Costume Jewelry, To Wear or Not To Wear
I thought I’d write a quick post about my thoughts on costume jewelry since it is sold everywhere.
I think costume jewelry is awesome! I own some costume jewelry and wear it when it fits with the situation and my outfit. I think costume jewelry is great for staying with jewelry fads, trying out new things, having something fun to match a specific outfit, etc. I don’t think costume jewelry should be expected to last a life time.
My definition for costume jewelry is jewelry that is inexpensive. I don’t think the label “costume jewelry” actually says anything about what type of metal or stones are used and whether they are quality or not. I have pieces that I would consider costume jewelry that have genuine stones but that were very inexpensive. That also means that “fine jewelry” doesn’t actually define what the piece is made of either. You can have non-genuine stones in fine jewelry. I feel that saying something is “costume jewelry” is more a comment on how much is cost or the reason the piece was purchased.
Costume jewelry is often made out of brass or other very inexpensive metals and is plated to look like either gold or silver and the stones are everything from genuine rocks (turquoise, quartz, onyx, carnelian, etc.) to glass. The materials are why one should not expect costume jewelry to necessarily last a life time. When something is plated, the plating can wear off. In some cases, it can even chip off. With all stones there is a risk of chipping or breaking the stone. The stones and materials used in costume jewelry are often softer than some of those used in fine jewelry which means they are more likely to chip, scratch, or break.
None of these things mean that I don’t think anyone should buy or wear costume jewelry. I just think consumers should be aware of what they are getting.
I am often asked if I would ever consider making costume jewelry so more people would be able to afford my designs. The answer is yes and no.
I wouldn’t ever want to make the same designs in brass that I would make in gold. I would make some things in silver if there were customers for it, but I don’t want to get into base metals and plating in my work. I would also make inexpensive earrings and necklaces out of silver findings that would hit lower price points. Findings are pre-made pieces like rings that you can buy and put together to make a piece of jewelry. The true key to hitting price points for me would be volume. If I can buy 50 jump rings and use all 50 in different pieces of jewelry that is different than buying those same 50 rings in order to make one piece.
Here are a few renders and pictures of the types of costume jewelry I can and have made.
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