Thanks so much for all your help, everyone! 
I decided to return the diamond drops, keep the leaves, and go to Tiffany.
I'm so excited about the leaves now that they're really mine, in my mind! The baguettes, in particular, are so glittery that they look wet. No picture captures them adequately.
I have posted four pix below to serve as an SMTB thread, since forum rules prohibit two threads about the same piece.
LLJsmom - Thanks for replying. I agree that the leaves can be worn everyday, which is important for me since I'm casual.
VRBeauty - Don't worry, I knew you meant DBL - such is the time I've spent on that website! I do like those drops you linked, but I don't really like the French wire - I'm into posts at the moment. And I see you understand about the frugal upbringing which definitely doesn't have a lot of time for bling! IDJ is a good idea, but I've had nine custom pieces, and I'm a bit over custom right now, because while they're all beautiful, some of them didn't quite match the image in my mind's eye. Right now, I value the lack of hassle regarding easy returns. I really appreciate your suggestions though, and am going to keep them in mind for future projects. (Also, the good thing about BN is that I love the kind of melee they use.)
Diamondseeker - thanks for your advice! I think one's buying style is all psychological. I could never sink huge funds into one piece - I'd feel faint! I have great admiration for you and your stunning collection though! So I tend to have smaller pieces that I love - hence all the DBTY!
I'm pretty good at buying only things I love, as I'm in my late thirties but it does take time. When I was in my mid-twenties, I did buy some things that I didn't love. In Aruba I allowed myself to be pressured into buying a diamond and tanzanite ring that I must have worn about four times. That was over 15 years ago, though. You are absolutely correct about never buying because of a sale. I had seen these leaves before the sale, and liked the look of them, but I did buy the drops because of the sale. So they are going back.
TC1987 - so right in what you say about the drops. BN has some other earrings that are just what you describe, except they are marquise. You might like them!
Diamondenvy1 - glad you like the leaves! With the money I gained returning the drops, I was able to go to Tiffany. Yay!
Laila619 - thanks! I like the leaves too - they're very glittery.
Alisonia333 - Thanks! What you say does apply to the drops - really only bought because of a sale. I was hesitant about returning them because the lower diamonds are SO sparkly, and it's hard to send such nice stones away! But the style isn't right for me. I had already seen the leaves and was thinking about buying them at full price, then they went into a sale - which galvanized me. I value the opinions here because the drops and leaves are very different styles, and I wasn't sure which suited me. And PS women are a stylish bunch, so I thought they'd know!
So, at Tiffany I got the gold infinity bracelet to match my necklace and ring, I took my 16-inch Tiffany yellow gold chain in to be lengthened with jump rings at 17,18, or 19 inches, and I bought two of the Tiffany dot charms to wear on that chain, singly or together - the amethyst and the blue chalcedony. I'm going to layer the charms with my 16-inch yellow gold 0.12 DBTY. In time I'll get the rose quartz charm and the chrysoprase charm so I can really mix and match, but I've spent enough money for right now. (I was going to get the carnelian charm, but on the website it looks bright red and in real life it's a dullish orange.)
Amethyst dot charm: http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/Item.aspx?fromGrid=1&sku=27234348&mcat=&cid=&search_params=s+1-p+1-c+-r+-x+-n+6-ri+-ni+0-t+amethyst+dot+charm&search=1
Blue chalcedony dot charm: http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/Item.aspx?fromGrid=1&sku=29283826&mcat=&cid=&search_params=s+1-p+1-c+-r+-x+-n+6-ri+-ni+0-t+blue+chalcedony+dot+charm&search=1
Gold infinity bracelet: http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/CategoryBrowse.aspx?search=1&search_params=s+1-p+1-c+-r+-x+-n+12-ri+-ni+1-t+gold+infinity+bracelet
I had to order it all so won't be able to do a SMTB thread for a couple of weeks.
Here are some final pix of the glittery leaves. The last shot is an attempt to show real-life perspective. ETA: Can't capture it in photos, but the leaves swing very easily, every time I move my head. In the photos they probably look a bit static. I wish the camera could shoe their amazing shimmer.
Thanks so much for your help on this project, everyone! Hopefully I can help pay it back when you have your own jewellery dilemmas!
