Let's talk branded pieces...Yssie, DS, and all other fans

[diamondseeker2006]

@LLJsmom Oh, I LOVE it!!!! So beautiful and how wonderful to find a good pre-loved one! The picture with it in the box looks like white gold (and you said it was wg), but then in the picture when you are wearing it, it looks rose gold!

 

[LLJsmom]

@LLJsmom Oh, I LOVE it!!!! So beautiful and how wonderful to find a good pre-loved one! The picture with it in the box looks like white gold (and you said it was wg), but then in the picture when you are wearing it, it looks rose gold!

Thank you @diamondseeker2006 I knew you would appreciate it. I know. It is the weirdest thing. But it is sparkly white gold. It totally looks like rose gold in the pic.
I am very happy with it. It is in absolutely excellent condition. Just got so lucky! I can tell right off the bat that I want to keep it. It’s nice to buy a no brainer.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I kind of have a dilemma. Alhambra is my favorite branded jewelry collection, but I am not sure I want all my jewelry to be the same. Sure, I'd like to have the complete collection! But not only would that be out of the question financially, but it would also be kind of repetitive. I saw a bracelet I liked today by a high end designer that is not one of the branded pieces we talk about here on this thread. I thought how pretty it was and it was in line with the cost of Alhambra. But one has to think that over time, Alhambra is going to win in terms of value. On the other hand, no one around me is going to recognize the brand of anything I wear. So beauty and enduring design almost always needs to be the deciding factor. I love collecting jewelry but try to be so careful what I buy. I think I am kind of at a standstill right now not knowing what to buy next, because I really need absolutely nothing!!! But it's my hobby, and I wish I had some clear direction of what to collect!

 

[yssie]

I kind of have a dilemma. Alhambra is my favorite branded jewelry collection, but I am not sure I want all my jewelry to be the same. Sure, I'd like to have the complete collection! But not only would that be out of the question financially, but it would also be kind of repetitive. I saw a bracelet I liked today by a high end designer that is not one of the branded pieces we talk about here on this thread. I thought how pretty it was and it was in line with the cost of Alhambra. But one has to think that over time, Alhambra is going to win in terms of value. On the other hand, no one around me is going to recognize the brand of anything I wear. So beauty and enduring design almost always needs to be the deciding factor. I love collecting jewelry but try to be so careful what I buy. I think I am kind of at a standstill right now not knowing what to buy next, because I really need absolutely nothing!!! But it's my hobby, and I wish I had some clear direction of what to collect!

I think this thread tends to be very VCA-centric, and there's definitely a sense of "all VCA is good" in some threads on other forums. I wholeheartedly agree that there is value to buying from a well-known and well-reputed brand, but I think the implications are different when discussing the most common houses' lower-end lines. Tiffany silver, many of Tiffany's guest lines; Cartier's Trinity and hardware collections - Love, Clou, Ecrou; VCA's Alhambra, Frivole, Perlee... lovely designs, unremarkable workmanship (by our standards), instant brand recognition. Take the workmanship aspect out of it - since that's not of especial appeal to us - that leaves the two reasons we PSers buy branded pieces:
1. We like the designs, and
2. We appreciate the fact that the brand is well-recognised.

So... I'll be more crass than I would normally dare to be

Ten years ago I wouldn't have had any clue what your Alhambra bracelet was. Now I do, and I appreciate it, and I appreciate the house that designed it, and I find myself surrounded by other people who also appreciate those things. Maybe if I'd gone a slightly different route I would have attached myself to Gurhan and Bucellati instead; I know there are people who have gone that route, I just don't know many of them (I do know @AGBF! ). But, if I'm being honest, I also appreciate the fact that not everyone knows what Alhambra is. I like that - unlike a "common" Return to Tiffany heart - fewer people will recognise those rope-edged clover motifs. There are luxury brands that I'm not intimately familiar with, and there are people who own pieces from those lines, and I'm confident some of them appreciate the fact that - unlike those "common" rope-edged clover motifs - fewer people will recognise their selections.

