I'm fond of my formal china. Gee, I should use it more often but I only ever got four place settings and a platter! It comes either in ivory or white. I've had it since 1986 and it is still being made.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pickard Geneva

I never had platinum but I loved my old pattern...gave the lot to xh in our divorce since he didn't like it. Reverse spite.

Wedgewood Black Florentine

I suggest you go looking, finds everal patterns you like and then do the research on each of them.
Don't rush into anything...be sure you look at what's out there. There are many more china manufacturers than Wedgewood.

Linda C

msazadi- Florentine Black is "my" pattern and I adore it, but it was discontinued in the mid 90's and pieces are either hideously expensive (replacements.com) or bid up into the stratosphere on Ebay. I've been trying to flesh out my china since I was married (coincidentally it got discontinued right after I registered for it) and it's just too, too expensive. A fabulous pattern but not one I'd suggest for someone trying to start out from scratch. It's funny too because so many people have suggested that I sell what I have & buy something that's readily available but I just won't, I love the pattern too much.

Florentine seems to keep making an appearnce, though. It looks like they're producing Florentine Turquoise again and the Florentine Black did show up as part of the Contrasts line. Of course I only found out about THAT after Contrasts had been discontinued. Thank God for Ebay.

I enjoy the Wedgwood shapes as well, so Wedgwood is the "right" china for me. I know that they do a basic & lovely all white Nantucket Basket but that might not be formal enough. Madrid is white, with a plain silver band and Signet Gold is another simple, classic pattern with a gold rim (not sure if this is still in production, though). Since platinum is big right now it might be difficult to find something witout it. I suggest that if you have a Wedgwood outlet nearby you go & check out their wares, or even a store like Bloomingdales or Fortunoff where the china selection is huge.

And good luck! There are so many fabulous patterns & shapes out there. What I've started doing also is picking up odd place settings from different patterns (always Wedgwood, though, so the shapes match) when I find them inexpensively. Bed Bath & Beyond can be good for that, too.

Wedgwood now offers some sort of guarantee where your pattern will still be available for a certain amount of years after being discontinued but it does me no good.

Nina

Nina, I'm sorry to hear that about BF but then xh has a FULL service + for 12 - incl all the unusual ones. Most of it was purchased in England back in the days when the dollar was strong, but even then it was pricey in the US by comparison to other patterns.

btw, I also picked a pattern that had a teapot of the shape that suited me. Some don't, even if they are Wedgewood, and I am refering to the shapes that were available in the 60s. If you're not a tea drinker, ignore that idea.