I have a Jewelry Problem. I have a lot. I mean, a lot. Some is department store costume jewelry, a lot is artist/gallery stuff, and some is fancy stuff from stores like Tiffany because DH doesn't seem to realize there are other stores in the world. (I know, there are worse problems to have.) I really, really like artsy jewelry and I have been known to drool on display cases at art shows and galleries. My style in clothing is pretty basic -- I wear jeans 95% of the time with a top that's usually a solid color, so I rely on jewelry to jazz up my dull wardrobe. Also, jewelry always fits whether you've lost 10 lbs. or gained 10 lbs. Ahem.

I wear earrings every day, usually not the same pair two days in a row, because I have very short hair and feel naked without earrings. Usually they're dangly ones or hoops. I have silver, gold, oxidized silver, etc. I wear a necklace most days, too, and in general the necklace and earrings will coordinate in some way but never "match." I don't ever wear a watch -- don't even own one -- but I wear a very dainty chain bracelet that has tiny sapphires. I wear that all the time, don't take it off unless I decide to wear a different bracelet for a particular occasion/outfit. I can't stand wearing more than one bracelet at a time. I had Pandora for a while but it's just too clunky for me.

Oh yeah, and rings. Wedding rings on the left hand and on the right ring finger, I alternate between 3 different rings. Currently I'm wearing a pink sapphire and diamond ring.

My current jewelry obsession is the artist linked below. I have a pair of earrings and a necklace and would love to have more...

Here is a link that might be useful: jewelry designer

I never go out without my earrings, watch and a ring. I mostly wear gold hoop earrings but since it bothers me not to have my jewelry match, I have silver hoops, too. I also have two sets of diamond studs that I put on from time to time but the posts are made so they won't fall off, its a bit of a struggle getting them on and off. I also have to keep my good jewelry hidden due to a rash of house burglaries and it is a pain in the neck to fish them out.

I have a pretty big collection of costume jewelry, mostly necklaces, and I wear those a lot. I also have a necklace with a diamond pendant that I wear all the time.

I make an effort to coordinate gold with gold and silver with silver, but not all the time. I don't like to wear heavy jewelry or a lot all at once (like Coco, above). I think it is a pretty look, but I find myself taking it off as the day goes on.

I think I have a jewelry problem too, sue!

I love hearing about your jewelry, everyone!

tina, I love charm bracelets, all kinds. BBeez, and hhireno, interesting about all the brooches. I love looking at them but have never worn one.

dlm- bakelite seems yummy to me! I have never owned it, though.

lynn- I remember seeing your necklace collection in another thread, very nice.

shee, I have been really liking amber lately-

yaya, I looked up the John Hardy bracelets- nice! kswl, to answer your question, what are your favorite pieces or the ones you've had for the longest time?

Thanks for replying everyone! It seems I'm not the only one with a jewelry obsession. Mine started early- I can remember being about 3 years old sitting on my parent's bed going through her jewelry box and drawer. I guess she wasn't supervising me? Also remember looking at the Miles Kimball catalog when very little and really wanting the china heart pendant on a black velvet ribbon and the curled-up mink pin.

Contrary to how my earlier post reads, I'm actually not much of a jewelry person. Basically I only wear it, at most, half the year. Very little of it is expensive stuff. I'd rather spend money on travel. My two favorite pairs of earrings are from the clearance rack at Kohl's (a very mid-level dept store).

I have a very sparkly glam necklace that I purchased at a fundraiser, sold by one of the many home party companies. I usually break it out for dressy events related to my husband's work. Whenever I wear it a man, never a woman, but a man will comment on what a nice necklace it is. It's the funniest thing. I don't know why it catches the eye of men but it does. I should loan it to single ladies looking to spark conversations with men.

Along that same line, I used to wear a casual tee shirt with some beading on it. Everytime I wore it a man would comment that it was a nice shirt. It wasn't tight, see-thru, or low cut! It's the only shirt that ever received that response. I gave it away after years of use. Someone who shops at the Goodwill is now receiving the compliments.

Since I don't get a lot of attention from men, nor do I want it, it always stood out that that necklace and that shirt always received a compliment. It was really odd and amusing.

