Chunky jewelry exists as a departure from traditionally feminine jewelry designs. Where classic designs are thin and delicate, chunky jewelry is thick and sturdy. Where classic designs are soft and delicate, chunky jewelry is loud and bold. Chunky jewelry is the type of accessory that is ingrained with a statement, a spirit of defiance, and an unshakeable sense of confidence. For the woman whose very presence is a statement of its own, bold chunky jewelry is the perfect way to encapsulate charm and character, taste and temperament, and panache and passion in one, gloriously chunky package. Because…there’s nothing wrong with being chunky and funky.
Chunky necklaces
Straddling the border between elegance and boldness, chunky necklaces, when styled correctly, can maximize your glam. Versatile, edgy, and complementary to every kind of neckline (unlike, for example, chokers), chunky necklaces go against the typical delicate chain style preferred by most, allowing you to make a bigger, bolder statement. Notice the singular: a statement. That’s because statement necklaces don’t play well with others, especially if they resemble collars. Keep it straightforward with your statement necklace to avoid any messiness or overcrowding in your look. Oh, and of course, before rocking this kind of chunky yet funky necklace, you’ve got to decide what kind of statement you want to make in the first place!
For example, if you want to cultivate an air of mystery, choose dark, artistic pieces like Vincent Peach’s Triple Crown Tahitian Knotted Necklace. This chunky necklace falls at an opera length—defined as being between 28 and 37 inches; this length in and of itself sets the pearl necklace apart from other necklaces, which typically fall around 16 to 18 inches. The extended length of Vincent Peach’s pearl masterpiece makes it distinctive and dramatic—qualities that are only enhanced by the designer’s artistic selection of dark, moody Tahitian pearls. Combining a mixture of large Tahitian pearls in deep earthy overtones ranging from peacock or oil slick to gold, cream, steel, metallic green, and eggplant, Vincent Peach’s chunky necklace appears like a dark rainbow, cleaved in two by large, equestrian-style sterling silver hardware on either side. Esoteric, moody, and utterly unique, the Triple Crown Tahitian Knotted Necklace is a perfect example of the elegance and boldness that defines a chunky necklace.
Another example of the signature elegance-and-boldness combo that sets chunky necklaces apart can be found in the Gold Link Necklace by Rudolf Friedmann. This statement necklace is an adaptation of smaller chain designs, allowing it to express a more modern notion of femininity while slyly acknowledging its history, almost as if to say that this kind of woman can be loud and bold and still just as feminine, thank you very much. The design of this chunky necklace takes your typical oval-link chain and magnifies it, adding eye-catching details like hand-etched 18k yellow gold links and a 1.14 cts diamond charm studded with 111 tiny diamonds, for an even greater sense of glamor. Glam, bam, thank you, ma’am!
Chunky bracelets
Like chunky necklaces, chunky bracelets exemplify a perfect ratio of elegance to boldness. What’s more, chunky bracelets have a little more leeway in allowing layering than their necklace counterparts, since they avoid the former’s tendency to look overcrowded in a group. On the contrary, chunky bracelets and bangles are able to revitalize your bracelet stack by introducing texture, dimension, and most importantly: disruption. Yes, we know it sounds illogical to favor disruption, but a skinny bracelet stack’s saving grace can often be a thicker bangle or bracelet to physically and visually break up too much monotony. That doesn’t mean you have to wear your chunky bracelets in a stack, either; each of these fabulous finds can easily be worn solo. Can we get an “Amen” for versatility?
Wake up and smell the rose gold with Hulchi Belluni’s Hulchi Belluni Tresore Bracelet in 18K Rose Gold. Set in lovely 18k rose gold, this version of the iconic Tresore Bracelet features a super comfy and convenient stretch design, allowing it to be put on and taken off with all the ease of a summer breeze. All along the stretch bracelet itself, rounded triangular rose gold beads meet one another to form slightly off-kilter rounded squares, creating a quirky and visually appealing geometric pattern. These rose gold beads are perfectly smooth and highly reflective, which comes in handy for reflecting the stunning 1.10 cts pavé set diamonds that decorate two opposing rose gold triangles in the front. The effortless, modern style of this chunky bracelet entails that it is clean and sleek enough to avoid overwhelming any additional pieces, while still being distinctive and striking enough to stand on its own. It is like versatility itself, all wrapped up in a charming chunky bracelet.
A cuff bracelet is an equally viable option for adding dimension to your look. Thicker than a beaded bracelet and more solid than a chain-link bracelet, cuff bracelets are a type of chunky bracelets that wrap fetchingly around the arm or wrist in an open design. These open bracelets are especially striking in situations of contrast; for instance, if you have a bracelet stack on one arm consisting of chain bracelets and bead bracelets, wearing a cuff bracelet on the other arm makes for a daring ‘do. Cuff bracelets themselves are an inherently dynamic design, as, since ancient times, they have intentionally been designed to be reminiscent of armor. One part armor and one part fashion statement, cuff bracelets are symbols of power captured in gold and silver, expressing strength, womanhood, nerve, and ferocity. Cuff bracelets like the Buccellati Macri Cuff Bracelet by Buccellati embrace this lineage, melding the thick, robust shape of the chunky bracelet with delicate embellishments. Buccellati, in this instance, weds the masculine design of a cuff with tiny feminine touches, like tiny diamonds set in star-shaped rosettes, miniature gold beads, and exquisitely detailed rigato engraving designed to give the 18k yellow gold bracelet the appearance of fine silk. The impossible happens with this chunky bracelet, as all the delicacy and airiness of silk coexists with the heaviness and strength of a suit of armor. She is woman; hear her roar!
Photo by Nati Melnychuk on Unsplash