Mrs-B's whole curated collection...(more or less...)

[Dancing Fire]

WoW!!, beautiful collection Mrs. B ...

 

[Gussie]

Wonderful collection! Perfectly curated!

 

[pearaffair]

You what is a big difference between my collection and yours? Yours is COMPLETELY intentional. Mine has a lot of, “omg check out this epic deal and it’s pretty!!!”

Very eye-opening to realize this. The intention behind every piece, the purposefulness and cohesion is very apparent. Love it!

 

[CSpan]

What a wonderful thread. Thank you so much for taking the time amd taking is along. It's like visiting the most lovely jewelery box ever.

 

[pearaffair]

What a wonderful thread. Thank you so much for taking the time amd taking is along. It's like visiting the most lovely jewelery box ever.

That’s totally how it feels to me too.

 

[diamondhoarder]

@diamondhoarder - firstly, can I just say - I LOVE your sapphire 3 stone!! Is there a thread on it anywhere? I'd love to read more about it! As for my bangles - they're not nearly as fitted as they look. The extra space is hanging underneath my wrist in the photo, and they also look way more fitted in the photo because there's 5 of them. If you saw me wearing just one, you'd see they each have a bunch of space, but it's the same as when you wear multiple rings and they get tighter on your finger; wearing 5 bangles fits way tighter than just the one. If, however, you really did want them fitted, have you thought of having them made with an opening hinge? They can be made almost invisibly, so that would perhaps work. Worth talking to a jeweler about it, at least. Oval shape also sits more fitted; are yours round or oval? Just a second suggestion.

@mrs-b Thank you! I do love the sapphire ring so much, and was incredibly pleased when it made JOTW Here is the thread:

#JOTW - Finally - my ultimate "ticks all the boxes" sapphire & diamond 3 stone ring

I had been looking out for my perfect blue sapphire to make a three stone right hand ring for years. There were so many criteria on my wish list for this sapphire, which is probably why it has taken so long to find "the one". :lol: It had to be the perfect shade of blue with just a hint of...

www.pricescope.com

I know what you are saying about oval bangles, I actually ended up buying a couple to stack and I have found them easier to wear than my round slip-on bangles. Especially if using a keyboard or writing. Do you notice that with yours?

I was thinking about converting the round ones but I think the cost would be an issue especially as one has prong set diamonds all the way around and another has a pattern. At the moment I use the oval ones for everyday wear and the round ones for dressier occasions (not that there are any these days post COVID). Its another one of those things that with hindsight I would have approached differently and ended up with a more pared-down collection where everything gets used more. If I could do it again I would have all the bangles as hinged oval, all identical inner diameters so that they could all easlily be stacked or worn separately. First world problems.........

 

[mrs-b]

11mm golden South Sea pearls hanging from bezel-set diamonds - 2 x .97 stones, one BGD Signature and one JA True Hearts.

^^ if I read correctly, these were made by DK?

Love all the pics and details on everything. But I’m also verrrrry curious what these three or four planned rings might be? You mentioned possibly adding to the collection one day? Ooo la la!

You’re inspiring me to add info to my own thread one day, based upon how I like to wear things together.

And yes, absolutely I would love ear pics of your white pearl studs, but only when you get a moment

Hi @pearaffair!

The diamond studs were made by BGD, but DKJ made the pearl drops. They're detachable, so I can still just wear the diamond studs, but I tend to always wear them together, as I just love the look of them! The studs are beautiful, tho, and they have a lovely floral motif on the back. They're 10 x 10mm, and nice and chunky. They give out a great business vibe when worn alone; substantial, without being flashy. And they're BEAUTIFUL diamonds.

My next, and last, few rings will depend on which direction I decide to go. I'd like to remake my Gloria Floria with a slightly larger center, and I also want to remake my gypsy ring with a larger (sapphire) center. I'm planning to reset my 3 stone into a cluster (that's gonna be a BIG ring - 5.7ctw and 17.5mm in diameter), and I want to set my big purple-grey spinel into a three stone. That's my guess for everything at this point, but we'll see how it plays out.