Sueb,
It's not "jewelry to jazz up my dull wardrobe" it's a sophisticated or maybe low-key backdrop to highlight your jewelry.

I'm delighted to see so much jewelry love here :-) This year I went through it all and had everything that needed work resized, repaired, or restyled, so I have quite a bit to choose from on a daily basis. I wear a watch every day , earrings, rings and some sort of necklace. Ninety percent of the time I wear gold jewelry and a gold watch, either a gold tank watch or a more casual one on a leather band. I also have a bracelet style watch that is "gold tone" from Brooks Bros--- not really gold but very attractiive. My wedding ring is a little large to wear daily, it is a sapphire with diamonds (yellow gold) and with it I wear an antique sapphire and diamond ring (white gold), sapphire and diamond earrings or plainer but larger emerald cut sapphires, or round diamond studs. I wear this combination with blue and white and sometimes green.

When I wear blue and brown I may switch out the right hand ring with a cushion cut brown topaz and diamonds in yellow gold, and wear yellow gold earrings (choosing from knots, round discs quilted a la Chanel, thick and short hinged hoops, or large flat rounded corner squares engraved with my initials). When I wear browns I wear the brown topaz on my left hand with a wedding band and a smaller ring of brown topaz, orange and yellow citrine leafs next to it. On the right hand I wear an 18 kt yellow gold hammered ring I had made in Chicago about 35 years ago, I either wear gold earrings from those described above or a pair of orange citrine earrings that are about 10 ct each. With this I usually wear a 20" necklace of heavy gold oval links, or a longer necklace of gold circles, or both.

With yellow, gold or purple clothing I wear the plain gold hammered ring or a three stone amethyst on my right hand and a custom ametrine ring on my left. Earrings with this ensemble are oval cabochon amethysts in a wide yellow gold bezel, and a 30" necklace of widely spaced, polished amethyst stones of various colors and an oval facet amethyst pendant surrounded by tiny colored diamonds on a 24" thin gold chain. (That description sounds strange, but it is a beautiful necklace.)

Occasionally I wear just diamond earrings (either emerald cut or round brilliant studs) and a diamond pendant. I usually will wear my engagement ring with that combination and nothing on my right hand. Or for Occasions I have a yellow gold pave diamond brooch in the shape of a mouse, with emerald eyes, that I wear with the earrings.

When pearls are for evening I wear south sea pearl studs with a matching single strand opera length graduated strand, and a four strand bracelet of 8mm pearls with a big white gold clasp of diamonds shaped as a spray of flowers. I don't wear the bracelet very often, it is an old piece ( Art Deco from the 30s) and a little over the top even for me. I also have a 40" strand of matched 7mm pearls that can be worn in up to four strands. I have a few enhancers that can be worn on either of the pearl necklaces, including an adapter for the mouse brooch. For the very long strand I have both a white and a yellow gold hinged loop that keeps closed magnetically that I can use to shorten or loop the strand.

I've collected and been given several crosses over the years and finally had them all soldered to one chain... There is a small modern looking yellow and white gold cross from the Vatican, an emerald cross of stones mined in Alaska, the gold cross I received on my confirmation, a ruby cross that was a commemorative gift, and a diamond cross I purchased in Oxford to replace one that had been stolen. They are spaced out about an inch and a half from each other and make kind of a gaudy religious statement, I guess, but are all meaningful to me. With that I usually wear round diamond studs and wedding rings.

I wear three gold bracelets all the time on my right wrist. One is a heavier flat oval link alternating 14 kt white and yellow gold with a heavy sort of riveted clasp in which the heads of the gold rivets are blue cabochon sapphires. One is a more open oval link 18 kt yellow gold bracelet, and the third is a 22 kt bracelet of Thai bhats that I purchased abroad in my twenties. The three span the gold color spectrum and go with pretty much everything. When I wear the fancy antique pearl bracelet I wear it on the left wrist to replace the watch.

