To leave most of my jewellery to DD

Just be aware that a valuation for jewellery for insurance purposes as opposed to the actual resale amount you may receive for second hand jewellery is vastly different.

It is a specialist market for quality second hand pieces and the sale price achieved by a reliable and reputable jewellers is not the "cash" value of a personally owned piece. You are insured as if you needed to pay the replacement price from a jeweller, not the money you would get if you sold it to the jeweller.

So that £75k valuation should be viewed carefully.

We only have one son, and I have inherited jewellery from DM and DMIL. Some from my DM will be left to my niece, and we'll see what DS wants, if he marries, for his wife.

My grandma left her jewellery to her female descendants but the men got other items instead (a nice clock, a cabinet etc). Her jewellery wasn't worth very much though.

As per my post above, I think there is a distinction here between jewellery from my family line vs that which my DH (her father) bought for me.

In terms of the latter I think it’s absolutely appropriate she gets a fair share of it.

I’m also in that situation. My will states all my family heirloom jewellery goes to my DS (to be passed to any female heirs in the future) including my 2 Cartier watches.

Then I have split the jewellery my DH has bought me over the years (I’m very lucky he’s been a good customer of VC&A and Tiffany) between them.

Given DS has the inherited jewellery left to him I went through my collection with DSD and gave her first dibs on what she would (eventually) like that DH bought for me which she selected based on what she would wear/was to her taste rather than value per se (though by chance it worked out pretty well re: value anyway). DS was aware and happy with this.

DSD was very touched and happy and feels it represents an inheritance from both DH and myself to remember us by when the time comes (though in agreement with DH I’ve also given her a few pieces now as I don’t really wear them and it’s nice to see her doing so rather than them sitting in their boxes).

ETA: DSD will also get my engagement and wedding rings, again on the premise DH bought them. DS also happy with this.

I wouldn’t be leaving anything sentimental to a SC. Your stuff is for your kids. Money is different.
have very sadly seen SC walk away and never have anything to do with their unrelated family.

You’re lucky you don’t have the added complication of a step daughter like I have! I would have it valued and split it like that if I were you.

The value of the jewellery is irrelevant unless they are planning to sell it. So I think you are overthinking it. Your son has no use for it so it seems reasonable to leave it to your daughter.
My granny split her jewellery between my mum, my aunt and me. None of us know whether our share was "fair", we simply picked the items we liked and wanted to wear.

I have one of each. Dh will give his stuff to our son and me to my dd. Mine is worth much more and will probably make it equal some other way.
but my main reason is I would want it to stay with my dd and not a DIL who could become an ex, and no sentimental value to her.

my Nans will said all her jewellery go to her daughter (my mum) but her house sale and assets went to her kids and my money she had in savings went to her grandchildren (including me)
however although the jewellery went to my mum, she asked me if I wanted anything which I have a fair bit mostly silver that my mum wouldn’t wear, my brother also had a ring which was my late grandfathers and then my mum asked her brother if he, his kids or wife wanted anything, the kids ( my cousins who are male) had some plain band rings and the rest was given to my aunty to look through too

When it comes to Wills my family have always operated on a “no surprises” basis.

Discussions were had before Wills have been drawn up so that everyone is clear about the what’s/whys and importantly have a chance to ask questions whilst the person is still alive so there was never any possibility of people being left wondering or misinterpreting bequests.

Personally I’d discuss the issue of your jewellery with both your children.

There are lots of ways to make this fair even if you leave it to your daughter.

For example the items are valued on your death and your son gets 50% of the value from your daughters share of your estate or he could be left items of equivalent value.

Given your son’s circumstances it’s doubtful he would want the female jewellery anyway, so that makes things a lot easier.

But don’t necessarily assume your daughter would want all your pieces and then potentially be faced with selling them and/or losing part of your estate in trade for something she doesn’t want.

For example my great aunt had a lot of good jewellery (worth similar amounts to yours) and it was left to my mother and myself.

The thing is that very little of it was to our taste. In the end we sold most of it keeping only a few items one of which I had remade/reset.

I do think with regards to jewellery only it should be passed down the female line.

I have 2 nice rings (4k each) but no daughters or granddaughter. I have 3 nieces so it has crossed my mind what am I going to do with them?
Giving them to future DIL's seems wrong.
Maybe I will have some granddaughters in time.

Tricky - it's hard to say what to do, as although I can see why you want to pass it to your DD, it's not all that fair on your DS, as DD will have had £75k worth of jewellery. If you adjust this in the will, by giving DS an extra £75k, then that's not really fair either, as DD will probably feel obligated to keep the jewellery (and may want to anyway), but doesn't have the monetary benefit of it. Also, if your estate is over the inheritance tax threshold, the jewellery will need to be taken into account for that, and tax paid the value.

I'd speak to your children. If you pass the jewellery to DD with the caveat that it may not be sold, but has to eventually be passed on down the family line (can you do that in a will - I'm not sure), then that would be fairer.

My mother inherited jewellery from her MIL, on the basis it would pass to me (my aunt has no children). When my Mum died my brother was a bit miffed that it went to me and there was nothing for him/his wife.

The way is see it is that I’m simply the custodian for the next generation. There are no girls in the immediate family, so it will eventually go to any DILs/granddaughters if I’m lucky enough to have any.

Start handing over now and keep to the female side all female jewellery and male side male jewelry.

£80k worth of jewellery becomes family wealth not something sentimental that you leave to your DD just because it's jewellery. It's highly unreasonable to leave her that without allocating equal value of the estate to your DS.

Unless your Lego collection and pottery is worth approximately £70k, I think this would be unreasonable.

It’s pretty normal for jewellery to go down the female line. As it’s family jewellery intended to go onward to granddaughters then the value is somewhat irrelevant, as they hopefully will never be sold.

Jewellery will go to my daughter 💯.
Your DS can take the lawn mower and any power tools hanging around. I would never give mine or my mother’s engagement ring to my DS.

There is another way around this. Specify the distribution of any sentimental or family pieces, then stipulate in your will that the rest be liquidated so the value can be divided equally. If you have 75k in jewellery then it’s highly likely that your estate including property will go over the 325k threshold and require professional chattels inventory and valuation anyway.

Get the jewellery valued and ensure your DS I
is given that additional value from the estate. Yes, prices will change but get them revalued in 10y or whatever.

Or if you're minted, buy some sovereigns to a similar amount as the jewellery is currently valued & leave them to him. Split the rest 50/50.

But I wouldn't give your DD a tidy chunk of gold & then gift your son the guilt & inconvenience of either storing or offloading large amounts of plastic bricks and pottery.

My DS is the only GDS of my parents. Lots of GDDs. Jewelry is going to the GDDs with a token gold coin going to my DS. It's fine. Not everything in life will be equal. If my dad had a classic car, pretty sure DS would get it (he's a classic car fiend) but he doesn't so that's that. If I owned a Monet, it couldn't be split between 7, I'd have to leave it to one person. That's the way it goes, sorry I couldn't afford to buy 7!

If your ds has a wife by then (and / or a daughter), perhaps leave some of the jewellery to them?

Same, daughter will get my jewellery, probably only about £12k worth so just a small amount of the estate.