It's an interesting question. I feel like the correct response is to "buy the designs you like, provided they're well-made, regardless of who makes them" because unless we're talking about high jewellery - well, from the practical perspective of resale value, you'll always be able to find aspirational buyers. But I don't follow my own advice: I've been admiring Seven Fingers' work again recently - his bracelets are works of art (http://www.sevenfingers.com/bracelets.html) - but if I'm going to drop that sort of money on a bracelet it's going to be the Perlee. Because... I do genuinely love the design, and I do genuinely appreciate that the brand is far more well-recognised, and to me, in this instance, the sum of those two considerations is worth more than (A) alone - even if I like his designs just as much - or more.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@yssie Awesome response, thank you! I guess in a sense, even if my girls had no interest in my branded pieces later on, they could at least get a good price for them if they chose to sell (I'll have to leave detailed instructions for such a situation!). So I guess that is a point in favor of sticking with most recognizable, high end brands. You are very correct that we are looking at the low end merchandise of those brands. I can only admire the high jewelry as works of art!

I agree that is it helpful that people around me would have no idea of what I am wearing aside from diamonds. I know people who have a few Tiffany basic pieces, but I know no one locally with any VCA or Cartier, at least partly because we are far from a boutique (other than a little in NM in one city in my state). I certainly do spot pieces immediately if I see them when I am out.

Some of the popular lines you mentioned I do not think are beautiful. They are branded and recognizable (and definitely trendy for some), but I will not buy unless I think the item is beautiful. Even though Alhambra is a relatively simple line (and Perlee, Frivole, etc), I think it is elegant, beautiful, and very versatile. I'd say that about some of Tiffany lines such as DBTY, Victoria, Keys, and the recent Bow and Infinity pieces we discussed. I have to have pieces that can be worn casually.

There are some people here who have accumulated outstanding diamond jewelry collections. Part of me thinks that is an excellent idea...just a few major pieces. I am trying to just stop on the diamond pieces, because I really don't wear much other than e-rings and studs. (Still may consider a better tennis bracelet just because.) And I can't keep upgrading in my little area of the world.

Just FYI, it was a newer line from Buccellati that I was looking at. I have admired their work from an art standpoint before, but this was the first that tempted me to consider buying due to design, first of all, and the fact that it is close to Alhambra in pricing (high for what it is, but possible to collect unlike some of their higher end pieces). Your Carrera earrings would be a similar example. I loved those so much, but I knew I'd almost never have the chance to wear them! Seven Fingers is another that sells art jewelry, obviously (new to me). But I'd choose the Perlee clover bracelet, too. I just like clovers and beading, lol!

I just need to sell a couple of unset stones and maybe a couple of things I am not wearing and get focused on some pieces I really want that I would actually wear.

 

[yssie]

@diamondseeker2006 Well, you can't say all that and then not share what's caught your eye

In the context of keeping value - Buccellati is no second-tier designer! It's a world-renowned, prestigious brand - I really don't think there's much to worry about unless the particular piece you're interested in is very non-mainstream or non-conforming to brand aesthetic! I've only seen a small handful of Buccellati pieces IRL... the workmanship was superb and they're beautifully designed.

Having indulged more "wants" the past few months than I ought... I think I'm in a similar place: I really only reliably wear Ering and studs, and I want to end up with a collection of pieces that I couldn't curate further. I want to not be able to easily say "you, you, and you - you'll be first to go" to fund a new project. Right now I can't say that. I can say that I recognise that my bow bracelet - that I literally just acquired - would be near the top of that reduction list... and that is actually excellent motivation to quit finding reasons to buy pieces that aren't on the long-term wishlist!

I think what you said is key:
I will not buy unless I think the item is beautiful.
And I agree with you re. shying from matching too much. There was some discussion on the other forum about the Opera line being uncomfortably similar to Alhambra... I disgree, I think they're actually quite distinctive in detail and the similarity of outline and style - semiprecious stone held in gold - would make for a lovely mated pair on the wrist or neck

Please share what you're considering!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@yssie You guessed it! And I did see that discussion!!! I was hesitating to post it since I hadn't decided whether to buy the item or not! So no pics yet!

 

[LLJsmom]

@yssie and @diamondseeker2006 What you say is very true. There are some other lines out there that are just gorgeous. I love this line that uses 24k yellow gold, but from a practical stand point, 24k is too soft, and will stretch over time, and for that reason may not be durable enough for daily wear. They are considered a modern designer of 24k gold. I've attached them in the gold designer thread a long time ago. I find them heavy to wear, but the work is beautiful. Considered designer in Hong Kong and China, but not known worldwide. I have one casual piece from them, with multi-colored stones, which I wear sometimes.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Wow, that's gorgeous @LLJsmom! 24k is so rich looking! But I agree that I would be afraid to wear it almost!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

OKay, here's another good example of a conflict for me. Elizabeth Locke designs substantial high end 19k gold jewelry. Here's a pendant I love and the comparable Alhambra piece. The EL would actually be higher due to the pendant not including a chain, and her chains will be more than the pendant unless I could find a non-branded one. I feel over the long haul the VCA might be worth more, but I am not sure I want ALL my non-diamond jewelry to be Alhambra! Thoughts?

