Unlocking Memories: The Timeless Charm of Nostalgic Jewelry

Nostalgic vibes are in full swing.

Y2K styles and nostalgic luxury accessories of the late ‘90s and ‘00s continue to be in high demand. How about those macaroni necklaces you made as a kid in art class? Or those shell chokers you begged your guardian to buy for you at the boardwalk gift shop? Or maybe you can reminisce about times spent at summer camp exchanging friendship bracelets before bidding farewell? 

Hints of nostalgic vibes are alive and well, thanks to ever-popular throwback bags but also jewelry. Enamel jewelry, pearl jewelry, beaded, and shell-inspired jewelry are giving us all a reason to dwell in those heart-warming pastimes (also great for building your coastal grandmother aesthetic). 

Ultra-luxury pieces inspired by these trends make a great addition to your collection. We’re diving into each and sharing some takeaways so you can simply add to your virtual checkout cart and be summer-ready with the season’s hottest layers. Ready to take a trip down memory lane? Well, sort of. Read on!

Chain, Chain, Chain: the Return of Y2K

Surely Y2K isn’t going away any time soon. As cheesy as it may sound, it’s true: what’s old eventually does become new again. And as mentioned, throwback pieces are emerging to the scene bigger and better than ever. That includes jewelry. And we can’t possibly dive into this conversation without mentioning Tiffany’s Return to Tiffany collection. The heart pendants, the oval tags, and even the bracelets just fill my heart with epic, nostalgic vibes. To think I owned these growing up and then sold them truly breaks my heart. But live and learn. To know I can easily buy these again at FASHIONPHILE instantly erases any and all regret. Now, let’s get into some more nostalgic jewelry to inspire your collection. 

Enamel Jewelry

What was your favorite back in the day? If you were an avid wearer of ying yang enamel pendants or smiley face rings then my bet is you’ll love the ultra-luxury enamel jewelry options available at FASHIONPHILE.

Some great pieces that can help you jumpstart your nostalgic jewelry collection are made of enamel. For many luxury connoisseurs, immediately what comes to surface are the Hermes’ Clic Clac bangle bracelets. They are an absolute must-have. The bangles are layer friendly and they come in various widths (from extra wide to narrow) and different colors. 

Enamel jewelry is also referred to as painted glass. This is because enamel is essentially powered glass that gets fused to the base metal at really high temperatures. You may not know this, but enamel jewelry has been around since ancient times and is observed in a lot of ancient Egyptian jewelry. 

What’s great about enamel is that they’re really made to last. Aside from the metal they’re fused to (which can tarnish over time depending on the metal type and how much you clean it), the enamel themselves are fairly wear resistant. From morning flea market runs to happy hour, these bracelets will keep looking fresh all summer long. Just make sure to avoid submerging your enamel jewelry in water. This will cause the color itself to fade. 

But the best part? Enamel doesn’t stop at jewelry. You can find an array of hair accessories, pins and brooches, handbags, and watches with gorgeous enamel hardware. If that floats your boat, you know where to look!

Colored Crystals & Beaded Jewelry

There is no doubt we’re seeing an uptick in items featuring colorful crystals, beads, and studs across all categories. Back in the day, those rosary-inspired necklaces and plastic beaded chokers with crystal charms were certainly all the rage.

When it comes to beaded jewelry in the ultra-luxury world, no one quite does it like Chanel. Chanel is famous for its layered beaded necklaces. In fact, they are inspired by rosaries that the nuns would often carry in the convent that Coco Chanel frequented throughout her childhood. Other great beaded options from David Yurman are *100* stackable and layer-friendly.  

Shell-inspired Jewelry

Remember those shark tooth necklaces? Or perhaps you collected seashell and puka shell jewelry in every color of the rainbow? If you did back in the day, chances are you will love these ultra-luxury selections from Tiffany, Bulgari, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and more. They resemble shells but are way more fashionable, of course. 

Clash de Cartier, a collection that launched in 2019, adds some edge and shakes up their aesthetic with studs, beads, and spikes. These pieces practically resemble shark teeth. But obviously the more elevated option. Tres fierce. 

Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra collection is pretty special. The famous quatrefoil motifs are inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Spain. Although not shells per say, these stunning high-value pieces are created using a colorful array of gemstones. Absolute treasures. 

Bulgari’s Divas’ Dream collection features a stunning and distinct fan-shaped motif. Like many jewelry pieces from Bulgari (and Van Cleef & Arpels, too), a number of Divas’ Dream pendants feature Mother of Pearl, which comes from the iridescent material found along the inner walls of mollusks. 

Pearl Jewelry 

If you’re not quite on board the pearl train, this is your sign to give it a go – trust us, pearl jewelry are great investment pieces. No designer scores higher in the pearl category than Mikimoto. And it’s a great brand to look to, to jumpstart your pearl jewelry collection. 

The obvious takeaway here is that jewelry is incredibly sentimental. Aside from the “It” bags that are taking over the scene, nostalgic jewelry from Chanel, David Yurman, Hermes and more provide the perfect finishing touches to your Y2K look. Shop all jewelry at FASHIONPHILE today!