Why I think it's nuts to buy costume jewelry instead of the real thing

[LittleSally]

Why I think it's nuts to buy costume jewelry instead of the real thing:

If your style is more flamboyant and out there, I guess I can understand the urge to cling to costume jewelry pieces, but is it worth the money?

Maybe buying more delicate, fine jewelry pieces is a more sound investment?

I am definitely guilty of having some worthless trinkets just because I thought were cute at the time and I will also admit that they're very specific - so can't be worn all the time...and that's the charm but also a draw back of costume jewelry.

Costume jewelry - the one I see a lot of people buying - is pretty expensive for what it is, and it rusts, turns green, dyes your neck, ears, wrists because it's not sweat proof...

Sure it can look cute, but the price isn't worth it. You'll most likely have it for a few years and it's ultimately completely worthless.

Buying real gold jewelry - whether it's yellow, white or rose - is worth so much more. Why? it doesn't color your skin (Haha Go figure, right...? xD ), it's actually worth something no matter how long you wear it and it never goes out of style. It's classically beautiful and it's, by all means, an investment.

So, if you're going to buy jewelry, and you have the money to spend - I advise you NOT to buy worthless trinkets, but invest in something worth your money - in terms of jewelry.

P.S. The fine jewelry you own is probably going to be fine 10, 20, 50 years from now...white costume jewelry's charm is fleeting at best.

[BeeNee]

I'll tell you why I will forever buy costume jewelry... it all started when I was 8. My mother bought me a beautiful gold charm bracelet. As I was walking over to admire the thing in a full length mirror, I tripped and landed right on the mirrors edge splitting the bracelet completely in half ruining the thing. Then came the earrings I was gifted which I promptly lost, the silver watch which was stolen, another set of gold earrings that I lost one of. After a while, it was literally like, what is the point. No person I've ever known has ever come up to me and said, oh is that real or cared if what I was wearing is real. I agree the real stuff will last longer, but that hasn't been the case for me for other reasons. Even my mother lost 5 wedding rings over the years, before she finally just decided to get a fake replica (which she's lost 2 more times, and replaced). It's just not important in the scheme of things to have real jewelry. I prefer fun and quirky things I can wear for like 2 seasons and not worry about losing them.

[luvstoned4him]

@BeeNee I agree, and lovely story. I am sorry that you have had such bad luck with authentic jewelry. I , too have lost a number of rings and earrings. Some have even been stolen. The only thing I have left is my gold chain and an earring and I dont wear it out in crowded places such as public but more to less crowded , sophisticated places. I am trying hard to protect it from thieves as many frequent my home.

[BeeNee]

@luvstoned4him Sorry about your own run of bad luck with the real thing. I think maybe people should have one or two things, and then purposefully only wear them out to the big events, weddings, a great Christmas party, a graduation, and then lock them back up and opt for the costume stuff, but overall, I think I'll stick to the costume stuff. If I lose it or someone takes it thinking its real, I wouldn't be heart broken at all. In fact, just another excuse to get new sets.

[godfatherfan]

People usually buy costume jewelry for one reason, cost. Many don't have unlimited cash to buy real gold. It is a big difference to pay $10 rather then $1000 or even $100. Then if they get tired of it after a few years, throw it out. If it gets stolen, who cares. A lot of costume jewelry looks really good. The more quality pieces that do cost more typically are made of material, or coated, so they don't cause the issues you state. So if you have the cash to spend and can buy real gold, awesome. But you can't judge people for wanting to wear something nice on a budget.

[LittleSally]

Yeah... the costume jewelry most Americans buy is actually closer to 40 or 50 dollars. I'd rather go for something great of 100 dollars than paying 50 for a costume necklace. O. o

[godfatherfan]

and if you have $100 to blow on jewelry, awesome.
but many people don't have that kind of money.
that $50-$60 can make a big difference to some.

[BelleGirl21]

I totally agree.

[Taylor1116x]

I never spend more than 10 bucks on costume jewelry and i get it from H&M lol

[Nik1hil]

Oh!.. Wow that is thoughtful, ask me why to sticking to trinkets us better then buying gold jewelry it brings a lot of risk.
1) if you keep it in home 24 X 7 fear of getting robbed or theft.
2) world not a Happy place, owning that jewelry means risking your life, most of robbery cases involved murder and stealing of jewelry,
3) I just hate it when women come loaded with golden jewelry and diamond necklace, I am like wtf are you a jewelry shop,( instead it's okay if she is wearing just a few jewelry,) I want to adore your beauty, not the beauty of gold and diamond on you, I am not gonna fuck gold and cuddle with diamonds, it will be you who will moan at pleasure not golden necklace and you will cuddle with me.
4) keep changing - 'Life is too short' costume jewelry is cheaper as compared to real gold stuff.. And you can try a new set every month... I get to see you in new beautiful look every month not the same look.

