A Nguyen Nguyen Situation

Sure, you'd like a timeless piece of jewelry. But you'd also like it to project an updated vibe. What's a girl to do? Consider the bangle, a closed circular wrist band, or it's fraternal twin, the cuff with an open back.

How Old is It?
It's an old jewelry type. Really old. Siberian excavations have uncovered a cuff or bangle-like stone bracelet determined to be over 40,000 years old and which were worn by archaic Denisovan humans. But that's not all; early Mayans, Romans, and Indian ruins have all turned up bangles and cuff bracelets throughout the years, making this one of the most iconic jewelry types of all time.

And today . . .
Nina Nguyen brings this adornment item into focus for a 21st century jewelry lover. The cross hatch treatment on the 18K gold cuff creates a casually elegant statement. The diamonds and emeralds scattered across its surface lend a subtle-but-sumptuous finish.

Collecting--and Keeping What you Love
At some point, serious jewelry buffs will edit their jewelry wardrobe and cull the pieces that no longer tell the owner's story in a meaningful way. I mean, people's tastes evolve, and they change, why shouldn't one's jewelry come along on that journey too?

Luminous Gold Cuff by Nina Nguyen SRP $5,280; www.nina-nguyen.com