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Updated: Sep 24, 2020 68 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Simon Sebbag Triple Strand Bib Necklace

Coffee Break |

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We're big fans of a simple strand of pearls — but there's something to be said about a colorful bib necklace like this gorgeous one from Simon Sebbag.

For almost any outfit that you'd add a set of pearls to, this kind of necklace can make a fashion-forward statement, become a signature piece of yours, and add a lovely dose of color to your face. (For some reason, with regard to turquoise, we always remember something that Sarah Michelle Gellar said years ago on the red carpet, perhaps while wearing this:  I figured, hey, I'm young, so I should wear the color while I can.

We have no opinion on whether turquoise looks bad on older women, but we were intrigued by the quote.) 

This necklace is $375 at Nordstrom. Simon Sebbag Triple Strand Bib Necklace

Sales of note for 9.30.24

Sales of note for 9.30.24

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

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Comments

  1. RR

    Absolutely beautiful. I wish I had an extra $375!

    Anyone have leads on cheaper versions of something similar?

    • AIMS

      Not to keep pitching Talbots all day today, but while in their store yesterday I saw an absolutely gorgeous coral necklace, that was similar in style (and which I actually like better, I think). It was somewhere in the neighborhood of $60 & may have been part of the 25% off accessories sale. It looked very elegant & looked amazing with a white button down. I almost bought it but couldn’t justify yet another necklace purchase.
      I don’t see it online, unfortunately, though they do have this (and some other really nice bib necklaces):

      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24404&rootCategory=cat440041&catId=cat140087&sortKey=Default&section=Sale&conceptIdUnderSale=cat440041

    • KelliJ

      I don’t know where you are but check out art/craft fairs and the like over the summer. I picked up a necklace very similar to this, just two strands not 3, at a street fair on Cape Cod last summer. It only cost me $35.

      • jojo

        Second that suggestion. I’ve found great pieces with real stone (not resin-filled) at arts/farmers/craft markets. Also check out some of the great hand-made stuff on Etsy; you can search by material(s).

    • Shayna

      I like this one:

      ‘Sterling Silver Genuine Turquoise Double Strand Necklace w/ Toggle Closure – 17.5 inches’ http://amzn.to/9DxoMX — $64.99 with free shipping :-)

      Very similar to the one pictured here and waaaay less money for what my mom would call “junk jewelry” :-)

      I do think there is something to doing things while you’re young – I still regret not dying my hair hot pink when I was 16 and no one would have cared!

      • Lucy

        Why would natural stones be “junk jewelry”?
        I think it’s far better to have great quality natural stones like coral or turquoise than some itty bitty diamonds or whatnot for 3 times the price.

        • Shayna

          Junk jewelry as in not precious or semi precious stones. I.E. should cost a mere fraction (i.e. $65) and therefore be worry free to wear (it’s a good thing).

      • Bets

        Rather than regretting never dyeing my hair outrageous colors as a teenager, I’ve promised myself that I’ll dye my hair green on my 60th birthday. Being a rebellious teenager is such a cliche–I’d rather save my rebellion for a point in my life when I will (hopefully) have the time and money to truly enjoy it!

        • Shayna

          Oooh I LOVE this idea!!

          I wasn’t rebellious at all… My big shock to my parents was when I became an accountant, since I had hated math as a kid — it was like the anti-rebellion!! And by 60 my hair will have long since gone gray/white so I’ll likely be dying it anyway :-)

      • RR

        I like that one. I think I need to find some turquoise jewelry. I don’t mind the look of resin filled. It seems more polished to me for some reason than standard rough-edged turquoise, which I don’t tend to like.

  3. jcb

    I love the color, but I am not really feeling this one. The silver triangles ruin it for me – maybe if I saw it on I’d like it better.

    @RR, I got a kind of similar necklace (four turquoise strands, no silver but for the clasp) from a woman in LA at http://www.neckisses.com – they are similarly pricey, but she has good sales every now and then. Might be worth checking in.

  4. gemstone geek

    Not to be Debbie Downer, but this necklace is way overpriced for what it is made from. Reconstituted turquoise is basically the crap bits of turquoise that couldn’t be used to make jewelry, ground up, mixed with resin, and dyed. It might or might not be mixed with other “stuff” to give it the black marbelling and characteristics of turquoise, which may be either synthetic or other inexpensive minerlas. It is also incredibly cheap to buy.

