Bea Frugal
Registered Shopper
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2010
- Messages
- 1,681
Sorry you’re not well TLL. Hope you feel better soon and are able to watch Strictly. It always gives me a lift once we get past all the introductions and into the dancing
I have a sterling silver bracelet bought in Canada in 1974, I was a teen and went with my mum to visit my big brother. It has never gone dull or tarnished. I have often wondered was it treated with something?My ex-brother-in-law sold tat "gold" and "silver" jewellery at a market stall and made a decent second income doing that. People used to ask him if his jewellery would blacken, and he always replied that he'd never had one go black on him yet. Well, he wouldn't, would he, if he never wore them?
I've always felt the same about Bruce Forsyth and I suspected the 'jolly, friendly entertainer' act wasn't his true persona, but I could be wrong. Found him intensely annoying and full of himself. I remember seeing a TV programme where he had the late, great Howard Keel on - Keel was so modest and self-effacing and sang 'I Won't Send Roses' (from the musical Mack & Mabel - love that song) - Forsyth made it all about him rather than the bloke who was the real star.Re Strictly, I’ve watched from the beginning.
Used to hate Bruce Forsyth (in general but especially on SCD - no offence to him, RIP)
He was great for his age but a total liability on the show by the end.
(And don’t get me started on Anton du Beke who models himself on Brucie..!)
Poor Tess then had to play the dumb blonde role to Bruce.
I do find her dull, but I think she does a decent job of keeping show running and I love Claudia and they make a good team I think.
And it’s fun to guess what they’ll wear each week!
Someone in the village runs a sort of sweepstake voting system for SCD, which adds a bit of fun!
But as the years have passed, and partly to do with my illness too, I just can’t sit through the main show.
Hate al the filler, nonsense and “rehearsal” videos etc, so I too watch the whole thing on fast forward on iPlayer..
This year I haven’t got the energy to watch at all - felt same last year - but may join in later in series.
I actually have a friend in the live band but that has just been cut and cut down to bare bones too…
It used to exceptional and mostly freelance professionals who gathered for the show…
Now it’s mainly the often warbling singers with few instrumentalists behind them…
Excuse the waffle!
I love jewellery finds like that, they are the best!Never ever watched Strictly.
On the jewellery theme, I bought a pretty necklace at a street market in a lovely little French seaside town. The lady made them all and mine has a little triangular pendant encrusted(?) with diamond dust,it's very dainty. She said it was unique as was all her jewellery as she made just the one item. I think it cost me 10 Euros.
I've had quite a few people ask me were I got it.
Almost certainly rhodium or white gold plated, I'd wager (there used to be another form of acrylic plating that stopped tarnishing too - haven't heard about it in an age). It must be a quality piece.I have a sterling silver bracelet bought in Canada in 1974, I was a teen and went with my mum to visit my big brother. It has never gone dull or tarnished. I have often wondered was it treated with something?
I forgot to mention the biggest advantage of buying second hand gold jewellery with some age - it's miles better quality than the wafer-thin tat they sell today at eye-watering prices! So old gold is a win-win! I would much rather be gifted a nice piece of vintage fine jewellery than anything from QVC or Gems.That’s a great idea thanks!
Was thinking it had to be new - don’t know why especially as she wears lots of vintage clothing. And she and her sister use Vinted all the time.
Before I got too ill, I used to sell on eBay too. Still buy but nothing like I used to.
And we’ve got a great couple of local auction houses so I will check those out too
I’ve noticed one of the action places which specialises in watches and jewellery has recently had a lot of ex- GEMS TV and other ex-shopping tv pieces. Not sure why?!
I liked Brucie, except when he'd sing and tap dance. It was painful to watch.I've always felt the same about Bruce Forsyth and I suspected the 'jolly, friendly entertainer' act wasn't his true persona, but I could be wrong. Found him intensely annoying and full of himself. I remember seeing a TV programme where he had the late, great Howard Keel on - Keel was so modest and self-effacing and sang 'I Won't Send Roses' (from the musical Mack & Mabel - love that song) - Forsyth made it all about him rather than the bloke who was the real star.
Don't get me started on Tony Beak - can't stand him, either.
I have some Diamonique stud earrings, set in gold, which I bought donkey's years ago. Still look the same as the day I bought them. They are from QVC USA. In those days they sold a lot of Diamonique set in gold.Trouble is, her range was way overpriced for what it is. Diamonique in silver is a similar price, and it is marketed as ‘proper’ jewellery, and to last for years. Customers are encouraged to message in with pics of their pieces, and how long ago they were purchased.
Agree with you 100% I think it's outrageous to market this recycled brass, disposable/fast fashion costume jewellery as though it's quality fine jewellery - and price it that way too!Regarding Tess Dale's line. It's wrong of QVC to sidestep the fact that it's brass. However, this type of jewelry is for people who want to wear 'new' every season and then give it away or throw it away when they're done with it. The same goes for the clothes and the accessories they wear. In the long run, it's an expensive lifestyle, but they are intent on making an impression on their friends.
