The cliché “go big or go home” can be applied to so many things, but when it comes to jewelry, “bigger” often means “more expensive”. But what some buyers and jewelry lovers may not realize is that there are ways to cheat a little on design while still getting the jewelry look you want. Below are a handful of tips to help you guide your next jewelry purchase so you can get the statement piece you’ve always wanted without breaking the bank.
1. Halo settings can make the stones on your piece look bigger
Whether it’s to enhance the size of an engagement ring or add a bit of flash to a cool, colorful gemstone, the “halo” look is clearly here to stay for a reason. What a halo setting does is give size to the center stone by adding a line (or several) of smaller diamonds or other gemstones in a ring around the precious stone. Many well-known engagement rings—like that of Princess Diana and now the Duchess of Cambridge—have a halo of diamonds, so the trend has been around for a while, and we doubt it’s going to die off anytime soon.
2. Specially-designed precious metals can bring extra brilliance to your piece
The Double Chain Platinum Y Necklace from Suna Brothers’ newly-released “Platinum Born” collection. Photo courtesy of JCK.
Want the look of diamonds on your pieces of jewelry but have bills to pay and mouths to feed? Fear not! There are some cool things happening in jewelry design that will give you the look without breaking the bank. The new “Platinum Born” collection by Suna Brothers offers the look of diamonds on platinum pieces by instead faceting the rich, white metal in such a way that it sparkles and glimmers as if it contains dozens or more of tiny set diamonds. It’s a great look at an affordable price and platinum is certainly no metal to scoff at.
3. A clear, rose-cut gem can pass for a diamond
A rose-cut, white sapphire engagement ring. Photo courtesy of Do Amore.
A trend on the rise in the jewelry design world right now is the use of rose-cut gemstones, but particularly in clear options like rock crystal or white sapphire. If you have a white or clear gemstone cut into a rose cut and then surround it with smaller diamonds in a halo-design or a starburst fashion, you’ll find that people will often mistake the center stone for an actual diamond. And with rock crystal or white quartz being so inexpensive, you can wear pieces that have a certain “look” without paying the extra bucks to get it.
Happy shopping!