Although I am not against a women's choice to get real gold or diamonds jewelry. In the end of the day it's her choices, because I look at her not the jewel, with or without jewelry, I will always see her..

[LittleSally]

Haha Wow... in all you've assumed it makes it sound like no one can buy normal fine jewelry unless they're extremely rich. For two trinkets you can get a normal one fine jewelry piece... + No one buys diamonds - no one in their right mind...

[Nik1hil]

Well I was talking about such madness..
www.dailymail.co.uk/.../...-collection-chains.html
Or people getting close to it, otherwise all is well..

[LittleSally]

Well that's just nuts... Haha

[RachelBrigs]

Just for a casual outfit I think there's more upsides to costume jewelry honestly. I don't wear either though

Unfortunately, I've had several pieces of real (experience) jewelry gifted to me and lost all of it as a kid (then again why would you give something that valuable to a kid anyway lol) so if I were to have something that nice it would definitely be reserved for very special occasions.

[Stacyzee]

I still prefer my costume jewelry. As a woman that has hundreds of clothes, it feels great to have earrings that literally coordinates and matches almost every piece of clothing.
Since real jewelry is so expensive , I'll probably be able to get one or two pieces that won't do much for the variety of clothing I have.
Sure , it'll look nice but it won't give me the effect I want.
When I purchase costume jewelry I can buy a whole bunch and it still amounts less than that one piece of jewelry.
I only believe in buying the real thing if it's for a huge occasion or gifted from someone.
Also, who wants to walk around with expensive jewelry in this day and age with all of the crimes out there? As someone that likes wearing jewelry regularly this wouldn't be an option for me.

[Nachtmeerde]

But what happens when there AREN'T any bona fide gold/silver jewelry that express your style? :/ Because from what I can see, the upscale brands only present a very specific aesthetic, i. e. delicate and ultra-feminine. Which is all very well, I suppose, but I fail to see the point of buying something costly that I won't even like. I'll be sticking to my punk-rocker pieces and leather cords, thanks.

[LittleSally]

I found plenty of punk rock fine jewelry... You just have to know where to look...

[Nachtmeerde]

Yeah, well, it won't be as easy considering where I live :/ But I'll try? Might be worth a shot.

[LittleSally]

It definitely is. =)
Try ASOS or ebay.

[Nachtmeerde]

TEH SHIPPING FEES +_+U Good lordy lou. Well. Plenty of time to save up for it, I guess. Thanks.

[SilenRose]

I have costume jewelry and fine jewelry. I agree with you on the costume jewelry but sometimes it's more convenient and cheaper. Like when I go to the club I prefer wearing costume jewelry because if I lose it it isn't as big a deal. I wear my fine jewelry to more up scale events.

[luvstoned4him]

@SilenRose Exactly

[Girl_Ex_Machina]

I sort of disagree. It's great having some nice jewelry to where someplace fancy, but I like variety. I can get 6 pairs of earrings for 15 bucks at Claire's. I don't want to rotate the same 3 or 4 jewelry sets for the rest of my life. If it's pretty, and you like it, and you'll wear it, there's no problem spending a little money on crap that won't last. I've never had my skin turn green, and I wear the shit out of costume jewelry. Plus, it's a great way to spruce up an outfit. You can re wear the same outfit over and over if you properly accessorize it.

[vishna]

When it comes to ornate/performance costume jewelry, the average person will do much better buying a well made piece for maybe 100-200 bucks (and often less than that) vs half a pound of gold.

Yea, real silver earrings are probably a great investment-last a long time, look nice, and NOT that expensive.

But real gold and real diamonds or rubies are not a feasible investment for a lot of people.

I get it, real gold and silver will last longer. But that doesn't mean it's worth it, and that definitely doesn't mean everyone can afford it. As long as the costume jewelry isn't super cheap, it will probably last a really long time if taken care of. Mine has.

When I get a diamond necklace as a gift, 2 of the smaller stones fell out. Haha, that's life. So, yea, the real stuff is nice and all. But at the end of the day, it's not that important to a lot of people if their jewelry is real or not.

