Jewelry

[Star826]

It's been years since I posted on these Q forums & was pleasantly surprised to see it still exists!😊 

Miss the great days (& nights) when Judith would sell her affordable & quality made items here on the Q & so much would sell out in the blink of an eye! 

Once she retired I found her line here was no longer up to the standards she demanded & that we were accustomed to.

Then the line went to HSN where she'd make a quick appearance & it was not at all what we grew to expect like her Q line. 

Now her other D-I-L Heidi is at the helm selling at JTV.

Also gone are the Ripka boutiques.🤷🏻‍♀️

I hope Judith is enjoying her much deserved retirement but boy, do I miss the days where we'd all chatter away before, during & after her Q shows! 

And those NYC Ripkanista get togethers that Judith hosted!💙

Are any of the OG Ripkanistas still in this forum?

[shoekitty]

I think I miss Judith Ripka rings from the old QVC days more than I miss any other product on QVC.  I bought my 4 granddaughters a gold gem ring each ...every year.   They still enjoy them and ask for some more. But alas not to be found anywhere. I don't care for gold clad, and they are petite women and love the dantier rings. I dare anyone to try to find a dainty 14 carat yellow gold ring, with small gemstone that has allthe detail, ridging, detail that her rings had. I have looked all brick n mortar jewelry stores, online, and even Etsy. I miss her designs. I loved the larger pieces for myself. There is nothing on QVC that matches the quality, price and intricate design of her rings. JMHO

[sunshine45]

i am still on these forums......and there are at least two ripkanista groups on facebook.  i purchased ripka jewelry on qvc and from sams club when they had it.

i also stopped buying ripka pretty shortly after she retired, although i do find some great deals on facebook auction groups and also some good deals on ebay and etsy.

[beach-mom]

@Star826 - Judith and the Ripkanistas were something when I first "found" QVC. 

I have a few pieces that I really like. I'm more southwestern style, and I was all over Carolyn Pollack and her beautiful pieces back then, but I did like some of Judith's pieces. I bought a pretty pink heart ring for DD when she started college. I told her it was a reminder that her mom's heart is always with her. She wore it a long time, even a few years after she finished, and I know she still has it. 

I too miss reading about them and the forum. It was a lot of fun. I don't think anything has come close since. 

[roeroe1005]

@Star826 

Hello Star!

I am one of the original Ripkanistas.  I maybe one of the last ones standing.  

I love my old Ripka, though I did just recently sell a necklace on Ebay.  I also sold a JR necklace that I got at Saks Off Fifth on Poshmark.

I miss those days, always met 2 other Ripka girls at Grand Central and make our way to lunch and then visit JR's shop.  One time we crashed Dennis Basso's shop on the walk over.  I still have that photo on my phone.

I don't have JTV so I do not watch Heidi.  I did purchase a pair of earrings from her first show.  The post broke off the first time I wore them and back they went.  Never purchased anything else.

I love the pieces I have, especially my earrings.  When I worked full time, I wore a different pair of JR ears every day!

Hope all is well.

[roeroe1005]

Oh Sunshine!  Good to know that you are also still here.  

[Carol Diane]

I have been buying Judith Ripka pieces for decades...from TV and also from her boutiques in NY and Atlantic City when they existed.  Take a look at her pieces on JTV...some are beautiful and I enjoy watching her daughter-in-law Heidi.

[FancyPhillyshopper]

I do not consider myself a "Ripkanista," just a jewelry lover who appreciates great design, high quality construction, and pretty gemstones, all of which Judith brought to QVC.

I never bought any of her jewelry until she decided to use 14K gold. I appreciated the heavier-weight gold and the intricate construction. I do wish she would have used higher quality diamonds more often, but some of her pieces were really outstanding, a step above many of the other vendors on QVC. 

I think QVC standards drove her to use natural gemstones more here, because I know at some of the B&M stores previously and now on JTV, many of her pieces feature synthetic stones.  I will not purchase silver, which is all JTV sells.

Here is one of my favorite items (I only bought the ruby, but now I wish I bought the sapphire and emerald bracelet also!) :

[newjerseygirl]

@roeroe1005 @Star826  I am still here also.   Miss those trips to NYC and the luncheons. 

                        It was so much fun years ago when the Ripka shows were on and everyone was posting on the Forum about the new pieces. 

                        Some of us "Ripkanistas" still meet up for lunch.

[Jersey Born]

I'm still here, @Star826. I miss those days of Judith on QVC, too. Many of her Q pieces were every bit as nice in design as the pieces in her higher end, JR2 line, even if they were missing 18k gold touches. Her necklaces and cuffs and rings were just incredibly detailed and classic. I miss Judith, too. She is such a lovely person and brilliant jewelry designer.

I also hope she is thoroughly enjoying her retirement, but I wonder what happens to all of her pent-up creativity?  Does she feel the need to redecorate her home on a continual basis with new colors, new furniture styles, and new fabrics? Does she paint or sculpt in her free time? When you have a gift for creating beautiful things, as she does, it needs an outlet of some kind, I would think.