This year, after getting a very generous retention bonus from my employer, I finally bit the bullet and made my most expensive luxury jewelry purchase.
It’s.. a basic piece and classic at the same time. I’ll admit, growing up in an economical household where saving and finding bargains are deeply ingrained in daily life, this purchase made me sick to my stomach.
Post purchasing, it sat in the box for a few days before I decided to take it out and wear it. Even then, I babied the piece for quite awhile- taking care not to bang it on tables, metal utensils, anything that would cause any type of scratches.
Now, a few weeks in and a few hairline scratches as well- I’ve grown to appreciate the piece and my choice in making this big purchase.
Guess the piece:_______ ____ ________
I’ll give you a few hints.
Luxury jeweler.
Timeless motto.
1970s.
Bracelet.
Red box.
That’s right, I got myself the one and only Cartier Love bracelet!
Now that the cat’s out the bag… I’ll share reasons why I made this hefty purchase.
I’ve been eying this bracelet for quite some time now. The meaning behind it, LOVE~ was the main reason.
Cartier’s LOVE bracelet line stemmed from the idea that a lover would screw a bracelet onto your wrist as a sign of everlasting love. Something that required someone else to help put it on, with no intention of it being taken off.
My Love bracelet is the white gold thin version.
I know alot of folks opt for the original in yellow gold. For me, I’ve always hesitated at the original one. I never 100% quite enjoyed the idea that I would need someone else to help me put on a bracelet. I’ve also read quite a few articles and youtube videos about folks having the screws get loose and having the bracelet fall off their wrists.
Not to mention the price of said bracelet was ever out of my reach (as a much younger person just getting started on my career I didn’t have spare thousands of dollars to spend).
So when the thinner version came out in 2017, Cartier piqued my attention. It wasn’t until the last year or so being stuck in Covid pandemic living that I really considered making this big purchase.
Life is super short, I’ve witnessed and heard real stories of folks dying or getting into one mishap or another and never getting to do the things they’ve always wanted to do.
Mishaps like the guy who broke his neck and died trying to jump a turnstyle hoping to avoid a $2.75 train fare, a coworker’s brother in law who died in his sleep, a guy who passed away choking on his lunchtime hotdog, the woman who got shoved to death onto the tracks of an on coming train, an uncle who got admitted to the hospital for Covid and his wife receiving his ashes some many weeks later; never getting to say goodbye, a father diagnosed with the trifecta that is high blood pressure- diabetes- cholesterol and having to take so many daily pills and change his routine, the coworker who has dreamt of international travel all her life only to have to cancel and lose a huge chunk of money, a cousin who lost her job half a country away barely keeping it mentally together with all the social injustices happening in the news, Jan 6th 2021, wildfires blazing with trees perishing in record heatwaves, volcanic eruptions causing massive tsunamis, losing someone I never thought I would lose and having them turn into a stranger leaving a gaping void in their wake spiraling my life out of control … to name a few.
So much has happened and the world is a wild place. So much more will happen.
Anyways, all of the above were the thoughts in my head and are what fuel my current mindset. Do what you want today, if it is within your means. You don’t know what tomorrow will bring, and nothing is ever guaranteed.
On a recent trip to Greece (yes, also stemming from the duck it, I do what I want mindset), I happened to walk past luxury row in Athens. It was blistering hot that day and my desire to enjoy some much needed free air conditioning prompted me to walk into the Cartier store there.
Now, I’ve always hated luxury stores in the states since I find alot of the sales associates look you up and down and rate your wealth by what you wear. I will say that in all the international luxury good stores I’ve frequented, I always get the best service. Something about US stuck up ness I’ll never understand (or appreciate). The lady at the Athens Cartier boutique was ever so graceful and kind. I recall I was wearing a $5 Gap tanktop, paired with equally economical shorts and my plain beatup black nike sneakers. It was at this boutique that I got to try on an actual Love bracelet!