And other rings, earrings bits and bobs and and brooches --- including a collection of bee brooches ranging from a German silver and amber bee to a yellow gold gold and emerald bee, aquamarine bee in white gold, silver and jade bee, etc., and enameled coin pendants (British pound and penny and an Irish punt from the 40's), those little sterling enameled signal flags Tiffany used to sell and other silver nautical jewelry I wore when I lived on a sailboat, matching cameo earrings and bracelet that I wear with a peridot ring when I wear a particular Hermes scarf in coral and green.

TMI, I know, I know...I have a mother and daughter who both love jewelry as much as I do. It must be genetic :-)

This post was edited by kswl on Fri, Mar 14, 14 at 22:26

HOLY COW, kswl!!!

Yes, and I did not even mention the silver victory bracelet of dimes from the WWII years, or the gold and onyx ring from an artists' co-op in Norway, or ---- yep, it's a passionate hobby, seeking out interesting pieces or finding wonderful gems and having them set. The very first time I commissioned a piece I was 20 years old. I saw something I loved on a woman's hand and shamelessly asked her where it came from, and she gave me the name of a jeweler in Chicago. I found his address from the telephone information number--- remember that?--- and wrote him, sending a sketch. A good friend from school became a master jeweler (he made jewelry for Liberace) and I was always fascinated with his designs.

When I was working, I had 2 sets of jewelry that went on pretty regularly. I had my real wedding ring set (solitaire engagement ring and wedding ring) in platinum. Then I had another ring for my right hand with a sapphire and diamonds in white gold.

I also had a gold wedding band and a coordinating pinky ring (a service gift from the company) and I had a ruby and diamond ring in yellow gold that I wore together. I had a watch with both the gold and silver colors in it so it would always go together.

Now that I'm retired, I rarely wear jewelry. But if I go out, I typically put on either one or the other set depending upon what I'm wearing.

Wonderful, kswl and the perfect thing to collect- retains or increases in value and doesn't take up much space. And you don't have to dust it.

annie, my watch is gold and silver too so it always goes with my mixing.

Each time I purchase something I know how much DD will love it someday. My mother gave her a beautiful aquamarine and diamond ring last week (skipping generations, no fair mom, lol) and she was thrilled both with the ring and the fact that it was my mother's. I have given her a few things over the past few years and it's nice to see them worn again.

I wear turtlenecks almost exclusively in the fall and winter and especially enjoy necklaces with this attire. In the early spring I switch to twinsets and the pearls see a lot of wear, then in late spring/ early summer I switch to linen, often shirts with collars, so the necklaces don't see much daylight in the summer unless I'm wearing a tee or camisole under the shirt. It's a System ;-)

I don't wear anything around the house, not even my wedding ring. I quite literally have boxes of costume jewelry. It used to only come out on special occasions. Mostly because of the hassle of finding it.
Last month hubby saw a pin of mine on Pinterest & did the back of the bedroom door with ikea bars and hooks, now almost everything is hanging. If I leave the house at all I grab something, usually bracelets.
Tray for rings is still being worked on, once that's up, I bet I wear more of those too.
I have a few nicer pieces that hubby picked up in china, pearls mostly, and a few pieces passed down in the family.

Hubby won't buy me expensive stuff, or flowers for that matter, he says I get too upset when I lose it or when they die. Lol. But he picks me up stuff all the time, my current favorite rings are glass from a gas station. Simple chunky and bright so perfect with jeans.
My current favorite store has a ton of sales and coupons, so I buy more all the time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dragonflymountain jewelry

Well, unlike grantph, I DO wear clothes around the house, but never jewelry (sorry, couldn't resist!) I'm single - should borrow hhireno's necklace, LOL, but can't see losing precious ring real estate, so wear a sparkly platinum diamond cocktail ring on my left ring finger everyday I leave the house. Usually an Edwardian white or yellow gold ring on my right hand, including opal and emeralds or all opals... if I'm wearing brown my antique citrine and gold ring. Never leave without earrings to coordinate, with occasional bracelet. For some time I have not been wearing necklaces as usual nor occasional days of multiple rings on each hand /finger - guess I've been feeling less adventurous. : (
For holidays I have a collection of most cheap and gaudy costume jewelry; enameled Easter eggs, glass shamrocks, flags, etc. and for Halloween, sterling spider rings, necklaces and earrings, some with sparkly stones!
And never used to leave w/o my watch; feeling strange w/o it since the battery died.

