The Gold Cuff

One bold piece of gold jewelry can be all an outfit needs.

I have always loved gold jewelry.

Perhaps it’s my Indian background, where gold is so much a part of dressing and celebration, but I’ve never thought of it as something that needs to be saved for a special occasion.

And of all the ways to wear it, I particularly love a cuff.

There is something wonderfully confident about a beautiful gold cuff. It can be sculptural and dramatic, but also incredibly simple. Wear one with a black dress, a crisp white shirt, a caftan or even jeans, and suddenly the outfit feels finished.

One Is Sometimes Enough

I love bangles and I'm certainly not opposed to stacking them but a great cuff doesn't need much company.

When the piece is substantial or beautifully designed, I like allowing it to stand on its own. It becomes almost like a piece of sculpture on the wrist.

That simplicity can actually make it feel more dramatic.

But I Also Love a Stack

Then there are days when more is more.

Mixing cuffs and bangles of different widths and textures creates a completely different feeling. I especially like a stack when the rest of what I'm wearing is relatively simple.

I don't worry about everything matching perfectly. In fact, a little variation is what makes it interesting.

Gold Goes With Everything

One of the reasons I return to gold is its warmth.

I love it against black and white, but also with rich color, beautiful prints and sun-kissed skin. It works particularly well with the clothes I naturally gravitate toward—caftans, dresses, scarves and pieces with color and pattern.

And despite its association with evening and occasion dressing, I think gold can look just as good during the day.

The Pieces Worth Keeping

My approach to jewelry has changed over the years.

I'm less interested in buying something simply because it's fashionable and much more interested in pieces I'll continue to reach for—a beautiful design, something found while traveling, a piece connected to India, or jewelry with a story behind it.

Those are the pieces that become part of your personal style.

And a fabulous gold cuff?

That will always have a place in mine.

The MBellished Edit

The Sculptural Cuff · The Stackable Bangle · The Indian Piece · The Modern Classic