Classic jewellery items ... what to get?

[mummyhaschangedhername]

I was burgled last month, my entire jewellery collection was taken, I litterally have nothing, so now I get to buy a small amount of repayment pieces.

I bought my replacement wedding ring and engagement ring, and an eternity ring, I bought a new watch (smart watch by fossil), and a bracelet by swarovski that I had been admiring for ages. My husband bought a new replacement wedding band (we unfortunately hadn’t worn our rings and they were stupidly in our draws and taken too).

We still have a little bit of insurance value left to replace items, and I’m not sure what to get or what to get in the future. I would rather get a few really good pieces than lots of cheaper pieces, I get a bit overwhelmed looking online and really know nothing about brands or what’s in fashion. My wedding bands rings were Neil lane, but I’m totally in love with Le Vien. Just need some opionions or ideas from others, what would they recommend? Or avoid even?

I never wear my engagement ring and quite often forget my wedding ring.

I suspect dh has lost his and doesn't want to tell me.

My husband only ever wears his wedding ring on high days and holidays (manual job), and as I mostly work from home now I reckon I might have my wedding and engagement rings on one or two days a week at most.

Sympathies, OP, but having been burgled and lost nearly all my jewellery myself, do bear in mind that so much around jewellery is sentimental, so don't rush out trying to buy things - hang on to some money and buy things when you see something you love.

Thanks everyone.

As for who said, "who takes off their wedding ring" well clearly me and my husband.

I didn't get anything, we picked up my husbands new wedding band and I looked around bit didn't see anything I loved. Think I'll have a nose about after Christmas now and see what's about. I really agree that a classic piece of the best way to do.

Whoever said about their late husbands ring, that is such a special and lovely idea, so glad you managed to find it, I bet you were frantic.

Overall I'm not all that sentimental, I was more upset over my laptop than my rings if I'm honest. There were a few pieces I'm upset over, things I inherited or bought as special one of pieces, so that's a bit sad. I think the fact someone raised though my draws and everything was much more upsetting that having them stolen. Although there was little things like, my husbands gran used to give all the grandkids and Their spouses money at Christmas, it was only £5 or £10 I think, but she had handwritten on the envelopes and placed money inside. She had done it all a few days before she died so we were all given them, but I never had the Heart to open it, it was just in my draw as a memory and the money was old now, so not really worth anything and Scottish (I'm in Wales) so it's sad, those sort of things inset me much more.

I loved my rings, my husband and I chose them together, it was a wonderful memory, but I'm more upset that someone would come into my house and take them and I very much doubt had any idea their actual value.

You may not want to consider this, but we actually have a safe. I do have wonderful jewellery and I cannot wear all of it all the time! Ours is bolted down and did not cost a fortune. I think if you take something off regularly it’s not worth it but it is if you have a collection of jewellery.

Regarding hiding jewellery, after a neighbour was robbed, the police told her to hide the jewellery in the loft under the insulation. Burglars don’t go in lofts apparently.

I come across jewellery I like. I don’t when I go looking for it! You will know when you really want something and you can always google “antique jewellery” and see what comes up! There are sites where lots of jewellers advertise their items.

Just stick to really simple everyday type things. Small simple earnings, maybe a string of pearls if you are a pearl wearer.

I also take off all my jewellery when I get home. I work in the city and when I get home I like to relax and that includes wedding rings so I don't find that odd at all. When I was burgled it was during the day so I was at work wearing my rings.
Please note - all my jewellery was in a safe bolted to the floor. They just ripped it out. So please don't think that a safe bolted to the floor is burglar proof. It most definitely is not.

Thanks everyone. I did buy I safe already, bolted to the floor and wall, and it weights about 8 stone, so although not impossible to steal, it would take a lot more effort than the muppet that came in and stole a Tesco bag for life to take his "goods" away. I do worry it effectively places everything on once place. But it's also hidden, so with burgled Alarms, cctv and safe it reduces my chances of losing stuff again. Plus rings are now staying on my fingers.

Loft we already thought about, we stored some bits in there, but moved our cctv box up there too. It would be neigh impossible to find it.

When he broke in it was in a locked cupboard which he didn't managed to get into (despite the fact the key was in plain sight)but for extra peace of mine we moved it because he clearly had tried to get in.

I think I should think of more secure storage...

When it comes to jewellery, what are you likely to wear? Eg I find that I wear my engagement ring, a watch and a pair of stud earrings on most days. I often wear a brooch too. I find that with the ring and the watch being blingy, I don’t often wear other rings or bracelets as it looks too much. I don’t like wearing necklaces either. So if it was me replacing stuff, I’d probably just get a big ring, a diamond watch and a pair of pearl or diamond studs (or both).

JoJo

Yes, that's what I have done thus far 😄 my old ring was very a classic platinum solitaire ring. This time I went for something I bit more sparkly that stands out, because I were so little jewellery that it makes sense. Out of curiosity though, do you wear a necklace at all? I haven't in year and I'm sad I haven't got any (expect a cheap reindeer one my mum bought me this week) but would it be too much in your opinion?

I don’t often wear necklaces as my hair seems to get caught in it + I often wear bright colours and patterns so I wouldn’t want to overdo it.
On rear occasions that I do wear a necklace, eg with an evening gown, I prefer to just get a cheap fashion item.

But if you’re likely to wear a necklace more often, it might make sense to invest in a proper one.

Thanks JoJo ... think I'll hold off for now. 😄

Hi OP, I'm sorry you've gone through all this it must have been horrible for you

We are just reviewing our security, can I ask did you have an alarm and CCTV when you were broken into? I'm just wondering if I need both or is one better than the other.

Also, I haven't read the whole thread but I would think about either pearl studs or diamond stud earrings.

We only had CCTV, we stupidly thought that everyone has alarms and everyone in this area ignores them. We still need go get an alarm, we had also stupidly only out up one of the 4 cctv cameras, and the one was a distance enough that I'm sure he thought wouldn't catch him, which it did, it's definitely worth getting very high resolution cameras. I also has my bedroom curtains closed (bungalow) and we have no fence around the to the back, with hindsight it made us a target I suppose. My neighbour always has her blinds wide open with lights on and you can see straight in, I thought it was odd but I can see the logic now.

Thank you. I think we are going to go for both CCTV and alarm then. It's interesting what you say about your neighbour having her blinds open and lights on. Like you, I always have my blinds closed but I can see why your neighbour is doing that and it does make a lot of sense.

I can't imagine how awful this must have been for your but hope everything is now getting sorted

Thanks both ... I've been looking at online auctions and they have some really lovely pieces. Think I'll have to go visits some auctions, I've never done a "proper" auction, only charity ones, so I'm quite excited at the prospect. Thanks.

So sorry to hear about the burglary. I usually take off my jewelry as well, when not in use. Why don't you get yourself some that are compatible with everyday use?