The Best Little Necklace You're Not Wearing

The feelings that accompany sliding on a beloved piece of jewelry are akin to those that surface when you don a favorite t-shirt: the security in knowing that its fit is tried-and-true; the comfort it envelops you in; the confidence that you need not once look down to tug, turn, or push it back into place - good jewelry evokes this, too. Usually, it takes months - sometimes years - to become that cozy with a piece of bijoux but once in a while the connection is instant. Especially when it comes at a reasonable $45.00 price point and with the name "RJ GRAZIANO" on its tag.

This pretty lady landed in my lap (literally) as a gift from Robert Verdi at his recent Valentine's Day Gift Guide Tweet-Up, and I haven't stopped cooing over her ever since. Officially, she's called R. J. GRAZIANO's Clear Lucite Bubble Bead Necklace but we've become so well-acquainted that I've taken to calling her "Bubbles." Unlike her namesake, the only place she's strung out is perfectly around your neck, and she'll work for you day and night without needing a fix.
Needless to say, we've bonded instantly (the beads go especially well with the color grey, which I recently proclaimed my conqueror for 2010 in this Honey Magazine article). Lightweight, multi-purposeful, and striking yet simple in its design, it's a fantastic, affordable addition to your accessories cache you'll get mileage out of for years to come (Lucite, like roaches, never dies). Also, at $45.00, it comes in at a great price point for a gift or to just treat yourself. Pick it up online or in-store at Lord & Taylor.

FYI: RJ GRAZIANO's got some sweet and similarly affordable pieces in his line for HSN (like KFC, no one says "Home Shopping Network" anymore - get familiar), which I stumbled upon while writing this post. The "Luster Cluster" is my fave, both name and style-wise. Luster and Bubbles might well become sister-wives soon!



Top Image Source: Lord & Taylor