Adaptability in Jewelry

Art Deco Diamond Set Convertible Tiara

They say the rich do things differently, especially when it comes to jewelry. The theory is that higher the price the better the quality. When speaking about diamonds this is usually such a straight correlation you could put it on a graph. It holds true for many of the colored gemstones as well.

In the world of antiques there is often an even stronger correlation between price and quality. This is a relative measure however. Most antique jewelry pieces (fine jewelry) are extremely high quality anyhow. Due to the recent rise in the price of gold and the corresponding rise of the "gold buyers" most things there were of inferior quality (along with ones that weren't) have been melted down or sold for parts. The pieces that survive that process tend to be really, really amazing pieces.

These have one other characteristic that you get above a certain price point and usually with antique items (although there are a few others). When materials were more scarce and each piece was insanely expensive it was expected that you would wear a piece many times and in many different ways.I offer one example to the left. This is a necklace/tiara by Garrard (the jeweler for the English Royal Family). It is interesting is how versatile this piece is. It can be worn either as a tiara or necklace. Then it breaks down into a pair of earrings, a pendant, and a bracelet.

This is one example of having an heirloom item that is mean to be used in different circumstances and in different ways.