I decided to return the diamond drops, keep the leaves, and go to Tiffany.I'm so excited about the leaves now that they're really mine, in my mind! The baguettes, in particular, are so glittery that they look wet. No picture captures them adequately.
I have posted four pix below to serve as an SMTB thread, since forum rules prohibit two threads about the same piece.
LLJsmom - Thanks for replying. I agree that the leaves can be worn everyday, which is important for me since I'm casual.
VRBeauty - Don't worry, I knew you meant DBL - such is the time I've spent on that website! I do like those drops you linked, but I don't really like the French wire - I'm into posts at the moment. And I see you understand about the frugal upbringing which definitely doesn't have a lot of time for bling! IDJ is a good idea, but I've had nine custom pieces, and I'm a bit over custom right now, because while they're all beautiful, some of them didn't quite match the image in my mind's eye. Right now, I value the lack of hassle regarding easy returns. I really appreciate your suggestions though, and am going to keep them in mind for future projects. (Also, the good thing about BN is that I love the kind of melee they use.)
Diamondseeker - thanks for your advice! I think one's buying style is all psychological. I could never sink huge funds into one piece - I'd feel faint! I have great admiration for you and your stunning collection though! So I tend to have smaller pieces that I love - hence all the DBTY!
I'm pretty good at buying only things I love, as I'm in my late thirties but it does take time. When I was in my mid-twenties, I did buy some things that I didn't love. In Aruba I allowed myself to be pressured into buying a diamond and tanzanite ring that I must have worn about four times. That was over 15 years ago, though. You are absolutely correct about never buying because of a sale. I had seen these leaves before the sale, and liked the look of them, but I did buy the drops because of the sale. So they are going back.TC1987 - so right in what you say about the drops. BN has some other earrings that are just what you describe, except they are marquise. You might like them!
Diamondenvy1 - glad you like the leaves! With the money I gained returning the drops, I was able to go to Tiffany. Yay!
Laila619 - thanks! I like the leaves too - they're very glittery.
Alisonia333 - Thanks! What you say does apply to the drops - really only bought because of a sale. I was hesitant about returning them because the lower diamonds are SO sparkly, and it's hard to send such nice stones away! But the style isn't right for me. I had already seen the leaves and was thinking about buying them at full price, then they went into a sale - which galvanized me. I value the opinions here because the drops and leaves are very different styles, and I wasn't sure which suited me. And PS women are a stylish bunch, so I thought they'd know!
So, at Tiffany I got the gold infinity bracelet to match my necklace and ring, I took my 16-inch Tiffany yellow gold chain in to be lengthened with jump rings at 17,18, or 19 inches, and I bought two of the Tiffany dot charms to wear on that chain, singly or together - the amethyst and the blue chalcedony. I'm going to layer the charms with my 16-inch yellow gold 0.12 DBTY. In time I'll get the rose quartz charm and the chrysoprase charm so I can really mix and match, but I've spent enough money for right now. (I was going to get the carnelian charm, but on the website it looks bright red and in real life it's a dullish orange.)
Amethyst dot charm: http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/Item.aspx?fromGrid=1&sku=27234348&mcat=&cid=&search_params=s+1-p+1-c+-r+-x+-n+6-ri+-ni+0-t+amethyst+dot+charm&search=1
Blue chalcedony dot charm: http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/Item.aspx?fromGrid=1&sku=29283826&mcat=&cid=&search_params=s+1-p+1-c+-r+-x+-n+6-ri+-ni+0-t+blue+chalcedony+dot+charm&search=1
Gold infinity bracelet: http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/CategoryBrowse.aspx?search=1&search_params=s+1-p+1-c+-r+-x+-n+12-ri+-ni+1-t+gold+infinity+bracelet
I had to order it all so won't be able to do a SMTB thread for a couple of weeks.
Here are some final pix of the glittery leaves. The last shot is an attempt to show real-life perspective. ETA: Can't capture it in photos, but the leaves swing very easily, every time I move my head. In the photos they probably look a bit static. I wish the camera could shoe their amazing shimmer.
Thanks so much for your help on this project, everyone! Hopefully I can help pay it back when you have your own jewellery dilemmas!
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