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Non-negotiables for your jewelry collection

DiamondsNPearls

DiamondsNPearls

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
507
Hello, if it pleases the Crown, please share what are non-negotiables in YOUR jewelry collection. Let's create a list:

-diamond engagement ring(s) *includes upgrades, can have more than 1
-diamond eternity ring(s) *includes upgrades, can have more than 1
-diamond tennis bracelet
-diamond pendant
-gemstone ring
-real pearl earrings
-real pearl bracelet

Feel free to continue on :D
 
- Diamond engagement rings: at least five :shock::bigsmile: I reason that because I am in Europe I need one for my right ring finger but because I lived in the US I am used to and believe in the left hand so that’s already too. Also I cannot choose between soli, three stone, Moi et Toi and prefer old cuts but different shapes, how could I just have one, or two? Collection started and in progress.

-hate normal bands but love eternities. Prefer square shapes or old cuts. Need two at least therefor.

- Studs: having always been a dangles girl due to tiny lobes just starting my stud earring collection. I have three various pairs need upgrades and at least one old cut pair. My three includes an emerald pair and a special design as well. I really have to get a 2 ctw my dream but not sure if they will fit on my lobes let’s look at the good side of things, at least they will look ginormous on me.

-Dangles: have a few Maybe stopping now.
-Gemstone rings: won’t stop until I have over five emerald rings, fourth ready this week. I must start a Paraiba collection too :cool2: like really, must, right? At that point I think things will get bad.

I no longer wear necklaces, bracelets or watches but because I go through phases who knows in the future?
 
Well not too sure about non-negotiable with kids, a mortgage and on furlough, but I play this game when I can't sleep :D

1. Engagement/wedding ring.
2. Colored stone RHR (my little Acinom sapphire).
3. Great watch.
4. Diamond studs.
5. Hanadama akoya studs.
6. Huggies (plain gold or diamond, it changes).
7. Antique gold link bracelet or gold cuff.
8. Great watch.
9. Great locket. Gold with diamond inlay.
10. One great strand of pearls (tahitian keshis, hanadama etc).

Wish I'd focused on this condensed list when I was young and had funds besides mortgage etc.
 
My actual staples would be a good sized diamond ring, a sapphire ring, my Georgian inspired drop earrings, a pair of pearl studs, diamond studs, and my Marla Aaron lock necklace if I was picking true staples with no fluff. These are things I have already.
 
My non negotiables (I don’t own all of these but I want to!) I don’t think I need anything other than this, but I hope I can acquire all of these someday! I mostly wear and love earrings or rings so they are overrepresented in my list!

1) diamond ering, wedding band and daily RHR (don’t really plan to change/upgrade these)

2) diamond studs

3) diamond hoops

4) daily diamond pendant (either solitaire or something more decorative, or a branded piece like Alhambra, undecided)

5) diamond necklace (ideally a riviera, or a station necklace) - but much later in life, I feel like they look more elegant on older women

6) diamond eternity bracelet/bangle

7) statement diamond earrings - Art Deco style long chandelier earrings

8) cluster diamond earrings

9) colored stone “sets”: pair of earring jackets for my studs, and complementary cocktail ring (one set in blue, in red and in green - would love sapphire/ruby/emerald respectively but will go for whatever is cost effective and pretty, but in a natural stone).

10) anything paraiba, ideally earrings / earring jackets

11) multicolored earrings - using more inexpensive stones like amethyst and topaz, to keep them cost effective

12) YG earrings with either yellow diamond or yellow sapphire, depending on finances

13) RG earrings with pink sapphire

14) string of white pearls with matching studs and string of black pearls with matching studs

15) golden pearl earring jackets for studs

Looks like I have a lot of collecting to do!
 
  • Diamond engagement ring - upgradable. 1.5ct + is my goal
  • Diamond eternity band - upgradable
  • Plain plat wedding band - I like to mix up my stack or downplay it by leaving the diamond band off.
  • Diamond hoop earrings
  • Diamond dangle earrings
I tend to wear the same jewelry with the exception of earrings every day so my list is short.
 
Great thread.

For me, earrings are the only non-negotiable, and unfortunately I don’t have the right ones yet. They have to be drops, not studs. Either Dormeuses or Shepherd Hooks.

Anything else, I can and do live without
 
My list grows as I acquire each new essential pieces but it is still only 4 items.

A stand alone diamond wedding ring. I no longer have nor do I want an e-ring/wedding band combo for every day. I do have a diamond band that I sometimes wear with my wedding ring.

My original diamond e-ring pendant

An heirloom piece. This is my MIL's diamond reset into a RHR...likely the only true heirloom that will come from either side of our families.