My first purchase of Diamonique was a pair of gold studs, still worn and loved today. I also have two Diamonique rings, set in platinum, and they were both less than £50 each, as TSV’s. And the silver range I bought loads from was Mischa By Design. Gorgeous pieces.I have some Diamonique stud earrings, set in gold, which I bought donkey's years ago. Still look the same as the day I bought them. They are from QVC USA. In those days they sold a lot of Diamonique set in gold.
She was in it for the quick buck. I doubt we'll be seeing her again.Agree with you 100% I think it's outrageous to market this recycled brass, disposable/fast fashion costume jewellery as though it's quality fine jewellery - and price it that way too!
Tess Daly was giving her new range the celebrity spin in studio, using terms like 'premium'and 'luxury'. She even claimed she couldn't leave home without wearing her own brand jewellery, because, quote "it's so beautiful". But we all know she wears Cartier, Tiffany, Bulgari and the like on a daily basis (her engagement ring alone is said to have cost £250,000). She's patronising us - no way would she wear brass, if it wasn't putting brass into her bank account!
Brass jewellery has zero intrinsic value. In the past when hard times hit I was able to sell some of my solid gold and silver QVC jewellery, and I made a decent return on it. I even sold some Honora Pearl pieces for a good price. Try selling your Tess Daly pieces tomorrow, and I guarantee you won't find a single jewellery shop that would buy it. It's literally worthless.
Joan Rivers sold a very popular range of costume jewellery for years. She made no bones about the fact it was costume, not fine jewellery. There's nothing wrong with costume jewellery - Joan's was excellent quality and I own several pieces that still look great today. What I object to is costume jewellery being marketed and priced as though it's fine jewellery. And sad to say, Tess Daly's designs are in my view unoriginal and underwhelming. I doubt it will stand the test of time, in terms of both its appeal or its quality, as the Joan Rivers' range has.
Tess Daly never once used the term 'costume jewellery' to accurately describe her range (and she certainly never mentioned brass!) From the way she spoke, it's obvious she wanted to produce fine jewellery for QVC, so why didn't she? In her shoes, there's no way I'd have given my famous name to a range that was anything less than solid sterling silver, a precious metal which, while affordable, has intrinsic value, and can accurately be termed heirloom quality, to hand down to daughters etc.
The across-the-board, very poor customer website reviews tell the true story - people were shocked when they got it home to realise it's brass so will tarnish. And they didn't like the designs in the flesh, saying necklaces didn't hang right, rings were too small and insignificant etc.
Everything sold out on its live debut, thanks to her celebrity name. But much of it is bouncing right back to QVC for refund . Frankly I think Tess Daly's brass jewellery is an embarrassment, and doomed to failure. IMO she'll regret not insisting on launching a quality sterling silver range. A missed opportunity for sure.
Imagine getting your mitts on a solid platinum ring for under 50 squids! Oh to hop in a time machine, go back 30 years and hoover up all that lovely fine jewellery in precious metals, that would cost many, many times the price today.My first purchase of Diamonique was a pair of gold studs, still worn and loved today. I also have two Diamonique rings, set in platinum, and they were both less than £50 each, as TSV’s. And the silver range I bought loads from was Mischa By Design. Gorgeous pieces.
I've got a pair of 14ct gold diamonique studs and a pair of the Epiphany platinum plated oval earrings. Both paid still look as good as new.My first purchase of Diamonique was a pair of gold studs, still worn and loved today. I also have two Diamonique rings, set in platinum, and they were both less than £50 each, as TSV’s. And the silver range I bought loads from was Mischa By Design. Gorgeous pieces.
I'm not interested in jewellery in any way at all but I did love watching the Mischa shows back in the day. She seemed like such a lovely person and her designs were absolutely spectacular.My first purchase of Diamonique was a pair of gold studs, still worn and loved today. I also have two Diamonique rings, set in platinum, and they were both less than £50 each, as TSV’s. And the silver range I bought loads from was Mischa By Design. Gorgeous pieces.
Oh I remember the popcorn link watch! I always thought it was beautiful, but I have and still wear the solid silver Diamonique tennis watch. Last time I had the battery changed the jeweller commented on how fine the watch movement was! £75.00 easily twenty years ago! I also bought a 9ct gold Vincenza watch with a really unusual woven style band. It was £271.00 (I remember exactly how much it cost!). Still worn and loved today, but I can’t even imagine how much it would cost now.Imagine getting your mitts on a solid platinum ring for under 50 squids! Oh to hop in a time machine, go back 30 years and hoover up all that lovely fine jewellery in precious metals, that would cost many, many times the price today.
One of my favourites back then was QVC's signature 9ct gold 'popcorn chain' range. Anyone remember it? I still have a gorgeous 5 strand yellow gold popcorn bracelet (with large, 'senorita clasp' - another QVC classic!), a matching 9ct popcorn ring, and the 3 strand 9ct gold popcorn cocktail watch, also with iconic senorita clasp. I only wish I had the gold popcorn necklace for the full set!
The watch became known as 'The Julia Roberts Watch' (the QVC presenter, not the movie star!), because she wore hers constantly for the best part of a decade. I suspect her patronage is the reason they continued to sell it for so many years. It's a beautiful dress watch, and keeps great time. I think I paid under £300 for mine in the late '90s - imagine what they'd charge for it now!