If I am home, I don't wear jewelry. I keep my wedding rings in their box.

For work, I wear my wedding rings and a ring on my right hand, usually my mother's anniversary band or my favorite garnet ring. I almost always wear some earrings.

Necklaces are hard for every day because I'm always changing to work out or go in the pool.

My watches are two-toned. I have a Seiko stainless with gold I bought when I got my bachelors degree nearly 25 years ago, and it still looks great. I also have a Movado bracelet watch from DH, but I only wear that for dressier occasions since it can get knocked around at work. I also have my mother's vintage watch in white gold, which is really beautiful.

One of my favorite pieces from DH is a B&W freshwater pearl necklace. I get so many compliments whenever I wear it.

Every day I wear my wedding band, my grandmother's wedding band and my mom's diamond band stacked on my ring finger . Mom gave me her band about 10 years after my dad died and she remarried. I feel watched over wearing generations of jewelry. It's rather comforting.

I wear a strand a pearls my dh gave me on our 10th anniversary (think it was our 10th - not sure!) a lot. I usually pair it with an inexpensive organic beaded or stone necklace or something like that so as not to look too conservative (heaven forbid!).

I also wear my mil's turquoise bangle quite a bit. My dd has a matching one from mil and once in a while we will call each other and wear the bangles on the same day for solidarity even though we are miles away.

All of my favorite jewelry has a family connection. I am a sentimental accessorizer!

Nancy, you also have the most interesting questions!

thanks deedee, it's nice of you to say that!

Such an interesting topic and fun to read everyone's favorites. I love good jewelry too but am nowhere in kswl's league. Almost every day I'm wearing my wedding ring (diamond in gold), stainless tank watch, and a ring on my right hand. The ring I usually wear is a good sized diamond in an antique-replica platinum setting. Otherwise it's a Hidalgo diamond band with an interchangeable enamel center band (I have a black, red, and blue), or an estate piece I have had for many years that is rubies set in gold. I have a couple of other rings too in silver that I occasionally wear. I love bracelets, but my go-to is a David Yurman bangle, but lately I have bought several Chan Luu wrap bracelets I love.

Same with earrings. I have diamond studs and in-and-out hoops I wear frequently but I usually wear some John Hardy silver hoops. Necklaces are all over the map from some really nice pearls that I love and some brown freshwater pearls I adore, to artsy stuff I have bought from a local jewelry maker. Don't wear pins/brooches. My Mom wasn't a jewelry-wearer at all, but my Dad had bought her some lovely aquamarines in Brazil on a trip they took and I had one reset in a ring for my DD some years ago.

I also buy with my DD and DGDs in mind. In fact, when each grand-daughter was born, I started each an add-a-pearl necklace. Started with 3 pearls and each year we add 2. The oldest DGDs is now 14. This year, I am starting to buy a small David Yurman birthstone ring for them as they reach a 14. They love it (and so do their Moms)!

Outside I would hazard a guess that I am older than many here and I started collecting jewelry seriously when I was 18. That gave me a a few years' head start ;-)

Cartier tank watch that was my Mom's. Diamond band, emerald cut, all the way around.

The earrings are the thing that varies... I have dozens of all styles , periods , and value . I'm an earring junkie.

I am not a jewelry person. I wear my wedding/engagement ring and another ring that DH gave me for our 5 year anniversary (now married almost 29 years). I usually put on some cheap gold earring if leaving the house with my hair in a ponytail. If I really go all out I put on a gold necklace, LOL!

I am REALLY surprised how many of you say your wear watches. I'm in my late 40's and haven't used a watch in years. Just use my cell phone to check the time. My DH only wears a watch if getting dressed up as that and his wedding band is the only jewelry he wears. I'm going to start looking to see how many people I see wearing watches. I don't know anyone who wears one regularly except my mother. Interesting!