And do add to your thread! The evolution of people's taste here on PS is one of the joys of this site!

 

[elizat]

I really enjoyed this thread and the continuation of it. It's good food for thought and obviously, beautiful pieces.

In the past two years, I have culled down a lot of what I have and am contemplating further culling down. I was thinking about buying a brooch-necklace piece that is substantial- we are talking 11 carats not including the center- but then I looked at all my necklaces. I wear exactly one of them, which is comprised of three Marla Aaron locks. That's it. So, does the super pretty Victorian mega carat piece appeal to me? Absolutely. Will I ever wear it? Doubtful. Do I still want it? Kind of. But it likely has no place.

I am in my late 30's. I wonder what I have will look like in 10, 20, etc. years.

 

[mrs-b]

@EllenS1 - your collection in spires me, too! You're adding some delightful pieces in a careful, thoughtful way, and I love where you're heading with it all! And thank you for your kind words.

Thank you so much, @ac117! I think your new ring is UTTER bling goals! I've always said, if I could go back and do it all again, I'd have a ruby with diamond cluster as my e-ring. Sadly, that ship has sailed, but when I see rings like your gorgeous new ruby, it does start the cogs turning again! And you know what they say...never say never!

Hi @diamondhoarder - and good morning! So - confession re my bangles - I mostly take them off when I'm working on my computer. This is a baaaaaad thing, as, knowing me, it means it's only a matter of time till I leave them behind and lose them. Having the profile flattened has helped a lot, but I still find that it's easier to take them off and leave them on the desk when I work, so they don't bang. I also actually prefer a little space in my bangles, as I like them to sit across the back of my hand (just below the wrist) at the same height as a sleeve cuff would sit. I do wear them all the time; in fact - just thinking about it - they would be the pieces of jewelry I wear the most of everything I own. I really do love them, and I wear them in the same way some women wear make up - ie I never leave the house without at least one of them!

I am now going to ogle your sapphire ring thread!

 

[Wrkbrk]

I'm still hoping to get 3 or 4 more rings over the next couple of years but, for now, this is it, folks!

Thanks for letting me share.

Absolutely gorgeous. I am in love with the heart necklace for your dog. How long is it? Do you have a photo of it on? What a wonderful memorial piece. PS What kind of dog was he?

 

[ccuheartnurse]

Outstanding collection. So enjoyed reading about your treasures.

 

[EllenS1]

@EllenS1 - your collection in spires me, too! You're adding some delightful pieces in a careful, thoughtful way, and I love where you're heading with it all! And thank you for your kind words.

Thank you so much, @ac117! I think your new ring is UTTER bling goals! I've always said, if I could go back and do it all again, I'd have a ruby with diamond cluster as my e-ring. Sadly, that ship has sailed, but when I see rings like your gorgeous new ruby, it does start the cogs turning again! And you know what they say...never say never!

Hi @diamondhoarder - and good morning! So - confession re my bangles - I mostly take them off when I'm working on my computer. This is a baaaaaad thing, as, knowing me, it means it's only a matter of time till I leave them behind and lose them. Having the profile flattened has helped a lot, but I still find that it's easier to take them off and leave them on the desk when I work, so they don't bang. I also actually prefer a little space in my bangles, as I like them to sit across the back of my hand (just below the wrist) at the same height as a sleeve cuff would sit. I do wear them all the time; in fact - just thinking about it - they would be the pieces of jewelry I wear the most of everything I own. I really do love them, and I wear them in the same way some women wear make up - ie I never leave the house without at least one of them!

I am now going to ogle your sapphire ring thread!

That made me smile mrs-b, thank you too!

 

[pearaffair]

Hi @pearaffair!

