All women love pretty things. Every girl fantasizes about owning diamonds or gold jewelry, but very few can actually afford it. Fortunately, all that glitters is not gold. Glittery, shiny, and attractive jewelry doesn’t necessarily have to break the bank. There are tons of options out there that are just as lovely and elegant as precious stones and metals.
Let’s look at 5 great alternatives to precious stones and metals that anyone can afford:
- Cubic Zirconia (CZ)
The ever so popular diamond is more expensive than it is popular. It is no secret that buying a diamond is a huge event. And you always want to end up with the perfect stone. Cubic zirconia or CZ is a fantastic alternative to diamonds. It is crystalized zirconium dioxide that is hard and colorless, making it extremely similar in appearance to a diamond. Cubic zirconia is a man-made gemstone and is just a fraction of the cost when compared to a diamond. Wholesale cubic zirconia jewelry is easily available and does not put a strain on your budget. To a lay person, it is pretty hard to tell the difference between the two. So, if you want something pretty and shiny, cubic zirconia is a great alternative to diamonds.
- Sterling Silver
Precious metals like gold, platinum and white gold cost a fortune. They may look lovely, but they are far from being “affordable.” Enter sterling silver. A strong, durable, and sturdy metal, sterling silver has been used for centuries to create stunning jewelry and accessories. Sterling silver is an alloy of copper and silver which is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper. how to tell if something is sterling silver. Pure silver is soft and is not an easy metal to craft into jewelry. The softness of fine silver makes it prone to damage, especially when we consider jewelry that is used on a regular basis. Adding copper to it can preserve its beauty while giving it the durability it needs in order to be made into rings, necklaces, chains, bangles, and bracelets. Almost identical to white gold, sterling silver is a good alternative to its more expensive counterparts. Wholesale sterling silver rings are available easily online at very affordable rates.
- Tourmaline
Tourmaline is a mineral that is found in crystalline form in some rocks. It is primarily made up of boron silicate, but also contains elements like aluminum, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, and sometimes potassium. Since there are so many combinations of compounds, tourmaline can be found in many different colors. Tourmaline can be transparent, translucent, and even opaque. There are many different types of tourmaline, meaning you can find it for as little as $7 or as much as $1000 a carat! Simply put, it is an attractive gemstone that is easily available in jewelry stores at affordable rates in pretty much any color you can think of.
- Garnet
Garnets are usually a deep red gemstone that are very similar in appearance to rubies. Garnets are found in metamorphic rocks across the globe, meaning the gemstone is easily and readily available in all continents. Here’s looking at the six different types of garnet:
- Pyrope – Hues may vary from rose red, scarlet, and violet to even deep indigo.
- Almandine – Very dark tone, ranging from reddish orange, red, to purplish red.
- Spessartite – Brilliant orange color.
- Grossularite – Also called the “gooseberry garnet,” can be found in shades of white, yellow, brown, and green.
- Uvarovite – Green and greenish black in color, rather rare in terms of availability.
- Andradite – Hues of yellow, green, brown, gray, and black.
Garnets are a great alternative to rubies as they are available at a fraction of the cost and look absolutely stunning on jewelry pieces.
- Kyanite
Rapidly gaining popularity, kyanite is not a mainstream gemstone. It is a blue gem that resembles a blue sapphire or topaz. Because of its high transparency characteristic, kyanite has been extremely sought after by gemstone collectors. Kyanite emerges when aluminum silicates are formed layer upon layer. It may have shades of blue, from dark blue to pale sky blue. Kyanite is named after the Greek word kuanos, which mean dark blue. However, kyanite is also found in other colors like yellow, green, orange, and gray. But these are very rare and not easy to come by. Kyanite makes an excellent, affordable alternative to blue sapphire and is every bit as beautiful.
What makes these alternatives a good choice?
All these alternatives are very popular today. This makes them easily available and affordable to everyone. Since they are very similar in appearance to their more expensive counterparts, they are just as lovely. Unlike precious stones and metals, these alternatives are a lot more durable, too. They do not succumb to wear and tear as easily and are very easy to replace when lost.
When buying a diamond, one has to think about various aspects. Spending so much money puts a lot of pressure on the buyer and one tends to become extremely anxious about one’s purchase. All this stress simply takes the fun right out of jewelry shopping.
At P&K Jewelry, we believe that jewelry shopping should be a pleasant, exciting, and joyful experience. We offer the widest selection of affordable jewelry – explore our catalog today!