Cultivating taste in jewelry
but mostly on allowing oneself
Have you ever freely shopped for extravagant homes on Zillow? Think of those places way above our tax bracket or sense. I often renovate and decorate them in my head, and later discuss the project with my husband.
Now transposing this type of fascination to a different setting: think of a kid whose eyes are full of sparkle and excitement when they see a super sports car up close. My eyes as a child would probably shine the brightest with a super fashionable Barbie or MyScene doll at the toy store. Admiration for beauty and excellence is something that is then allowed and encouraged. It's not dependent on buying it.
Today's text is short and is an assemblage of loose thoughts. Recently, I have done some in-person consultancy accompanying clients on visits to jewelry stores, some of whom do not see themselves as jewelry collectors (although they are always very well-adorned). The trigger was the feeling that I saw in them, an underlying discomfort, perhaps embarrassment. Something on the opulence aura that jewelry can have as if everything is measured in just carats or karats.
How can something that brings so much joy be so uncomfortable?
Jewelry can be ostentatious, immoderate, and futile. Like everything that can be sold or bought in the world.
The best things are often not the cheapest, yet not everything expensive is inherently good. And of course, there is a lot of devastating inequality in our world, plus it is so very difficult to make money. Astronomical price tags can irritate.
I often question if what is in front of me is too frivolous. It was a journey until I firmly grasped the relevance of the topic of this newsletter.
If there is a segment of content that works well on social media, it is jewelry and its price. We may all have come into contact at some point with people testing diamonds to see if they are real with handheld testers (in the most inappropriate and inaccurate way possible), or profiles that almost exclusively estimate the prices of celebrity jewelry. In most cases, this is such a huge disservice. It is so lazy and makes the jewelry market look uninviting, unreachable. The price should only be the business of the individual paying, the insurance, or the appraiser.
Having studied jewelry long before considering writing about it, I've learned that there is jewelry for all tastes and budgets. The number of marketplaces selling jewelry has never been so diverse and lively. Social media have given space to many small designers to succeed in their own style. Plus, the structuring and recent growth of the second-hand market help a lot.
But the most important is to have taste. Something to be cultivated and nurtured.
Knowing how to discern aesthetics and quality should be an independent skill of the written price. Developing our individual parameters is crucial. The passion for beauty and excellence is a permission we grant ourselves. And for the things we may not be able to afford: pleasure isn't confined to ownership; it extends to admiration. Sometimes is much like appreciating artwork in a museum. There is value in allowing ourselves to appreciate with our eyes, too.
What would you wear or buy, price tag aside? I wish and hope we allowed more of this exploratory feeling within the realm of jewelry.
It's a delicate balance, but shopping is not synonymous with buying. Shopping is a process of learning. It's the curated exploration of styles, materials, and aesthetics. It's being able to see the quality and merit in a necklace of gold emeralds, but also a sweet crochet and shell necklace being sold on the beach. Embrace the enjoyment of refining your taste, allowing jewelry to be a canvas for dreams.
Recognizing quality becomes an affair and a passport to a more refined, enriched, and confident wearer.
Much like daydreaming about inhabiting a luxurious apartment, it's perfectly acceptable to entertain fantasies of adorning oneself with exquisite pieces. It's not merely about appearances. It's a journey into the realms of craftsmanship and beauty. Admiring it's akin to having a north of what exceptional quality entails.
Plus, it is necessary to learn about what you find beautiful as much as it is to understand the curious, ugly, strange, or unsettling. Look at the absurdity of lust, then feel angry knowingly. It is necessary to reflect on the source of these feelings. Again, have refined parameters by being well-informed. Knowing what you want and what you don't want. Lastly, remember that these objects are so many things: laden with meaning, impact our body movements, are tools for self-expression and group expression, and are proof of our skills as humans.
In short: exercise your taste and understand what you value. Then, buy within your price range.
The individuals I recall as being the most beautiful and elegant while adorned with jewelry never disclosed its price. Instead, they told me the story of who owned the jewelry before, the moment they celebrated when they acquired it, or the confident joy of having dressed that way was simply contagious.
We all should allow our eyes. That's all for today! Enjoy the rest of your weeks,
Warm regards,
Ísis