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

Boom said:
Phoenix, we do have several pieces in common.
I will not be getting the single Magic sized pave earrings since I have the three motif pave one.
I find the Alhambra (vintage and Magic) too flat on my ears. The 3 motif has much more movement which I love.
For casual wear, the flowerlace are my go to earrings.
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@Boom, thank you. Your earrings (and all your VCA) are soooo amazing!!:love::love::love:

My studs are my go-to. I tried on the 3-motif pave earrings and found them very heavy on my ears but OMG, they're soooo blingy! I love!!

And the Flowerlace are on my wish-list too...much further down the road.
 
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LLJsmom said:
Hi @AV_ Do you mean it works with the casual clothes?
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YES! Absolutely.

I keep seeing Alhambra pieces on the streets too, worn super casually in this dress-down town, & they a l w a y s work like nothing else.
 
This thread moves so so fast! I can barely keep up.

@Boom your collection is amazing. I know what you mean about chain bracelets. I bought my first two the single frivole and vintage onyx. Love them both but I haven’t worn either for a week just because I find them so so fussy! The on and off and on again don’t get them wet , don’t scratch them yadda yadda. I was going to ask you too @LLJsmom how yours is doing and if you find chain bracelets in general fussy. Doesn’t mean that I don’t love the look. I do but I didn’t realize how much more of a bangle lover I am until recently with my latest purchases.

Boom do you wear your bangles daily? Also do you wear them on both wrists at the same time? So a set of bangles on each? Do you ever stack your Alhambra with the bangles? Ay damage?
 
@hathalove and @Boom and @Phoenix
This pro / con of bangle v. Chain bracelet is such an interesting and practical question for me. Thank you for discussing it.
I have been wearing my sweets everyday because I love them. Taking them off to shower has been an exercise in discipline for me. I will keep wearing them despite the annoyance of clasping and unclasping. But that issue can only be mitigated if I have a full gold and/or diamond piece where I don’t have to take it off at all.
I truly love the look of a bangle but I haven’t found one that is really comfortable because of my abnormally bony wrists. I wonder if it is a matter of finding the perfect fitting bangle. I do need one I can take off easily every day. The sharp edges of the Cartier pieces will ultimately irritate the nerves on my right arm, and cause tingling and numbness in my thumb. If I remember correctly the smallest size of the perlee signature bangle fit me perfectly and didn’t irritate my wrist, but I dont know how it will feel on all day long.
Are you bangle wearers picky about the size and shape of your bangles? Do you find it makes a difference?
@Boom. Do you find that your WG signature bangle is comfortable to wear for a long time? Does it scratch easily? That is another concern of mine. How often do you wear it? Are you glad you bought it?
@hathalove are you going to keep your onyx Alhambra? I would wear my chalcedony everyday but I am going to get it shortened first.
 
AV_ said:
YES! Absolutely.

I keep seeing Alhambra pieces on the streets too, worn super casually in this dress-down town, & they a l w a y s work like nothing else.
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Oh wow. What city? I never see them, only on my SAs. I want to get to the point of rocking daily with a t-shirt. ;)
 
LLJsmom said:
In the pic with three, I chose the middle one. I checked with a couple people and they all chose the middle one as the brightest. It looks a little fluorescent to me. Are you wearing your butterfly all the time? It’s such as easy casual piece.
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Yes, I wear my butterfly regularly! I'm dressed super casual all the time and I alternate between the butterfly and my carnelian. The only thing that bothers me is that, unlike the vintage single motif, the butterfly is not stationary so the clasp sometimes ends up in front, next to the butterfly.
Does your pendant color match your bracelet?
 
@hathalove Its such a shame the chain bracelets are darn hard to put on and take off. I haven’t even worn my LE lapis bracelet once! Always find myself reaching for the bangles.

I don’t wear the bangles daily, but when I do, I like to wear the WG Perlee clover and RG Signature on my right wrist as they are the larger size puchased before I lost a bunch of weight. On the left I wear my new ones, RG Perlee Clover and Hermes CDC bracelet in RG.
The beads on edge of the Perlee bangles and the motifs seem to protect the shiny surface of the bangles well so I don’t really see any damage. I am not the type to loupe my jewelry though so there’s probably minor scratches I can’t see.
I am more worried about the Hermes bangle as it is smooth throughout. But it is the best fitting amongst the bangles so it doesn’t move too much and still looks pretty new.
I’ve tried wearing the bangles with the Alhambra bracelet but didn’t like the look and I was worried about damage to the stones as the bracelet slid under the bangles so I tried it only once.

