Your favorite pieces—a tweed blazer, never-fail LBD, or broken-in moto-jacket—say a lot about your style type and offer telling clues as to how you can build and refine your look with the perfect finishing accessory. We decode your personal style to help you pick the next watch or jewelry piece to add to your collection.

If you pride yourself on your vast collection of Converse sneakers…
Then you need a two-tone Rolex Datejust. 

Sporty style types will love the cool and robust look of the Rolex Datejust. The sleek Datejust has an unexpectedly sporty flair to it and lacks all the usual trappings of an overtly sports-inspired watch (think silicon bands and a flashy bezels). Instead, with its steel and yellow gold color combo and clean dial, the Datejust gives the perfect amount of polish to your low-key t-shirt and jeans to elevate your casual looks to fashionable and luxurious new heights.

If Coco Chanel is your spirit animal…
Then you need a Chanel C&C brooch. 

Every fashionable Francophile will love having a Chanel brooch in their jewelry collection. A C&C brooch is a fantastic way to add some coveted Chanel to your wardrobe without breaking the bank. Pin one of these onto your jean jacket or printed blouse to give your ensemble a healthy dose of edge, luxe, and “je ne sais quoi” appeal.

If charcoal grey is the “boldest color” in your minimalist, monochromatic black wardrobe…
Then you need a Bulgari B.Zero1 Ring. 

You are a master of the pared down wardrobe: a closet brimming with black blouses, slacks, skirts and A-line dresses that you can effortlessly mix-and-match and still look immaculately pulled together. To round out your buttoned-up looks, invest in the Bulgari B.Zero1 ring. The architectural shape will seamlessly enhance your wardrobe, giving you the right amount of shine without being flashy.

If your closet is stocked with nautical striped tops…
Then you need stacks of David Yurman Cable Classics. 

The New England prepster style is crisply polished and dashed with a playful touch and spry energy—as if you would feel as calm, cool and collected at a black tie dinner as you would in a game of tag football on the lawn. Therefore, for this kind of assured style, we recommend adding the David Yurman’s Cable Classics to your jewelry wardrobe. The bracelet’s helix motif plays perfectly into your style’s balance of prep and athletic spirit.

If a black leather moto-jacket is your most prized—and well-worn—possession…
Then you need a Cartier Roadster. 

Round out your closet of leather leggings, over-the-knee boots, and perfectly slouchy tees with a Cartier Roadster. Rock-and-roll style types will revel in the Roadster’s bold look and sturdy feel. Moreover, the watch carries a little daredevil flair thanks in large part to the 1950s and 60s car races that inspired its design.

From a Rolex jubilee bracelet to a Cartier alligator strap to an exotic leather, here’s how to safely clean your watch bracelet or strap at home.

How to Clean a Metal Watch Bracelet with Soap and Water
Most watch bracelets can be quickly cleaned with a polishing cloth. Work a polishing cloth in between the alternating links by bending the bracelet and rubbing the cloth against the grooves. This should easily loosen and wipe away any surface dirt.

If gunk and grime is really caked in between the chain links, you’ll need to remove the bracelet for a deeper clean.

In a small bowl, dilute a few drops of mild dish soap in warm water. Submerge your metal bracelet into the water. Use a clean soft bristle toothbrush to gently brush away stubborn dirt. If your bracelet is made of gold, we recommend skipping the toothbrush, which will scratch the soft metal. Instead, use your fingertips to loosen dirt trapped in between the links. Pat the bracelet dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

How to Clean a Watch Bracelet with an Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner
For heavy-duty cleaning, bring it to a jeweler for a quick dip in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. These devices use inaudible high-frequency sound waves to agitate the cleaning liquid and essentially shakes any hard-to-reach dirt loose.

For a thorough cleaning inside and out, we recommend bringing it to the manufacturer or a professional jeweler or watchmaker. They can safely lubricate the movement and refinish the case and metal band to restore the watch’s original luster and shine.

How to Clean a Leather Watch Strap
After you have removed the leather strap from the watch, gently rub a leather cleaner—a little bit goes a long way—into the leather strap with a clean, lint-free cloth. Always do a patch test in a discreet area of the watch strap before using it all over.

