upgrades and upgrade slots

My love / hate relationship with GW2 continues unabated. Today, I'm back with a little hate (along with a cringing smile).

So, I made a jewelers ornate backpack and fitted it with an ornate chrysocola jewel I made, no problem (Love GW2). Later, I upgraded the backpack to the next tier, elegant jewelers backpack. I also made a new, higher tier jewel to go along with it, an exquisite chrysocola jewel. However, the new jewel won't fit into the new backpack, it doesn't even display as an upgrade option in the hero panel, equipment tab. This confuses me. Also, I have other trinkets that do indeed display the new exquisite jewel as an appropriate upgrade in the hero panel, but still won't fit into the trinkets. That too confuses me. The trinkets display green when viewing the upgrade, but turn red when trying to apply them. What gives?

Any insight would be appreciated.

One of the trinkets in question is an order of whispers secret code (the highest form, lvl 79 masterwork)

My instinct is telling me that despite the items and jewels being of the same tier, the fact that the backpack is level 78 and the trinket is level 79 prevents them from accepting the level 80 jewels. If this is the case, you can see why I would be back on the hate side of the relationship. I spent a bunch of coin on ectoplasm (the most I've spent so far since buying the game last month) to upgrade some accessories that won't mix (I made four jewels, none of which I can use). My jeweler is already lvl 400, so there was no crafting XP to be gained. It makes the whole shebang seem like an exorcise in futility or a mean spirited deception. Am I wrong?

Edit: It turns out I have another trinket that is lvl 80, and I can upgrade that item with one of the new jewels. This confirms that it is indeed a mean spirited trick to make the tier 6 backpack just slightly too low a level to actually use a like jewel. As Charlie Brown would say, "Good Grief." I feel like I just missed kicking the football and all my clothes came off.

The L78 backpacks are mostly for skins. They have stats somewhat better than L78 to make up for the fact that we can't slot an L80 upgrade jewel, but I've never considered them worth the cost. Again, except for the skins. And if you collect skins (or like the design), they are a lot of fun.

@"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:The L78 backpacks are mostly for skins. They have stats somewhat better than L78 to make up for the fact that we can't slot an L80 upgrade jewel, but I've never considered them worth the cost."

Definitely not worth the cost. I can't even salvage the ecto from the jewels.

Also, one thing I need to mention (as the original question was answered): any upgrades that have a level requirement will only fit equipment that has a level equal to or greather than the upgrade. Hence, why your Lv.78 pack won't accept the Lv.80 jewel. There are some Lv.80 packs that do exist that accept jewels; however, the Lv.78 packs are, as Illconceived Was Na.9781 pointed out, more or less for skin deco (though it does come with a free infusion slot for Agony or any other infusion).

I advise you to use the Lv.65 jewels in this case, as the regular upgrade won't go to waste.

Thanks altermaven. I really liked your clarity in my other thread too, the one regarding active statues.

@Gorkus.7496 said:Thanks altermaven. I really liked your clarity in my other thread too, the one regarding active statues.

I try to help whenver I can. Consider this helpdesk skritt's job successful. :)