Why I Think Jewellery Is a Better Purchase Than a Designer Handbag

I completely understand the appeal of a designer handbag. There is no denying the craftsmanship, the trends and the pleasure of buying something from a brand you have wanted for years.

But if you are spending a significant amount of money, I think it is worth looking beyond the initial excitement of the purchase.

Having worked with diamonds and fine jewellery for over 17 years, I know that fine gold and diamond jewellery is the more considered purchase.

Designer handbags have their own appeal but good jewellery gives you far more options over time. It doesn't wear out, you can wear it for years, repair it, remodel it, pass it on and, most importantly, enjoy it regularly.

There is also something more substantial about buying precious materials rather than buying primarily into a brand.

Jewellery Is Made to Be Worn for Years

However carefully you look after a designer handbag, it will show wear.

Leather scratches, corners rub, handles darken and hardware marks. Some bags become so precious that people are almost afraid to use them, which rather defeats the purpose for me.

Gold and diamond jewellery is much more forgiving.

Gold can be polished. Settings can be checked and repaired. Diamonds can be professionally cleaned. A well-made piece can look excellent after decades of wear if it has been properly looked after.

The Breton Bangle

That matters to me when I am spending money on something. I want to be able to use it.

I do not believe good jewellery should live in a box waiting for the right occasion. A great pair of diamond studs, a bracelet or a pendant should work just as well on an ordinary Tuesday as it does for dinner or an event.

There Is Real Value in the Materials

With a designer handbag, a large part of what you are paying for is the brand.

Of course there is craftsmanship involved, but desirability, scarcity, fashion and the name on the box all play a major role in the price.

With fine jewellery, there is a very tangible element to what you are buying.

Chunky Diamond Chain

There is the gold or platinum, the diamonds or gemstones, the design, the workmanship and the quality of the setting.

Grace Ring

I would never suggest buying jewellery simply because you expect it to increase in value. That is not how I advise my clients to think about it. Buy jewellery because you love it and because you will wear it.

But I do think there is a difference between putting your money into precious materials and putting it into a product whose value can be very closely linked to the popularity of a particular brand or style.

Good Jewellery Is Not Tied to a Season

Fashion moves quickly.

Bag shapes, colours, logos and sizes come and go. Something that feels extremely current now may look very recognisable as a particular trend in five or ten years.

The right jewellery does not tend to date in the same way.

A well-proportioned pair of diamond studs, a tennis bracelet, a simple gold chain, a solitaire pendant or a beautifully made ring can be worn for decades.

Round Diamond Stud Earrings

That does not mean jewellery cannot be fashionable. Of course it can.

But when I am helping someone choose a significant piece, I am usually thinking about whether they will still want to wear it years from now.

That is much more important to me than whether it is the look of the moment.

I Always Think About Cost Per Wear

This is something I talk about a lot.

If you are going to spend properly on something, how often are you actually going to use it?

A handbag may only work for certain occasions, outfits or seasons. Some are too large for evenings, too small for work or simply too precious to carry every day.

Jewellery is different. A pair of diamond studs can be worn every day for years. The same goes for a pendant, bracelet or ring that has been chosen properly.

Five Row Pavé Diamond Ring

I would much rather see a client buy one very good piece that becomes part of what they wear all the time than something elaborate that rarely leaves the jewellery box.

The best jewellery usually looks effortless.

Jewellery Can Mark Something Important Without Being Overly Sentimental

Jewellery often comes into our lives at particular moments.

Engagements, weddings, birthdays and anniversaries are the obvious ones, but plenty of my clients buy jewellery for themselves too.

A promotion. A business milestone. A significant birthday. An achievement they are proud of.

Sometimes the reason is simply, “I have wanted this for years and I am finally buying it.”

You do not need a huge emotional story behind every jewellery purchase. Sometimes wanting one exceptional piece that you know you will wear is reason enough.

Jewellery Can Change With You

This is one of the biggest advantages jewellery has over almost any other luxury purchase.

You can change it.

I see clients all the time who have perfectly good diamonds sitting in jewellery they no longer wear.

Perhaps the setting feels dated. Perhaps it was inherited or maybe their taste has simply changed.

That does not mean the piece has reached the end of its life. We can reset diamonds, redesign rings, turn one type of jewellery into another and sometimes bring several older pieces together into one new design.

It is one of the things I enjoy most about remodelling.

You are keeping what is valuable or important, but making it wearable again.

If you have pieces sitting in a drawer because they no longer suit you, have a look at our bespoke remodelling service. There is often much more you can do with them than people realise.

Jewellery Can Be Passed On

This is another important difference.

Good jewellery tends to stay in a family. Sometimes it is passed on exactly as it is. Sometimes the next person resets the stones or changes the design.

Either is perfectly fine.

I do not think jewellery has to remain untouched forever simply because it belonged to someone else. In fact, I would much rather see a beautiful diamond reset and worn than left in a box for another twenty years.

Diamond Tennis Bangle

That is one of the reasons I think jewellery has real longevity. It can adapt.

Buy the Piece You Will Reach For

When somebody asks me what they should buy, I am rarely thinking about the biggest diamond or the most expensive piece.

I am thinking about what they will actually wear.

A really good pair of diamond studs.

A tennis bracelet.

A simple diamond pendant.

A beautiful ring.

Something bespoke that works properly with their lifestyle.

Those are often the purchases that turn out to be the best ones.

So if you are deciding between a designer handbag and a significant piece of jewellery, think about what you will get from each of them in ten years, not just the day you buy them.

For me, jewellery is the stronger long-term purchase. It is wearable, repairable, adaptable and made from materials with real intrinsic value.

And if you choose well, you will get an enormous amount of use from it.

At The Diamond Expert, we help clients choose pieces that suit how they actually live, rather than what happens to be fashionable at the time.

If you are considering buying a significant piece and want some guidance, you can book a private consultation or send us your ideas on WhatsApp.

Rhona Fitzpatrick
Private Jeweller
The Diamond Expert