This is enough money to get two matching DY rings and enjoy the stylish finished look. However, any jewelry, including real one, has lower price when selling it, so it is an investment with negative ROI))) the exception is to get nice stone separately, and good unexpensive jeweler. Than the outcome you can sell with some profit if lucky.
Is costume jewelry worthless?
- Thread starter verychic555
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MagpieInTraining
Super late reply to this old thread but I'll jump in anyway with my $0.02 
So I own very little costume jewellery, but the stuff I do own is for when I am travelling for special occasions like weddings etc. These are traditional Indian-style jewellery, and I have fakes because they are expensive and mostly all my Indian jewellery is with my mother, since I don't wear it where I live now. I'm a paranoid person and when I'm drinking and having fun at a wedding I feel a little wary about wearing heavy real jewellery (unless its a family wedding, because in that case it stays with my mom and i only wear it to the actual event. Maybe its because I'm still kind of young, and these pieces are mostly heirlooms!) I have a few pairs of earrings that are big and bold and look like the real deal, but cost me $70-$80 apiece, and if I ever feel like adding a little Indian flair to my western look, I can
but I would never spend $1500 on costume jewellery, and I personally wouldn't buy branded costume jewellery at all.
So I own very little costume jewellery, but the stuff I do own is for when I am travelling for special occasions like weddings etc. These are traditional Indian-style jewellery, and I have fakes because they are expensive and mostly all my Indian jewellery is with my mother, since I don't wear it where I live now. I'm a paranoid person and when I'm drinking and having fun at a wedding I feel a little wary about wearing heavy real jewellery (unless its a family wedding, because in that case it stays with my mom and i only wear it to the actual event. Maybe its because I'm still kind of young, and these pieces are mostly heirlooms!) I have a few pairs of earrings that are big and bold and look like the real deal, but cost me $70-$80 apiece, and if I ever feel like adding a little Indian flair to my western look, I can
but I would never spend $1500 on costume jewellery, and I personally wouldn't buy branded costume jewellery at all.Most jewellery isn’t an investment, for many good reasons stated above, but the main reason I consider costume jewellery to be particularly poor value is because it just doesn’t last. The colour of base metals can wear off after just a few wears, stones fall out etc. At least precious metals in decent settings can be trusted to last as long as you love the piece.
Definitely not an investment but I’ve come to realise that very few luxury purchases are, be they bags, jewellery etc. Even if the retail price goes up from what you paid, chances are not high (at least not where I am) that you’re able to sell for higher than you paid.
It’s true that with real jewellery (diamond etc), you could reset the stone in a new design (and recoup some money for the melted gold) but that usually involves much higher price point pieces. For “real” jewellery around the $1500 range, there’s v little you could reset. Certainly I’ve spent that in my youth on smaller pieces that I now never wear, hate the design and not worth resetting, so that too could be considered “wasted” money.
Currently my personal comfort zone is around $1000 and it’s mainly CC brooches or Hermes bracelets). I did recently pay about US$1400 for a Chanel chain belt though. I guess so long as you love it, can afford it and wear it, it’s ok. [emoji2]
It’s true that with real jewellery (diamond etc), you could reset the stone in a new design (and recoup some money for the melted gold) but that usually involves much higher price point pieces. For “real” jewellery around the $1500 range, there’s v little you could reset. Certainly I’ve spent that in my youth on smaller pieces that I now never wear, hate the design and not worth resetting, so that too could be considered “wasted” money.
Currently my personal comfort zone is around $1000 and it’s mainly CC brooches or Hermes bracelets). I did recently pay about US$1400 for a Chanel chain belt though. I guess so long as you love it, can afford it and wear it, it’s ok. [emoji2]
Why not both? There is a time and place for both types of jewellery.
I like both real jewellery and costume jewellery. I appreciate both. I know real jewellery lasts longer, while costume jewellery is more eye catching and fun.