 

[Miki Moto]

OKay, here's another good example of a conflict for me. Elizabeth Locke designs substantial high end 19k gold jewelry. Here's a pendant I love and the comparable Alhambra piece. The EL would actually be higher due to the pendant not including a chain, and her chains will be more than the pendant unless I could find a non-branded one. I feel over the long haul the VCA might be worth more, but I am not sure I want ALL my non-diamond jewelry to be Alhambra! Thoughts?

I would stay with VCA. It can be your “look”. I think jewelry is part of fashion and everyone needs a look. Being loyal to a brand means you love those pieces and that style which is great! I have nine pieces of Mikimoto (strands, bracelets, earrings), and I’m not quite done yet.

The EL pendant looks more like a Bulgari coin pendant to me. I would stay with VCA, but if you like the look of that pendant, maybe check out Bulgari? I would choose Bulgari over EL.

Just my two cents. Hope that was helpful.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@Miki Moto Thank you! I actually would probably stick with VCA for onyx. The stones that VCA no longer offers that I love (turquoise and lapis), I may buy elsewhere. I actually ordered a pair of Elizabeth Locke 19k gold and turquoise earrings yesterday, since they don't make Alhambra in turquoise anymore. Plus there is a shortage of it, so I figured I should buy while I can. VCA second hand turquoise is sky high, higher than the new pieces in other stones. I am not a fan of Bulgari because much of their line is very modern. I am pretty much into classic pieces and some antique style. EL is kind of Etruscan-Greek-Roman and I like that for something different and kind of neo-classical but still relatively traditional. Her jewelry is all 19k gold which is very rich in color and contrasts with the stone colors. But I wouldn't collect much; maybe just one other piece to wear with the turquoise earrings if decide to keep them. I like Mikimoto, too! I'd love to see your pieces but I think you'd have to post in the Pearl part of the forum.

 

[Miki Moto]

@Miki Moto Thank you! I actually would probably stick with VCA for onyx. The stones that VCA no longer offers that I love (turquoise and lapis), I may buy elsewhere. I actually ordered a pair of Elizabeth Locke 19k gold and turquoise earrings yesterday, since they don't make Alhambra in turquoise anymore. Plus there is a shortage of it, so I figured I should buy while I can. VCA second hand turquoise is sky high, higher than the new pieces in other stones. I am not a fan of Bulgari because much of their line is very modern. I am pretty much into classic pieces and some antique style. EL is kind of Etruscan-Greek-Roman and I like that for something different and kind of neo-classical but still relatively traditional. Her jewelry is all 19k gold which is very rich in color and contrasts with the stone colors. But I wouldn't collect much; maybe just one other piece to wear with the turquoise earrings if decide to keep them. I like Mikimoto, too! I'd love to see your pieces but I think you'd have to post in the Pearl part of the forum.

Hi! Great decision to stay with VCA! I love turquoise too and gave up on VCA. So, I decided to go casual on turquoise and went with Tiffany which is another brand I love. Tiffany does silver and turquoise. They make the Elsa Peretti ring in turquoisewhich I love! It’s bold and simple but it may be too modern for you as you like more classical. Here is a photo. I love the blue as it is a robin egg blue with almost no matrix, only one tiny spot on my particular piece. This ring in turquoise is no longer available but if you are interested, I know of one that does exist. I briefly toyed with the idea of getting it as a second backup ring in case I bashed my current ring but then I realized it was a stupid thought!

My pearl pieces are boring as they are classics. I have four strands (9.5mm 38”, 8.5mm 34”, 7.5mm 52”, 9.5mm 18”). All except the 18” strand were custom orders as I wanted the long strands to hang at exact locations on me hence the goofy non-standard lengths. I have three bracelets. All three 8.5mm and matched pearls as I wanted to be able to wear them stacked together. And two earrings studs, 8.5mm and 9.5mm. All are akoyas as I love the glow of akoyas (not really a fan of the satin look of South Seas). I think I need to venture out more and look at different styles, but long strands are so classic to me and I wear them dressed up and with jeans.