    • lawDJ

      Which means it should be very cheap to make! Someone could find beads and findings on etsy.com or perhaps make an alchemy request and have it made! I might just be that someone ;)

      • A

        @lawDJ – Could you please share what you mean by alchemy request?…I’m curious!

      • Anonymous

        Agreed! I get a lot of bead supplies from firemountaingems dot com, and I’m guessing that $50 – 60 (or less) would get you much higher quality turquoise there. They have a lot of silver findings as well – maybe not the same triangles, but something that works the same way. I make a lot of my own jewelry and frequently style it after things I’m too cheap to buy otherwise!

        • lawDJ

          I use the firemountaingems too! I made a gorgeous sterling silver / smooth rose quartz nuggets necklace that everyone always comments on and it was $15. It’s a bit addictive though :)

          • NEC

            Ladies that make your own jewelry — I would love to do this. What do I need as a starter kit? What are some other good websites for supplies? Any suggestions on how to get started are greatly appreciated!!

          • gemstone geek

            NEC – I ditto the other firemountain suggestions. They also have tutorials online for basic techniques. If you want to look at stuff in person, which I think is a good idea, especially at first, try Michaels to pick up a few basic things. Then, experiment away!! The good thing is that the beading wire and other components are really cheap, so you can mess around, decide you don’t like something, cut it up, and start over.

            So happy to find out lots of others on this site share my hobby! I love wearing something I made myself and having people ask me where I bought it!!

          • lawDJ

            If you have a bead store near you (Beadworks in Boston for example), go in there for questions and/or startup classes and find great “findings” (clasps, focal beads, etc.). The Firemountaingems site also has lots of tutorials, and Google is very helpful. I agree on the accu-flex wire comment, it’s very easy to do and crimping is a very solid and pretty way to finish your necklaces.

            I also go on etsy.com and look at finished handmade pieces and try to imagine what they’re made of and copy them! I did that with my bridesmaids jewelry, on etsy they wanted $50 for a sterling silver / gemstone necklace/earring set, I spent $50 on materials and made 5 of them for all my bridesmaids.

            Good luck and have fun! It’s a great hobby :)

      • lawDJ

        @A – On etsy, you can ask people to submit bids to make you a custom item to your specifications. It can be almost anything and submitting a bid (and “hiring” someone through etsy) is free!! You put the specs, the price you’d like to pay, and people submit bids with pictures of their work or just descriptions. Eventually you commission (or not) someone to make you what you want and agree on a payment schedule (all at once, some up front etc.).

        Check out: http://www.etsy.com/alchemy/

        I have successfully used it to create my wedding invitations — electronic scans of a water color painting as well as a water color map of the area which were absolutely gorgeous and custom-designed to my every specs. They cost almost nothing (literally, it was $20 for both designs) and I then had them printed myself.

        • Anonymous

          @NEC – try Fire Mountain; they have a HUGE selection of stuff and tend to have the cheapest prices I’ve found. Since they carry so much the website can be a bit overwhelming – I’d highly recommend requesting the “big” catalog for your browsing pleasure! The other thing that’s nice is that everything they sell is pictured life-size so you can really get a sense of what the scale is before you buy. The website also has a lot of information about different techniques which can be fairly useful. And in case it might seem otherwise, I’m NOT employed by them!

          In terms of getting started though, the easiest thing is to try out the stainless steel accu-flex wire for stringing (I tend to use the 49 strand for better drape). If you use this, you’ll need crimp beads to secure the ends to your clasp and crimping pliers – it’s really a pretty minimal investment. Then pick your clasp and beads, and voila! – you’re a jewelry maker!

    • jelodi97

      In other words, what used to be known as “paste” jewelry. But how does one tell the difference?

  5. SUCL 3L

    Thread hijack – need some opinions from the fashionable Corporette readers.
    So I got some money for graduation and am thinking about splurging on a nice set of jewelry. I’m thinking about going with Erin Gallagher custom pieces. Specifically, the Samantha necklace and the Cameron earrings. But I’m completely stuck on what stones to get – truth is I love color and they all just look so pretty (and I sure can’t afford to buy it in all the colors I want)!
    I’m between the amethyst (deep purple), the rutile quartz, and the london blue topaz.
    Anyone with thoughts/opinions/votes please feel free to weigh in!