I have a question for you pearl wearers if any are still reading this; How do you wear your pearls? With cashmere or denim - or both? I have a gorgeous strand that belonged to my mother but every time I put them on I feel like I'm playing dress-up. In my head they belong to a certain level of dress although I've seen Lauren Hutton wear them with her signature white shirt and jeans and it's a stunning look. I have neither her stature or flair ;-) and that look fails on me - at least I think so. I have on very rare occasions looped the strand into a loose knot and that seems to take the formality down a notch but i would still love to get more use out of them. Suggestions?

It seems much of my jewelry wears me rather than the other way 'round and so it sits unused which is sad.

Outsideplaying: I would love to know more about the add-a-pearl program. It sounds like a great gift idea for our grandaughters, but feel so lacking in knowledge about pearls.

L-g, with the add-a-pearls, you start with pearls strung on a small chain. I started each girl with 3 6-mm size but you can choose any size pearl. They are hand knotted. Each year on their birthday, I add 2 more pearls. I select the pearls so they match in color as well as size. Usually a smaller, locally-owned store offers these. When the necklaces started getting a little longer, I had some of the chain removed. Now that the girls are older, the strand is getting pretty full. The other grandmothers also asked to add on occasion, so it goes a little faster. I had figured by the time they are age 18 they will each have at least an 18" strand. The pearls are around $60-75 (can't remember exactly) for two here now (includes stringing). Hope this helps. And I feel like I have at least given them something lasting.

I wear the same stuff all the time. Wedding ring and engagement ring, yellow gold. For our 10th anniversary DH bought me a tennis bracelet. I wear it rarely, but I lost weight somewhere in there and took five of the diamonds and had them set in a gold band for my right hand. I wear that daily. I wear a Michael Khors watch that has gold and silver tones, a gold bracelet with three antique coins that have three goddesses on them that DH bought me as a shocker or a trip one time. I will add other bracelets if I'm getting dressed up. This year DH bought me some diamond earrings for our 25th anniversary. Since then I haven't changed them. They are ridiculous for a waitress/medical records clerk/waffle girl to wear, but he they were something that he saved and saved for so I will wear them. We've been together for 30 years, and we don't often buy gifts, but when he does, he does a good job!

Beth P.

Thanks, Outsideplaying. I will look into that and run it by their mothers. I really like the idea.

I can relate to what Dlm said about pearls.
"....every time I put them on I feel like I'm playing dress-up."
I love pearls, but don't feel I can pull them off.

I forgot to add something abut wearing pearls, and watches. I wear pearls, both cultured and fresh-water, with lots of stuff...plain dresses, shirts and tops, lacy tops, just about anything when I'm in the mood to put them on. I have 4 watches, plus my jogging watch. The Baume and Mercier tank is the norm and I have a white Toy watch and a black leather Swiss legend, plus another one that gets rotated depending on my mood and dress. Where I work, I can't take my cell or any electronic devices to my desk or into the work area, so I have always relied on a watch.

Lizbeth - About 25 years ago I started an add-a -pearl necklace for my goddaughter. But rather than buying a pearl every year I simply bought a full strand from my jeweler and then gave her one or two pearls for each event (birthday, Christmas etc.). That way I didn't have to worry about matching the color or size and while it was more money up front it was definitely cheaper in the long run.

Over the years DH has given me a lot of jewelry - and the dear man doesn't believe in costume pieces. He says I can buy those anytime but he'll give the gemstones.

My problem is that I haven't been wearing jewelry since I started going to the gym every day for aqua fitness classes. I don't want to wear jewelry in the pool and I don't want to lock anything in the lockers so everything is stored in our safe and then I take things out for the weekend.

Even before joining the gym I tried to keep what I wore to a minimum, I didn't want to look like I was wearing everything I owned and as others mentioned I didn't want to look like the jewelry was wearing me. And since my normal attire is a pair of jeans I think simple is better for me.

For everyday I have a pair of diamond studs with a screwback post so I don't worry that I'll lose one. I feel comfortable wearing them to play tennis or to swim in my pool. I also wear my wedding band, a diamond ring and a watch. I usually wear a necklace that compliments the neckline of my top and I may wear an additional ring on my right hand. I only wear bracelets occasionally.

This is a great topic, I love reading about everyone's jewelry.

