I mention on this blog often that I don’t wear much jewelry in everyday life, primarily because I am clumsy, and secondarily because I eat with my hands a lot. That doesn’t mean I don’t envy those who wear fine jewelry with grace, I just thought maybe that life wasn’t for me.
Earlier this year, though, I started to entertain the idea of adding some wearable pieces to my jewelry box: jewelry that is neither loud nor fussy, and is timeless enough that I’d feel good spending more on each piece.
One of the first companies that came up in my search was AUrate, whose pieces are made by jewelers in New York with materials sourced from around the world. Its tagline is “fine jewelry – no concessions,” which really spoke to me.
I like AUrate’s simple design philosophy: nothing is garish, which isn’t to say that its designs are ordinary. The price points are also reasonable, considering that the pearls are natural (though cultured, not wild), the metals are 14- and 18-karat gold, and the diamonds are SI1-clarity.
One of the first pieces that caught my eye was the “Simple Pearl Ring,” which is dainty and so lovely. Among the pieces on my wishlist is its companion piece, the Simple Pearl Bracelet.
In addition to 14- and 18-karat gold pieces, AUrate also sells some styles in vermeil, which is silver that has been gilded with gold. These pieces cost a mere fraction of its gold counterparts, so if you like a design but don’t have the budget for the pure gold version, you might consider the style in vermeil.
AUrate’s Circle Necklace has proven to be a truly versatile piece, but when I first bought mine, I wasn’t sure how much use I would get from it, so I opted for the gold plated silver version. Still, it is a beautiful piece, and one that I always put on when I am wearing tops with a lower neckline.
Some of the styles featured in this post were purchased using a credit that AUrate offered me; all opinions, as always, are my own.
