The Jewelry Topic Thread - here we discuss bracelets, rings, necklaces, etc...

[Chrikelnel]

New #1 curb chain

 

[King Calder]

What length did you go with? it looks great!!

 

[Chrikelnel]

What length did you go with? it looks great!!

Thanks! It’s 28” and the #4 is 21”. Their 24” chains get too tangled with a 21” chain + pendent for my tastes, though I can’t actually show you because I sold my other chains to make room. Thinking of adding a GA feather pendent to the #1 and then I’ll be done for a while (I tell myself).

 

[King Calder]

I literally haven't taken off my #3 since i got it, but I also like the look of the #1 chain as being thinner and longer. I'm not hungry to add anything in the immediate future but it's nice to see you wearing both. Good advice on the 24" getting tangled with the 21". Do you ever wear the chains solo or always with the pendants?

 

[Chrikelnel]

I literally haven't taken off my #3 since i got it, but I also like the look of the #1 chain as being thinner and longer. I'm not hungry to add anything in the immediate future but it's nice to see you wearing both. Good advice on the 24" getting tangled with the 21". Do you ever wear the chains solo or always with the pendants?

St. Christopher’s have a lot of meaning for me so like your #3, it never leaves my neck. Since I’m already wearing a pendant on the #4, it feels like it would be off-balanced to wear the #1 plain. Although I will add that though it doesn’t apply to my situation, one of the best things to me about the #3 and #4’s is that the clasp adds enough visual weight to be interesting even if you’re not wearing a pendant.

 

[CityHunter]

Newbie to the jewelry life. And to follow, very newbie questions (I tried searching, no luck).
I wanted to start my journey off with something simple - a ring. On my lunch break, I went down to the jewelry district to 'trick' someone into telling me my ring size, because I'm that clueless.
I have no self control and don't do well under pressure, so one of the salespeople talked me into a basic silver curb chain. A step ahead of what I wanted, but here we are.

I've been looking at Good Art, Maple, Miansai, etc. I know these brands are a very distinct style when it comes pendants, clasps (especially Good Art), ring designs, etc. which I can see the value to. But when it comes to something basic like the curb chain I got, or like, a ball chain, is there any advantage to purchasing a basic chain from the aforementioned brands vs a random sterling silver retailer? Are they using higher quality silver (.925), techniques to make the chains, or something else that justifies the premium?

I still plan to support Good Art, Maple, etc. but I just want to get some background info.

 

[Chrikelnel]

I personally think the curb chains are worth it, the ball chains probably aren’t because at least for GA they don’t make the actual balls, just the connector.

 

[LA Guy]

Newbie to the jewelry life. And to follow, very newbie questions (I tried searching, no luck).
I wanted to start my journey off with something simple - a ring. On my lunch break, I went down to the jewelry district to 'trick' someone into telling me my ring size, because I'm that clueless.
I have no self control and don't do well under pressure, so one of the salespeople talked me into a basic silver curb chain. A step ahead of what I wanted, but here we are.

I've been looking at Good Art, Maple, Miansai, etc. I know these brands are a very distinct style when it comes pendants, clasps (especially Good Art), ring designs, etc. which I can see the value to. But when it comes to something basic like the curb chain I got, or like, a ball chain, is there any advantage to purchasing a basic chain from the aforementioned brands vs a random sterling silver retailer? Are they using higher quality silver (.925), techniques to make the chains, or something else that justifies the premium?

I still plan to support Good Art, Maple, etc. but I just want to get some background info.

With Good Art, absolutely the chains are better, for the very reason that they own the foundry, not juts a workshop, and so the joins in the links are not simply soldered, nor left open, as so many other, cheaper, chains, are. Even on more expensive brands, like Wreskstatt Munchen,while specific links are forged closed, there are literal weak links that often look like they came straight off a piece of silver wire and was simply bent, not additional work. I've even seen this with designer work who do not have a base in Ajewelry, and simply subcontract out the work. Only the luxury houses like a Cartier or and Hermes are pretty much guaranteed to have that level of craftsmanship.

Sorry for what might be an incoherent post. incredibly beat today. 2021 - Life comes at you fast.