Since you like YG and neo-classical, have you looked at Temple St. Clair? She is relatively new (1987ish?) compared to VCA, but I think you will like her pieces. Very romantic pieces to me and I like them a lot. Sadly though, I am a platinum / WG person and she only does YG. Perhaps one day she will do platinum or WG. Maybe browse her website.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@Miki Moto I LOVE long strands of pearls! The first akoya pearls I bought were 30", but I gave them to a daughter due to the fact that they weren't the quality I'd buy now. Now I just have a 17" strand and the bracelet that you can't see under the ring in my avatar picture. That's the central piece and there are three strands of small pearls coming out from that center piece. It's a beautiful piece of jewelry but very dressy, so it is rarely worn. I have a pair of Tiffany studs around 8mm or so. Your Tiffany turquoise pieces are beautiful! I love turquoise and wear the color a lot through the summer, so that's my motivation to add turquoise jewelry.

Yes, I like Temple St. Clair a lot. There are a couple of jewelers accessible to me who have her come for trunk shows as well as Elizabeth Locke. I am focused on specific stones, though, and I haven't seen what I want in her collection.

I am primarily a platinum person myself. All my fine jewelry has been in platinum or white gold over the last 15 years. I pretty much only have that pearl bracelet and earrings from years ago that I kept, and then I went with the VCA Alhambra vintage bracelet in yellow gold because white gold with pave is not a daily wear piece for me! So the pieces I collect in Alhambra will be yg to go with that bracelet. But all my diamond jewelry is set in platinum except maybe a couple of things in 18k white gold. To me platinum and diamonds are a neutral, so it works if I just want to wear earrings and a bracelet in yg. I won't be collecting a lot in yg, though, just because my preference is white metals.

 

[lissyflo]

To me platinum and diamonds are a neutral, so it works if I just want to wear earrings and a bracelet in yg.

I’m very glad you said this, ds! I’ve been debating a pendant in yellow gold but my daily wear rings and studs are platinum. I combed the mixed metal threads on here, but they all seemed to be focused on pictures mixing metals in a ring stack, not on having rings in one colour with, say, a pendant in a different colour metal. I (think) I’ve come to the conclusion that I could always add a stacking band in yellow gold to try and tie everything together if the difference bothered me. But it’s good to hear that others view platinum as a neutral mix too!

I love the Queen Bee pendant you posted too!

 

[Miki Moto]

@diamondseeker2006
Hi! If you love long strands also, I think pearls are great for the summer. They are the “white” to a fresh summer look.

I like to wear my diamond stud earrings and a long strand that swings with white jeans. It’s so summer chic to me. I keep thinking I will get the VCA MOP WG 20 motif, but everytime I am ready to do that, I find I like the look of a long pearl strand more. Which is why I have so many dang strands. Sigh. But I wear them all.

Just a thought... maybe check out some Mikimoto strands for the summer!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I’m very glad you said this, ds! I’ve been debating a pendant in yellow gold but my daily wear rings and studs are platinum. I combed the mixed metal threads on here, but they all seemed to be focused on pictures mixing metals in a ring stack, not on having rings in one colour with, say, a pendant in a different colour metal. I (think) I’ve come to the conclusion that I could always add a stacking band in yellow gold to try and tie everything together if the difference bothered me. But it’s good to hear that others view platinum as a neutral mix too!

I love the Queen Bee pendant you posted too!

Yellow gold was out of favor for several years, but I really had to go to yellow gold with the VCA because I felt the solid gold bracelet would be the most durable and allow me to wear any of the other pieces that had yellow gold and stones for pendants or earrings. I had no choice since plain solid white gold doesn't exist. I've been wearing the bracelet with the rest platinum and diamonds, other than occasionally I will wear my Cartier Trinity hoops to help tie in the metals. A gold and stainless watch would be a good way to tie them in, too, but I have not felt strange just wearing the bracelet on my right wrist usually without a ring on that hand. Certainly, adding a yg stacking band would work, too!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@diamondseeker2006
Hi! If you love long strands also, I think pearls are great for the summer. They are the “white” to a fresh summer look.

I like to wear my diamond stud earrings and a long strand that swings with white jeans. It’s so summer chic to me. I keep thinking I will get the VCA MOP WG 20 motif, but everytime I am ready to do that, I find I like the look of a long pearl strand more. Which is why I have so many dang strands. Sigh. But I wear them all.

