It’s that time again guys! The celebs and ‘influencers’ are out in force pushing the latest ‘gold’ jewellery, the perfect personalised Christmas present.
Always look closely. £79 for a gold necklace may seem reasonable, but once again hidden in the small print is ‘gold plated stainless steel’. It’s not even silver under that plating! It’s as good as worthless and no different to a cheap costume necklace you get on one of those spinny displays in the supermarket. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with buying an inexpensive necklace because you love it, this isn’t a judgement on price, it’s about deception. You deserve to know what you’re spending your hard earned money on £79 isn’t loose change!
I appreciate not everyone's budget stretches to handmade jewellery but you're investing in a quality piece that will last a lifetime. It can be passed on, cherished then remodelled, becoming an heirloom of the future. You may find what 'appears' to be a similar piece of jewellery for less. However, there are a few things to consider:
Is the item precious metal? Lots of jewellery online claims to be silver or gold yet buried in the small print are the words 'plated', 'vermeil' and 'gold filled'.
Is the piece hallmarked? Items of silver over 7.78g and gold over 1g require hallmarking by law, it's an added expense some unscrupulous businesses avoid and appear to get away with!
Don't confuse high price for quality either. An expensive designer piece isn't priced necessarily because of the materials used but the perceived value you get from being able to afford to join the club'. Just take a look at Tiffany and Co gold paper clip at $1500! That's not what my jewellery is about and why I specialise in one-of-a-kind and limited edition.
You don't need a designer symbol or logo to make you feel valid, special, or important. You are all those things without.