I don't have it yet but a sparkly do-dad bracelet that I will gift myself this year. I see this as becoming an (almost) everyday bracelet for me.

Everything else here is not what I would call truly essential. if lost I would try to replace but not heartbroken if it couldn't happen. Defined by the pieces I wear most often in rotation.

Sparkly drop earrings. My current pair of bezel cushions on a wire I think needs another smaller stone set above them for a little more sparkle and dangle, lol.

Inside out diamond hoops.

A couple sizes of diamond studs.

One or two diamond RHRs to switch out.

Diamond tennis bracelet

Floating diamond bangle

Pearl pendant

Modern Rose gold ring with floating AVC diamond.

Next up...Things I don't have but I think I would like someday...may or may not end up on the essential list
.
A ruby or sapphire ring RHR. I'm not a huge fan of CS's for myself but if I found the right one maybe.

A skinny diamond solitaire bangle.

An EW marquise diamond set in a diamond infinity band. I saved a pic of an inspiration ring here and always come back to it. If my MIL's diamond had been a marquise this is how it would have been set.
 
Is a graduated tennis necklace worth it to add to the list? Or is it just for "very" special occasions?
 
caribbeanbridetobe said:
Is a graduated tennis necklace worth it to add to the list? Or is it just for "very" special occasions?
Click to expand...

I would say that it’s worth it if you wear it - I think you know your lifestyle best to say if you actually would put it on. It’s a pity to buy one if you rarely wear it, but I think you could get a lot of use out of one - they can be both dressed up and dressed down!
 
I no longer have any bling non negotiables. I’d be fine without any bling.
 
On a daily basis, I generally wear a wedding set and earrings. If I am going somewhere other than the store, I might add a pendant and/or bracelet. I wear the same 5 things 95% of the time. Here are those and a few extras that get occasional wear.

engagement ring (2) and wedding band

pendant: diamond, diamond cross, or VCA Alhambra, (I love long pendants, too.)

earrings: diamond stud earrings, white pearl studs, wg hoops, VCA (2 pair and hope to add a couple more)

bracelet: VCA Alhambra (have one, one on the way, and a couple on the wishlist)

I just almost never wear my right hand rings. Rarely wear a watch, diamond tennis bracelet, or pearls. I have a few other special things that I love but almost never wear. Saving most of this for my daughters and granddaughters. Just mainly adding a few VCA pieces at this point for myself and starting to give jewelry to my girls.
 
caribbeanbridetobe said:
Is a graduated tennis necklace worth it to add to the list? Or is it just for "very" special occasions?
Click to expand...

Worthwhile; just make sure it is long enough to wrap around our wrist...twice.
 
When I was in my teens my jewellery list was
1. A diamond ring over 1 carat
2. Diamond stud earrings
3. A Rolex Watch
4. Gold bangles
5. Some opals.
6. Opera length pearl necklace.
7. A gold charm bracelet
Over the decades other items crept into my list
A diamond tennis bracelet
An Art Deco diamond bracelet
A diamond tennis necklace
A huge Aquamarine ring
Watches, lots of watches. Especially a Jaeger Reverso, an Elgin Lady and the Tiger Watch and an Elgin Touchdown 202 or “Mermaid” Watch.
After decades of effort, the list is fulfilled.... and some....
 
Oooh the reverso is such a gorgeous design!
 
It is fun to see the different ways people interpret this question. Some see it as meaning what are your core pieces of jewelry (ie your capsule wardrobe.) Others see it as a wish list to slowly collect over a life time. I see it as both.

I don't like to own a lot of possessions, having items hanging around that I don't use often and/or don't absolutely love makes me feel claustrophobic. (I'm more Marie Kondo than Marie Kondo.)

So I keep my jewelry collection to a minimum. I should note that I do wear jewelry pieces everyday, even though most days I work at my home studio. I find putting diamond studs on (or any other piece) makes me take care of myself better (ie wash my hair and face in the morning, put on real pants, not just sweats, etc.). When I maintain good grooming habits, it is easier to maintain morale longterm working from home. Also my job requires me to attend many evening gallery openings, so a little bling is helpful for those as well.

This is the sum total of my jewelry. I've paired it down to these pieces (plus a few on my wish list.) I wear every one regularly:

RINGS:
Diamond Engagement ring. (check)
Wedding band (I have a plain one, on the wish list is a blingy one)

EARRINGS:
Diamond Studs (check, but I want to go larger)
White gold hoops large (check, but want to upgrade to Cartier Love Hoops)
White gold hoops small (check)
White Pearl Studs (check)
White Pearl Studs with diamonds (check)
Black Pearl Studs (wish list)

NECKLACES:
Pendant necklace, pendant containing some type of bling (wish list.)
Plain white gold chain necklace (wish list)
White Pearl necklace (check)
Black Pearl necklace (wish list)
My mom's Cedar of Lebanon gold pendant (This is a family piece. Beirut was my mother's favorite city before the civil war.)

