Why spend more money on a piece of fine jewelry made from solid sterling silver, real gemstones, or other premium materials when you can pick up a mass produced imitation? The casual observer won’t be able to tell the difference, so why spend the extra money? Not so very long ago, this is how I felt about jewelry.
Sure, I noticed that every piece of cheap jewelry I owned fell apart, became discolored, or broke. Yes, I was saddened to see several favorite necklaces and bracelets deteriorate to the point where they had to be thrown out. This was before I started on the path to learning about jewelry design and construction.
What is disposable jewelry?
Recently I read an online discussion between professional jewelers where an astute individual labeled these low-price, mass produced pieces “disposable jewelry.” I think the term is very apt and serves as a non-judgmental illustration of the differences.
Disposable jewelry is those pieces you purchase at a low cost because they catch your eye, were on sale, or match an outfit. You don’t intend to keep them for a lifetime or even expect them to last a year; they’re ultimately disposable just like your shirt or a trendy purse.
Most mass-produced jewelry, even that sold in fine department stores, falls in the disposable category. The label and the design might be high-end, but the materials and construction are not.
When not to buy disposable jewelry
There’s nothing wrong with purchasing disposable jewelry, but there are a few things the wise buyer might consider carefully. Are you purchasing the piece as a gift? Souvenir? Because you love the design?
Fine handmade jewelry vs. disposable jewelry as gifts
I was once asked to repair a necklace that had great sentimental value to the owner. It had been given to a man by his daughter, and he treasured it and kept it with him even after it broke. Did she anticipate at the time that this casual gift would be so treasured by its recipient? Probably not. I was able to repair the necklace, which fell neatly in the “disposable jewelry” category and was showing signs of severe wear and deterioration in addition to the breakage due to low-quality materials. How much better would it have been if this gift had been designed to last a lifetime?
Jewelry as a souvenir
One of my favorite necklaces is a simple shell necklace that I picked up years ago for around ten dollars at the Sea World gift shop on vacation. I took the time to pick out just the perfect one, and wore it frequently until it broke. I was fortunate that the beads themselves were fairly durable, so I was able to replace the poor quality wire, sloppy crimps, and degrading, brittle clasp with quality materials and continue wearing it.
