According to taste
A customer walks into the store, looking around the showcases from one side of the store to the other. One of the salespersons offers to help her find what she is looking for, since she seems to be having a hard time finding it. She adds: “I am looking for a ring that looks great and is not too expensive”; after looking at dozens of options, the salesperson comes to the manager (that would be me) and asks if I can give him a hand. After just a few questions and pieces shown, I realize that nothing I will show her will make her say “that´s the one!”, and this is simply because we had not figured out what her taste was.
It sounds simple, but believe me, it is not. I can show you something that will contrast your face shape, skin tone, body shape, matches your other pieces and makes amazing contrast with your looks, and is in the budget, but if it is “not you”, nobody will convince you otherwise. Once you decide what fits in that “this is me” area, everything is much easier when it comes to choosing.
Taste will only affect the type of pieces you wear, not their shape and contrast with your body. It is important to know your taste in advance before buying jewelry, since options are almost unlimited, and you want the piece that is right for your lifestyle.
Here are a few recommendations regarding taste:
Elegant taste
When buying elegant jewelry, you want classic, timeless pieces. Elegant can be as affordable or as expensive as you want it to be. I sell diamonds for a living, and I have to say there is nothing that talks elegance like diamonds do; and if you’re a smart shopper and learn from my recommendations, you don’t have to spend all your life savings to get staple pieces that match almost every outfit.
Work to cover the basics first. The basics are a pair of diamond studs, which will make any look in your wardrobe look great and you can wear them every single day if you want. The next article in line is a solitaire diamond pendant. Do not worry about the size if it sparkles. A diamond will always show regardless of the size. For bigger body shapes I recommend a halo diamond pendant to give it a bigger look if you do not want to spend more on a single, bigger diamond.
The next basic article in line is a watch. A watch is elegant and is a perfect replacement for a bracelet if done correctly. It does not have to be an expensive watch if it is classic and elegant. Look for watches with stainless steel bracelets (no colors) with white or gray faces. Simple and elegant. It is your choice if you want an automatic movement watch (self-winding) or quartz movement (battery operated). Quartz movement watches tend to be more affordable and keep time better than self-winding watches; better yet, you do not need a watch winder and they will keep ticking when you are not wearing them for days. For more recommendations on watches, stay tuned for later posts!
Casual taste
Everybody dresses casually, from your neighbor to the Hollywood star. Casual is defined by comfort and personal taste. When someone asks me to show them casual jewelry, they are usually looking for affordable pieces that do not draw a lot of attention, look great and makes them feel comfortable and confident.
Not everybody defines comfort and confidence the same; if your routine involves an area known for crime, you will not feel comfortable wearing a 5-stone, 1-3 carat total ring. However, if you only drive from home to the office, it would be very safe to wear anything that will make you feel good. Comfort and confidence are different for everyone.
If you do a google search for “casual jewelry”, you come across hundreds of websites, most of which will offer you “cheap/affordable” jewelry. I do not believe all casual jewelry is low priced (cheap is not a word I like to associate with jewelry), but a lot of it is often less expensive than the elegant one.
Casual jewelry involves wearing pieces that complement your everyday looks. That is right, a nice necklace with a meaningful pendant or a pendant that you feel you can wear daily. Necklaces are pieces for everyone unless your line of work (or small kids) does not allow it.
Earrings are one of the main pieces in your collection, and you should have at least two pairs: one for every day, and one for special occasions. Your every day pair is what we consider casual and will complement your attire. You can go with simple, small, gold earrings, with a unique design that means something to you; if you are on a budget, you can choose a pair of studs with CCs. If you are looking for an upgrade, you can always choose small diamond studs; they can be casual in the right size. If you decide to go that way, I recommend martini-set studs since they show the stone more and are safe.
When it comes to rings, I tend to choose bands for casual wear. Bands can be stacked to go from casual to elegant, they can complement your skin tone and attire just with the color of the metal and, in the case of small diamond bands, they just make any outfit look great. Bands are timeless and everyone needs at least one nice band (besides the wedding band) that they can wear every single day.
The bracelet department is not so simple. Tennis bracelets can be both casual and elegant, but they are not low priced. A regular gold bracelet can be a good option if you find a comfortable style. There are a few leather/ faux leather bracelets that can look great when paired with silver, gold, or precious/ semiprecious stones. Choose what you feel will look better with your everyday outfits.
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