I started with brands that I know and like, as well as with brands that we’ve already recommended at Wirecutter. Then I stalked colleagues to ask them about their favorite online options. I also sifted through editorial reviews and retail sites and scrolled social feeds. And I spent a day in New York City showrooms pretending that my budget didn’t exist. After all of that, I’d compiled a list of 34 brands to consider.
Then I culled the list so it included only those brands that carried solid gold, gold vermeil, gold-filled, and other precious-metal jewelry. We did not consider gold-plated jewelry because its quality and durability can be sketchy. I also limited my scope to mostly classic styles that would remain relevant and available season after season, and I focused on brands with excellent options for under $1,000.
We created a massive spreadsheet to track selections, return policies, warranties, sustainability practices, and prices (as well as how easily we could find the pieces we wanted to buy for ourselves). And then our team whittled the list of brands down to 15. This list included not only companies that we were very familiar with but also new ones that we’d never explored before.
After we’d finalized the brands whose jewelry we wanted to test, we ordered three or four pieces from each one: a diamond huggie-hoop earring, a bestseller from the brand’s collection, and something that was unique to the brand. We were left with about 50 individual pieces — lots of slithery, sparkly, precious little things to keep track of.
We had eight jewelry lovers (ranging in age from 28 to 57) try on, play with, and carefully examine the individual pieces without knowing what the brands were. The testers provided detailed written feedback on style, quality, and value. We did not independently test or verify the brands’ claims about metals or stones.
Our picks are based on the following criteria:
Style: With each piece, we considered whether we’d want to wear it. Although that assessment is certainly based on individual taste, this wasn’t a purely subjective effort. For example, even testers who wouldn’t gravitate toward a tennis bracelet could determine whether or not it was pretty.
Craftsmanship: A piece of jewelry should instill confidence, so it should also be relatively strong and durable. We evaluated the weight, clasps, and overall construction of each piece.
Value: After testers picked their favorite pieces, we revealed the retail prices and asked them to reconsider their opinions.
Customer service: We considered only those brands with fair return policies and generous warranties. We cross-checked stated policies with related discussions we saw on TikTok, online message boards, and Instagram.
Traceability: A company’s labor practices, manufacturing technology, and environmental impact can all be murky areas to evaluate. Even so, we prioritized companies that stated some commitment to values such as fair labor practices, lower-emission manufacturing, and sustainable sourcing. We didn’t verify these statements.