To some, fall fashion on a budget means making lists,
“shopping your own closet,” and scaling back. Wake us when that’s
over. We prefer the Stuffy approach: tow the line with a fashion statement
that lasts forever. And we’re not alone. “The luxury diamond business is on a
rebound,” says David Walker, CEO of Shreve, Crump & Low (440
Boylston Street, Boston, 617.267.9100). “Customers are buying better quality
and larger diamonds.” (See? Budget, smudget!) Walker says people might be
expecting inflation and looking for a safe place to stash their Benjamins. Or
maybe they just got a look at the newest frosting Shreve’s has to offer. While
the rest of us have been downsizing, the masterminds at Shreve’s have been
upsizing — hand-selecting round, brilliant diamonds, which they place in
custom-made mountings to create opera-length necklaces. A full 30 inches in
length, these necklaces can be worn as a long, single strand or wrapped twice
for a little rebel edge — more than enough possibilities to justify the
$60K–$110K price tag. OK, maybe not, but a girl can dream. One of these
beauties and a fur coat might be all we require to get us through fall — maybe
winter, too.
