Van Cleef Sweet Alhambra pendant worth it?

[40thbirthday]

I like the idea of having a nice necklace i wear daily. I love gold and mother or pearl and know the quality is excellent. There are so many copies though. If i am doing it i want the real thing. Just want experience of those that have it or if people think its worth it?

I like it and if you wear it daily then the cost per wear isn't too bad.

I do think you are paying for the name though

I suggested Bond Street as you’ll be able to look at Van Cleef in real life but you’ll definitely get more for your money at a less ‘name’ shop (which is what most of the stores round there are!). That said there’s nothing wrong with buying something from a ‘name’ (even if you could get something theoretically similar elsewhere) if you love it and it means something to you. I know I can (and have) got silver jewellery that’s better value for money from shops other than Tiffany but the standard ‘return to Tiffany’ charm I got on holiday when I was 18 is still special to me.

@Tippexy "Lab grown diamonds may as well be CZ. "

Why?

They were unusual when many of us purchased them years ago. My favourite V C and A piece by far is my Perlée clovers bracelet.

Why are you looking at WAGS and influencers if you disapprove of them so?

I don't know if that poster does disapprove but the above comment doesn't really make sense.

I have no interest in Molly Mae (don't dislike her but wouldn't be interested in her life or fashion) but I know she has a necklace because I saw her in a mag I was flicking through.

I have the mother of pearl bracelet OP, you can’t get it wet so you can’t wear it in the shower etc everyday.

my friend has the green one necklace and that’s fine the shower, so if you do want an everyday one make sure its a durable stone

it will definitely hold its value But atm the dupes and real things are everywhere thanks to influencers lol but you know you’re wearing the real thing and that’s what matters.

YES! LOVE IT! Have been wanting the 5 motif green bracelet for years!!! Maybe I’ll finally have saved up enough by the time I’m 40 🙈 I’d defo go into the store for something that price. You want to make sure it’s 100% and it’d also be a whole experience. Treat yo’self!

So, i am now going to London on Monday. This is only to scope them out but worth seeing in real life and birthday is only two months away. I will go to selfridges anyway so may check there first to see. For the purchase i think i will go to their actual store. Excited and booked a day trip with my DC just so i can fit this in!

Will consider MOP and durability. I don’t shower in any jewellery so thats fine but it could possibly get perfume on it by mistake. I do like the green but not sure i would wear daily. The bracelets are also so beautiful.

The lovely lady who sold me mine showed me how the bracelet can be added onto the necklace to make it longer……

Just had a look at another thread on this from 2022. Was in AED but the vintage was 2.1k sterling! Gone up loads! Wish i had got one previously

Oh lovely. Makes a difference when they are are pleasant to deal with. Do you love your purchase and would recommend?

@40thbirthday Yes definitely. I ended up trying on a lot of different styles and colours and actually bought one that I didn’t go in wanting to try on - the sales lady persuaded me to try it and I’m really glad I did. It’s more than I was planning to spend, but I love it and wear it way more than I thought I would. I wear it on its own and also as part of a cluster of necklaces. It’s very sparkly. I’ll also get a bracelet etc for Christmas. I was told not to get sun cream on it or wear it in the shower - fair enough…
And Grace Kelly was wearing her Van Cleef necklaces much earlier than any friggin Influencer 😉

There's an 18 carat, mother of pearl lookalike for £50 online. I certainly wouldn't pay well over a thousand for it. It's nice and I agree it's a great everyday piece but I'm not sure it will hold its value.

https://www.cartier.com/en-gb/jewellery/collection-jewellery/amulette-de-cartier/necklaces
Cartier do a gorgeous MOP necklace that I covet! I love the Alhambra but I feel it's a bit of a cliché.

I'm not sure if you're planning to go to the UAE any time soon but Cartier, vca etc are quite a bit cheaper out there x

The influencer comment makes me laugh. Chanel would be written off if we lived life like that. They have the £ so will spend it on what's in fashion. Like Chanel I think VC is a classic and will stand the test of time.

Did realise that about UAE. We did consider going for my bday too! I knew in Paris it’s slight cheaper but nit as much as there.

I've seen so many dupes of these now it has put me off it

If you just love the style, then maybe buy a cheaper version

But if you can afford it as an investment piece and also get plenty of wear out of it then why not!

@Tippexy Lab grown diamonds may as well be CZ.
Except pan grown diamonds are diamonds and not CZ. Even de Beers have seen the writing on the wall and have been dumping their stockpile of diamonds onto the market. They are real diamonds with the same molecular structure because ....they are diamonds 😹. I haven't got any lab amines but if I was looking for something new and big I would absolutely look at lab. And I am someone who can confidently say I know more and own more significant diamonds that you ever will

There are not loads around at the moment... a good eye would easily spot a real Van Cleef. And it will still be going strong after all the dupes have been chucked to back of the cupboard or the chain has snapped.

I'd definitely pop along to Bond Street, nip into Liberty. They have some interesting jewellery designers like Alex Monroe

I love these necklaces but as someone who has spent money on trend jewellery before, I wouldn’t bother as more fakes will come out and eventually it will be an old trend. If you’re going to spend money on a nice everyday necklace look at some of the Cartier diamond ones. They won’t go out of fashion.

The influencer comment makes me laugh. Chanel would be written off if we lived life like that. They have the £ so will spend it on what's in fashion. Like Chanel I think VC is a classic and will stand the test of time.

I don't think it's the same as Chanel personally more akin to the Tiffany craze. No one is buying a Chanel bag for 2k!

I wear a simple diamond pendant daily. I took the solitaire out of my granny's ring and had it set. I love it and find it goes with everything, subtle but special.

Yeah definitely get your point. The point i was making a lot of influencers where all sorts of brands. I choose chanel as the most classic/high value. But there are other etc and of course they will wear them, its no reason not to have something. However for me this is a classic necklace regardless and when they move on the next trend it still will be.