To preserve the integrity of your leather watch strap, limit the number of times you clean it with a leather cleaner. Heavy duty leather cleaners like saddle soap can soften (and eventually weaken) the leather so do not use it more than twice a year. Instead, get in the habit of regularly wiping it down with a soft, lint-free cloth and swiping a damp cloth over it when you need a deeper clean.

How to Clean an Exotic Leather Watch Strap
Although saddle soap is a reliable cleaning agent for smooth calfskin leather, skip it if you have an exotic leather watch strap. Saddle soap can get trapped in the thin grooves of a textured alligator, crocodile or lizard leather strap, leaving behind a white crust. Instead, use a cleaning product specifically made for exotic leather.

Beeswax is an alternative gentle cleaner. Simply rub the beeswax onto the watch strap with a soft, lint-free cloth. Let the strap dry away from direct sunlight. Once dry, buff it with a soft cloth. But, before you coat your alligator watch strap in beeswax, do a patch test in a discreet area of the watch strap to ensure it does not discolor the leather.

If you’re nervous about cleaning the exotic leather, safe yourself the stress and bring it to a professional watchmaker for a safe cleaning.

How to Clean a NATO Watch Strap
A fabric NATO strap is the easiest watch strap to clean—lucky you. Simply use a little mild dish soap and warm water and gently scrub the strap. Rinse it thoroughly and set it on a flat surface, away from direct sunlight, to air dry.

Do not use any kind of heater or hair dryer to try and expedite the drying process. You run a serious risk of melting or burning the strap. Be patient and let it just air dry.

To learn more about how to care for your watch at home, read our best tips here!

TrueFacet partnered with Affirm to help you finance your purchase.

Affirm makes it easy for you to buy now and pay later with monthly payments for your TrueFacet purchase. With Affirm, there are no hidden fees so you know exactly what you’ll owe before you commit. There are no hidden costs and no surprises.

To help you learn more about Affirm’s services, here are some of the most frequently asked questions and a step-by-step guide of how to checkout on TrueFacet.com using Affirm.

What is Affirm?
Affirm is an honest and modern financing solution that allows you to pay over time, on your terms. When you buy with Affirm, you can pay off your purchase in fixed monthly payments with no hidden fees, modern security, and superior customer support.

What information does Affirm require?
Your Affirm account is created using your name, email, mobile phone number, birthday and last 4 digits of SSN. This combination helps Affirm verify and protect your entity.

How is financing through Affirm different from putting it on my credit card?
Affirm is a very different product than a credit card. Affirm is a closed end installment loan while a credit card is a line of credit. Affirm also does not charge any sort of origination fees, late fees, or pre-pay fees. Affirm’s credit check doesn’t affect a consumer’s credit score, as opposed to a hard credit pull that many credit cards require. Checking out with Affirm requires 6 pieces of information in, as opposed to typically longer full credit card application, and Affirm automatically has payment reminders enabled and also has auto-pay options.

Does Affirm perform a credit check?
Yes, when you first create an Affirm account, Affirm performs a ‘soft’ credit check to help verify your identity and determine your eligibility for financing. This ‘soft’ credit check will not affect your credit score.

What are my payment options?
When you make a purchase of $100 or more with Affirm, you can pay over 6, 12, or 24 months.

Are there any interest fees associated with Affirm loans?
Affirm loans vary between 0% and 30% APR, subject to credit check and approval. Affirm does not charge late fees, service fees, prepayment fees or any other hidden fees.

How do I checkout on TrueFacet using Affirm?
To apply for an Affirm loan, simply enter in some basic information and get a real-time decision to split your purchase into three, six or twelve monthly payments with rates from 0-30%APR*. You can also find out your terms without affecting your credit score.

When you’re ready to checkout with Affirm, go to your shopping cart on TrueFacet.com. Complete your shipping and billing address information as usual. Then, under your Payment Options, select Affirm. Click Continue.

On the Review & Confirm page, verify your information is accurate and click Place Order. From there, you’ll be redirected to Affirm’s website and prompted to securely enter in your information for financing approval. You will complete your checkout through Affirm’s website but will receive a confirmation email from TrueFacet once your order is finalized and received.