 

[King Calder]

@LA Guy do you have any pictures to illustrate what you mean in that comment, or can you suggest someplace where I can learn more about what you are talking about? Given the reputation on the forum I had no doubt about the quality of GA when making my purchase but looking at other brands, especially on the internet, I'm not sure what to look for or to be wary of.

 

[Timbaland]

Newbie to the jewelry life. And to follow, very newbie questions (I tried searching, no luck).
I wanted to start my journey off with something simple - a ring. On my lunch break, I went down to the jewelry district to 'trick' someone into telling me my ring size, because I'm that clueless.
I have no self control and don't do well under pressure, so one of the salespeople talked me into a basic silver curb chain. A step ahead of what I wanted, but here we are.

I've been looking at Good Art, Maple, Miansai, etc. I know these brands are a very distinct style when it comes pendants, clasps (especially Good Art), ring designs, etc. which I can see the value to. But when it comes to something basic like the curb chain I got, or like, a ball chain, is there any advantage to purchasing a basic chain from the aforementioned brands vs a random sterling silver retailer? Are they using higher quality silver (.925), techniques to make the chains, or something else that justifies the premium?

I still plan to support Good Art, Maple, etc. but I just want to get some background info.

If you want a ring sizer the bigger online jewelry stores will ship them to you for free. I got one from blue nile a while ago, it's plastic cutouts that you punch out incrementing in half sizes.

I've seen nicer ones that look like a closed zip tie that you adjust and fit to your finger but it costs around $5 everywhere I saw it.

 

[LA Guy]

@LA Guy do you have any pictures to illustrate what you mean in that comment, or can you suggest someplace where I can learn more about what you are talking about? Given the reputation on the forum I had no doubt about the quality of GA when making my purchase but looking at other brands, especially on the internet, I'm not sure what to look for or to be wary of.

Unfortunately, I don't right now, but if you look a cheap chains, like an actual curb chain, you'll see that the links are not closed. However, they are hardened steel and super thick, so it doesn't even matter. On jewelry, using precious metals that are much softer and or have much less material, this matters a lot more.

I don't know if you can look out for this well on an online picture. I relegate myself to Good Art, Cartier, and Hermes, typically, for chains.

 

[Timbaland]

@LA Guy do you have any pictures to illustrate what you mean in that comment, or can you suggest someplace where I can learn more about what you are talking about? Given the reputation on the forum I had no doubt about the quality of GA when making my purchase but looking at other brands, especially on the internet, I'm not sure what to look for or to be wary of.

This post covers the soldered links. It's a Henson bracelet which isn't cheap either:

The Jewelry Topic Thread - here we discuss bracelets, rings, necklaces, etc...

Is the Good Art jewelry oxidized? Or, is that the patina it developed over time?

www.styleforum.net

Forged links don't have the line in the metal that soldered links have so it's hard to tell build quality from pics, you'd have to have the item in hand.

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

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[LA Guy]

This post covers the soldered links. It's a Henson bracelet which isn't cheap either:

The Jewelry Topic Thread - here we discuss bracelets, rings, necklaces, etc...

Is the Good Art jewelry oxidized? Or, is that the patina it developed over time?

www.styleforum.net

Forged links don't have the line in the metal that soldered links have so it's hard to tell build quality from pics, you'd have to have the item in hand.

Sorry, my bad, I was talking specifically between soldered, or simply twisted, links, and forged links. Forged links - you need a forge for it, and small makers rarely have those. Of all the "artisans" I know of, I think that only Good Art owns a foundry. A lot of designers apparentlty get heir stuff made by Werkstatt Munchen. Some of their links are forged, but invariably, some are not even soldered. I honestly don't know why. It seems to be that that ought to be standard given their prices. Obviously, if you don't have access to a forge, you don't have access to a forge.

 

[Overt]

I have worn the same signet ring given to me on my 21st birthday and some watches. I don't do much in the way of other jewelry, that said, I do work with a guy who does micropaving and diamond setting in the diamond district in NYC should anyone need work done. He is extremely reasonable and does work for a lot of the shops on the street. If any of you want his contact information I'd happily provide it