Heirloom jewellery for grandchildren

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MIL has had an insurance payout after a burglary and has £4k to spend on jewellery for 4 girls and 2 boys. Thinking watches for the boys but that’s as far as we’ve got. How would you spend this money?

I'm really sad about the stolen jewellery, I don't have much inheritance stuff but I'd hate to lose it. I'd find it difficult to replace for sentimental reasons.
It does date...my dd1 has 21st birthday present stuff that she won't wear 10 years later.
My dh occasionally needs cufflinks but loses one of a pair...
I'm no help!

I do- both!

I also know many younger women (my DIL and DDs) who do wear pearls. They are very 'in' again.

Not a 3-row necklace, but single pearls or larger stud earrings.

I also wear a 'good' watch. Watches like Cartier or Omega etc are always 'in'.

New jewellery losses its value very quickly because there are very high mark ups on retail jewellery. Also note the current price of gold is very high so all gold based products are expensive atm. Personally I think gold prices will keep on rising. But the price fluctuates.

Investment wise I wouldn’t buy expensive jewellery for teens. They will lose it and it won’t be worth much in a few years time. I would get some simple relatively inexpensive pieces they like and will keep. Heirlooms don’t need to be high value.

Given the limitations I would buy investment gold that can be sold. So maybe gold coins but don’t make them into jewellery. I bought someone some coronation gold coins a few years back. They are now worth way more.

To invest in a watch you need to go very high end.

I’d do diamond studs for the girls and cufflinks for the boys.

Buy them all a cross pendant.

Cuff links are definitely a good idea for the boys with a watch, perhaps a tie pin as well to make up the value. Both my girls have st Christopher's given on their 18th birthdays - my dd is in the navy and wears it all the time, means a lot despite little intrinsic value

This is a brilliant idea. We have recently discovered that a relative has periodically bought gold and silver bars over their lifetime and has a little stash of them for the grandkids.

We were given vouchers after a burglary too. You can use them at most jewellers but they do have an expiry date and hanging onto them for years will just reduce their value.
Went up to Hatton Garden where you can haggle a bit.
The trouble with buying jewellery or watches for youngish children is that they probably won’t like them when they are older and almost no young person wears an ordinary watch now.
I would suggest Mum buys something for herself to wear and enjoy now that could be sold in the future maybe for the children to choose for themselves.

100 percent diamond studs for the girls. That’s absolutely timeless and I’m sure they would wear them. For the boys I would be tempted to go for a Tissot watch which are about the right price timeless even if they don’t want them now or beautiful cuff links. Again not something they may wear regularly but a lovely thing to have and hand down.

This is so hard! My grandmother passed down loads of jewellery - neither my mom or I or my daughter will wear 99% of it. It's hard to predict what an adult will want and you'll have no idea on sizing.

I appreciate she wants to have a 'thing' to give them and wouldn't want to just buy gold (which would be the obvious answer). I think you'd want stick to something with resale value though as it's really likely the children will never wear it. My husband has never worn cuff links or a watch in his entire life - and I doubt my son will be any different as he won't even wear jeans (sensory stuff)

If they're religious at all I'd be tempted to get something that way inclined as it will have some sentimental value for being from their grandmother 🤷🏻‍♀️

Unless they are religious this is a silly idea, and would also be waay under budget

A gold coin or tiny bar per child for £500 if possible ('cool', will increase in value & easy to exchange later on)
OR pearl/diamond studs for the girls. And a gold chain for the boys ?

ISAs don’t accept jewellery vouchers.

And if they are religious, then it's not a silly idea. It's a suggestion. 4k can buy some good quality pieces. Do you think Elizabeth Duke have the monopoly on crosses or something?

I don't know anyone who wears any of these now, other than DH and my son (cufflinks) for very important meetings (white collar and suit) . No one surely wears tie pins?

St Chris in my view are religious symbols (saints) and if you're a non believer, although I take your point about being in the Navy.

What if they are non-believers?

I was given a gold sovereign as a wedding gift from my late Dad. It's held its value. He said if I ever hit heard times, the sovereign would have some value.

Pearls are classic and almost every woman I know owns and wears pearl jewellery.

I would also be tempted by a gold signet ring for the boys or for all of them. They will be easy to resize and can be engraved with something meaningful for an heirloom connection.

Oh no- signet rings are awful. Tacky and dated.

Sorry. Just my personal choice. I hate rings of any kind on men.

I should imagine that OP will simply ignore my comment if they're not religious.

Of course. The only people I know who wear these are very ardent church goers which is about 3% of the UK.

I tend to agree with gold bars or coins if the vouchers can be used for these, very few men wear jewellery, lots of women don't have pierced ears, cufflinks are old fashioned and rarely worn nowadays, watches have all been replaced by smartwatches, a lot of heirloom jewellery ends up gathering dust.

Respectfully, we're not talking about you. There are lots of types of people with different personalities, likes and beliefs. The OP asked for suggestions and I gave her one. I could say the only people I know who wear sovereign rings are over 65, wear grey loafers and tell sexist jokes.

i agree with PP who have said either diamond or pearl studs for the girls - I wear my pearls every day.

The boys are a bit more tricky - how about a signet ring ?

Being burgled must be really unsettling even if you’re not at home when it happens, I hope she’s ok. No jewellery starts out as an heirloom- it’s the passing it down that makes it so, you’re just starting fresh. I would go for classic watches. Most people are more likely to wear a watch than eg a man a chain or a woman a pearl necklace I think?