Classic jewellery — pieces that never go out of fashion

A classic piece of jewellery isn't the one that costs the most. It's the one with no date stamp — nobody can tell from looking at it which year it was bought. Here's what makes a piece classic, and why it's the best-value buy you can make.

What makes jewellery classic

• A simple shape. The fewer the details, the harder it is to date.
• A neutral tone. Gold or silver tones, or white — not this season's colour.
• A moderate size. Neither tiny nor chunky. The middle ground stays; the extremes come and go.

The classic essentials

• A plain chain. Goes with everything and outlasts every trend: our guide to chains.
• Studs or small hoops. The only earrings that are never wrong: our guide to earrings.
• Pearls. The one gem that has never gone out of fashion.
• A plain ring. No stones, for any day of the week.

Browse: Classic sets, Classic rings, Pearl jewellery, Classic chains.

Classics versus fashion pieces

A fashion piece answers the question ‘what's in right now?’ A classic answers ‘what always works?’ That's why you buy fashion pieces cheap and for a season, and classics well made and for years.

Which trends last and which fade: what stays and what goes.

Why classics are better value

You wear a classic piece more often, so its cost per wear is lower, even if it costs more up front. A fashion piece that sits in a drawer ends up costing more every time you actually put it on.

With fashion jewellery, durability comes down to the plating, not the price: jewellery plating explained.

Frequently asked questions