White pearls are not in style right now so that may be why they seem difficult to incorporate into an outfit.

Maire-Cate: That would simplify things-will have to check on both.

Bumblebeez: Pearls may not be trendy, but I think they are timeless and classy.

They are, but white ones can look old lady unless done a certain way.

White pearls are always in style.....other colored pearls are trendy right now.

I think pearls look best with a solid color shirt or dress or sweater. When I wear a single strand I always pair it with 10 mm pearl earrings. Also love the jeans and white shirt with pearls look even more so with the addition of a navy blazer. My casual slacks are side zip khakis (I don't wear jeans) so I can wear almost any color round neck tee with them and pearls add a little polish to the outfit. I usually wear wedding rings of sapphires and diamonds with pearls, occasionally just the band on the left and a yellow gold (no gemstones) ring on the right.

For the watch vs. cell phone issue--I've always found that checking my watch can be done a lot more discretely than checking a cell phone, if you are in a meeting or something like that.

Also, I have a hard time remembering to keep my cell phone with me. The watch is on my wrist, so I can't forget it. And like a PP, there are places at my work where you can't have a cell phone on you, so a watch can be helpful if you are in one of those areas all day.

The main advantages to a watch over a cellphone are that it is instantly available and you don't need a free hand to pick it up or get it out of a pocket or purse, and wake it up to see the time. Also, as a person who innately correlates, when I see a clock face it has an effect on me that a time readout does not. My "feel" for the period of a day is a round circle of hours like a clock....when I see the clock face time I know subconsciously where I am on that circle. And my hands are free to keep writing or whatever and not have to stop to find the time.

I agree with camlan and kswl about the watches. Plus there are so many different kinds of pretty watches out there!

Has anyone here had any scarab jewelry? I was obsessed with them for a while- I have pendants and an old bracelet. I don't know why I like them- I hate bugs.

Also on an egyptian note, my son gave me a bracelet that he bought from a stand in Egypt. The man swore to him that it was not plastic! (it's not) I love it.

I am from the camp that less is more. I have some very nice jewelry from Yurman and Lagos that are just sitting in my jewelry box for some reason.

I have received some nicely sized diamond jewelry from now DH which I gravitate to daily. He loves to see me wearing them. I wear my Michele (with the diamond face) daily. I like simplicity and apparently diamonds in my old age.

Other than my wedding ring the only jewelry I wear every day is my birthstone ring (cushion setting) of Peridot. It matches my eyes. :)

What kswl, camlan and nancybee said about watches. Also, especially at work I find it rather disconcerting when someone pulls out a phone during a conversation - hard to know if they're checking the time or reading a text....!!

My style is simple and easy: my diamond and wedding band, a Michael Kors watch, a daimond pendant (either circle or a single stone) and diamond stud earrings. This is my every day work jewelry. On weekends I tend to glam it up a bit and throw in some nice bracelets and some costume jewelry.

This post was edited by bonnieann925 on Tue, Mar 25, 14 at 17:57

I wear ear plugs and other ear "rings" for stretched earlobes. Although mine aren't stretched very large, because I work in a professional office.

Yes, those "gauges" you see hipsters wearing, 'cause I'm into body art, tattoos, and piercings and all that. Just 'cause I'm old doesn't mean I can't have "different" taste in personal adornment. ;)

I'm glad some of you explained why you still wear a watch. If I'm working then I'm on a computer so I always see the time. In the few meetings I attend, I closely pay attention so I never check the time.

Twice I've had jobs where I was one of the oldest person at the company including my most recent. When I was 32 I was the oldest person other than the owner! Anyway, working with people who sometimes are much younger than me I guess I picked up their habit of having your cell phone out on your desk or in your pocket at all times and not wearing watches. The dress code was jeans and t-shirts in the office.

Traveling without a watch and just your phone is not convenient!

I have not worn a watch in probably 30 years. Watches never seem to run right on me and they bug me. I'm not one to keep an eye on the clock all the time. Having a clock on my cell phone, in the car, on the computer and around the house works for me.

tina

What I fun thread! I'm late to the party but a few thoughts.