[XRabbitHeartX]

I like to wear real silver earrings as I feel like they are more hygienic and a better investment but for things like rings, bracelets and necklaces I don't mind being cheap. I find that the costume jewelry I get from places like Lovisa actually tends to last a very decent amount of time too so it's not like I have to throw them away quickly. I have some necklaces that were really cheap that still look good years later.

[luvstoned4him]

@XRabbitHeartX yes I have some cosmetic jewelry from since I was 15 until now and they still look good. I also have some plated gold ones.

[DishLady]

You're absolutely correct! I was just saying the same thing to a friend when one of her favorite outlets was having a sale. I pointed out that I'd rather save for worthwhile pieces.

(I tried to click "like" to your take but the system isn't letting me. Good post!)

[theatreguy]

I totally agree. I work in a jewelry repair store, and we have to turn away so many people because they want their costume jewelry fixed. We can't do that. Gold and silver do sometimes turn skin different colors, but that's usually because of some kind of lotion or medication. Gold's value is also going up over time, so it really is a true investment. Assuming one has the funds, real jewelry is usually the best way to go.

[AngelinaJolie0]

Yes, costume jewelry is liking by all. But Now also stainless steel jewelry is the most demanded accessories for both men and women. Recently I was researching over stainless steel jewelry and found "ZuoBiSi Jewelry Wholesale Store Ltd." To get the best piece of jewelry you need to be smart.

[MrOracle]

Jewelry, no matter what it's made of, still has design and style, and many types can definitely go out of style.

It can also make you a target for theft and even violence, because you are literally visibly wearing items worth a bunch of money.

But if that's how you choose to spend the money you earn, that's your right. I'm certainly not going to tell you how to spend your money. On the other hand, that's not how I'm going to spend MY money.

[marth]

Yeah I never have understood buying jewelry seen at places such as forever 21. There's some nice pieces that are at places like Nordstrom that seem to last depending on the material. I really don't know enough about it though. It is a waste, turning color, rusting, getting dinged easily etc

[detlef]

You're right. For the price of a lot of quality costume jewelry, you can get antique jewelry with real gems and precious metals at pawn shops or thrift stores (and at places like shopgoodwill. com, where all the money goes to charity).

It's advisable to only pay retail for wedding jewelry.

[luvstoned4him]

I do have cosmetic jewelry as well as authentic gold chain & earrings. While I enjoy the classic and timeless look of the gold , I also love the variety and colors that cosmetic jewelry has to offer. That way I have a pair of earrings for each type of outfit.

[luvstoned4him]

but that doesn't mean that I would forget my lovely gold jewelry. Also, most cosmetic jewelry are cheap but some may need to save for authentic gold.

[BelleGirl21]

I buy most of my cistume jewelry at charming Charlies. It's super cute and super cheap. I have lots of different options so I can always change my style and if I get sick of it it's no big deal. I love real jewelry too but it's expensive and usually more dressy than I'd go day to day.

[zombiebabe]

i have more costume jewelry than fine jewelry cause of the price :'( ... but i understand your point :)

[Spirit_Is_Free]

I think it is probably the cost issue at the bottom - You can get costume jewellery maybe keep it for a year but when you buy the real thing, you go very expensive and keep it for 20 years, that was always my impression of costume jewellery.

[Punkin45]

I can afford a $30 necklace. I cannot afford a $3,000 one or even a $300 one. Must be nice to have lots of dough!

[LittleSally]

You can get nice silver for 30 dollars...
I imagine it would be nice to have money...

[Punkin45]

A thirty dollar silver necklace isn't "fine jewelry" though, at least not in my book. That's some very thin, little elecroplated chain and pendant. Fine jewelry would be like the $300 opal necklace I got as a birthday gift, or a pair of 24kt gold and diamond earrings.

Maybe we have different definitions!

[LittleSally]

Not really. I presume you live in America? Jewelry there is just overpriced because they can afford to do that... The rest of the world has more realistic prices of fine jewelry, but it depends on where you look.
Diamonds - ridiculous for anyone who isn't a millionaire.

[Punkin45]

Where do you live?

[LittleSally]

Croatia.
Not the richest country by a long shot.

[Punkin45]

Ah. Yes, I see. Well, I mean there is jewelry with very small diamonds. img1.etsystatic.com/.../...x270.522063765_gfv6.jpg

[WhatAreYouReading]

I think it's nuts to buy jewelry at all... I just don't get the lure.

[LittleSally]

I can understand that =)