Jewelry

[Favorite Son]

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@blankette wrote:

Before I get piled on, let me say this, I own many, many pieces. Of late It all looks like it is too delicate and frankly on the cheap side. I like mine weighty, can anybody point me to a chain, or something new that isnt rinky dinky in look and feel. I used to buy chains and toggles and they were substantial and didnt wipe out my account, where are these pieces now??? I am listening!

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I agree with everything you are saying.  I started collecting Judith's pieces in 2001.  I haven't purchased anything since the oval watch TSV with interchangeable straps (recently introduced at a higher price as the Madison).  My take on Judith, watched from years of seeing her present her items on Judith and my own years of collecting, is that she is a talented, lovely, gracious woman.  (I feel the same about both of QVC's two other main designers, Carolyn Pollack and Barbara Bixby).

But what Judith is selling now, as figurehead of what's left of her company now owned by another, just isn't consistently the same as the old line.  Sure, there are the occasional, extremely pricey pieces that have decent weight and real gemstones.  But to my eye, most of what is being sold these days is absolutely rinky dink - lightweight pieces with lots of Diamonique, many lacking underside finishing details, and stones not set with the skill that we saw in the older pieces.  The chains are a specially shocking downgrade from what was available before.

I do not believe the design aesthetic is the same, either.  I watch these shows from time to time, and many of the pieces seem unbalanced, incomplete, just not quite right.  Judith is usually sitting there presenting, but many of the pieces lack the elegance of prior years.  They do remind me of costume jewelry.  I would never have have taken away that impression from Judith's jewelry before, even from the QVC line.

So my advice to you is to grab a cup of your favorite beverage and head on over to eBay if you're looking for a great Judith Ripka chain.  There are plenty of those out there, along with other bargains to be had on the older pieces. 

[SahmIam]

I own a few JR pieces which were purchased at Saks. I have not purchased anything of hers in 5,6, 7 years (maybe longer). Around that same time, I received a gift of JR that was purchased from QVC and honestly, could not tell the difference between the Saks and QVC items.

Lifestyle changes so...what happened with her line? If I was to order an item form Saks, would it not be the same quality of the older Saks pieces or is the big differance only in the QVC line?

TIA.