1) Re the poster above: I think pearls, and diamonds, do go with anything. I would say though, that right now, white pearls are less popular. I say this as someone with quite a large collection of them; they were always my favorite. But in the last five years or so I pretty much only wear my oversized grey south seas pearls.

2) In re "investment". Sorry, not really, not at all. Jewelery has some of the most egregious markups in retail. It can go in and out of fashion, also potentially eroding value. And it can be easily damaged. We recently liquidated a family estate, and I was shocked to hear that some of the diamond rings were quite highly devalued because "they had been worn 'too often' and had damage (not visible to the eye". That was news to me, that I am damaging my diamond by wearing it.

3) Girls and jewelry. My girls were both born very close to Christmas. The thought of trying to buy them gifts just a few weeks later was maddening and wasteful. So, starting when the first turned one and second was newborn, I buy them each a piece of fine jewelry each birthday. They cannot wear it -- it is kept in a safe -- but they get a great deal of enjoyment from it just the same (every few months they beg us to take it out and try it on). They will receive the jewelry to wear on their 16th birthday. I try to buy "timeless" things, and items I can see both a 16yo and a 46yo wear.

4) Watches. I wear mine for decorative purposes. In fact, given how wildly expensive the maintenance is on luxury watches (several hundred dollars every 2-3 years), I am considering letting them go and using them only for jewelry! What a crock these sellers are.

5) Everyday jewelry. I wear my engagement ring and wedding band. Usually with diamond studs but I have a lot of earrings I switch out. My engagement ring is a round diamond in a square basket setting, copied from my grandmother's ring. I lost my wedding ring, which was a rolling ring with two gold bands and one pave diamond band. I lost it about 18 months ago, but I kept thinking it would show up. I am so bummed.

I just recently bought a plain gold Cartier wedding band with the little screw motif. It's simple but a little different, and it goes with my favorite daytime watch, which is the iconic gold/stainless Cartier tank with the little screws.

This thread needs photos!

Mtn, Are you part of the class action suit against Cartier watches?

kitschyKitch...what class action suit against Cartier? I hadn't heard of one.

Marlene,

I "misspoke"; I meant "were you". The class action had to do with the repair services on their watches. I don't know about you but whenever I go to get the battery replaced ($100 to start with), there is always some whacky service one has to do, too, and it ends up costing a few hundred. More than once they have told me the crystal is cracked (too small to see) and charged a few hundred to repair it, and then to "service" the inside which was purportedly "damaged" by the breach. You have no choice if you want to stay under warranty. And it never seems to occur to them that they should not have crystals that break so easily on such a costly watch? And this is for watches that aren't damaged and run okay! Maybe it is just here in NYC, but I have come to dread taking my watch in.

Rant over.

KK, thanks for the reply!

Yes, I can relate. And, it takes forever for the work to be done...even if it's just for a cleaning.

KK,
That's kind of funny there was a class action. I do think the Cartier watch "service" dept are crooks. I, too, have had to have crystals replaced, on gently used watches, for cracks I could not see -on working watches- but that, yes, I was told necessitated a servicing of the watch movement as WELL as a new crystal. Several hundred dollars and 6-8 weeks, as Marlene mentioned.

It's a pretty disappointing experience. I usually think that buying a luxury good means that they will treat you well; i always feel fleeced when I take our watches in to Cartier.

I lost my wedding ring too, at least I hope it is just lost, and I keep hoping it will turn up. It happened at the same time our kitchen flooded and we had a lot of people in and out, so it could be gone forever.

Daily, I usually wear diamond studs, but if I go out, I will switch to a necklace and coordinating earrings. And then I usually wear a watch because it's easier than digging my phone out of my purse.

I take my tank to a local jeweler for battery replacement and cleaning /maintenance. They told me that most of the crystals are cracked when---- wait for it---- the batteries are replaced! It's a self perpetuating nightmare....
Mine was a hand me down from my mom and it was already out of warranty by the time I got it as she'd never had it "properly" serviced, lol....worked fine despite the benign neglect. Now I mostly wear a Brooks Bros bracelet watch or another with a similar huge face I can see without reading glasses and the good watches rarely see the light of day.