I’ve got a Chanel long strand pearl necklace that was $1145 when I bought it five years ago. The same design is still available on Chanel’s website for $1600. I’ve used that necklace for many occassions. I can get a nice 0.25ct diamond 18k gold pendant easily for this price, but the visual impact of the Chanel pearl necklace is more. It’s like comparing being fashionable or being understated elegant. Sometimes you want the other.
I have a 18k diamond necklace passed down from my mother, that thing was bought back in 1998. That was 20 years ago. It still looks brand new, sparkly, beautiful. My chanel pearl necklace is missing a few pave crystals, and I know it will never last as long as real jewellery. But it has elevated my look for so many special occasions, I feel I’ve gotten my money’s worth.
I find costume jewellery enjoyable, nicely gold-plated ones that keep their shine. Accessories from Lovisa/Claire’s/Diva etc those tend to fall apart after a few wears that I would only buy it to test a style I want to invest in for real jewellery (like trying on different carat sizes of cubic zirconia studs to get a feel of diamond studs). They always tarnish and go loose.
For Chanel costume jewellery, try to buy solid pieces. Try not to buy pieces with stones in it. I have friends who can maintain the stones well, however, they only wear them once or twice every couple of months. The pearls do rub off after a while. You can bring them to the store to restore the stones or pearls etc. Louis Vuitton costume jewellery is a bit easier to take care of since they’re mostly solid pieces with gold plating.
I like both real jewellery and costume jewellery. I appreciate both. I know real jewellery lasts longer, while costume jewellery is more eye catching and fun.
I’ve got a Chanel long strand pearl necklace that was $1145 when I bought it five years ago. The same design is still available on Chanel’s website for $1600. I’ve used that necklace for many occassions. I can get a nice 0.25ct diamond 18k gold pendant easily for this price, but the visual impact of the Chanel pearl necklace is more. It’s like comparing being fashionable or being understated elegant. Sometimes you want the other.
I have a 18k diamond necklace passed down from my mother, that thing was bought back in 1998. That was 20 years ago. It still looks brand new, sparkly, beautiful. My chanel pearl necklace is missing a few pave crystals, and I know it will never last as long as real jewellery. But it has elevated my look for so many special occasions, I feel I’ve gotten my money’s worth.
I find costume jewellery enjoyable, nicely gold-plated ones that keep their shine. Accessories from Lovisa/Claire’s/Diva etc those tend to fall apart after a few wears that I would only buy it to test a style I want to invest in for real jewellery (like trying on different carat sizes of cubic zirconia studs to get a feel of diamond studs). They always tarnish and go loose.
For Chanel costume jewellery, try to buy solid pieces. Try not to buy pieces with stones in it. I have friends who can maintain the stones well, however, they only wear them once or twice every couple of months. The pearls do rub off after a while. You can bring them to the store to restore the stones or pearls etc. Louis Vuitton costume jewellery is a bit easier to take care of since they’re mostly solid pieces with gold plating.
Actually some vintage costume jewellery are collectors items and fetch excellent prices in auctions. Some ‘real’ jewellery is just plain ugly though of course it retains its value as gold and stones to some degree.
I agree with everyone here who said they enjoy costume jewellery. Well chosen pieces can really elevate a look. I love Chanel camellias and they are usually fabric, but so much fun.
I agree with everyone here who said they enjoy costume jewellery. Well chosen pieces can really elevate a look. I love Chanel camellias and they are usually fabric, but so much fun.
I vowed never to buy Chanel costume jewellery again since pearls of my first piece from Chanel chipped off.
However, I couldn’t resist and added a long pearl necklace, a pendant necklace, two choker necklaces, and two pairs of earrings. Relatively a small collection compared to most Chanel costume jewellery owners. Never its pearl bracelet because it gets banged up pretty easily.
Like bubuchahchah, although I have real jewellery but costume jewellery are fun...unless I have Elizabeth Taylor’s collection, I don’t need costume jewellery anymore.
However, I couldn’t resist and added a long pearl necklace, a pendant necklace, two choker necklaces, and two pairs of earrings. Relatively a small collection compared to most Chanel costume jewellery owners. Never its pearl bracelet because it gets banged up pretty easily.
