The jewellery advent calendars you need to see this Christmas

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for insider tips and product reviews from our shopping expertsSign up for our free IndyBest emailIn the words of Slade: ‘It’s Christmaaaas!’ Well, nearly. With the countdown almost here, anticipation for the big day is mounting, and new advent calendars are launching on a near-daily basis.If you’re looking to add a little extra glitz and glam to the festive party season, we’ve got the answer: a jewellery advent calendar. Yes, 12 or 25 days of pure sparkle. The brilliant thing about these is they’re not just for Christmas, as the pieces can be worn year-round – the gift that keeps on giving. Whether you prefer silver, gold or mixed metals, there’s something just waiting to be worn.If you’re unsure what to expect, depending on the brand, you’ll unwrap necklaces, bracelets, earrings, anklets and a whole lot more. With most of them, you can choose between silver, gold or mixed metals, too. Here, we’ve included brand-new options for 2022, personalised designs and, of course, firm favourites from the likes of Missoma and Astrid & Miyu. Each is worth its weight in gold. How we tested In the name of investigative journalism, we worked our way through each of the jewellery advent calendars, assessing them for their contents, variety of metals on offer and whether they really will add some sparkle to your Christmas countdown.A selection of the jewellery advent calendars tested for this guide (Eva Waite-Taylor)The best jewellery advent calendars for 2022 are: Best overall – Oliver Bonas 12 days of dazzle jewellery keepsake advent calendar: £275, Oliverbonas.comBest personalised jewellery advent calendar – Abbott Lyon advent calendar: £249, Abbottlyon.comBest earring advent calendar – Astrid & Miyu 12-day personalised advent calendar: £290, Astridandmiyu.comBest gold jewellery advent calendar – Missoma jewellery advent calendar: £395, Missoma.comBest for single stud earrings – Cartilage Cartel 12 days of sparkle advent calendar: £115, Cartilagecartel.comBest for demi-fine jewellery – Grove & Vae 12 days of Grove & Vae jewellery advent calendar 2022: £389, Groveandvae.comBest for added sparkle – Scream Pretty jewellery advent calendar: £250, Screampretty.comBest selection of accessories – Estella Bartlett advent calendar: £150, Estellabartlett.comA selection of the jewellery advent calendars tested for this guide Eva Waite-TaylorWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.Already subscribed? Log inJumping on the bandwagon, Oliver Bonas’s first foray into the world of advent calendars will not disappoint. With an option for silver or gold, the 12-day offering contains a carefully curated edit of jewellery pieces. Each piece is certainly something you’d most likely buy for yourself, which is essential when spending £275 on an advent calendar. Oliver Bonas has clearly thought through its debut calendar – the packaging isn’t overtly festive and has been designed to be used as a useful storage solution long after the Christmas countdown is over. Similarly, each item is packaged within its own cotton pouch, which bodes well for keeping things safe. Hidden within the drawers is a great selection of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and charms, all of which we found very wearable. We created a lovely ear party with the ridged hoop earrings, the Sasha hoops (£29.50, Oliverbonas.com) and the star stud earrings. Another firm favourite was the heart pendant necklace, which features a small crystal. All in all, there’s plenty of sparkle to shout about here. Continue reading…£275 Oliverbonas.comBuy nowJewellery brand Abbott Lyon specialises in personalised pieces, so, of course, its advent calendar is tailored to you. By selecting your initial and birthstone, the 12-day calendar serves up a wonderful selection of jewellery pieces and the design is complete with having your name on the front. As for what’s inside, each of the pieces comes neatly packaged in its own felt case. Our favourites included the sphere chain necklace (£45, Abbottlyon.com), which looks lovely when worn with the initial pendant (£25, Abbottlyon.com). Meanwhile, the classic hoop earrings (£59, Abbottlyon.com) were a great addition to our jewellery collection. If you’re looking for added festive sparkle, you’ll love the crystal stud earrings (£39, Abbottlyon.com). Abbott Lyon’s calendar would make a really lovely gift, so why not make someone’s Christmas by surprising them with a personalised 12-day countdown? Continue reading…£249 Abbottlyon.comBuy nowOwing to the sell-out success of last year’s calendar, jewellery brand Astrid & Miyu launched not one but two designs for 2022 – a 24-day (which has already sold out) and a 12-day option. We got our hands on the latter, to give you an honest review of it. First things first, the star-sign-inspired packaging is not overtly festive, making it a great storage solution, and the box opens out to reveal 12 numbered drawers.As you’d expect from the jewellery brand, the contents are just as lovely as the calendar’s design. On the second day of Christmas, for example, we were treated to a pair of cosmic star crawler stud earrings – the calendar exclusive offered a nice subtle sparkle. The studs were followed by birthstone huggies (£55, Astridandmiyu.com), which looked lovely next to the cosmic star dome earrings (£75, Astridandmiyu.com) received on day 12. Another standout treat from within the calendar was the £50 voucher, which can be spent online or in store on a piece of jewellery, piercing, welded bracelet or even a tattoo. Continue reading…£290 Astridandmiyu.comBuy nowOnline jewellery shop Missoma is one of the best destinations for all things bling. Specialising in affordable