What will my monthly payments be?
Enter in some basic information about your purchase into this Affirm calculator for an estimate of what your monthly payments will be.

For more information about Affirm, visit their website affirm.com or email help@affirm.com.

*Rates from 10–30% APR.Subject to credit check and approval. Down payment may be required. For purchases under $100, limited payment options are available. Estimated payment amount excludes taxes and shipping fees. Affirm loans are made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, Member FDIC. See www.affirm.com/faqs for details.

With all the advances that have been made in gemological technology in recent years, it has been increasingly difficult to discern a genuine diamond from a fake diamond, like the ones that are made from cubic zirconia or glass. If you have a loose diamond lying around and want to see that it is, in fact, a real diamond, we have put together a few fun DIY methods you can try at home using only your stone, a glass of water, and a few other things you can find in your kitchen. Of course, these are simple tests that aren’t foolproof, so we recommend that you take your stone to a jeweler or an appraiser to verify the stone’s quality.

1. The Density Test

Real diamonds are incredibly dense, and often outmatch the fakes in density tests. To confirm this, fill a glass up with water and drop your diamond in. A fake diamond will most likely float on top or only sink to the middle while a real diamond will sink to the bottom thanks to its density. Keep in mind, this test isn’t foolproof; cubic zirconia or glass that have been cut generously and are actually pretty heavy could pass this test.

2. The Fog Test

Because real diamonds don’t retain heat well, they will never fog up the way glass or other diamond substitutes will. An easy way to check is to exhale on your stone like you’re trying to fog up a window. If it does fog up, then it’s definitely glass.

3. The Heat Test

Before you continue with this test, you should know that, if your diamond is inauthentic, this test will damage it. Only follow through with this method if you are indifferent to ruining this stone if it proves to be false.

Diamonds are incredibly stable materials, so drastic temperature changes won’t affect their structural integrity. To test this, hold the stone to a lighter and heat it up for 30 seconds before immediately dropping it into a glass of cool water. A real diamond wouldn’t be affected by the drastic temperature change and simply sink to the bottom of the glass, but a fake diamond would shatter immediately.

3. Explore Your Options

If water doesn’t do it for you, we have a list of other methods you can try here. If you’d rather not risk your stone, fake or not, we recommend taking it to a jeweler. Professionals have sophisticated tools, like UV lights and extremely powerful magnification devices, to help them discern with absolute certainty whether a diamond is real or fake, and even whether it’s natural or lab-made.

Like Coco Chanel, Christina Samoylov is a bit of a maverick.

At 23, Christina set up an eBay shop in 2011—a then-newfangled approach to selling vintage wares—and sold goods as a side hustle while she pursued a degree at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.

To stock her eBay shop, Christina would scour Los Angeles thrift stores and auction off her lucky finds. But, to really scale her business into a full-time gig, Christina carved out a niche for herself and zeroed in on vintage Chanel handbags and jewelry. Christina’s venture received an incredible boon after an avid Chanel collector approached Christina asking for help to consign a Chanel collection, valued at—wait for it—$2 million.

Since that fortuitous encounter, Christina has moved off eBay and built her business, Designer Vault, a partnering TrueFacet vendor. Designer Vault is regarded as the premier online consignment shop for authentic vintage Chanel pieces. By personally handling, authenticating, and valuating hundreds of vintage Chanel pendants, earrings and brooches, Christina has become a veritable expert in her field.

We spoke with Christina to pick her brain about her top style tips, investing in vintage, and how she upholds the rebellious spirit of Coco Chanel.

Which vintage Chanel pieces are trending right now?
Necklaces are coming back. For a while they weren’t selling as well, but now they’re really making a comeback, whereas brooches were [previously] really hot sells and now they’re slowly tapering off. I feel like when fall comes around, people are more interested in necklaces as festive pieces, especially the pearls and CC necklaces.

What would you recommend as an investment-worthy vintage Chanel piece?
If you’re looking for a real investment piece, I would say a bracelet or a brooch. A CC brooch never goes out of style, regardless of when it was made. And, for bracelets, a Chanel 7 Icon Charm Bracelet is my favorite. Throughout my experience, this is the one bracelet that consistently sells at the same price; there’s no variance on it. It’s just a classic Chanel staple piece that you’ll treasure forever. 