      • AIMS

        Pretty! I actually really like the London Blue Topaz despite the fact that I generally dislike blue topaz — I think this color appears much richer & deeper.
        I think the rutile quartz may be a bit too geometric, as Law-Less says but then again maybe not — hard to tell looking close up, I would imagine the effect will be far less dramatic in person.

    • Law-Less

      Personally, my favorite is the amethyst. The rutile quartz looked a little too geometric for my taste and I’m not really a big fan of blue. However, my advice would be to go to your closet and look at your wardrobe. Which one of the options would you get the most wear out of with your current wardrobe. It may be that the quartz is the best option for you because it is pretty much neutral. I am an accessories junkie and I unfortunately buy things without considering what I have to wear with it and it winds up sitting in my jewelry box forever, so I have been trying to get better about what I buy. Whatever you decide, they are all beautiful!

    • jcb

      What color are your eyes? What is your coloring? What colors do you wear? You will want to get stones that emphasize or complement your coloring and, as Lawless points out, will be wearable with your wardrobe. Both the blue and purple are pretty colors. A neutral like the quartz will probably get more wear (though I am like you – I like the colors better).

    • Delta Sierra

      Amethyst comes in different grades, reflecting colour and clarity. AAA is the highest, with deep colour, no zoning (lighter areas), no visible flaws. So the one they ship might not be as dark a purple as pictured. Also, not everything sold as amethyst is the real thing, it should be quartz, but isn’t always. I don’t know anything about this supplier, and whether or not they stick to actual quartz. But some non-quartz purple stones can fade with time.

      I love your EG earring design, and have long lusted after something in rutile quartz.

    • AN

      Go with your skin tone when in doubt. If you’re fair, pick blue/green/pink. Dark skins can rock red /pink/yellow/amber. Coral/turquoise/pearls look great on practically all tones.

  6. Law-Less

    LOVE this! I am always a fan of statement jewelry :) I admittedly have a very dull wardrobe (80% black), but I always love to be more of a risk taker with my accessories. Today for example, I am wearing a bead necklace with large stones (red, yellow, and green) and I’m carrying a yellow bag. Yay for accessories!

    • Shayna

      The best part about a basic colored wardrobe (which mine is as well) is that you can go a little crazy with the accessories :-)

      • Bonnie

        I punched up my tan suit today with green shoes. I wouldn’t do it for trial, but I always try to jazz things up on status days.

  7. Eponine

    I’ve been waiting for the coffee break thread. I clicked through to the Forbes article that Kat linked on her Facebook thing. Leaving aside the discussion of single-sex education (which I strongly support, but isn’t the point of my mini-rant here), does it really annoy anyone else that article used the word catty to describe the interpersonal issues of elementary-school girls? What the heck, Forbes!

    • Sharon

      Double hijack. Did anyone on here go to a women’s college? Thoughts? My daughter is looking at Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, and Smith. (she didn’t care for Mt Holyoke as much and is not interested in Barnard)

      • A Different Liz

        I wanted to go to Smith, but didn’t, because it didn’t have an engineering program in the early 90’s. One of my good friends and my sister went, and they both loved it. Can’t offer anything more substantive.

      • Kelly

        I went to Barnard and my law school roommate went to Wellesley. We both didn’t love the experiences while we were there, but in retrospect, we’re really glad we went and (if we ever get hired) would happily make donations to the school. I think I would have been much less happy at Columbia, and I was exposed to a lot of thinking (not just women’s studies stuff, although that certainly abounded) that I don’t think I would have stumbled upon at a bigger school, or one that didn’t value non-white-male experiences and histories. I certainly read my Greek tragedies and learned my European history, but that wasn’t the extent or focus of my learning.

      • Suze

        I did. First two years, then transferred to big state U . Special circs – started college @ 15, graduated @ 19. Women’s college was KEY to development/survival for first two years, not so much for life in general….

      • Little Lurker

        Sharon — current college student chiming in here!

        I live very close to Bryn Mawr (when I’m home for the summer, that is), my best friend goes to Mt Holyoke and my cousin transferred out of Barnard (she hated New York).

