Tips on starting a jewelry collection

JEWELRY can melt even the hearts of the coldest cynics. The shine and sheen of precious stones, according to a study by Belgian researchers, turn on the brain and tap into the primeval search for water, explaining our attraction to shimmering surfaces.*

That’s your primeval brain talking, but then, in a world as messy as ours, maybe when we gaze into the depths of a jewel, what we’re looking for is the security and perfection that we can’t find in this world. ����ý trooped to a trunk show by young jewelry brand Adornata earlier this month, which was similarly flocked by young actresses and older socialites.

Chynna Gonzalez, Adornata’s founder, brought out for this season a line of classic diamonds (tennis bracelets and the like), in contrast to her previous collection of flamboyant pieces taking inspiration from the Venetian Festa del Redentore, a festival that celebrates the city’s freedom from the Black Plague through fireworks. The simplicity of the new line brought on a discussion of the right jewelry purchases for a young woman.

First off, when it comes to jewelry, there’s no such thing as age. “I personally don’t believe in age-appropriate jewelry — from someone who wear a two-carat diamond everyday,” said Ms. Gonzalez, pointing to an heirloom ring from her grandmother. The two-carat center stone was flanked by baguettes that formed the illusion of wings. Certainly a piece ahead of its time then, but today a grand piece. For those who don’t favor the antique settings on antique jewelry, she may reset and redesign the stones, but warns that about 12% of the gold’s weight is lost in the process.

“Even though my pieces look young, the clients for those are mixed too — the young and the young at heart.”

Ms. Gonzalez’s brand, Adornata, is anchored on earrings in precious stone and precious metals that can be taken apart and built again in different configurations: say, a dangler from her collection can be taken apart and worn as a stud, or a stud with a halo. “You feel like you’re getting more value for your money. It’s functional luxury.”

For starter collectors, she immediately says, “Always invest in gold, gold, gold.”

“You can easily track the weight, the value, and it has not gone down in like, 10 years.”

Diamond studs seem like a charming addition to a small collection, but she warns, “The resale value is kind of low. If there’s no certification, they kind of debate on the value of the diamond.”

For those who aren’t serious about the investment game, and just really want to build a jewelry collection for the sheer beauty of it, Ms. Gonzalez has a tip: “Go to a jeweler that you trust, and bring a picture, whatever. Tell them your budget.”

Ms. Gonzalez says that jewelers like her can execute more expensive designs with the use of lower-priced stones — Ms. Gonzales refrains from calling them semiprecious stones. “They’re really all precious stones, there are just tiers.” — J.L. Garcia

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