The diamond studs were made by BGD, but DKJ made the pearl drops. They're detachable, so I can still just wear the diamond studs, but I tend to always wear them together, as I just love the look of them! The studs are beautiful, tho, and they have a lovely floral motif on the back. They're 10 x 10mm, and nice and chunky. They give out a great business vibe when worn alone; substantial, without being flashy. And they're BEAUTIFUL diamonds.

My next, and last, few rings will depend on which direction I decide to go. I'd like to remake my Gloria Floria with a slightly larger center, and I also want to remake my gypsy ring with a larger (sapphire) center. I'm planning to reset my 3 stone into a cluster (that's gonna be a BIG ring - 5.7ctw and 17.5mm in diameter), and I want to set my big purple-grey spinel into a three stone. That's my guess for everything at this point, but we'll see how it plays out.

And do add to your thread! The evolution of people's taste here on PS is one of the joys of this site!

Those gold BGD earrings... I LOVE. Love love love. Even more now that I know the pearls can be added for extra goodness or not added if the situation doesn’t call for Extra! When you get bored I would love to see a pic of the floral motif on the back, and also, can you tell me- if I snoop around will I find a pic of your spinel? The spinel ring you sold was gorgeous, so I can’t wait to see the 2.0 version! And I think I remember Gloria Floria so I’ll go snoop for that as well.

Pretty much I’m in a mood for buying earrings one day, so any ear shots you want to post would be most welcome

Haha I’m so greedy, eh? But grateful for all the eye candy you’ve already provided us!

 

[RunningwithScissors]

I'm late to the party, but I want to say what a delight it is to see your collection. I too believe it is important to have a curated wardrobe of special pieces that reflect your style and aesthetic. Getting there is a long journey of adding and subtracting as collections are ever evolving. It is really fun to peek inside your treasure chest and see how you curate yours. Beautiful, meaningful pieces, every last one. A joy to see, thank you for sharing!

 

[stonehunter20]

oh wow!!!! that's a lot of $$$$$ there! too bad you only have 10 fingers and 2 wrists!!

 

[mrs-b]

Thanks @Dancing Fire! It's an ongoing, lifelong pursuit! I hope your wife is enjoying her beautiful new pendant!

Thanks, @Gussie I still have a few pieces to go, but I'm getting there!

Good morning, @pearaffair! Yes, the whole thing is entirely intentional. I don't add anything I don't really want, at this point, and - if I'm tempted to buy something - I ask myself "Did I want (one of these) before I saw this great deal/sparkly bauble?" If not, then I walk away, because it's clearly not something I need or even particularly want - because, if it were, I'd have wanted it before I saw (whatever it is I'm looking at, at that second). It's a very good rule of thumb and has stood me in good stead.

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you for those kind words, @CSpan. And I have to say - every time I see your avatar, I fall in love just a little bit more. Your soli with the green halo is just *the* most sublime ring!

@diamondhoarder - I spent some very enjoyable time yesterday in your sapphire 3-stone thread! What a glorious ring! Can I ask you what size your finger is? Seriously, all rings should be so beautiful! I'm about to re-make my gypsy ring with a sapphire center, and I'm really looking forward to it; those blues are truly celestial!

I hear what you're saying about conversions - once you introduce patterns and stones in the band, you're kind of committed, aren't you? Ovals might end up being your benchmark going forward, and I'm betting you have more bangles in your future! Because you know what they say - while there's breath, there's...jewelry!

@elizat - I agree; non purchases are hugely important decisions! Sometimes we save and struggle to buy things that would look better on members of the royal family! I've had to stop myself going over the top on many occasions, and be real about who I am and how I live. While I have occasion for nice pieces of jewelry, I don't have *many* occasions for it. Nor do I go to black tie events more than once every year or two - at best. And I've never done a red carpet, and never will. So my need for pieces beyond a certain standard is non-existent.

So all that to say - I respect your restraint and suspect that, because of it, your collection in 10 years, 20 years, and longer will be just fabulous!