@LLJsmmom I find all the bangles easy to wear. The larger ones move a bit too much now but I’m not about to give them up. Even the smaller RG clover moves freely but I do like them loose. However I do worry about scratching them when I lay my arms on tables so I don’t wear them all the time. I think if the bangle fits just right, you will worry less about damage. My Hermes bangle fits perfectly and stays in place so I tend to wear it more often casually.
I am glad I bought the RG Signature bangle. It doesn’t scratch easily and can be worn more casually compared to the Perlee Clover.
I think my only VCA regret might be the Frivole earrings and pendant in YG.
Otherwise every piece makes me happy even just looking at it.
 
LLJsmom said:
Oh wow. What city? I never see them, only on my SAs. I want to get to the point of rocking daily with a t-shirt.
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Granada. Spain.

I still feel foreign enough to pay attention to what locals do, and many locals would walk through the morning shopping (grocers open till 14:00, the good stuff gone by 11 o_O), pick laundry, dust front doors =)2, jog, walk dogs at midnight, etc. with a casual Alhambra ring, pendant... necklace! - while a dam' foreigner (me) stares incredulously. Outfits fit the ocasion, not the jewelry.

Serious jewelry seems to belong naturally among down to earth life. Fine by me, of course, & still surprising.

In any case, seeing Alhambras in the wild makes it clear why they are so appreciated: it is the one and only design of value that is not self-efacing at all, yet can be casual. Such a fine line!

Thinking out loud...
 
AV_ said:
Granada. Spain.

I still feel foreign enough to pay attention to what locals do, and many locals would walk through the morning shopping (grocers open till 14:00, the good stuff gone by 11 o_O), pick laundry, dust front doors =)2, jog, walk dogs at midnight, etc. with a casual Alhambra ring, pendant... necklace! - while a dam' foreigner (me) stares incredulously. Outfits fit the ocasion, not the jewelry.

Serious jewelry seems to belong naturally among down to earth life. Fine by me, of course, & still surprising.

In any case, seeing Alhambras in the wild makes it clear why they are so appreciated: it is the one and only design of value that is not self-efacing at all, yet can be casual. Such a fine line!

Thinking out loud...
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Makes perfect sense wearing Alhambra in Granada! ;)2 Folks must be so proud!
 
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@CareBear True enough! The place is as magic as they say...
 
@Boom I either forgot or didn't know that you have the LE lapis bracelet!!! Did you have to go to Paris to get it? Gosh, that is a gorgeous piece! Show us a picture! (I know you've posted pictures of some of your pieces somewhere in this thread, but finding it might be hard since we are at 49 pages!!!!)
 
@Boom So I'm not the only one who feels that way about the thin chain bracelets. I suspect my manual dexterity improved this summer.
 
@LLJsmom, @hathalove, I wear my bangles (the VCA Lotus Clover and Cartier pave WG+ceramic Love) daily - well, 99% of the time. I don't tend to wear them both at the same time, usually just one on my right arm. Have never worn the VCA more than say 6-7 hours at a time but I wore the Cartier Love on a overnight flight between SG and London which was 13-14 hours each way and that was fine. I also wore my 2 non-pave Cartier Loves when I was on holiday last year for 2 weeks non-stop and that was fine too (except only for the fact that generally I don't like to wear any jewellery 24/7 for long stretches of time).

The fiddliness (is that even a word? lol) of chain bracelets is one of the reasons why I hardly wear my VCA Sweet pave bracelet. I always have to have someone help me put it on and take it off - which I'd rather not have to do.

It's another reason why my next VCA bracelet purchase will be a WG Perlee Clover instead of the long-lusted-after Alhambra pave in vintage size...well, that and the fact that the diamond motifs keep flipping over which drives me a little mad, lol.

Oh, @LLJsmom, VCA Perlee Clover is more like a rectangular shape with round corners whereas Cartier Love is a more true oval. I used to prefer the shape of the VCA as it fits my also skinny flat wrists better, but nowadays I don't even think about the shape of my Cartier Love which gets worn the most. The edges of the pave Love are a bit softer, less sharp than the non-pave, but the edges of the Perlee with its round beads are definitely more comfy. The VCA Perlee Signature is shaped slightly differently from the Clover, IIRC, but it's still more round rectangular than oval and should also be more comfy.
 
