In the jewelry world, the marketplace is divided into two segments: fashion jewelry and fine jewelry. Letâs compare and contrast the two.
The main distinguishing factor is the materials used in creating the jewelry. Fine jewelry is unsurprisingly made from precious metals and is set with precious gemstones such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. On the other hand, fashion jewelry is made from base metals and is set with commonplace stones such as synthetic gems. What constitutes a precious metal? Generally only a few precious metals are used for jewelry: gold and platinum. Â Of these two, gold is far and away the most popular, and for good reason.
Check out What We Talk About When We Talk About Gold to learn more about what exactly âgoldâ means and why itâs the perfect metal for fine jewelry.  Brass, with a myriad of platings, is far and away the most popular metal for fashion jewelry.Where a debate lies is silver. Most will classify it as a precious metal, and it is, but it is very commonly used for what I would call fashion jewelry. In my eyes, the eye test is more like âis this an heirloom?â If it is, then itâs fine jewelry, if it isnât then itâs fashion jewelry. Westies & Coâs âBroken Image Link Chainâ makes a statement but is definitely fine jewelry. It seeks to elevate the humble Netscape icon by casting it in solid 18K gold set with emeralds, sapphire, and pink tourmaline.
With fine jewelry youâre paying for craftsmanship and quality. Fine jewelry can be a statement piece, but most buyers donât have the budget to experiment with precious metals and diamonds. If you do, then you should feel lucky and take advantage of that privilege. For the rest of us with budget in mind, fashion jewelry has an attractive offer. Because the cost is lower, fashion jewelry can take more risks. Â With fashion jewelry you can find pieces that fit within a trend, a designerâs vision, or a lifestyle. Obviously there are pieces that test the rule. For example, Supremeâs Jesus piece or Westies & Coâs âSâ collection.
Where to cop
The secondary market for fashion jewelry is almost nonexistent in comparison to fine jewelry. If you like the work of a particular fashion jewelry brand, then I suggest buying it and supporting the designer. That being said, donât expect the piece to hold a lot of value over time. Due to the use of high end materials in crafting fine jewelry, there is a thriving secondary market. Even if the piece doesnât appeal to a buyer, itâs always worth more than the sum of its parts, which sets a good basal valuation for sellers. Pawnbrokers, auction houses (e.g. Sothebyâs, who auctioned Nigoâs collection), estate sales, and jewelry stores all present and sell a large variety of heirloom fine jewelry at lower than retail prices. This is very attractive to shoppers searching for vintage pieces as well as those who want a good deal on common goods. The downside is that you will rarely come by the exact piece you want, so hunting these sources is better suited to the patient.
What to look for
How do you know that the piece youâre looking at is high quality? Is it a good deal? Using good materials is a start, but itâs not sufficient to make a great piece. Examine the surface of the piece and determine if there are any blemishes. Having a beautiful, mirror image surface shows great attention to detail. If itâs a pendant, how does it attach to a necklace? Is the connection well thought out, like Westies & Coâs hidden bail (shown below), or does it lack movement and fit poorly? Â Jewelers that take pride in their work consider these things carefully.
Last but not least, always trust your gut feeling. If youâre not satisfied with the design and appearance while shopping, you wonât feel any better about it after buying. I strongly suggest taking time with your purchase. Buy the right one first or youâll probably buy it twice.
If you enjoyed this article, I invite you to check out our blog, where we post informative articles. Also enjoy 15% off of your order at our store with discount code THIRDLOOKS.
This post was a contribution written by Fasil Alemante, co-founder Westies & Co jewelry, you can check their site and instagram for more info.
