Affordable Aesthetic Jewellery That Doesn't Tarnish

JEWELLERY TARNISHING

High-street fashion brands such as H&M and New Look sell affordable and rather great-looking jewellery. Some of it can be extremely cheap and, to the average consumer, look and feel good quality. If you’re lucky, some of it can actually last quite well. However, in a lot of cases, this jewellery will very quickly face tarnishing. Tarnishing is where the material actually begins to corrode and faces discolouration. This explains the green/ brassy colours which sometimes even leave dark marks on your skin whilst wearing the jewellery. Some people can even face allergic reactions due to cheap materials. My jewellery collection became very small due to many items becoming badly tarnished. Therefore, as I looked to add some new pieces to my collection, I decided to properly do my research.

 

MATERIALS TO CHOOSE

There are obviously many expensive materials which don't tarnish easily. However, within the affordable range, you should steer towards either .925 sterling silver (often identified by a stamp) or 9ct gold. When cheap metals tarnish, it often means the piece has reached the end of its life-cycle. Basically all metals tarnish; However, the tarnishing experienced on .925 sterling silver or 9ct gold can be polished off to restore the piece to its original shine. These materials are also more suited to every-day wear. Wearing the jewellery daily can actually prevent tarnishing, according to some people. High-street fashion shops do not tend to sell sterling silver because of the cost of the material. However, it is possible to get sterling silver at affordable same prices; online jewellery shops have certified .925 sterling silver at lower prices due to a lack of costs associated with running physical stores. Of course, you can buy sterling silver from shops such as Pandora but this can be significantly more expensive.

BRANDS I USE 

There are many expensive options out there to choose from which sell high quality jewellery. I own one necklace from Vivienna Westwood which I have had since I was about twelve and is still in perfect condition. I also own a Pandora bracelet with three charms which are all great quality. However, these brands are incredibly expensive which is why I wasn't able to build up my jewellery collection using these brands. Instead, I tested out a new brand called Jewellery Box. It is a small business which launched in 2014. Their mission is to sell sterling silver and 9ct gold pieces at costume jewellery prices. Their reviews on trust pilot were extremely positive so I felt comfortable placing an order, also using a student discount code. They offer over 10,000 different styles, meaning there was also lots to choose from. Their jewellery tends to be slimmer, resulting in a lower price point, but also making it more flattering in my opinion. They sent it in beautiful packaging and I loved every item I received, also getting a voucher for a free pair of earrings with my next purchase. 

MY TOP PICKS

ROSE GOLD NECKLACE

I picked out four pieces, averaging around £8 each and with free delivery for all orders over £10. I loved so many of their pieces so I found it very hard to narrow down my basket. The first thing I bought was a rose-gold pendant necklace. At first, I worried that the necklace looked rather small. However, I immediately grew to love the more delicate chain and pendant. Now, I would never opt for a thicker chain. All my picks were .925 sterling silver and I found that this rose-gold tone suited my pale skin. This cost £7.55 and you get to select the size of chain that suits you. It follows the trend of geometric necklaces and has a pretty pentagonal outline, giving it a 3D feel. Currently, at the time of writing this, it is still on sale and can be found here.

SILVER DROPLET NECKLACE

I also bought one other necklace; this was silver, again another tone which suits my paler skin tone. It was £12 and has a number of beautiful slim little hanging droplets. What I love about it is that it is less plain than simple pendent necklaces, yet is still causal and slim enough to be worn casually. Equally, it could be dressy enough to be paired with a dress without being too simple or too over the top. It was a perfect item to add to my collection since I don’t own anything like it and, again, has a uniquely flattering thin chain. It is currently out of stock but can be found here if the site does choose to restock it.

ROSE GOLD BRACELET

Next, I decided to search for a new bracelet. The only bracelet I own is my silver, thick Pandora bracelet. I didn't own any gold pieces at all, making this an essential item to add to my collection. It was rose gold which suits my skin more than sharper gold tones. It is easily adjustable, a requirement for me given that I didn’t want to order something online which potentially wouldn’t fit. I also find it hard to put on some bracelets on my own, but this one is incredibly easy to get on and off and to adjust. It was a bit thinner than I expected but it is nice to have such a minimalistic piece. I will definitely be searching for a bolder bracelet in the future. It cost £7.35; I would have liked for it to have been a bit cheaper given how small it is. However, given that it is sterling silver, the price is definitely acceptable. It is currently still in stock and can be found here. 

ROSE GOLD EARRINGS

The last thing I bought was a beautiful pair of rose gold earrings. The pendants hanging from them can also be removed to make them into more minimalistic hoops. These were £9.95 but are a bargain, given that they can be styled with or without the pendants, almost like having two different pairs of earrings. Once again, I didn't own any rose gold earrings besides cheap studs, meaning it was essential that I added something more dressy to my collection, yet something that could still be styled casually. Overall, I really loved my order and will be keeping all four pieces. I definitely think they will add to my aesthetic. I would definitely buy from Jewellery Box again. 

 

PINTEREST INSPIRATION