Can Cheap Jewelry for Wedding Be a Decent Rival to Luxurious Pieces?
Many brides will agree that weddings demand considerable money investments as so many things must be acquired, including attires for bride and groom, accessories and décor. That’s why, many of us start to seek for the ways of saving some money from the wedding budget.
For instance, today, it’s pretty widespread to give preference to cheap jewelry and save hundreds and even thousands on that single point from your wedding checklist. Clearly, such jewelry has both pros and cons. So, we’d like to discuss it in more detail to find out if it’s safe to wear jewelry made of cheap metals and if such jewelry pieces can be decent rivals to accessories made of precious metals.
So, let’s get started and learn everything about affordable jewelry.
Contents
Basic Types of Affordable Jewelry, Their Pros and Cons
For a start, let’s have a look at 6 basic types of metals which are employed for creating cheap jewelry for men and women.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver contains 92.5% of silver and 7.5% of other metal alloys (frequently copper). It’s often considered to be as a cheap alternative to white gold.
Sterling silver is a very popular material for jewelry, which is employed for creating a great number of pieces: from plain minimalist bands to statement necklaces. Actually, it’s applied in every type of jewelry imaginable. Many modern jewelry designers give preference to this noble metal as it's the ideal combination of malleability, beauty and durability.
Basically, pieces of sterling silver can serve for ages if you take care of them properly. Moreover, they don’t contain metal additions that can lead to allergic reactions. People who are allergic to metals such as nickel or brass can wear sterling silver jewelry without much worry.
And, of course, sterling silver jewelry is suitable for any occasion. It can be worn daily as well as be used for a number of events, including party, prom and, of course, wedding.
In comparison with other metals, true 925 sterling silver jewelry costs more. However, these pieces are worth any cent spent on them as they are really high quality. In order to make sure that you are buying real 925 sterling silver, check if a piece contains a stamp with numbers 925.
Stainless Steel Jewelry
Stainless steel consists of chromium as well as some other metals, which are frequently nickel and titanium. It is an inexpensive but very durable and highly utilitarian alloy. Moreover, it looks pretty good and many people compare its appearance to silver. The main plus of stainless steel jewelry is that it’s a decent rival to expensive jewelry in quality though its price is much more affordable.
Stainless steel has a high level of resistance to rusting and corrosion. Moreover, it’s scratch resistant. So, it can last for decades. One more advantage of this material is that it’s non-allergic. But keep in mind the following – if the stainless steel is made with some nickel, an allergic reaction is possible. To be on the safe side, opt for stainless steel 316L as it’s free of nickel.
In fact, stainless steel is the most ecologically friendly material used in jewelry making. It’s 100% recyclable. Moreover, it’s very versatile and can be used for both formal and non-formal jewelry. It’s also a widespread material for wedding rings.
Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you don’t care for your stainless steel jewelry and expose it to heavy or sharp objects, it will dent over time. And though such jewelry is usually scratch resistant, it can be spoilt if you expose it to abrasive surfaces regularly.
Stainless steel is susceptible to chlorine. So, it’s better not to wear jewelry made of it when you are swimming in a pool. Or, you can purchase either 304-stainless steel or 316 stainless steel jewelry as it’s more resistant to chlorine
And one more minus is stainless still is that because of its durability, a ring can hardly be resized. It’s possible but only with the application of special machines.
Aluminum Jewelry
Aluminum is a very lightweight metal though it’s pretty strong. It weights a third in comparison to sterling silver. Even statement pieces are quite light when they are made of aluminum. So, if you have no desire to wear anything heavy, consider aluminum jewelry.
Moreover, aluminum jewelry is cheap. At the same time it doesn’t tarnish as aluminum does not get oxidized like some other metals. So, you can get it wet without any worries. Aluminum is also hypoallergenic and is easy to maintain.
While aluminum jewelry is scratch-resistant, it still can be damaged with a strong impact. Don’t worry, it does not break too easily, but can be spoilt after several efforts.
Copper Jewelry
Copper is a reddish/orange metal. When it’s oxidized, it gains green patina and often used for vintage accessories. However, this effect isn’t good for modern and high-fashion jewelry. Moreover, it can lead to skin discoloration.
On the net, you may find information that copper accessories may heal, relieve pain and even kill bacteria and viruses. However, such an effect is achieved because of the psychological reasons more than real physical influence. Nevertheless, copper jewelry usually has no harmful impact on your health and copper allergies aren’t very widespread.
Moreover, the choice of jewelry pieces made of copper is pretty vast. And you are free to buy jewelry in various styles and designs. But the main plus of copper jewelry is still low price which can help you to save much money from your wedding budget.
