If you're not already following Cat Sims - @notsosmugnow - consider this your sign to fix that immediately. With half a million followers and a gift for saying the thing everyone else is thinking, Cat has built a corner of the internet that feels genuinely rare: funny, honest, and fiercely pro-women.
When I asked if she'd be part of the Jewellery Stories series, she came back with answers so good I immediately wanted to be her friend. Mood rings. A signet ring with a suspiciously self-invented seal. A cocktail ring large enough to communicate. An aquamarine lost in the Swiss Alps and found again years later on Etsy. Settle in.
If your jewellery box was on fire and you could only grab one piece - what would it be?
"I never take my wedding ring or engagement ring off, so I'm finding a loophole and assuming I'd already be wearing those. Same for my family signet ring. So, with those pieces safe, I would save the antique diamond earrings my husband bought me for my 40th. It was so unusual for him to buy such an extravagant gift - but the fact that they're vintage rather than new was really special and very me.
That being said, I would grieve the loss of my Jennifer Gibson vintage earrings that are probably the best piece of costume jewellery I've ever owned."
The loophole. I respect it enormously. And the detail about the earrings being vintage being what made them special - that's the thing, isn't it? It's never really about the price tag. It's about someone knowing you well enough to choose something that's so you it almost hurts.
What's the most ridiculous piece of jewellery you've ever owned?
"I've always loved jewellery - ever since I can remember - and anything I owned in the 90s would probably be considered pretty heinous now. Think mood rings, pendants inspired by Blossom, and any kind of ribbon choker." 😆
Blossom. A cultural icon. No notes. (And for anyone under thirty reading this: look her up. The hat. The pendant. You'll understand immediately.)
The 90s were genuinely lawless when it came to jewellery, and I say that with deep affection. Mood rings alone deserve their own retrospective. The audacity of a ring that claimed to know your emotional state better than you did. We were all wearing a tiny mood board around our necks and loving every second of it.
Is there a piece you wear every single day - your signature?
"There are actually a few. I wear my wedding ring and engagement ring every day - although my engagement ring is a little loose so when I travel I use a fake one! I wear my family signet ring on my pinky. I got it for my 21st. It's pretentious AF and I'm pretty sure my grandfather made up the seal himself, but it's the only piece of jewellery my dad has given me so I love it.
I also bought two vintage gold rings from a gorgeous independent brand, Sobelle Jewellery, and I wear those every day too. Earrings I change up a lot, same with necklaces - but rings are my favourite. I also have massive hands, so when I find nice rings that fit me, I love them hard."
"Pretentious AF and I'm pretty sure my grandfather made up the seal himself" is the best thing anyone has ever said about a signet ring, and I will be thinking about it for weeks. Also - the travel fake engagement ring. Practical. Sensible. Absolutely sending one to all my friends immediately.
The bit about massive hands though - this is so important and so rarely talked about. Ring shopping with larger hands can be genuinely disheartening when everything looks like it was designed for someone with the fingers of a Victorian child. When you find a ring that fits and looks good? You love it hard. Cat gets it.
When you're buying jewellery for yourself, what do you gravitate toward?
"I always gravitate towards vintage or pre-loved. I love gold and silver and I love to mix metals - but I've found you can only really do that with real silver and real gold. It just doesn't work as well with plated options. I also hate rings that turn my finger green, so I'd rather invest in proper metals.
I have big hands (did I mention that already?) so I love a cocktail ring or a statement ring as well. I can't resist turquoise - I'm always drawn to a bit of boho. My friends call my style 'boho bitch'." 😆
"Boho bitch." Officially the best style descriptor I've ever heard, and I'm quietly applying it to an entire future collection brief.
Cat's point about real metals is one I feel very strongly about - and it's something I've built Dainty London around. The green finger problem is real, the fading is real, and the disappointment of a piece you loved turning into something you can't wear is very real. Recycled sterling silver and solid gold exist precisely because jewellery should last, not just look good on the day you buy it.
Do you have a piece that marks a milestone - something that carries a memory?
"For my 18th birthday, my mum bought me a silver ring, tipped with gold, with a tension-held aquamarine. I loved it - but when I was in Switzerland working in the Alps, I lost the aquamarine and was devastated. Two years ago, I found the exact style of ring on Etsy, so I bought one, and every time I look at it, it makes me smile."
I love this one so much. Not just the story - though the image of a young Cat in the Swiss Alps losing her aquamarine is genuinely cinematic - but the ending. Finding the same ring again, years later, and choosing it a second time. There's something beautiful about that. It's not a replacement. It's a reunion.
It's also a reminder that the most meaningful pieces aren't always expensive. They're the ones with a story attached. An aquamarine ring that's been lost and found again carries more history than most diamonds.
The Dainty London Edit
Inspired by Cat's love of vintage gold, real metals, boho energy, and rings that actually fit? Here are a few pieces she might love from the Dainty London collection.
For the vintage gold ring lover — THE LUNA RING Real gold, designed to stack, wear forever, and never turn your fingers green. Cat would approve.
For the boho bitch in all of us — THE MAXI STARFISH NECKLACE Handmade with coastal textures and organic shapes. Where British design meets a little free-spirited magic.
For a piece that marks a moment — BESPOKE DESIGN Because sometimes you need a ring that's made entirely for you - or a piece that holds a story only you know. Start your bespoke journey from £50.
Huge thanks to Cat for being so brilliantly open - and for the Blossom reference, which I didn't know I needed today but absolutely did.
If Cat's story has made you think about the pieces sitting in your own jewellery box - the ones with a history, a memory, or a loophole - I'd love to hear about them. Drop me a DM or tag me in a photo of the piece that means the most to you.
Jade x
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