The Radzi Report 13

I’m starting My Radzi Reports again: The reports are about the things I love, the things I wear and the places I go. There are shopping links too! For those who missed them here are a few previous ones. Here. Here. Here. Here.

And now………

I’ve never been much of a jewelry girl—certainly not the kind who marks time by what’s stacked on her wrist or tucked into a blue box. I didn’t grow up collecting Cartier Love bracelets or coveting the clean curve of Elsa Peretti’s Open Heart. The pieces I had were just that—pieces. Worn, misplaced, occasionally forgotten. Not sacred.

So when my diamond engagement ring was stolen, I didn’t spiral. I filed the claim, took the insurance check, and bought Liberty Media stock instead. It felt more honest somehow. If I couldn’t have the original—the one tied to that specific moment, that version of us—then a replacement would just be a stand-in. A prop without a story.

Thankfully, Anthony, my practical husband agreed. He always did.

Now, when I look back, it’s the pieces that stayed—almost by accident—that feel significant. The ones that moved with me through college, first jobs, a marriage, a few versions of love, the losses, the address changes, the quiet reinventions.

They weren’t meant to matter, which is probably why they do now.

Somewhere along the way, they picked up weight. Not monetary—something softer, less definable. Memory, maybe. A kind of personal archaeology. Little markers of a life that kept unfolding whether I was paying attention or not. It all means so much more to me now.

One sunny morning, Carolyn Bessette called and said, “Meet me at Tiffany’s.” We had just returned from a week-long stay at the National Cancer Institute, where Anthony had undergone his third thoracotomy. It was successful, but stressful—we needed a distraction.

I made an excuse to my boss, and an hour later wandered into Tiffany’s. Carolyn was already there, standing at the jewelry counter. She had decided—half in jest, half in earnest—that the most amusing thing we could possibly do was get matching friendship rings. It felt adolescent, almost absurd, which was precisely the appeal.

We chose oval amethyst stones set in gold—understated, but unmistakably us—and of course we had them engraved, because that’s what one did then. The inscription read “CBK s f f CDR.” The “s” stands for “secret,” and it remains one.

I have both rings now. I wear them stacked, one atop the other—a small, private echo of a time when we were still ahead of the cancer, not yet chasing it.

Another ring I have was a present from Carolyn and John on that last Christmas together. It is a simple skinny band with “Amore” etched around the outside.

The first gift Anthony ever gave me was a silver Cartier watch, its rectangular face edged with gold. It was our first holiday together—Christmas, 1992.

It has long since stopped ticking. I keep it now in a small black safekeeping box with my other jewelry, where it feels less like a watch than simply a moment in time.

For our wedding, Anthony gave me a pair of earrings—a row of small diamonds set delicately between two pearls. They were dainty, almost understated. They, too, are now in my black box.

I gave him a light brown leather Swiss Army watch for his birthday the year we married. We were young then; he wasn’t expecting Cartiers from me—besides, he already had two. We then bought the same Swiss Army for all our groomsmen at our wedding.

I have held onto my high school ring. Its style has aged well, a rarity when it comes to high school rings. It has a blue gem in the middle and has re-entered my rotation.

My first boyfriend bought me an S Chain necklace with a small diamond in the center. Does it get much more 70s than that? I’m not quite sure why everyone has stopped wearing S Chains… it doesn’t matter because I am determined to bring them back.

It was the early 2000s when I first strolled into Kiki de Montparnasse on Greene Street in SoHo. It was a high-end lingerie store—like La Perla, but sexier. They used to joke that I kept their lights on during those early lean years. I bought everything: lace bra sets, silk pajamas, garter belts. I’d decided I would only wear stockings, not pantyhose—and stockings, of course, required garters.

The truth is, I was trying on a few new personalities after my husband died, and I thought “vixen” might be one of them. It didn’t last long. But one thing did: a sterling silver body chain. I still love wearing it—under silk blouses or even with a simple T-shirt.

My latest find wasn’t mine at all, instead it came from my friend Karen Duffy—arguably the coolest person I know—who discovered it in an online auction. She bought one for herself and one for me, our own version of friendship rings.

In 1978, Frank Sinatra headlined the opening of the Nassau Coliseum. Legend has it he commissioned one hundred gold medallion necklaces, each stamped with his likeness on the front and the venue on the back.

Now one of them sits in my collection—a small, gleaming piece of music history.

All of these pieces have an X factor. Whether it is the memory of someone near and dear behind it, its multiplicity, or origin story. You don’t need rich friends or a great love to build your collection, just time and intention.

You can also take matters into your own hands.

While I love the context behind my pieces, I also love their weightiness, their touch of masculinity. Their vintage and lived-in quality. Their personality.

Let’s break my collection down a bit.

• The Medallion (the anchor)

  • The best is when they look like it has a story behind it (even if it doesn’t). Slightly imperfect, a little worn, maybe engraved or symbolic in a way that you don’t necessarily understand.

  • It should feel discovered, not designed.

  • This piece grounds everything else.

Yellow Gold Plated Roman Coin Necklace | Chan Luu Catriona Charm Necklace

• The Chain (Framework)

  • Not too delicate, not overly polished. A chain should feel like something you could sleep in, forget about, and then notice again weeks later.

  • Mix lengths, mix weights—there’s no formula, just a sense that it’s been built over time rather than styled all at once.

A.P.C.Minimal Maxi Necklace | Monica Vinader Layered Chain Necklace

• The Signet/Personal Object

  • Initials, symbols, something that hints at identity without explaining it.

  • The best versions feel almost borrowed, like they weren’t made specifically for you—but became yours anyway. It’s less about personalization and more about presence.

Mondo Mondo Ondine Ring Faceted Ruby | Yvonne Leon Baby Chevaliere Ovale Ring

Full Guide Below:

1. APC Minimal Maxi Necklace 2. Chan Luu Catriona Charm Necklace 3. Marlo Laz 14K PB Signet Ring 4. Mondo Mondo Odine Ring Faceted Ruby 5. Monica VinaderLayered Chain Necklace 6.Rose Quartz Single Light Pink Color Stone Ring 7.Chloé ‘The Chloé Medals’ Necklace 8. Yellow Gold Large Hammer Link Chain 9. Sophie Buhai Classic Delicate Chain 10. Yellow Gold Plated Roman Coin Necklace 11. Yvonne Leon Baby Chevaliere Ovale Gold Ring 12. Mondo Mondo Atrium Ring in Sterling Silver