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@Boom, you mentioned that you find the Alhambra earrings too flat on your ears. I remember you mentioning elsewhere that you didn't like the Cosmos either.

For my next VCA purchase (which is next after my Rolex purchase), I'd really like another pair of VCA earrings. Was so sure that they'd be a pair of Alhambra in the magic size. But what you said yesterday is now giving me second thoughts. I did like the Cosmos very much when I went to try them on before, and am now thinking I might get these instead of the Alhambra. What was it that you didn't like about the Cosmos?
 
I mentioned upthread that I'm planning on a bracelet for my upcoming 15-year wedding anniversary. My top considerations were the Cartier Love, VCA 6-motif Sweet Alhambra, or a tennis bracelet, so while visiting NYC last weekend, I stopped by Van Cleef, Cartier, Tiffany, and IDJ.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to try on the options. My favorite by far turned out to be the VCA Vintage Alhambra 5-motif in rose gold. I'm 99% sure that this will be my final choice. I can't help but ponder all the other options (like a MOP Vintage Alhambra pendant with mini Frivole earrings), but I definitely want an everyday rose gold bracelet to wear with my 10-year anniversary set (Maytal Hannah setting with AVR diamond and Tiffany Olive Leaf band).
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The quick pictures I snapped do not show the bracelet to its advantage. It's beautiful, well-proportioned and very much my style. (They'd remove two links per motif for proper fit.)

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I thought the Vintage size would look too big and the Sweet would be perfect, but the latter turned out to look too small on me.
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I like the look of the Love on others, but it's not quite right for my style. In person I preferred the thin version, but it doesn't look like much in the picture.
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I ruled out the tennis bracelet idea because the 2 ct version looked too small and the 4 ct version (pictured) felt too blingy for my daily life in a small town. Plus, I plan to buy a watch to wear on my left wrist in the next couple of years and I'm not sure if I'd want to layer.
IMG_20181015_114202.jpg
If I end up buying a bracelet for the left wrist in the future, I decided that I'd prefer something like the pave Tiffany Olive Leaf bracelet. I also tried on the white gold Olive Leaf pave studs and they are on my one-day list, along with the VCA mini Frivole earrings.
IMG_20181015_125910 (1).jpg
This picture above shows all the jewelry that I wear 24/7: my Cartier diamond necklace, eternity wedding band, and anniversary rings. Then if I remember I add simple earrings, Tiffany pearls or hoops or Nordstrom CZ studs, and occasionally a small Tiffany pearl necklace or long Hermes Farandole necklace. Overall, pretty simple. I think the Vintage Alhambra bracelet will be a good everyday addition. I'd love to hear from anyone who has the bracelet (@LLJsmom?) or any ideas for other options I should consider.

Oh, and this is the one piece of jewelry I bought on my trip, a bit of Tiffany silver.
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Many thanks for reading this long and unexciting post! :)
 
Hi @DorotheaBrooke it is great that you tried on all your options. That is the best way to make a decision. See it. Wear it. Feel it IRL. I think your thought process with eliminating the tennis bracelet makes a lot of sense. I do the same thing when I am making a decision about a piece.
About the rose gold 5 motif vintage bracelet, it is definitely a beautiful and classic piece that can withstand daily wear. My mom is wearing my bracelet now and she never takes it off, not even when she sleeps. All gold = low/no maintenance. Before this bracelet, she never even wore bracelets. But she really likes it because it is understated, elegant, low maintenance but also is big enough that it has presence and neutral enough that it goes with everything. I sure am glad that she likes it because I have since discovered that I want color, something that will pop on me. VCA does color in a such a subtle and elegant way that even I can go beyond my usual black, white, gray and navy. You may even consider a piece with color...
 
LLJsmom said:
Ignore I bought this i would chosen the big version too. It’s such a glamorous, statement piece with tons of attitude. I love it. Considering it Sharon?
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I am. Its bold and I love that. I would like a diamond ring for my middle finger right hand also. The new Tiffany cut (True) is intriguing in a white diamond, but so is the yellow diamond + flower they offer (Enchant).

