Jewelry, whether the luxurious or affordable type, is a staple in many people’s accessory collections. The affordable ones, in particular, are loved by many young women because of their dainty and trendy designs. And if worn with confidence and poise, they can look more expensive than they actually are.
If you’re business-minded with a love for all things fashionable, you’ve probably thought about launching your own inexpensive jewelry line. But how can you ensure the quality of your products if the materials are affordable types? Consider this guide to different metals and gemstones used in high-quality jewelry.
Common Metals Used
1. Sterling Silver
This metal is ideal for rings, bracelets, necklaces, cuff links, and other types of body jewelry. It isn’t actually pure silver, because it has a 7.5% copper content, making the silver’s composition to be only 92.5%. It doesn’t make the quality poor, but sterling silver has to be treated with care because it could tarnish from improper use.
2. Silver-filled
A layer of processed silver is applied over a cheaper metal to create silver-filled or silver overlay metal. It’s an affordable material commonly used to make ear wires and chains. Despite its cheap base metal, silver-filled is still durable and long-lasting, especially when paired with sterling silver pendants.
3. Gold
In jewelry, the ideal gold content should be 14k (karats). 18k is also superb, albeit pricier. The alloys mixed with gold determine its color, like rose gold, white gold, green gold, and yellow gold.
4. Base Metals
Base metals include non-precious metals used to create affordable or costume jewelry, namely copper, nickel, and brass. But though their prices are tempting, they corrode and oxidize easily. There are also people who are allergic to nickel, so it’ll be safer to stay away from it if you’re going to sell affordable jewelry.
Gemstones Used in Jewelry
1. Zodiac Birthstones
Since gemstones can also be connected to Astrology, birthstones in jewelry became popular. Gemstones are also known for their healing properties. If you’re using birthstones in your jewelry products, here’s a list of birthstones per Zodiac sign:
- Aries – bloodstone, diamond, red jasper, topaz
- Taurus – sapphire, rose quartz, green aventurine, garnet
- Gemini – agate, citrine, tiger’s eye, emerald
- Cancer – moonstone, pearl, emerald, sapphire
- Leo – black onyx, ruby, carnelian, diamond
- Virgo – carnelian, green aventurine, citrine, zircon
- Libra – peridot, lapis lazuli, opal, agate
- Scorpio – apache tears, aquamarine, obsidian, amethyst
- Sagittarius – blue topaz, turquoise, sodalite, beryl
- Capricorn – ruby, black tourmaline, lapis lazuli, black onyx
- Aquarius – garnet, moss agate, sugilite, jasper
- Pisces – amethyst, aquamarine, clear quartz, ruby
2. Iolite
Iolite is an inexpensive gemstone with a lovely blue or violet tone. Depending on the angle it’s viewed from, it can also appear perfectly clear, earning it the moniker “water sapphire.” It isn’t ideal for rings, though, unless it has a very protective setting.
Other Helpful Tips in Launching a Jewelry Line
Aside from using high-quality materials to create your jewelry with, you should also showcase your products in a captivating way in order to highlight their brilliance and charm, attracting many buyers in turn. The quality of the photos in your online catalog will be critical because your audience should be able to imagine the feel of the jewelry from their screens.
That said, be sure to have professionally taken product photos and get professional jewelry photo editing services. You only have one chance to impress online audiences, after all.
With this simple guide, you can start your jewelry business knowing you have the right materials to use. Make sure you choose only reputable and legitimate suppliers to ensure the quality of your products and for your business to earn a notable standing in the market.