Just a thought... maybe check out some Mikimoto strands for the summer!

Yes!!!! I have absolutely thought that the 20 motif Alhambra would serve the same purpose as wearing a long strand of pearls! I do have a clover MOP pendant, but as far as a long strand goes, I do think I would enjoy the pearls. I don't know if I could do Miki Moto brand for a long strand, but that would be fabulous!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I saw three ladies (within three minutes) wearing what appeared to be VCA Alhambra single motif necklaces. Popular here in Cali! (I've never seen one local to me at home)

cheers--Sharon

 

[LLJsmom]

I just saw a single motif YG MOP vintage pendant. I was wearing my diamond pendant. Forget waiting.

 

[LLJsmom]

@Miki Moto Thanks for the reference to TPF. I was on there before PS so I’ve seen the crazy collections of the peeps there. Definitely TDF.

 

[LLJsmom]

@diamondseeker2006 did you end up getting anything new and scrumptious?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@diamondseeker2006 did you end up getting anything new and scrumptious?

I did! These are Elizabeth Locke 19k yellow gold earrings with turquoise with blue zircon accents. They have the same clip backs as VCA. The posts are not fixed, they fold down, and assuming I keep them, I'll have to have the posts fixed outward because it's a little hard to get them on as they are now. But they are gorgeous and the turquoise is Sleeping Beauty and high quality. Sorry my picture doesn't do them justice! They are large similar to Magic Alhambra size earrings.

 

[LLJsmom]

@diamondseeker2006 Ugh!! Fabulous! I LOVE the turquoise. I have also hoarded some sleeping beauty that I haven’t set yet! Sleeping beauty turquoise is stunning! Congratulations. That is a beautiful set. Will you post some ear shots? Are they heavy and are you used to them?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@diamondseeker2006 Ugh!! Fabulous! I LOVE the turquoise. I have also hoarded some sleeping beauty that I haven’t set yet! Sleeping beauty turquoise is stunning! Congratulations. That is a beautiful set. Will you post some ear shots? Are they heavy and are you used to them?

Thank you! I have been looking for turquoise and these are just the best I have seen! I was excited to find them and they were in mint condition! They are just a little heavy but that is in relation to normally wearing smaller earrings. The clip holds them in place, though. That is not something I'd want to wear daily. But these will obviously not be daily earrings...just for occasions when I am semi-dressed up and wearing turquoise! I'll try to get an ear pic maybe tomorrow. Lucky you to have bought some Sleeping Beauty!

 

[canuk-gal]

I did! These are Elizabeth Locke 19k yellow gold earrings with turquoise with blue zircon accents. They have the same clip backs as VCA. The posts are not fixed, they fold down, and assuming I keep them, I'll have to have the posts fixed outward because it's a little hard to get them on as they are now. But they are gorgeous and the turquoise is Sleeping Beauty and high quality. Sorry my picture doesn't do them justice! They are large similar to Magic Alhambra size earrings.

Gorgeous!! Congrats! I love Oakgem!!!!

 

[LLJsmom]

I just saw a single motif YG MOP vintage pendant. I was wearing my diamond pendant. Forget waiting.

As I was walking away from brunch I saw a woman wearing a carnelian single motif vintage pendant. Weird!! I seldom ever see them and today two within an hour. If you add mine, that is three is the same restaurant.

 

[CareBear]

As I was walking away from brunch I saw a woman wearing a carnelian single motif vintage pendant. Weird!! I seldom ever see them and today two within an hour. If you add mine, that is three is the same restaurant.

I went to an awkward group lunch once where the girl that sat next to me, whom I met for the first time, wore the same carnelian single motif pendant as me. Neither of us made a comment about it.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Just heard news about the 50th anniversary pieces. Gray MOP will be included and a new stone, rock crystal is being introduced. .

Thank you! I had heard about them, but no details. I can see gray MOP, but I am not too excited about the idea of "rock crystal". I was hoping more for bringing back limited edition turquoise or lapis.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have a question for you ladies. I discovered today that the finish on my new Elizabeth Locke earrings works with my VCA yg alhambra bracelet since the clovers have textured centers. Yay! I don't want to mix too many different styles, but I also don't want to have every piece I am wearing to be from the exact same line. So I am trying to determine what kind of yg pendant would be best to combine with these two things. Any ideas?