What is fine jewelry if asked the question? Many people will immediately nod that they know the answer, but if asked, they start to think and guess. A small minority will comfortably answer, but the large number of people will find themselves not sure. Fine jewelry is often confused with fashion, and fine jewelry has been seen on celebrities regularly. However, is that the totality of the definition? Not quite.
Fine Jewelry Requirements
Fine jewelry as a form of wearable personal décor does have a couple of consistent standards. First, the metal used involves a precious metal versus bronze, gold plate, stainless steel, aluminum, or similar. That includes expensive and rare metals such as gold, of course, as well as platinum and silver. Additionally, the jewelry has key pieces for offset, color, and center of attention via rare gemstones. These include the big four: diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. However, one more unique aspect is involved – fine jewelry is both strong and lasting. Owners can use it regularly or on occasion only, and the jewelry piece will always look beautiful without question.
Confusing Fashion for Fine Jewelry
While eye-catching pieces of fashion and costume jewelry exist, many of these types of pieces do not meet the fine jewelry requirements. First and most noticeably, fashion pieces fail to have precious metal in their structure. There can be some beautifully crafted pieces, even many made from aluminum, the same metal in soda cans. They can easily match clothing and accessories well, but there is nothing valuable about fashion jewelry.
Visual Comparison Proves the Point
When a fine jewelry piece sits next to a fashion jewelry piece, the difference stands out immediately. Fine jewelry excels due to its high quality, and experts quickly acknowledge the clear technical difference these pieces have in their materials and construction versus the commonality of fashion jewelry. Additionally, fine jewelry can be both repaired and restored by a jewelry repair expert, whereas the lower quality of fashion jewelry essentially confirms its junk status when broken.
Additionally, fine jewelry retains its value, and it may grow, depending on the expertise involved and the rarity of the piece in question. Fine jewelry also regularly becomes namesakes bestowed to younger generations and passed down via inheritances. Jewelry from 50 to as much as 100 years earlier inspires modern sets and styles, reincarnating the original features and nuances no longer available.
Start Small, Work Towards Collections
One of the ideal starting paths in fine jewelry involves choosing one or two key pieces, such as a necklace and earrings from a Raleigh jewelry store. From there, one can build a collection over time, expanding into different styles for different seasons and occasions. This evolving portfolio approach has worked well for generations, with many customers still retaining their first set of pearls or a diamond necklace among a well-chosen selection of pieces obtained over time afterward.
The growing selection also creates choices for work, travel, special events like weddings, and everyday fine jewelry for regular wear. Many young customers typically start with everyday pieces and then follow up with a second set for special events. Once these two categories provide jewelry stability, customers build seasonal sets for additional variety. The ongoing approach eventually creates a timeless personal collection for the customer’s lifestyle.