Some Pearls of Wisdom on How to Select the Best Jewelry for You

Jo Ellen Qualls knew she was speaking to the wrong crowd.

Qualls, vice president and manager of Tiffany & Co. at South Coast Plaza, had come to the Center Club to discuss “Building a Jewelry Wardrobe” as part of the club’s 1991 Ultimate Image Women’s Series. A peek at the women seated in the dining room told Qualls what she already suspected:

“Obviously, this is not an audience that hasn’t been exposed to fine jewelry,” she said.

Gold shone from the club members’ wrists and necks; diamonds winked from their fingers and earlobes. Most of their jewelry wardrobes were probably full.

But Qualls, who has spent more than 20 years in the jewelry business and whose position at Tiffany exposes her to some of the finest pieces in the world, succeeded in capturing the women’s attention with her wealth of knowledge and the help of $250,000 worth of Tiffany jewelry.

She slipped a 7-carat yellow diamond on her finger and showed it to the crowd that gathered to ooh and ahh at the display table.

“We’d all like one of these,” she said.

Whether one is just beginning to buy fine jewelry, filling in missing pieces in a collection or adding a choice piece such as the yellow diamond ring, Qualls advises selecting each piece with care.

“Your jewelry is a personal statement that can say volumes about your personality,” she said. “It’s often one of the first things people look at when they meet you. It’s beautiful, and it attracts the eye.”

She suggested those who own no fine jewelry begin by buying earrings, then add rings, bracelets, neck pieces and pins.

“Earrings are the most visible. You can put on a pair of gold earrings and go from very early morning to late evening. To me, they’re the building block” of a collection.

“My first purchase would be a pair of gold earrings, followed by a pair of diamond stud earrings, because they’re fairly basic.”

Diamond studs are versatile enough to be worn with blue jeans or an evening dress, she said. Later, one can give them a “bigger look” by adding earring jackets that surround the stud with a wreath of colored gems or diamonds.

“The third pair I would buy would be pearls. From those three pairs, you can really build on any other category.”

A well-designed ring is the next important acquisition for a jewelry wardrobe, according to Qualls. She recommends a classic gold and diamond ring that can go from the office to a black-tie affair.

To these essentials she would add a gold chain, 18 to 36 inches long, and a strand of pearls in the long matinee or opera length so it can be worn as a double-strand choker.

When buying jewelry, many fail to consider their changing tastes. They may outgrow a piece after five or 10 years as they become more sophisticated, Qualls said.

“I have a jewelry box full of jewelry I don’t use,” she said. “I invested in a lot of rings at one time, and many don’t fit my style. I ended up relying on one or two that are fairly basic. I’m quite happy with a simple classic gold ring.”

Like clothes, jewelry designs go in and out of fashion. Qualls recommends avoiding trendy looks when buying expensive pieces.

“If a design is good and classic, it will never be outdated,” she said.

Buyers should try to match their jewelry to their personal style, whether they are classic and understated or bold and trendy.

“You’d be amazed at how many people spend huge sums on pieces that do not fit their lifestyle,” Qualls said.

“An exotic woman probably won’t get the maximum enjoyment out of a simple pair of diamond stud earrings.”

Many women choose jewelry that doesn’t complement their body types. Small women can be overpowered by the massive pieces now in vogue, while statuesque women can pick jewelry that’s too dainty to make a statement.

“Pick shapes and designs that will change and enhance what you have naturally.”

Qualls has a small bone structure, so she chooses more delicate pieces that won’t overwhelm her body. For the talk, she wore three thin gold bangles, each in a different shape and style, instead of a larger cuff bracelet.

“A larger-boned woman might prefer a bolder piece,” she said.

A petite woman may find a ring set with a large stone looks too big for her hands, but that doesn’t mean she must forgo gems that make a statement.

“With a collection of smaller stones, she can have a large look,” Qualls said. “The smallness of the stones accentuates her petiteness.”

When it comes to gems, many people assume bigger is better, but they don’t pay enough attention to the quality of the stone. Knowledge of gems and precious metals is essential when purchasing jewelry, according to Qualls.

“Buying jewelry for many is one of the scariest things. The prices can be outrageous. The more information you have on the technical side can help you decide if the piece is really worth what you paid for it.”

Never buy jewelry as an investment, she said.

“The truth is there’s not a big market for resale jewelry. Sure, jewelry over the years retains its value, but if you want to liquidate it, that’s not the best place to put your money.

“What it boils down to is you must love the piece. If you don’t love it, you’re spending a lot of money to be sticking it in a jewelry box.”