According to the Jewelry Industry's Latest Sales Analysis: Consumers Are Choosing Genuine Jewelry Over Costume

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To get the best quality jewelry for your money, be sure to know what it is you are buying.

(PRWEB) August 27, 2013

Jewelry industry trending reports show consumers are choosing fine jewelry - made of real gold, containing genuine diamonds and gemstones – over their costume jewelry counterparts. “Before the early 1900’s genuine fine jewelry was always preferred over imitations. However, during the Great Depression and World War II, costume pieces became fashionable because they were more affordable than genuine jewelry. That is not always the case today,” say Randy Jester, owner of Jester Jewelers and diamond expert.

Why are consumers choosing real jewelry over fake?

Jester Jewelers reports one reason is, in recent years, costume designers have raised their prices considerably. “Designers” have been popping up everywhere. They are making costume jewelry, labeled with fancy names and logos, featuring them in high-end boutiques and selling them for very inflated prices. Many of these high-end costume designer pieces can cost as much – sometimes even more - than a piece of genuine fine jewelry. Consumers are catching on.

The savvy consumer is asking questions like these before making a jewelry purchase:

•      What am I really getting for my money?
•      What am I really buying?
•      What will retain and probably increase in value?
•      What will the hard earned money I spend today be worth in the future?
•      Am I paying for a name rather than a quality piece of jewelry?

Randy Jester says, “To get the best quality jewelry for your money, be sure to know what it is you are buying. Today’s consumers want lasting quality and value in the jewelry they buy. The quality of a true luxury item is something that is meant to last.”

Jester Jewelers notes the increasing interest in sustainability as another key reason consumers are choosing genuine over fake pieces. Diamonds are extremely hard and can withstand the work entailed in removing them from old jewelry. Therefore, diamonds can be reused and reset countless times. On the other hand, costume jewelry typically contains man-made crystals that are formed by melting glass with silicone oxide powder and lead. Cubic zirconium, crystals and costume stones are not nearly as hard as diamonds. These imitation stones can become abraded (scratched) and cracked. Therefore, these stones do not stand the test of time and are usually not worth reusing.

Trending reports also show that people today are very aware of what they are putting on their bodies. In the case of costume jewelry, health becomes an issue. A piece of costume jewelry that is labeled “gold tone” or “silver tone” indicates that the base metal has been given a thin coating of gold or silver. It does not indicate what the base metal is. The base metal could be many different kinds, including lead – which can leach into the body. No matter the price paid for a costume piece of jewelry, the plating will show wear overtime. Costume jewelry can have an unattractive shiny plastic coat or a brass hue to them. Costume jewelry cannot be sized, repaired or restored to its original condition.

Consumers are finding when they take all things into consideration, the best value is choosing genuine fine jewelry.

Jester Jewelers is a wholesale jeweler based in Cincinnati, Ohio offering genuine fine jewelry at wholesale prices direct to the public. Since 1939, Jester Jewelers has consistently provided experienced expert service, high quality and exceptional value at low wholesale prices. For more information on Jester Jewelers please call 513.241.1465 or visit their website http://www.JesterJewelers.com.

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