https://www.tiffany.ca/collections/...rackpdp=search&fromcid=649502&trackgridpos=16

cheers--Sharon
 
LLJsmom said:
Hi @DorotheaBrooke it is great that you tried on all your options. That is the best way to make a decision. See it. Wear it. Feel it IRL. I think your thought process with eliminating the tennis bracelet makes a lot of sense. I do the same thing when I am making a decision about a piece.
About the rose gold 5 motif vintage bracelet, it is definitely a beautiful and classic piece that can withstand daily wear. My mom is wearing my bracelet now and she never takes it off, not even when she sleeps. All gold = low/no maintenance. Before this bracelet, she never even wore bracelets. But she really likes it because it is understated, elegant, low maintenance but also is big enough that it has presence and neutral enough that it goes with everything. I sure am glad that she likes it because I have since discovered that I want color, something that will pop on me. VCA does color in a such a subtle and elegant way that even I can go beyond my usual black, white, gray and navy. You may even consider a piece with color...
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for the feedback! I expect/hope that I would enjoy the bracelet for the same reasons as your mom. I'm not opposed to color and I love the MOP and your chalcedony. My concern is that they would be too high maintenance for me. Anything I wear on my wrist is bound to get a bit wet on a regular basis.

canuk-gal said:
I am. The new Tiffany cut (True) is intriguing in a white diamond, but so is the yellow diamond + flower they offer (Enchant).

https://www.tiffany.ca/collections/...rackpdp=search&fromcid=649502&trackgridpos=16

cheers--Sharon
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This ring is beautiful, like a bright sun!
 
@LLJsmom and anyone else who might be interested, I've just been told by my SA/ Manager at my local VCA boutique that he'll invite me to come look at the agate when it arrives. Will report back!:twirl:
 
Phoenix said:
@LLJsmom and anyone else who might be interested, I've just been told by my SA/ Manager at my local VCA boutique that he'll invite me to come look at the agate when it arrives. Will report back!:twirl:
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Yay!! Awesome!! Can’t wait!
 
Had a chance to visit VCA in NYC. It is just the loveliest boutique. I met a wonderful SA and I am certain that if I order the vintage pave earrings I will do it through her. It’s so convenient for her to get it adjusted to be looser and change the post to platinum since the workshop is in NYC. I had it on for at least 15 minutes and forgot it was on. Thank you ladies for putting this on my radar. I think that will be my next piece.
I also had a chance to try on the WG Signature bangle in the XS and it fit me perfectly. I actually just loved it so much. I put it on both wrists, even my bad one. And I was so comfortable with it on that I almost wore it out of the store. I pulled my sleeves over it. I forgot it was on until I rubbed my sleeves. Having the right size makes all the difference. And I love the rounded off rectangular shape, more than the oval of the Cartier love.
B31CD119-FB24-44E8-A2D2-BE5483A3D373.jpeg 38757251-76AE-4141-AF2D-AA323B102415.jpeg D329D3DF-13F0-4BBC-9DD4-3FE6992FAAE2.jpeg
I love this bangle so much.
 
LLJsmom said:
Had a chance to visit VCA in NYC. It is just the loveliest boutique. I met a wonderful SA and I am certain that if I order the vintage pave earrings I will do it through her. It’s so convenient for her to get it adjusted to be looser and change the post to platinum since the workshop is in NYC. I had it on for at least 15 minutes and forgot it was on. Thank you ladies for putting this on my radar. I think that will be my next piece.
I also had a chance to try on the WG Signature bangle in the XS and it fit me perfectly. I actually just loved it so much. I put it on both wrists, even my bad one. And I was so comfortable with it on that I almost wore it out of the store. I pulled my sleeves over it. I forgot it was on until I rubbed my sleeves. Having the right size makes all the difference. And I love the rounded off rectangular shape, more than the oval of the Cartier love.
B31CD119-FB24-44E8-A2D2-BE5483A3D373.jpeg 38757251-76AE-4141-AF2D-AA323B102415.jpeg D329D3DF-13F0-4BBC-9DD4-3FE6992FAAE2.jpeg
I love this bangle so much.
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I can understand why. It is gorgeous and looks very well on you!
 
And I tried on the spectacular single row pave bangle. I really like this piece. Very me. You know how you put on a piece of jewelry and it just speaks to you. Out of my price range for now but it’s spectacular. It’s definitely more me than the perlee clover.
F7BFC191-9FDE-495F-8D48-BADBA49368FF.jpeg 570E853F-A35B-494B-B2BB-A1EAA648F757.jpeg CFDDD51F-4FB3-4DCD-A2E2-F90ADF373855.jpeg C83819F5-4F1B-4098-A7D6-152F0EA4DDC9.jpeg
 
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