 

[Girlfriday17]

Wow! I don’t know if you have read the book Crazy Rich Asians but they have a party where one of the ladies (I believe she’s of Indian Royalty) have all the other ladies over for desserts and to look at her jewels. I think I might run out buy some macarons and peruse this post again. Your collection is stunning and I so enjoyed seeing it in its entirety.

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @Wrkbrk!

Well, now you've hit on a topic I'm *really* interested in! My darling dog was an Irish Red and White Setter - one of the four setter breeds: Irish, English, Gordon and Irish Red and White. It's because of his red and white coloring that his memorial pendant has diamonds and rubies in it, and I made it by melting down all my most precious pieces of yellow gold jewelry, short of my wedding ring, so that all the very best things I had went into it. Here's a photo of an IR&W - a breed known for their beauty.



My boy was a national champion - well known and hugely beautiful. I loved him with all my heart, and, consequently, his pendant is basically sacred to me.

I originally made it very long, so it could hang at ribs height. But the pendant is so heavy, and the chain was so long, it swung and banged into things, which made me sad, so I recently had it shortened. The chain is now 19", but it hangs lower due to the pendant and its decorative bail.

Here's a photo I took today while wearing it. Always fills my heart with warm memories.

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you, @ccuheartnurse - you're very welcome. I've been meaning to do this for a while, but wanted to get to a natural stopping point first. And then I realized there WAS no natural stopping point. So then I just took the photos and called it a day!

@RunningwithScissors - what a lovely comment - thank you so much! The older I get, the more 'clean' my pieces become. Less frills and furbelows, and an ever growing desire to let the pieces speak for themselves without tizz. My one concession is the warmth of yellow gold, which speaks to a softness in my heart belied by the stripped-back nature of many of my pieces. So there's a paradox there - only small, but significant.

@stonehunter20 - I'm still working on wearing rings on one finger on each hand! Rings on TEN fingers?? NEVER!

@Girlfriday17 - in October 2018 I had a PS get-together at my house. We had gourmet cupcakes and champagne cocktails and 2 wonderful jewelers (David Klass and Jonathan Weingarten) came and did a giveaway and shared their pieces with us. The wonderful people at Whiteflash sent a gift certificate as well. So basically - done that! And it was AWESOME!

Thank you for your kind words. I've received so much enjoyment from jewelry over the years, it's a pleasure to share it here with fellow jewelry lovers!

 

[pearaffair]

Thank you, @ccuheartnurse - you're very welcome. I've been meaning to do this for a while, but wanted to get to a natural stopping point first. And then I realized there WAS no natural stopping point. So then I just took the photos and called it a day!

@RunningwithScissors - what a lovely comment - thank you so much! The older I get, the more 'clean' my pieces become. Less frills and furbelows, and an ever growing desire to let the pieces speak for themselves without tizz. My one concession is the warmth of yellow gold, which speaks to a softness in my heart belied by the stripped-back nature of many of my pieces. So there's a paradox there - only small, but significant.

@stonehunter20 - I'm still working on wearing rings on one finger on each hand! Rings on TEN fingers?? NEVER!

@Girlfriday17 - in October 2018 I had a PS get-together at my house. We had gourmet cupcakes and champagne cocktails and 2 wonderful jewelers (David Klass and Jonathan Weingarten) came and did a giveaway and shared their pieces with us. The wonderful people at Whiteflash sent a gift certificate as well. So basically - done that! And it was AWESOME!

Thank you for your kind words. I've received so much enjoyment from jewelry over the years, it's a pleasure to share it here with fellow jewelry lovers!

Omg, dream bling party!! I went out with two PSers before and it was so lovely and the wait staff at the restaurant definitely wanted to join our blingy table! <3 We didn’t have champagne or cupcakes though... so thanks (yet again!) for the inspiration!

Hmm and maybe we need a bling expert in attendance, too! Anyone heard of gemxclub? They do (did) cool outings for bling lovers and experts!

