Heirloom jewellery for grandchildren

[ChocolateTruffleAssortment]

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?

As an alternative suggestion for the boys, MIL could use all the vouchers to get something for the girls and then get something separately for the boys (if finances permit ofc)/leave them something else specific. That would at least avoid the conundrum of choosing jewellery for boys!

It’s tricky. I don’t know any men who wear jewellery at all, and I certainly have never had pearls. Diamond studs is a maybe. Gold chains for the girls, maybe.

Why vouchers? Never heard of this as an insurance payment. It suggests they are for a 'chain' like Ernest Jones or similar.

Why isn't she being reimbursed with cash?

This is very much standard for insurers nowadays.

They are businesses and they only care about fulfilling their contractual obligations and not about what is most helpful for the customer. They negotiate with big chains and get big discounts: ergo to pay you £5,000 in cash for that amount of loss would cost them £5,000, whereas they can probably get £5,000 of vouchers from a High Street jeweller for £4,000.

They couldn't care less about sentimental value and you wanting a like-for-like replacement wherever possible, which you might have to search far and wide for, from smaller, niche places/eBay etc.; they see it that you lost a 18ct gold necklace and Ernest Jones sells 18ct gold necklaces, so you've technically got back exactly what you lost - regardless of how different or really not what you like the 'replacement' may end up being.

They can all get watches. Or watches for the boys and maybe lockets for the girls?

Does MIL have sone other cash she could use?

I'd spend £1000 each on 4 diamond tennis bracelets for the girls - they are modern, easy to wear and very pretty.

For the boys I'd skip anything you can buy in a jewellers and get them something leather - nice wallets? Belts?

Apropo of nothing else, pearl studs and or pearl string necklaces are classics that won’t go out of fashion and can be worn smart or casually.

For the boys <£500 will get you a nice mechanical watch like a Hamilton Jazzmaster or CWC heritage reissue for everyday wear.

I'd go with this. 👍 Even if it's not something they want to wear as adults they're fairly classic and gold always holds it's value.

St Christopher's pendant/locket/ compass.

Sadly that sort of money won't stretch far in the UK where jewellery is ridiculously priced .
But I would go with silver things from Tiffany - it's pretty timeless and popular with younger generation .

I would get then a gold sov/half sov for each of them with their birth year. Easy to put away safely. Easy to get an appropriate mount or setting and it will always be from grandma

Aw so sad about all her lovely things 🥲 I would take them with you both to choose make it a little day out. Everyone has different tastes I'm sure they will find something lovely and hopefully the joy it gives them will make their grandma feel a bit better about what's happened

You are best off investing in gold, the higher the carat and heaviest you can afford. It’s a shame it’s vouchers as secondhand is better value. Perhaps thick gold chain necklaces for the lads - and bracelets for the girls for example. The nicer silver Tiffany pieces can hold their value too. But if you buy solid gold it’s easy to sell or exchange if tastes change. Watches, unless Rolex, Cartier etc don’t hold value & no one wears them much these days!

Agree with the suggestions to either buy something gold to put away and keep for its value OR to let the children choose something now as a memorable treat without trying to pick heirlooms of the future.

Tastes are too individual and liable to change over the decades. I was bought ‘special’ jewellery for my 18th that I wore for about two decades, but wouldn’t wear now. I will always remember the trip to buy it though. Fashion also changes far more quickly than in the past.

This reminds me of the secret Santa threads - however popular something is, it’s never going to be for everyone. Pearl or diamond studs are not something I’d ever wear, for example, and I actively dislike some of the other suggestions.

Respectfully back, it's not about you either!

Being an active churchgoer or being religious is a minority nowadays. Wearing a cross tends to be linked to nuns, priests, or the highly religious.

I don't know anyone over 65 wearing sovereign rings grey loafers or who tell sexist jokes (though the relevance evades me here.)

You're acting like I've tried to convert people to Christianity when I've simply made a suggestion for jewellery like everyone else. You came for me asking what if they non-believers? I never made it about me and would not have commented further if you hadn't quoted me. Barmy 🤣 Go enjoy your christmas.

I think the idea of a gold sovereign or ingot each would work well. They could be gifted now by grandma so the children know they have them from her and then actually given on their 21st or other birthday grandma chooses. Given grandma's age now perhaps she could choose a birthday card for each of them to receive from her with their gift in the future just in case? They can then choose to keep the items or use them to purchase a piece of their own choice or possibly design depending on how gold prices fare?

Agree. I wouldn't buy branded jewellery.

I'd either go to a reputable second hand/ vinatge dealer and get something pre- WWII, or even pre WWI or buy something completely new from an independent jeweller who makes their own pieces.

Why vouchers? Never heard of this as an insurance payment. It suggests they are for a 'chain' like Ernest Jones or similar.

Why isn't she being reimbursed with cash?

I claimed for a pearl necklace. I was told I could select one from one of 2 independent jewellers. Neither was a chain, but both carried a good stock of vintage jewellery. That was 30 years ago.

Gold they can have melted down and made into their/their partner's future engagement rings.

I was also going to say gold coins

I have a string of pearls but they look daft. I think I'm going to have them restrung as a bracelet and maybe set in earrings . Pearl necklaces on me seem a bit matronly.

Jewellery is such a personal thing. Hard to buy for someone else especially when they're still children.

It's just under £700 each. Where do the vouchers have to be spent?

It really isn't enough to be classed as an heirloom in my opinion and young people would likely lose the items or not like them much. They will barely be covered by an insurance excess.

Could your mother possibly buy them each a gold sovereign to be kept aside for the future/a rainy day. A 2024 sovereign is about £500. It may be a short reign so they could increase in value.

Pearl necklaces have another meaning which might put some people off wearing them!

Seconding spending it on a sovereign or similar each. I have recently been offered some heirloom jewellery and there was only one piece that I actually liked.

Kruger rands would be my choice!

Oh don't be ridiculous.