Which item do you wear every day?
I’m addicted to brooches and my favorite is the “Little Monsters” brooch (which is exactly what it looks like: a little monster). I like a lot of the things that most people don’t have because I see those popular pieces all the time. I also just bought myself my first J12 watch!

How do you style your vintage pieces so they feel contemporary and cool and not overly retro?
I know I can always pin a Chanel brooch on a blazer and it always looks cool. But, because I collect brooches, I’ll wear four or five at a time and that makes them feel super contemporary.

With bracelets, I really like the cuffs and, to make them edgier, I like to wear them higher on the arm, up towards your elbow. Or, with bracelets and necklaces, layering them together or with different brands is always interesting.

What life lessons have you gleaned from Coco Chanel?
The one thing that always sticks out to me about Coco is how she went against the grain, against what everyone said was “the norm” in the fashion industry, and just went for it. And eventually people started responding.

I feel like that’s how I run things with my business: I went against the norm in that I didn’t go get financing and, instead, followed my own intuition. And now, people are responding! So that is what has already resonated with me: how she followed her heart and always goes for what she feels is best.

When you’re not wearing your prized watches and pieces of jewelry, it’s imperative that you store them separately in a secure and organized way. After all, the last thing you want is for your pieces to end up damaged or lost. First, visit this guide to find out how exactly you should store fine jewelry, then read up on the following highly-recommended jewelry organizers that might suit your storage needs.

1. Jewelry Armoire

You have a wardrobe for your clothes, so why not your jewelry, too, right? This wardrobe has ample space for any kind of piece, from earrings, to rings, to necklaces, and everything beyond. It features an LED light, a lock-and-key to keep your valuables safe, and hooks attached to the back so it can easily be hung over a closet door and save floor space.

2. Jewelry Display

If you intend to use your pieces as subtle decorations in your space and have them on display, then this wall-mounted organizer is for you. It is a more permanent fixture since it needs to be mounted into the wall, but it’s a simple and elegant way to display your jewelry. It has ample hooks, bars, and holes to store your jewelry in, and the flat surface on top can house a small watch collection, or can be used for more décor.

3. Hanging Jewelry

This tabletop organizer is very highly recommended and is perfect for those who have smaller jewelry collections that are heavier on the dangling pieces like necklaces and bracelets than they are on earrings or watches. The simple, no-nonsense design won’t take up much tabletop space and gives each piece the space and attention it deserves.

4. Discreet Storage

If you are more apprehensive about having your jewelry out in the open, then this more affordable alternative to the jewelry armoire might be for you. An organizer that hangs in your closet amongst the rest of your clothes can discreetly house your valuables while keeping them separated and organized. This Misslo model has 32 clear pockets and 18 velcro loops to store small baubles like bracelets and earrings and also keep necklaces separate and free of tangles.

5. Travel Storage

Jetsetters who can’t bear to part with their collections will love this jewelry scroll by Donna Walsh. This organizer can hang on your closet door when you’re home and house up to 50 necklaces, around 25 bracelets, 42 pairs of earrings, and up to 32 rings. When you’re on the go, roll it up from the bottom, tie it up to secure your pieces, and stick it in your carry-on luggage for easy travel storage. (For more organizers and storage options for travelling, check out our post about safely packing jewelry here.)

Jewelry for men has seen its popularity rise and fall over the years, but thankfully, today’s “man bling” offerings are classic, timeless, and subtle. With millennial men interested in form-fitting suits, Italian leather footwear, and Hermès pocket squares, we have seen an increase in bejeweled accessories as well. If you’re a guy who is looking to build your own jewelry wardrobe, here are four fine ways to start.

A Proper Timepiece
It doesn’t have to be Swiss, nor does it have to be expensive, but at the end of the day, it should look good, coincide with your wardrobe, and… well… tell the time (obviously). If you’re a guy who is just starting to get into the watch game and who maybe doesn’t have thousands to spend, there are two feasible routes you could take when seeking out your wrist candy.

The first way is to shop previously enjoyed timepieces like the ones we have here on TrueFacet.