        Why does your daughter want a women’s college? Or is this interest coming from you/your partner/someone else in the family? It is super super important that both kid and parent have a conversation, not an argument, about what to get out of college. If you’re well-educated (as in more than one degree), leave the guidance counselor out of the discussion, unless they actually know something you don’t.

        I am thriving at a co-ed university, but I recognize some women really prefer single-sex education. Completely anecdotally, this is my theory:

        Women’s colleges are good for

        1) shy girls/quiet girls/girls who felt overlooked or neglected in high school
        2) girls who want to make it in the sciences*
        3) gay girls

        Women’s colleges are NOT necessarily good for:

        1) girls who felt empowered/undominated by male peers in high school
        2) religious girls from traditional/conservative backgrounds (unless the student herself is open-minded)

        I know that Mt Holyoke and I would bet that Wellesley have a serious “problem” with wealthy international religious parents sending their daughters to an elite American women’s college, and not being able to grapple with/tolerate the prevalent lesbian culture on campus. [There was an NYTimes article about this a few years ago, and my friend corroborated the truth of it.] This is not to say that a lot of those students don’t grow culturally and really benefit from those friendships (and so do the gay girls!) but certain parents are super super uncomfortable with this fact.

        *Of course, there’s a lot to be said for starting an academic career in the sciences at a [research] university as well. A liberal arts college may not have the flashiest researchers, but the profs will actually care about you passing Intro to Bio or Organic Chemistry. It just depends on whether you want to go to a college or a university.

        Personal note: I would have applied to Bryn Mawr if it weren’t so close to home. The campus is gorgeous, the students are brilliant and strong-willed, and they’re partnered with Haverford, if you want to meet boys. Also, they have a very impressive honor code.

        Of course, of course: YMMV .

        Best of luck!
        LL

      • KLo

        I went to one not listed, and it was heaven. The education was much harder at my school than at the co-ed school from which I graduated, I learned a great deal more, I was challenged, I had more opportunities, and I was incredibly fit and healthy.

        Also:
        _Women’s colleges are NOT necessarily good for:

        1) girls who felt empowered/undominated by male peers in high school
        2) religious girls from traditional/conservative backgrounds (unless the student herself is open-minded)_

        I disagree wholeheartedly. Women’s colleges are empowering even if you are a ball buster when you start, I only had one gay friend at my college (who came out after graduation) and a few who did the normal experimenting, and I met a lot more guys on a regular basis at my women’s college than I did at my co-ed one.

        But the honor code was amazing. And we all still live by it.

        • Little Lurker

          KLo —

          As my feminist sensibilities (yes I’m 21 and not afraid to call myself a feminist) grow, I’ve come to appreciate much more the importance of women-only environments, not just legally but culturally. I agree that they’re empowering for every girl who has a good experience in them.

          The thing is, though — there are so many decisions that factor into college decisions, and it is objectively harder to get into most colleges these days, between social mobility and the boomer generation (thanks guys, for having all those kids!). If you love the idea of a women’s college but also think you could handle/thrive in a coed environment, then it’s in your best interest to apply to both kinds — just in case.

          I know that the “lesbian phenomenon” is not prevalent everywhere. But it definitely exists at both Smith and Bryn Mawr (I have friends/high school classmates at both). Nor do I think it’s a bad thing — but they are a very visible and active minority on campus. If you are uncomfortable with open displays of homosexuality (both identity and behavior), then those two schools are perhaps not the best fit for you.

          And if you really want to meet boys — you can find them anywhere. No promises that they’re worth your time, though. ;)

          LL

          • Bonnie

            I went to Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, for two years then transferred to a big school. I loved the school and only transferred because I had already decided to go to law school and couldn’t justify paying that much in tuition.

      • Emilee

        I went to Smith and LOVED it. Some people really miss having guys around, but it wasn’t an issue for me since I had a boyfriend. It’s very easy to get over to Amherst and UMass though, and fairly easy to get to Yale, Brown, etc.

        The best thing about Smith is the teaching and individual attention from faculty. I was just back for my 5th reunion, and my friends marveled over the fact that each of us (in all different departments) ran into favorite professors who remembered us and were happy to see us.

