On a trip to Italy last year, I left all of my "nicer" jewelry at home...just took the run-of-the-mill costume type stuff so as to avoid standing out, being a target of a crime, etc. Not only did I miss my "goes with anything" small diamond earrings and rings that I wear daily, I was in awe (translates as envious) of all of the flashy gold jewelry and watches worn by the well-dressed and fashionable Italian women. Does anyone have any advice on whether or not to take it or leave it??

I stayed in Madrid for five days,and returned last week. I wore my diamond engagement ring and diamond band, my Tag watch and my "go with everything" diamond earings. No problems. The only time I didn't wear my diamond earrings was at El Rastro. My fear there was getting them ripped out of my ears I put them in my suitcase with a lock on it, when we left. We returned, I put them back on. Otherwise, I wouldn't leave anything out in the open, just like I wouldn't in the USA. I did notice that it was rare to see a madrilleno with an engagement ring, mostly they wear they're wedding bands on their right hand. This probably made me stick out as a tourist, as I had mine on the left hand.

Speaking of madrileñas wearing engagement rings, I was told by my madrileña ladyfriend that it's not the custom for a man to give a woman an engagement ring in Spain -- at least not for her generation (she's 40! hehehe..) and older generations. Maybe the youngsters have adopted the US customs, but I don't know.

Of course, if you are staying in one of the nicer hotels you can always leave your valuable jewelry in the reception safe. I've never heard stories of diamond earrings being yanked from the earlobes of woman, but you never know.

Saludos, MadridMan

Well isn't that nice, it gets you out of buying one someday perhaps....?? Or will she adopt that American custom?? When will she say yes already?? The ear lobe thing is something that happened in Caracas Venezuela. Not to me, but my host told them to take them out. So, I do that now. When in big crowds, I'll turn my ring around.

Well, my Madrileño husband abided by the Spanish custom and so miss Laduque did not get an engagement ring-but I have an awesome Tiffany band!!!!
The gold jewelry in Spain is usually 18k and looks really beautiful...my suegra always gives me a little gold when I visit, though I'm actually fond of silver and white gold...
I also feel completely safe wearing my Movado, my rings, bangles and diamond earrings....Now if I were wearing shorts, tennis shoes and a t-shirt with them, maybe I would stand out as a target!!

Nic, 6 years ago it was bought, presented, "accepted", and never worn...

MM, quite a dilemma you have there. Time's a wasting. I'm not a good one for advice on this subject. My husband and I had the long distance thing going, Chicago-Denver, but we got engaged after 6 months and married a few months after that. Married 5 years now. I don't know if I could have handled 6 years. But as they say, it'll be worth the wait??

I wore my hoop earrings, a small charm necklace, and two rings during our recent trip to Spain.

I would turn the rings around (stone in toward my palm) when I wanted to be less conspicuous (though they are not enormous stones or anything). Then they just look like plain gold bands. I tend to do this in NYC as well, out of habit.

What about taking along costume jewelry if you want to dress up?

Darlings,
All this fussing and fretting, what's it all about? Having never owned any costume jewellery myself (is costume jewellery akin to Nefertiti's crown at the museum Berlin?) I don't quite comprehend the conundrum. I will say that you can't go wrong with platinum - it looks like silver yet costs more than gold. Indeed, having told my fiancé that I was allergic to gold and silver, it came down to a choice between plastic and platinum. I'll leave to your little imaginations as to which won the day.
As to your enquiries as to what to sport this season in Madrid, I take my cue from Princess Caroline of Monaco, as does all the Barrio Salamanca. Karma bracelets in precious stones (and semi-precious too for those of you who haven't the wherewithal) are it. Earlobes are graced with dangly earrings of late, taking a hint from the gypsies. Deep red coral and tourqouise are the stones de jour, indeed Hermés's little velvet trays are laden with the stuff as we speak.Should one wear one's jewellery in public? Other Madrileñas will delight in seeing your man's net worth. When I go to the Rastro looking for that hidden Louis XVI bargain, I wear all of my jewels ( They're so big, people just assume they're fake - when is the last time you saw an 80k emerald?)
This reminds me of my time at school in England when I was a font of advice for the American girls, who admired my Continental sophistication. My advice would be then to wear your gems with aplomb, but be wary of those who would be covetous and daring enough to relieve you of them. A city is always difficult for unchaparoned young ladies, but I recall the words of my kind teacher Sister De Loreto (sadly lacking in any lustrous stones of her own) "Walk with confidence, don't read huge street maps and never wear khaki shorts with Berkenstocks sandles in town."

ahhhh...La Condesa . if i am suddenly blinded by an intense light that makes me cry out for jesus and sink to my knees clutching my bleeding eyes while writhing in immense pain, i will stop and remember that it is just the brilliance of your bejeweled body floating through a sea of comparatively drab and jealous onlookers.