Copper jewelry set
Zinc Alloy (Brass) Jewelry
Zinc is rarely used in a pure form and jewelry makers prefer to blend it with other metals like copper, bronze or soft solder. The most frequent combinations are brass (zinc+copper) and nickel silver (nickel copper+zinc). The latter may cause allergies and so, brass is more often applied for jewelry creation.
Though it’s very durable and corrosion resistant, brass can tarnish to brown after being used for some time if it’s unfinished. Simultaneously, finished brass does not tarnish. So, always try to buy the latter variant.
Brass accessories are liked by many people as they cost less but look pretty expensive. Many people compare brass appearance to gold but it’s rather an arguable issue. Brass is not toxic: it is a safe metal that does not have any harmful properties. The only exception is alloys containing nickel, which can cause allergic reactions. In rare cases, people with sensitive skin may suffer some irritation.
Though brass may serve for a long period, it is prone to change color. Even if you take care of it regularly, it can start to look differently after a certain amount of time has passed.
Zinc alloy wedding bracelet
Titanium Jewelry
Titanium is hypoallergenic and does not interact with the human skin. That means that it’s a safe material for jewelry which is in contact with your skin. This material is also famed for its durability and resistance to corrosion (it’s even not affected by sea water). So, you can freely swim in the ocean or chlorinated pools. This contrasts with some other popular jewelry materials, like brass and bronze, which tarnish.
Titanium can be colored. When it’s exposed to current or heat an oxide layer develops that appears brightly colored.
However, it’s very hard to resize a titanium ring because of the material durability. Moreover, as this material is pretty new at the market of jewelry, the selection of titanium accessories isn’t so big as of stainless steel or sterling silver ones. At the moment, the most popular items made of titanium are wedding rings.
And though titanium jewelry can be bought at cheap jewelry websites, its cost is higher comparing to other non-precious metals but it’s still cheaper than gold or platinum.
Where to Find Cheap Jewelry for Sale?
If you want to buy jewelry at low prices, you have two usual options: to turn to your local vendor or to acquire cheap pretty jewelry online. Both variants have advantages and disadvantages.
Thus, if you prefer to turn to cheap jewelry stores, you will have an opportunity to examine the piece you are buying as well as get proper consultancy. However, be ready that prices at brick and mortar stores can be higher than online as the shop owners have much expenditure, including rent and salaries for employees.
Affordable statement necklace
While shopping for cheap jewelry online, you have a chance to save some money, and sometimes even considerable sums of money, as online shops usually have smaller stuff and don’t need to rent big offices and shops. Moreover, online shops frequently have a wider choice.
However, by buying online, you can’t examine the item you buy and not all shops provide really professional consultancy. That’s why, to be on the safe side, read the information about the items you buy very attentively and look through all the photos of the jewelry pieces you want to buy to be sure that they are exactly what you need.
Expensive vs Cheap Jewelry
Now, let’s compare expensive and cheap jewelry to see what their strongest and weakest sides are.
Price
Cheap jewelry will definitely be the winner here. You can buy all the pieces you need, including a necklace, earrings, bracelet and a ring for less than $100. Of course, the jewelry of high quality will cost more but still remain affordable. And though you can see many ads about cheap gold jewelry for sale, real gold and platinum pieces are pricy and not everyone can afford buying them.
Durability
Expensive jewelry is made of precious metals and real gemstones. It means that they can serve for ages and it’s a chance that they will be worn by your grandchildren. They don’t rust, corrode or stain easily. Fake jewelry is more prone to having any faults. However, if you opt for such materials as stainless steel or sterling silver, the items will look great pretty long.
Appearance
As to designs, we have a draw as both cheap and expensive jewelry pieces may look astonishing. Thus, you can become an owner of great cheap jewelry for women looking no worse than its expensive counterpart. Moreover, the choice is very wide for any budget.
Value
We agree that you can buy cute cheap jewelry and be 100% satisfied with the purchase. However, the majority of affordable jewelry pieces have a low value while their expensive counterparts may increase their value with time. Basically, their only real affordable rival in value is sterling silver jewelry.
So, you see that cheap jewelry is rather a common notion. Actually, the quality and safety of each piece depends on the material it’s made of. And if to answer the question we asked in the title, we can surely state that cheap jewelry pieces are a great alternative to luxurious items. Their wide choice really impresses and every bride can find the jewelry suitable for her wedding. The most important is to choose the safe material which won’t spoil your mood at such a special day as your wedding.