jewellery, it’s amassed a huge following, and for good reason. As for its advent calendar, it’s hugely popular and we can most definitely see why. It’s full of the brand’s bestsellers, as well as some of its newer pieces, and serves as a great way to help you curate a jewellery collection of high-quality pieces.Unlike other advent calendars, there’s not one piece of jewellery we wouldn’t buy ourselves. Highlights include the mini baya hoop earrings (£75, Missoma.com) – a gorgeous pair of hoops that have bobble detailing and hug the ear lobe nicely; the molten cuff bracelet (£85, Missoma.com), which was a total showstopper on day 12, and we also loved the double chain necklace (£129, Missoma.com), which manages to elevate even the most simple of outfits.Unfortunately, if you’re a wearer of silver or mixed metals, this one isn’t for you, as it features exclusively gold items. With the contents worth £800, this would make a bougie and brilliant way to count down to Christmas.Read the full Missoma advent calendar reviewContinue reading…While the packaging (a black cardboard box) might not be as glam as some of the other advent calendars featured in this review, the contents more than make up for it. The fun thing about Cartilage Cartel’s offering is you have the option to customise your calendar (£115, Cartilagecartel.com) or opt for one that has been curated already – we went for the latter, because who doesn’t love a surprise? Inside each of the 12 boxes, you’ll find either a dainty pair of earrings, hoops, a single stud or a cuff – the entire thing offers a seriously decadent way to count down to Christmas. To give you a bit more of an idea, on day one, you’ll unbox a twin sparkle barbell stud (£12, Cartilagecartel.com), which has a real sparkle to it and catches the light beautifully. On day eight, it’s a pair of delicate studs (£25, Cartilagecartel.com), which are a great everyday accessory. By the final day, you’ll get baguette charm huggies (£35, Cartilagecartel.com) – an elegant pair of hoops that have a serious Twenties charm about them. It’s worth noting some people might be put off by the fact the advent calendar features five singular studs, but the brand does specialise in cartilage earrings, so this is to be expected. For anyone looking to curate a seriously impressive ear stack, look no further than this calendar. Continue reading…£115 Cartilagecartel.comBuy nowA newcomer to the world of jewellery advent calendars is Grove & Vae. If you’re yet to be acquainted with the brand, it specialises in creating luxury pieces at a more accessible price point. This debut calendar showcases the brand’s collection of jewellery nicely, with a selection of chunky and dainty picks housed in a blue box. One of the most worn items that we received in the calendar is the gold rope chain necklace (£75, Groveandvae.com), which manages to elevate even the most simple of outfits. The Marcie open pave ring (£58, Groveandvae.com) will likely be a huge hit – thanks to the fact it’s adjustable, it can be worn on any finger. Our only gripe is that, on day 12, instead of a showstopping jewellery piece, you open the drawer to find a gold sparkly Christmas bauble, which may be a little anti-climatic for some, especially considering the high price point of this calendar. Continue reading…£389 Groveandvae.comBuy nowWith its black-and-gold colour scheme, the packaging of Scream Pretty’s advent calendar is certainly chic, but it is the same as last year’s, so we’d have liked to have seen something a little different.When you open it up, you’ll find 12 numbered doors – each one housing a pair of earrings, an ear cuff or single stud. Our standout favourites were the teeny sparkling star stud earrings (£25, Screampretty.com) and the lightning hoop earrings (£50, Screampretty.com), which complemented one another. While the selection offers a great way to curate a very sparkly ear in the run-up to the Christmas party season, we’d have liked to have opened up a few more hoops, and fewer ear cuffs. That being said, it is a lovely calendar and there is a choice of both silver and gold metals, depending on your preference. Continue reading…£250 Screampretty.comBuy nowThe design of Estella Bartlett’s advent calendar is sweet and fairly understated – the navy colourway is contrasted with festive stars, and, on the inside, you’ll find 12 uniform drawers. The brand has opted to incorporate additional accessories into its advent calendar – by that, we mean it has added hair scrunchies, two hair slides, a fabric card holder, a candle, and a travel-friendly jewellery case. As the advent calendar costs £150, we were expecting a little more jewellery. That said, there is a nice selection of pieces, including necklaces, a beaded friendship bracelet and a pair of CZ-encrusted hoop earrings – the latter being a firm favourite. There is the option to choose between silver and gold, which will certainly appeal to many.Continue reading…£150 Estellabartlett.comBuy nowIf you’re going to invest in an advent calendar this year, you might as well make it one that will sparkle all year round, and that’s exactly what a jewellery treasure trove will do. But which one is best? Well, Missoma’s advent calendar offers a great way to build a gorgeous collection of high-quality gold jewellery that you’ll wear on repeat. And Cartilage Cartel’s 12 days of sparkle advent calendar has a lovely selection of studs and earrings. But it’s fair to say Oliver Bonas’s debut calendar shines bright here. It’s a lovely curated collection of jewellery, and you can choose between silver or gold. Opening one of the doors will certainly spread sparkle on a cold and dark December morning.Looking for a daily dose of make-up and skincare? Read our guide to this year’s beauty advent calendars