Useful Tips on Collecting Costume Jewellery for First Timers

While diamonds may be forever and gold lasts a lifetime, an increasing number of men and women are making their investments in costume jewellery. Keep in mind that many costume pieces are made from semi-precious metals like sterling silver and semi-precious gems like citrine, mother of pearl, and onyx – truly, affordable pieces with the beauty of their more expensive gold-and-diamond counterparts.

Many costume pieces are also vintage in nature, such as the Victorian era jewellery, which can be mixed and matched for great impact with contemporary and modern pieces. Many of these pieces of jewellery are so unique, in fact, that silver jewellers will copy their designs to the delight of their customers.

But before collecting costume pieces, here are a few tips to consider. Think of your purchases as investments in fashion so you have to be careful about making your choices.

Research on the Items

Avoid paying too much for jewellery by doing your research first. You will find hundreds upon hundreds of choices from tiaras to anklets in the market but not all of these items will be worth your money. You should research about each interesting item’s materials, provenance, and manufacturer before making your choice.

Learn to Differentiate the Good from the Bad

Otherwise, you will be paying for pieces that are of little to no value down the road. You may adopt the following steps in getting the good pieces and leaving the bad ones behind:

• Consider its design. Does the piece fit in with your personal style? Does it have versatility in terms of mixing and matching with your existing pieces?

• Look at its condition. Does the item appear to be in good condition? Look for signs of damage, such as warps, scratches, and dents as well as missing stones and creeping rust (i.e., green hue), among others.

• Look for its signature. Does the piece come with a signature? This means that the item is authentic – or at the least, look for a certificate of authenticity and verify it.

As with jewellery made from precious metals and gemstones, your investments in costume pieces should be made with durability in materials and construction, longevity in style, and beauty in design. Your children and grandchildren should still be able to appreciate your costume pieces especially since fashion has a cyclical order.

When collecting costume pieces, you should look at it as form of happiness – buy what make you happy while wearing the pieces. Be sure to stay away from fickle trends, too, as you want to get the best value for your money by being able to wear the pieces as many times as possible.