By Pascale Helyar-Moray, Founder of StyleRocks.
Jewellery has been a life-long passion of mine. In the way some people wake up thinking about what they’ll have for dinner that evening, I wake up thinking about jewellery. Some people browse holiday destinations in their lunch break; I surf jewellery websites. I can usually identify the maker of a jewellery item correctly 8 times out of 10.
However, my passion doesn’t mean I haven’t made mistakes when it comes to choosing my own jewellery along the way! And let’s face it: returning jewellery or trying to have it remade into something wearable can be a challenge – better to make the right choice first time.
So how do you make the right choices when choosing jewellery? I can’t guarantee these tips will work every time…but they will certainly help minimise mistakes!
1. Think about your lifestyle.
What type of jewellery is going to work best for you? If you have children, think twice about purchasing dangly earrings: they are a magnet for little fingers! If you’re a chef, rings aren’t the best option for you during work hours. However, if you’re in the corporate world, perhaps a gorgeous cocktail ring is going to help you feel better about putting in those long hours at your computer!
2. Jewellery needs to work for you – and work hard.
If you’re going to spend good money on a beautiful piece, make sure it will be taken out of its jewellery box at least once every few months. Think about which outfits you’re going to wear this piece of jewellery with: is this an ‘everyday’ piece, or a ‘special occasion’ piece? I think the best jewellery straddles both those categories. But when I do wear my beautiful sapphire ring during the day, I make sure it’s not when I’m with my children as it tends to scratch little arms (see point 1).
3. Many people think that they can wear any colour metal, or any kind of stone.
Wrong! What suits you best all depends on your skin tone. I wear white and yellow golds, but not rose gold – it simply doesn’t suit me. Equally, stones which have a blue base such as sapphire, amethyst and pink tourmaline really ‘pop’ against my skin much more than citrine or peridot, which have a yellow base. If you’re not sure which metals or stones suit you best, ask a trusted friend or family member’s opinion. When you’ve designed your jewellery on the StyleRocks website, you can share the link on Facebook, or email it to ask what your friends think.
4. Finally… Love what you wear.
There’s no point wearing something if it’s just acceptable; you will never be thrilled when wearing it, and as a result, you won’t wear it at all. The beauty of the StyleRocks website is that you can design jewellery exactly as you want it – whether the item reflects your romantic side, or is engraved with your special message, or is inset with your birthstone.
Happy shopping and remember – your jewellery is an expression of you and therefore needs to be fabulous!
