How good are you to your good jewelry?

Some things are constants for me. For me, it tends to be some of the pieces of jewelry I wear.

I used to wear watches that weren't waterproof, so, being someone who likes to, oh, take baths at the end of the day, I'd take off my watch and forget to put it back on. Thus, waterproof watch. Always on. (I need to know when I need to be out of the shower by!) My mom sighs that I need a nicer one for when I dress up, and I probably do, but I haven't gotten around to really looking yet. Plus, said nice watch will need to cover my rockin' watch tan.

I also tend to cycle through pendant-and-chain necklaces that I'll wear 24/7 -- through showering, sleeping, the gym (well, I haven't been since April, so that doesn't count anyway), what have you. I have several Dogeared Jewelry necklaces that I've worn at different stages depending on what I've felt like (the single pearl, the silver circle, the amazonite drop, and then I just ordered the new Lovebug necklace). Right now I'm wearing this heart pendant from chocolateandsteel.etsy.com. However, I had to have it fixed twice -- the jump ring kept getting snagged on the chain and dropping off (which made my actual physical anatomical heart jump into my throat a couple of times), so I had a friend fix it with a sterling silver wire wrap (I also had the jump ring replaced, but it still fell off). While I'm relieved it's fixed, it's a terrible feeling when you're going about your normal day and all of a sudden your pendant is falling off your neck and onto the floor.

So that got me thinking: am I too hard on my jewelry? I have a silver ring with a dangling charm that swings and has completely eliminated some of the engraving from knocking against the ring itself. I'm not going to march my ring back to the store and demand they fix it -- I do know that there's going to be some wear and tear, especially if I'm wearing it every day.

Back in March, Wendy Brandes wrote about the fairy Prada bag and, in particular, taking care of your good jewelry. And while I'm not someone who pops off my jewelry as soon as I get home, it's extremely good advice, especially since when you make a true investment (both emotional and financial) in a piece like an engagement or wedding ring, you really do need to be taking care of it.

I'm definitely someone who errs on the side of "oh, that's my good jewelry, can't wear it". I'd think good jewelry would be able to stand up to more than cheaper costume jewelry, because of the higher quality of materials -- it won't turn my ears green, for one. But at the same time, I'm always worried about knocking a stone out (which is why I tend not to wear that kind of jewelry) or something falling off, which is why I tend to go with daily jewelry that doesn't have as high of a price point or sentimental value. And at the same time again, what's the point of having good jewelry that you can't wear?

Where do you fall on the spectrum? Do you have certain things you wear every day and some things that are for special occasions only? And for those every day pieces, do you wear them all day every day, or do they come off at certain times? Or are you not a jewelry person at all?

image from chocolateandsteel.etsy.com