Costume vs Real | Imamother

amother

Amethyst

Thu, Aug 17 2017, 12:21 pm

I do not own any real jewelry except for my engagement ring, kallah bracelet, and a string of pearls I inherited from my great grandmother. Everything else is costume jewelry. It's not because we can't afford real, but because I prefer costume. I don't see a reason to fuss with the real thing. I like my jewelry, I think it's all pretty. I like that I don't have to worry too much about something happening to any of (well, it would still be upsetting as some of the pieces have great sentimental value, but at least there's not much monetary value on top of that).

My mother has a lot of real jewelry and is constantly flummoxed that I don't have any. She thinks it odd, especially as dh can afford to buy me something real. She thinks I should at least have something "to pass down" eventually. Is that really a thing? Am I really weird for not buying real jewelry? (Even if the answer is yes, I'm still not gonna get any; I'm just curious to know if really the only one).

Fox

Thu, Aug 17 2017, 1:10 pm

Same here.

When I was a teenager, I worked in a jewelry store, and the owner taught me various tricks to selecting costume jewelry that can pass as the real thing. I've forgotten a lot of them over the years -- I wish I'd written them down!

Like you, my mom has lots of beautiful jewelry with real diamonds, etc. I figure we can use that to pass down.

Jewelry has always been the way women funded their families' escapes from dangerous situtations, even in our times. I know three women -- one from Syria, one from Egypt, and one from Vietnam -- who swallowed their jewelry to avoid having it confiscated and later used it to set their families up in a new country. And, of course, many women during the Holocaust were able to finance their own and their families' escapes.

I'm not entirely certain it would have the same value today, particularly since lab-created stones are difficult to distinguish without a jeweler's loupe.

But I'm with you. I enjoy not having to worry.

Although take my opinion with an entire salt cellar. I'm the one with the luxury handbags and the Paula Young shaitel.

Iymnok

Thu, Aug 17 2017, 3:38 pm

Enjoy your costume jewelry!
I can only wear real due to my allergy to most metals. I have replaced the hooks on costume earrings though. Because of this I have a very small collection, but higher quality taste.

Fox, can you share the tips you remember?