BROOCHES:
I love vintage brooches and wear the one I own to most of my evening events.
The one I have is an Art Deco an amethyst and diamond bar but I would like a couple more. I'd love the Tiffany dragonfly or a VCA cosmos flower one.

BRACELETS:
Plain white gold chunky link (check)
Diamond tennis bracelet or bangle (wish list)

WATCHES:
I'm not really into watches, but if I were to buy one, I'd only want a vintage Patek Philippe. I don't care for Rolexes.
 
In addition to my diamonds { OMC wonky studs (2 ctw), 3 diamond necklaces of various frilliness, 10 ctw tennis bracelet, cluster RHR that is made from original wedding band melee, and my current wedding set consisting of a plain 1.9 mm milgrain band and a missing 3 stone (mid upgrade) } my collection consists of a good amount of variety. That is what I love: change got it up. I wear a number of sterling silver / locally made artisan pieces, with interesting semiprecious stones or shells; some antique bracelets and rings in gold and white gold (jade, turquoise, enamel, opal, moonstone, star sapphire); some antique finds and hand me downs (marcasite, cameo, beads); ”pearls” that are mostly handed down costume, some yellow gold I pull out from time to time.... and a dozen or so fun costume necklaces! What I don’t plan to ever really get into: pearls and colored stones... or very expensive branded things (VCA and the like). I wear diamonds the most.
 
I have a must-have-for-me collection, and I'd never part with any of these pieces.

Yellow, white and rose gold hoops, 18kt. Solid, not hollow. Hinged.

Rose gold and yellow gold bangles. Silver bangle. All matching so can be mixed and matched.

Platinum diamond bangles, 2, for accent. 10ctw when worn together.

11.5 mm South Sea AAA pearl studs.

1 high quality diamond stud for my outer ear piercing. (the one I have is a .64 E VS2 AVR)

Diamond engagement ring - yellow

Wedding ring - yellow

7 stone diamond band in platinum

Heavy rose gold wedder.

I find this combo - about 20% of my collection - takes me through 80% of my life. The remaining 80% of my collection takes me through the remaining 20! A lot of these pieces can be mixed and matched, giving a more dressed up or dressed down appearance. I still often think about getting rid of the rest of my collection from time to time, but....<sigh>.... <3
 
On my wish list have always been wedding band, e-ring, RHR or 2 for every day, a blingy, dressy RHR to wear for special occasions, a diamond bracelet, a plain gold bangle, an assortment of diamond earrings (three piercings in each lobe), and a small diamond pendant.

My current collection comprises of pretty much the above. Every day I wear my
wedding band and e-ring,
at least one pair of earrings (usually my moissy studs, or scatter diamond hoops with small diamonds and plain studs in the other holes),
my necklace (three wee diamonds in a triangle, on a rose gold chain),
and a RHR, alternating between my diamond full eternity, and my little EW emerald cut soli.

I wear my halo morganite for special occasions, or for a bit of fun in place of my e-ring. I'll occasionally put on a plain rose gold bangle or my diamond tennis bracelet. I've got a small rose gold DBTY on the way, which I think will get a lot more wear than my tennis bracelet, it's lovely for every day but just a bit blingy for my lifestyle on a daily basis.
 
Daily wear, must haves:
OEC ering
OEC eternity band
Mini pave VCA alhambra studs
Diamond tennis bracelet
small diamond solitaire pendant

Other must haves:
Vintage alhambra WG pave studs
Diamond studs
VCA bracelets - ALL OF THEM :twisted2:

All my other jewelry, I can live with or without.

There is nothing much else I need, although lots of wants...
 
@RunningwithScissors we are opposites!
I love love love my possessions, they somehow tether me. And I have memories attached to many of my possessions so it’s important to me to cherish the item for the memories it holds. And some pieces have unpleasant memories or harsh lessons attached yet I keep them too.
I am particularly sentimental about inherited pieces, these are of lower value but I would be devastated if I was to lose or have stolen one of these precious pieces.
So jewellery has always been a joy and a privilege to own, love, admire and treasure.
 
@Bron357 fully 100 % agree!!! I am very sentimental the same way. Especially when it comes to antiques of known provenance and stones attached to special memories/milestones. Jewels are symbols and are much more than their intrinsic value. They carry energy; good and bad, which is where we do differ, a couple of pieces that remind me of traumatic events I cannot keep. Yet another reason I prefer to buy / make stones and bling for myself.
 
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