I’m a tiny person, so another one of my hesitations in the past on getting this bracelet was the size and look of the bracelet. Putting it on felt like a ginormous golden weight and shackle put on my wrist. Watching her struggle with the screws, I knew the original wasn’t for me. The lovely associate however was clever to offer me to try on their smaller version. I obliged as I oogled the white gold version through the glass. I remember her opening the bracelet and explaining to me in detail the differences in opening/ locking mechanisms between the two bracelets. I loved the ease with which she was able to open and put it on me.
Once I had it on, my subconscious eying the bulky security guard and me doing mental math of what that bracelet cost, I laugh politely and tell her its not for me. I was so nervous at wearing such an expensive piece and I didn’t want to put any scratches for fear I would damage anything and be required to pay!
I will admit, she must’ve sensed my excitement of the piece, because she urged me to keep the bracelet on for a while and that many do for 30mins at a time to get a feel of the weight and how it falls.
I remember declining politely and holding my wrist out for her to take the bracelet back.
Here’s the kicker though. As all good savvy luxury shoppers know, as US citizens traveling to the EU, depending on the country and how much you spend, you can receive VAT tax back on purchases. This lovely associate, keen on my interest, shared with me this information (this of course I already was well aware of) and wrote down the final price in USD for me with the VAT refund.
I was almost so ready to purchase then and there. But I didn’t. I’m not an impulsive buyer and this would be a small fortune to spend on a whim. So I walk away.
The price she wrote down haunts me to this day. After returning home, google results reveal that Greece has one of the highest VAT tax % returns of any other EU country. Slight regret follows, but I missed my chance. And let’s be honest, I wasn’t sure the size she gave me was the right size for me. My wrists are tiny and she only had the sz 16cm. I know there’s a sz 15cm that I wanted to try, but she didn’t have it. The 16cm felt a bit more bangly than I had hoped it to be.
Anyways, when I had the extra income, I got myself an appointment slot at Cartier’s 5th Ave mansion to try on the sizes and hopefully make my purchase. At this point, I kept seeing buzz about prices hikes on a lot of luxury good brands. Comparing the price I captured it to be when I first added this to my luxury goods wish list, this was already 20% more expensive! It was now or never, prices rise yearly now and for me there is definitely a limit on what I am willing to spend.
On sizing:
I tried on the 15cm and while it fit on my wrist and there was room for it to move up and down a dew inches, it was a bit tight. The 5th avenue Cartier sales associate was really great in sharing with me that I’m one of those half size folks.
To put into context, Cartier recommends the following for sizing
Measure your wrist around the widest part of the bone. Take that cm measurement and add the following:
1cm – tight fit
1.5cm – perfect fit
2cm – loose fit
My wrist measures a clean 14cm. Which makes my perfect fit a 15.5cm. But they don’t make that size!
I opt for the 16cm and struggled the first few days thinking it was the wrong size. But after wearing it awhile, I realize it is indeed a good fit for me. I hate things that stick to me! After a few outdoor workouts and runs with my heart pounding and sweat pouring, I’m grateful for a looser fit.
My choice for the white gold version comes from my natural desire to blend in and not stand out. The Love bracelet in itself already speaks so much and sort of screams LUXURY so much that it was sometimes also a deterrent for me to buy. I’ve always known that I would be a white gold girl. Yellow gold is just too flashy for my style! For a bracelet that I don’t plan on taking on/off often especially since I love to travel in anonymity white gold was the way to go. I don’t care too much about folks who don’t know thinking its sterling silver. In fact, I’d welcome that. I wear it on my right arm like a little secret.
As for buying it for myself, I’ve always dreamed of someone gifting me this but honestly with my up bringing I don’t think I would ever be able to accept such a hefty gift from a guy.
So that’s the story of my Love bracelet. From me, to me, for me.
Messika Paris is a french jewelry brand founded about 12 years ago by Valeria Messika. Their signature design plays upon movable diamonds (Move). Other notable collections are their ‘skinny’ technology diamond pieces. These pieces are advertised to meld with all different body types.
Shine & Starfire 