But another way is to do your research on what the watch industry refers to as microbrands. A watch microbrand is an independent brand that is usually just starting out or has gone the route of crowd-funding in order to get the brand launched. Many microbrands are affordable, with some of their watches starting at just a couple of hundred dollars. Brands like Brew Watch Co. and others are making waves among younger generations because of their sleek, simple look and lower price point, but also because of their creative and quirky ad campaigns.

A Pinky Ring
Yes, you read that correctly, and no, you don’t have to be a member of the mafia. The pinky ring has come back with a vengeance, but in a way that’s less Don Corleone and more Elvis Presley, circa 1956. When it comes to wearing a pinky ring, stick with the “less is more” adage. Try going with darkened metals or simple bands that add a bit of personality to your look without screaming, “Look at my pinky ring!” to your friends at the local bar.

Diamond Cufflinks
You can dress up any ensemble with a fitted sport coat, a French cuff shirt, and a pair of cufflinks embellished with a few diamonds. Wearing diamonds can easily go one way or the other for a man. In other words, some guys don’t know where the line is that crosses into absurdity, so again, it’s best to keep it as simple as possible. A pair of white gold signet-style ovals with a single burnished diamond in each makes for a gorgeous compliment to a finely-pressed shirt and tailored jacket, and that extra added sparkle gets the right people to notice that you’re setting yourself apart from the crowd.

A “Man Brooch”
There is no cooler accessory on a dressed-up gent than that of a lapel pin. Thanks to many of Hollywood’s most daring and dapper leading men, the #manbrooch not only earned its own Twitter hashtag, but it hit mainstream lapels shortly thereafter. With designers like the remarkable Marco Dal Maso creating whimsical and interesting lapel pins for men who like a little story with their jewelry, the popularity of these “mancessories” is thankfully at an all-time, gem-embellished high.

Let’s say you or someone you love has a sentimental streak for the antique, but that beautiful pre-owned diamond you snagged for a song at an online auction needs some new life breathed into it. Yes, you can have a cool, fresh, and modern piece of jewelry without sacrificing that precious vintage diamond. We’ve compiled some simple but important steps that will help you start the process of setting your old diamond into a brand-new mounting.

See an Appraiser
The first thing anyone should do when they get their hands on a previously enjoyed diamond is to make sure it’s all that it says it is. Many times, antique diamonds are not accompanied by a certification so it’s hard to know exactly what the diamond’s stats are—in other words, its color, clarity, cut grade (only for round brilliants), and carat weight among other things. Even if it’s your diamond that you are thinking of remounting, have it checked by a professional to make sure that no damage has been done to the stone in the years that you’ve worn it.

Here are the things that your independently-certified gemologist appraiser needs to verify for you if the diamond is still mounted or even if the diamond is unset:

1. If it is an actual natural diamond and not lab grown or enhanced in any way.
2. If there is any damage to the diamond (i.e. chips, fractures, etc.)
3. Where the inclusions (if any) are in the stone.
4. What the approximate color grade of the diamond is
5. What the approximate weight is if it is set, and what it is if it is not set

If you take a set diamond to your appraiser, it’s good that they check these things first before you have the diamond removed from the mounting by a professional jeweler. That way, if any damage occurs during the process of the stone being removed, you have documentation of all flaws prior to the work being done.

Find or Create Your New Mounting
There are many places for a buyer to find a mounting both online and locally, so it’s best to start doing your research once you have the diamond you’ll be using. You are the only you out there, and so your jewelry should reflect your personality, your likes, and your sense of style.

One way to research setting and setting styles is to hit some popular hashtags on photo sharing social media sites like Instagram. For example, popular hashtags like #ringsofinstagram and #showmeyourrings will pull up a variety of ring ideas and styles that will have you scrolling through your feed for hours.

You can also work with a custom jeweler to create a unique ring or necklace using sketches and CAD/CAM technology. This can be an incredibly fun process since you – as the wearer and designer – get to see how the piece is made every step of the way.

Enjoy it!
Once your new piece has been made in the metal of your choice and your diamond has been set exactly how you envisioned, it’s time for you to take that baby for a spin, so shoot your pictures, post to social, and gather your friends together for a night of “oohhhs” and “ahhhs.” Enjoying your new (old) diamond for years to come will make the entire process worth it.