    • Shayna

      Forbes has some bizarre stuff… especially the articles under the ForbesWoman section, which tend to cover topics that are either extreme fluff, or topics that you would expect to be of interest to men as well…

      Sharon – I came close to going to Bryn Mawr but was swayed by a co-ed college that offered a full college scholarship – Bryn Mawr does not do scholarships – good luck deciding what to do!

      • Chicago K

        I went to a small private liberal arts school that had just gone co-ed. Because of this, the ratio of women to men was 7-1 and most of the men were returning adult students taking a night class who just happened to live in town so it was convienent.

        I love the education I got and I thrived in college. If I had it to do over again, I would definately go to a women’s college. The women in senior leadership at the school and the alumnae were so inspiring to be around, it was just fantastic.

  8. v

    For some reason, with regard to turquoise, we always remember something that Sarah Michelle Gellar said years ago on the red carpet, perhaps while wearing this: I figured, hey, I’m young, so I should wear the color while I can. We have no opinion on whether turquoise looks bad on older women, but we were intrigued by the quote.

    That’s funny – I always associate turquoise jewelry with (stylish) older women. (Not this necklace particularly, which seems like it could work well on younger women too, but some of the chunkier stuff.)

    • Lucy

      Second. I know a lot of gorgeous silver haired women who wear a lot of turquoise for lovely contrast. Sarah Michelle Geller must have never visited Woodstock, NY.

    • Suze

      And who exactly are the “older women” – are they mid40’s, mid50’s, or just the people who answer the call of “MOM”? I personally don’t do ‘chunky jewelry’ (or anything really besides my Movado watch and diamond stud earrings), but I think this necklace (and ones like it) are nice on anyone whose coloring and style/wardrobe/blouse/event choice is appropriate for that day – even if she’s 70 (or 80 for that matter).

      • v

        I’m not trying to make any concrete, normative statements or anything – it’s just when I think of turquoise jewelry, I think of a stylish woman with gray hair, like Lucy said. This might be a totally inaccurate perception though.

  9. Anonymous

    Warning: Word choice/marketing gripe ahead! (Not directed at Kat)

    This isn’t really a “bib” necklace, it’s merely a large, multi-strand necklace. It’s pretty, but in my book, to be a bib necklace, it would have to be considerably larger in the front than in the back to form the bib shape.

  10. Delta Sierra

    Lots of turquoise is stabilized to a lesser or greater degree, so the fact that this is reconstituted isn’t too big a deal. Many, many stones are enhanced, via dyes, bleaching, heat-treatment, filling, different types of radiation, plus lots of other ways.

    • Lucy

      Agreed. But the price should reflect that. I have gotten much better turquoise at much better prices than what is pictured. Silver or no silver, the materials pictured are not the price asked.

    • gemstone geek

      Enhanced is different than reconstituted … reconsittuted gemstones can really be a lot of resin. “Enhanced” stones are usually stabilized, bleached or dyed, but they are still the same chunk of stone that was dug out of the earth. Reconstituted stones are litterally ground up and mixed with other things, stirred together with some resin, and re-molded into round shapes.

      I happily wear reconstituted jewelry as many of the stones look quite nice – I just wanted to point out that for the quality of the stones in this necklace it is crazy over-priced.

  12. AN

    Could this be worn to work, say with a white/black or even pink shirt for some contrast? I can see myself doing this, but needed reassurance from fellow corporettes….

    • ChiLaw

      yes white, yes black, no pink. i think the pink/turquoise combo would be really cute, but a little too preppy for work. weekend with white jeans, for sure!

    • KLo

      I think you could MAYBE get away with the pink shirt and a lighter grey suit on a Friday (or similarly casual day) in the summer. You might get more mileage out of yellow or a slightly orangey/rusty red. Think of the colors that turq. is so frequently paired with, you know?

    • KelliJ

      I often wear my turquoise necklace with brown (as well as with black/white). I like the combo.

    • MelD

      I thought I posted this already so sorry if it comes up twice- I think you need to consider your region. Some areas embrace color and others don’t. In FL and parts of the South I think you could probably wear the pink/peach with turquoise combo on a typical workday and fit right in.

  13. 75

    For really nice costume jewelry in that turqoise – color family, take a look at Coldwater Creek.

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