Sorry, this got way off topic.

 

[mrs-b]

Omg, dream bling party!! I went out with two PSers before and it was so lovely and the wait staff at the restaurant definitely wanted to join our blingy table! <3 We didn’t have champagne or cupcakes though... so thanks (yet again!) for the inspiration!

Hmm and maybe we need a bling expert in attendance, too! Anyone heard of gemxclub? They do (did) cool outings for bling lovers and experts!

Sorry, this got way off topic.

You so make me laugh!!

 

[diamondhoarder]

@diamondhoarder - I spent some very enjoyable time yesterday in your sapphire 3-stone thread! What a glorious ring! Can I ask you what size your finger is? Seriously, all rings should be so beautiful! I'm about to re-make my gypsy ring with a sapphire center, and I'm really looking forward to it; those blues are truly celestial!

I hear what you're saying about conversions - once you introduce patterns and stones in the band, you're kind of committed, aren't you? Ovals might end up being your benchmark going forward, and I'm betting you have more bangles in your future! Because you know what they say - while there's breath, there's...jewelry!

Thank you for the compliments on my sapphire ring I'm a size 5 finger. The sapphire has quite a good spread for the 1.66 carat weight (7.37mm x 6.53mm) which was a huge bonus when trying to get good finger coverage. Over the years of looking at sapphires I noticed that some of them hide a lot of weight below the girdle, face face up small/ are expensive as a result. Then there are plenty that are too shallow and windowy through the table. Being a picky PS'er who obsesses about cut quality really helped in my sapphire search (although it made it take a lot longer than most people would have the patience for )

I also share your suspicion about the possibility of more bangles in my future Actually I've been trying to decide whether to sell my slip-on stack and use the money to buy a couple more oval hinged ones that would stack well with my others. But I do kind of like the jingling noise they make when I wear them, even though they do sometimes get caught in my jacket sleeves when I'm wearing them to go out which is kind of annoying. First world problems.........

 

[mrs-b]

@pearaffair - here are a few photos of my as-yet unset purple-grey spinel. She's 3.84ct, IF clarity, and 9.2mm x 7.8mm. She'll be set E/W, with 2 x 5.5mm colorless diamonds - one on each side - in platinum.

Isn't she a beauty?

 

[derbygal]

I've always wanted a Christmas ring. I love yours!

 

[mrs-b]

I've always wanted a Christmas ring. I love yours!

Thank you, @derbygal! I'm thinking of doing a one sided wrap of pear and marquise diamonds to go above it, and a ruby and diamond band to go beneath it! I'd also like to do a snowflake pair of earrings to finish the set.

I seriously LOVE Christmas! As you'll see below....

 

[mrs-b]

This has nothing to do with anything, except that I came across my Christmas photos from last year while looking for the photos of my spinel. And then I just couldn't stop. And I figure - this is my thread, so....

I put up a bunch of trees every year, and these were all mine from last year. A few of them have presents scattered beneath for different groups of people or different events at our house, and it turns the house into a progression of fun times!

I know it's not everybody's cup of tea, but it's only 5 months till Christmas!!

I'd like to make the last photo our Christmas card this year.

 

[Polished1911]

@pearaffair - here are a few photos of my as-yet unset purple-grey spinel. She's 3.84ct, IF clarity, and 9.2mm x 7.8mm. She'll be set E/W, with 2 x 5.5mm colorless diamonds - one on each side - in platinum.

Isn't she a beauty?

This stone gives me heart palpitations!!! I love purple grey (and even some grey/purple) spinels. I can’t wait to see this set.

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you, @Polished1911! And I've loved the ring in your avatar since the day you first posted it! Stunning center stone!

 

[Polished1911]

Thank you, @Polished1911! And I've loved the ring in your avatar since the day you first posted it! Stunning center stone!

Thank you! Fun tidbit. My spinel is the first loose stone I ever purchased and had no idea what I was doing or what I was looking at.