Like bubuchahchah, although I have real jewellery but costume jewellery are fun...unless I have Elizabeth Taylor’s collection, I don’t need costume jewellery anymore.
Just gone through all the comments! and this ongoing debate would never end!!! The main difference is some people are a brand conscious while, some focuses on better quality or price value.
And I'm that kind of person who looks into the price value and i ve few costume jewelry piece including branded and replica's one. It's all about how you carry yourself and be confident about it. I pick replica's one for regular use because they are cheap and i can buy 100 of them instead of buying one time only
And I'm that kind of person who looks into the price value and i ve few costume jewelry piece including branded and replica's one. It's all about how you carry yourself and be confident about it. I pick replica's one for regular use because they are cheap and i can buy 100 of them instead of buying one time only
I spent so much on a Kate Spade necklace and it already looks worn out. I would suggest spending your money on jewelry that's real. A small pendant maybe that you can even wear every day.
This!. And even if it is not an investment in terms of returns (it often isn‘t) vintage custom jewellery is SO great value. Not difficult at all to source either. I would say up to until the end of the 70s, the quality of top custom jewellery is on pair with some fine jewellery today in terms of craftsmanship. A lot is high K gold plated too (I mean, even handbag hardware often was at the time). I have pieces by Trifari, Lanvin, Napier, Carnegie, Schiaparelli... and they hold up so well. Then moving on to the 80s quality worsens, but still fun and quite cheap to get items from say YSL or Givenchy. I do not understand why this stuff is not more popular as it is so easy to find vintage pieces that still look current today. But better, it keeps prices down...
You raise a delightful question. It depends on what speaks to you, the reason, the wear and the tear. I went through a Chanel necklace phase, and absolutely loved them... I am a man, so it was very uncommon to see a straight male rocking these long Chanel necklaces. The problem was that they break, depending on piece, it will break within the year. The string that holds them together usually pops and renders the necklace useless. And at over $1,500 each, that began to bother me. I still have the Chanel candy necklace that is cute and nostalgic, but only wear it sparingly and truly consider selling sometimes. I now rock Gucci Costume rings ! They are fun and very hot... and have been for the last two years. I mix them with the real stuff like Bulgari, Cartier and Tiffany gold pieces. Yes, I had a few that I broke, and some of them the pieces might fall off, but I can deal with it for the time and purpose. They last longer than Chanel and somehow the secondary market still craves them. My Hermes Click Clack is durable and a must. I have Louis Vuitton Monogrammed Skin rings that are so not practical, but hot. Chanel will try to fix, but will take forever, and more than likely will suggest that you just buy another. Gucci will repair if they have the spare parts, but I recently went to repair three rings and couldn't get it done because of lack of replacement parts. My Hermes Click Clack bracelet is still wonderfully holding up, even though I am kind of rough with it. Do consider when buying luxury costume pieces... they are costume and just like a Halloween or a special occasion costume that one will wear... you kind of wear it for a purpose and a reason... and usually not too long. Hope this helps.
"J!m"
Thank you for posting this. If I end up buying costume jewelry from Chanel I want to use it for special occasion, so not a daily thing. I’m also quite careful with my stuff, and have earrings I bought for $2 from when I was in my first year of college and they still look the same (didn’t wear them much). But The thing is I can’t get Chanel costume jewelry out of my head, but feel very reluctant every time I come close to buying and then start reading reviews. I don’t know. Based on your experience with your necklaces, and based on my intended use, do you think it is a “good idea” to get a small collection of Chanel costume jewelry? My husband prefers that I put this kind of money towards a handbag. I see his point too. What is your recommendation? Thanks
I've bought a few of the drop earrings with the big stones. Comes in many colors. Also a few simple necklaces and bracelets. They don't tarnish so they last a long time.
I did have issues with a pair of multi stone hoops I bought at one of their outlets. All the stones fell out. No more outlet shopping for me!