What to buy as a classic jewelry piece (Cartier bracelet, tennis bracelet etc)?

[Anonymous]

Looking for something classic to pass to my girls, like the look of Cartier love bracelet, but seems to be everywhere? What holds it's value? Bracelet preferred.

[Anonymous]

I love Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra. Bracelet is beautiful and classic and has different options. Over time they can add to with the necklace and earrings.

[Anonymous]

I would get diamond studs, mikimoto pearls, a Cartier watch.

I wouldn’t get a bracelet. I don’t think they get much wear. I’m in long sleeves and/or a jacket for 8 months out of the year and a bracelet gets covered. It is rarely my pick.

[Anonymous]

Rolex watch

[Anonymous]

Jewelry does not “hold value” in the way a true asset does. If you should ever need to sell a piece of jewelry you are not going to get the retail price for it but whatever a jeweler or middleman is willing to pay which is low.

My grandmother passed on a lot of jewelry to her daughters and there is no weird hard and fast rule regarding what people like to wear. My mother treasures certain items from my grandmother just because they were hers. They are not necessarily classic or whatever, they are just connected to a certain memory. My aunt has a ring and she shows it to me and says “this was my aunt’s” and it’s 18k gold but nothing special. If you want to get something that lasts just make sure it is high quality and real gold and it is something you love to wear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would get diamond studs, mikimoto pearls, a Cartier watch.

I wouldn’t get a bracelet. I don’t think they get much wear. I’m in long sleeves and/or a jacket for 8 months out of the year and a bracelet gets covered. It is rarely my pick.

These are nice items but so generic. In 30 years you will definitely be able to find the exact same items. Something unique that isn’t in every single person’s wardrobe would make more sense.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t do either of those. Especially a tennis bracelet. I would do a necklace, ring or watch. My aunt gave me an antique ruby ring that was lovely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would get diamond studs, mikimoto pearls, a Cartier watch.

I wouldn’t get a bracelet. I don’t think they get much wear. I’m in long sleeves and/or a jacket for 8 months out of the year and a bracelet gets covered. It is rarely my pick.

My grandmother gave me 2 ct total weight diamond studs when I graduated from college. I wear them pretty much every day.

[Anonymous]

Agreed van cleef alhambra is classic and beautiful. I have the diamond necklace and love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would get diamond studs, mikimoto pearls, a Cartier watch.

I wouldn’t get a bracelet. I don’t think they get much wear. I’m in long sleeves and/or a jacket for 8 months out of the year and a bracelet gets covered. It is rarely my pick.

These are nice items but so generic. In 30 years you will definitely be able to find the exact same items. Something unique that isn’t in every single person’s wardrobe would make more sense.

Cartier love bracelets and Van Cleef Alhambra jewelry are also generic. They're like the Louis Vuitton Neverfull of jewelry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would get diamond studs, mikimoto pearls, a Cartier watch.

I wouldn’t get a bracelet. I don’t think they get much wear. I’m in long sleeves and/or a jacket for 8 months out of the year and a bracelet gets covered. It is rarely my pick.

My grandmother gave me 2 ct total weight diamond studs when I graduated from college. I wear them pretty much every day.

Yes this. These aren't generic they are classic- and have the highest likelihood of being worn. If you get a "unique" piece there is a good chance it won't see the light of day once passed down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra. Bracelet is beautiful and classic and has different options. Over time they can add to with the necklace and earrings.

I sure wish I had inherited some from this line!

[Anonymous]

Patek Phillipe or Jaeger Le Coultre Reverso watch

[Anonymous]

Maybe check out an antique store or a jewelry store that sells estate jewelry to find a special piece? My favorite jewelry is antique jewelry that my mom collected. And for earrings, I don't like variety, so special earrings would be wasted on people like me - I only wear gold hoops that stay in all the time. I also wear, every day, one gold bracelet that reminds me of my mom, and then add different bracelets to my wrist to wear with it. I wear different rings every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jewelry does not “hold value” in the way a true asset does. If you should ever need to sell a piece of jewelry you are not going to get the retail price for it but whatever a jeweler or middleman is willing to pay which is low.

My grandmother passed on a lot of jewelry to her daughters and there is no weird hard and fast rule regarding what people like to wear. My mother treasures certain items from my grandmother just because they were hers. They are not necessarily classic or whatever, they are just connected to a certain memory. My aunt has a ring and she shows it to me and says “this was my aunt’s” and it’s 18k gold but nothing special. If you want to get something that lasts just make sure it is high quality and real gold and it is something you love to wear.

This. When we divided up my grandmother's jewelry, we took turns picking based on what we actually liked and would wear, or what we connected to for sentimental reasons. No one picked something because it was once expensive. Other posters make the very good point that there's less incentive to purchase items that are readily available and likely will be for the foreseeable future. Part of the nice part of picking my grandmother's jewelry was the number of things that were more "dated" and unique. My favorite pieces were a mid-century gold and pearl starburst brooch, and a carved ivory necklace and earring set. Things that are beautiful and still looks great today, but uncommon. If your goal is to pass on something to your children, I would pick something that is good quality (so that it will last decades), and that you enjoy wearing frequently (so that your kids will associate you with the piece and have sentimental memories attached to the pieces when it's time to pass on to them).