Fashion Jewellery

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What is Fashion Jewellery?

If your wardrobe feels drab and dull, spruce it up by adding a few chic pieces of fashion jewellery. Fashion jewellery is an affordable alternative to your favourite pieces of designer jewellery. Fashion jewellery is also known as costume jewellery. However, fashion jewellery and costume jewellery have a few differences. For example, costume jewellery is typically made with glass and cheap rhinestones, while fashion jewellery is made with lower-end gemstones. Fashion jewellery can be worn as a statement piece or as part of a gorgeous matching set. Sellers on eBay offer a variety of trendy styles that belong in your jewellery box. The price of fashion jewellery makes it perfect for everyday wear. It’s so affordable that you can buy different pieces and sets to stay fashionable without breaking the bank. Make your favourite dress feel brand new again with a chic set of matching jewellery.

A Rainbow of Colours

Fashion jewellery comes in a variety of gorgeous hues, ensuring you find the perfect piece for your outfit. If you love to wear pearls, consider a pink or black pearl necklace for a fantastic twist on this classic piece of jewellery. When you just can't decide what colour to pick, opt for a multi-colour bracelet decorated with glittering reproductions of your favourite gemstones. You have multiple options when it comes to the setting for your jewellery. Gold tones are a top setting for a traditional look, while solid black lends a contemporary finish.

Popular Stones for Fashion Jewellery

Fashion jewellery’s most popular stones are:

  • Cubic zirconia: A synthetic crystalline substance just as beautiful as diamonds, but much more affordable! That’s actually why cubic zirconia is so popular: it provides beauty while still helping jewellery lovers get the best deal for their money.
  • Pearl: Real pearls are gemstones formed inside mollusks, typically oysters. When a foreign substance slips into the mollusk, the creature covers the foreign material in what is call nacre. Nacre is what gives a pearl its luster. It gets larger and larger over time. Pearls come in a variety of colours. The most common colour is white, but also come in blue, pink, green, grey, and even black. Man-made pearls are also available. They are often more affordable than natural pearls.
  • Rhinestone: A rhinestone is an imitation diamond. They are used in fashion jewellery and to decorate clothing. Rhinestone is typically made of glass, paste, or gem quartz. There are many different types of rhinestones. They are typically classified by how they are placed on the material, such as flat back hot-fix, glue-on flat back, sew on, claw, rim setting, or mounting.
  • Opal: Opal is a non-crystalline form of silica. It is formed in lumps as opposed to its crystalline cousin, quartz. Opal comes in a variety of colours such as fire opal, blue opal, Peruvian, and girasol. The most exquisite feature of the opal is opalescence, also known as fire, which is its ability to reflect specific wavelengths of colour. The most typical colours are blue, green, orange, and purple. Each colour has its own clarity.
  • Sapphire: Sapphire is a precious gemstone made from the mineral corundum, which consists of aluminum oxide with trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, etc. Sapphire is the third hardest material, falling just below diamond and moissanite. Sapphires are known for their blue colouring. They also come in yellow, orange, green, brown, purple, pink, and violet hues.
  • Turquoise: Turquoise is an opaque mineral that exists in beautiful hues of blue, blush green, and yellowish green. Turquoise occurs naturally but can also be man-made.

Popular Metals Used in Fashion Jewellery

The most popular metals used in fashion jewellery are:

  • Alloy: Alloy is the most popular base metal used in both costume jewellery and fashion jewellery. Alloy includes a combination of copper, iron, nickel, tin, and aluminum. These metals are combined with silver and gold to make the jewellery more affordable and still give the look of high-end jewellery. They are extremely affordable.
  • Gold-plated: Gold-plated fashion jewellery is the best for budget-minded individuals wanting the look of gold without spending the extra money. The process creates a layer of gold as thin as 1/1000 to 3/100 of an inch over a more affordable metal, usually silver or copper. The one downside of gold-plated jewellery is the gold layer fades and tarnishes over time.
  • Silver-plated: Like gold-plated, silver-plated jewellery uses an extremely thin layer of silver to cover a base metal, commonly copper, brass, or a white metal. Silver-plated fashion jewellery is both budget friendly and perfect for daily wear or as a statement piece for special occasions.
  • Sterling silver: Sterling silver is an alloy containing silver and other metals, usually copper. It is used commonly in fashion jewellery, but it is also used in forks, spoons, knives, coins, and even punch bowls.
  • Stainless steel: Stainless steel provides the look of silver for a more affordable price. It is also more resistant to scratching and tarnishing than silver.
  • Gold: Gold is the only metal that is yellow or golden in colour. The karat weight is determined by how much pure gold is in the piece: 24 karat gold is 100% pure gold while 18 karat gold is 75% pure gold.
  • Other metals: Other common metals used in fashion jewellery include iron, copper, nickel, tin, and aluminum. The metal is a determining factor in the price of the jewellery.

Pick Your Style

Whether you prefer classic, elegant jewellery or edgy pieces, sellers on eBay have the style you are looking for. Necklaces and pendants come in a variety of designs, from the simple, yet charming locket to the clunky choker adorned with skeletons. For formal occasions, you can't go wrong with an exquisite matching pendant and earrings, or select a more comprehensive jewellery set that also comes with a matching bracelet and ring.

Jewellery for Every Budget

Though fashion jewellery is a budget conscious alternative to fine jewellery, you can customise the price point even more to ensure it suits your shopping budget. If you are looking for quality earrings or necklaces, Swarovski crystal jewellery offers a plethora of beautiful items that last for years. Swarovski crystals come in practically every colour imaginable. What better way to accessorise an outfit with neutral colours than with a sapphire blue crystal necklace or a brooch lush with deep red crystals? Opting for silver-plated rather than solid silver fashion jewellery is one easy way to keep costs down.

How to Shop for Fashion Jewellery

Here are our best tips for buying fashion jewellery on eBay:

  • Buying new: Make sure that you take your time when looking online at fashion jewellery. You can find similar brand new fashion jewellery pieces for very different prices. Review the description for the metals, gemstones, size, and any other information that may be important for your purchase. Make sure that the seller is reliable and has good feedback. Look for a return policy. If the seller has one, make sure it is easy to understand.
  • Buying used: The good news about used fashion jewellery is that it tends to be cheaper than buying the same piece brand new. You may be able to take the piece to a jeweller to get it cleaned so that it looks new again. If the price is too cheap, think twice and read the description carefully to ensure that you know what you should be getting. Used fashion jewellery also comes with a degree of wear and tear on it. Ask about clasp and prong damage. Check for a return policy. If the seller has one, make sure that it is easy for you to understand.
  • Buying vintage: Vintage fashion jewellery may be a piece that is more than 20 years old, but it may also be a new piece made in a vintage design. Anything older than 100 years is considered antique jewellery, which is usually accompanied by a much higher price. If you’re looking for vintage or antique jewellery, ask questions to make sure you know what you’re paying for. Is the piece truly a fashion jewellery piece that lasted long enough to be considered vintage? Is it a piece of fashion jewellery designed to look vintage or retro? If it is an older piece, ask about clasps and other important features that secure the jewellery and its stones. Look for a return policy and make sure that you understand it before you buy.

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