Halloween.

 

[somethingshiny]

Something that a person often wears and that is unique to them.

My best friend wears a series of green and gold beaded bracelets. I've never seen anything like them and they are perfect for her.

My signature piece was a large cocktail type ring worn on my right hand. I had several different pieces but it was rare that I was without a giganto blingy RHR. I don't wear them very often now, but unusual earrings are becoming my thing. I have the cutest pair of silver/blue/green owls that are like 1.5" long.


To me, a classic doesn't work as a signature piece. It just looks like you don't take it off because it goes with everything.

 

[sphenequeen]

Think Barbara Bush's LARGE South Sea pearls.

 

[Circe]

I think of signature pieces as those things someone would wear if they were dressing up as you for Halloween.

Hah! But this has a certain degree of subjectivity to it, too: a non-jewelry person who was trying to put on the Circe would just throw on big bling, and a purist would make sure to get, say, bezeled everything.

For me, a signature piece is simply something that I associate very, very strongly with a person. With my best friend, it's her clunky three-strand vintage rhinestone bracelet, and this despite the fact that she wears other pieces regularly: something about it just seems really her. With another friend, it's the golden Ganesha figure that she wears at the hollow of her throat. And for a third friend, who frequently refers to one piece or another as her signature, there simply isn't one ... I think that although she likes the idea of being the kind of girl who has a signature piece, at the end of the day, she's fashion conscious and likes to match her jewelry to her outfits too much to be wedded to one potentially clashy look.

For me? I dunno. In my twenties, my rough diamond rings were what I thought of as my signatures, and I know from comments that other people had a tough time imagining me without them. I stopped wearing them when I got engaged, so as to not damage the stones, and it was jarring! Now, I'm guessing it would be my pendant, but I haven't heard any commentary ... I'll have to check!