For me, buying (pretending to be able to afford) jewelry has always been fun, but sometimes it can be daunting. Jewelry stores are intimidating, and a lot of the time people do not feel comfortable going in them unless they have the intention of buying something. The jewelry industry has worked hard to try to rid itself of this stigma, but it is something deeply ingrained in society. It is just like when you were little and your mom told you to touch NOTHING when you went into stores. You probably felt like you couldn’t even breathe in the store or else you’d break something—or worse, your mom would be pissed. Even at the age of 20 (IKR, I’m so old, so wise) I still get that same ~mom telling you to touch nothing~ fear, when it comes to buying jewelry. I’ve come to realize this feeling we all get is completely irrational and that a jewelry store is just like any other store. Yet, I only started to feel this way once I was working at a high-end jewelry store. With that being said, I want to try to break down the metaphorical walls of jewelry buying.

When it comes to buying from physical stores my biggest piece of advice is to try stuff on! I know right, shocker. Jewelry is just like anything else, if you don’t ask to try it on how are you going to know if you will love it or not? Not to mention, if you’re going to spend the big bucks you need to be 100% sure you’re making the best purchase. What better way to do this than actually trying something on? You would be surprised how much the people working behind the counter want you to try something on. Some days we stand there waiting for some brave soul to walk in and ask to try on some rings or necklaces. Seriously. So take that leap girl (or guy), try it on! Something else I would like to note about buying in physical stores is that you should not let the price tag of other pieces overwhelm you. In a store where there are hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry surrounding you, it can be hard to feel like there is something there for our college *AKA, non-existent* budget. But trust me, there is. You may need to step out of your comfort zone and ask for help. Again, the people working the counters of the store want to help you, and they want you to find the perfect piece. Do not be scared to ask for help finding where pieces in your price range are located. 

Buying jewelry online is much less daunting, but it is its own beast in another way. It can be very difficult to know if you are buying pieces that are worth what you are spending. This is a time old problem with online shopping—you can’t see the quality of the piece. When it comes to jewelry this can be particularly worrying, because you are spending money on something that manufacturers can easily market as “quality” but in actuality will leave your skin with those horrid green marks two hours after wearing it. Gross. With so many new jewelry lines popping up on social media like Instagram it has become even more of a struggle to find who is legit, and who is selling some PrIcEy green-skin turning jewelry.

I recommend sticking to brands you have heard people talk about. Jewelry is so personal you want to be sure it is coming from someone you trust. I recommend lines like Mejuri, or the M Jewelers, and if you have the funds, something like Ring Concierge. These are tried and true brands that deliver the quality pieces they promise, and most price ranges can be accommodated. 

If you find some pieces you LOVE on Instagram, but you are not sure about the brand or the quality, here are key characteristics you can rely on. You want to make sure you see what kind of metals are going into their pieces—things like 14k gold, or gold vermeil indicate a more long lasting piece that won’t turn your skin green. Usually when a piece is made out of vermeil or real gold it will be more pricey than something that has metals like copper or sterling silver. A major red flag is if the pieces are copper based—they can be yellow or white gold painted BUT they are the price of something that could be vermeil! Always look at the ingredients in the pieces you’re considering. Another major red flag is when jewelry lines list where you shouldn’t be wearing your pieces, and basically say you can only wear it in the safety of your room, where it will be protected from ALL potential weathering. These pieces you should steer clear of, because that $40-50 you were going to spend on some PrIcEy green-skin turning jewels can be put towards something that will last. 

My hope is that this article got you thinking about some potential hiccups in the jewelry buying process, but that it also helped you feel better about it overall. Remember: Jewelry should be fun, and that includes the lead up to buying your big investment pieces you’ll be rocking on the daily. 

XO’s