Isaac Newton Tourmaline and Sapphire Ring

The beauty of jewelry made of precious and high-value materials such as gold and diamonds — in addition to its physical beauty, of course — is that, unlike clothing or handbags, it’s almost never thrown away. A jewel may be worn and enjoyed, repurposed for a different look, traded for another piece or handed down to the next generation, but it remains a thing of value forever. In an era of disposability, and the growing backlash against it, what more could we ask of a purchase?