When it Comes to Buying Jewelry, Choose Quality Over Quantity
Are you feeling a little bored with your current jewelry collection? When a jewelry wardrobe makeover is in order, it’s best to go for quality over quantity. Learn how to use that strategy to your advantage so you can build a fantastic collection of versatile, high-quality jewelry pieces that will last a lifetime.
Focusing on Fine Jewelry
Think about your current jewelry collection. What percentage of it do you actually wear on a regular basis? If your current jewelry wardrobe includes a lot of inexpensive, mass-manufactured pieces that you wear a handful of times and forget about, it may be time to shift your strategy to focus on the timeless beauty of fine jewelry. Sure, following fashion trends in jewelry can be fun, but imagine the collection of heirloom-quality pieces you could assemble if you took all the money you’ve ever spent on cheap costume jewelry and put it toward something better. Your collection would be smaller, but when it comes to jewelry, having a small number of high-quality pieces you absolutely love is better than having a large collection of low-quality items you never wear.
It’s easy to make the switch. All you have to do is avoid the temptation to buy cheap fashion jewelry and instead focus on budgeting for and choosing high-end jewelry pieces made from durable materials valued for their beauty and their longevity. After all, diamonds are valued not only for their beauty but also for their strength and timeless appeal. A carefully designed piece of fine jewelry will never go out of style.
How to Buy Fine Jewelry
As you change your approach to jewelry shopping, it’s important to understand the difference between fine jewelry and costume or fashion jewelry. Fine jewelry is made from pure gemstones and precious metals, making it durable and valuable. On the other hand, costume or fashion jewelry is usually made of cheaper, less valuable materials, substituting glass or plastic for gemstones and cheaper metals like stainless steel for gold or platinum. Some costume jewelry pieces are made to resemble fine jewelry styles, but they lack the careful design and quality construction that sets the real apart from the fake.
If you want to focus only on precious metals and gemstones to create a small but valuable fine jewelry collection, the first step is to choose the right place to buy. Discount big-box-store chains, fast fashion stores and bargain-basement online retailers are all unlikely to carry anything but cheap costume jewelry or mass-produced precious metal and gem jewelry. A smaller jeweler with a long history in the jewelry business is your best bet for finding high-quality jewelry that’s worth the investment. A quality jewelry store will be able to give you details about how your jewelry piece was made and how to properly care for your new jewels. Buying from a small boutique jeweler is a good idea because the store will likely be able to provide repair and custom jewelry design services as well.
No Comments