Saturday, December 20, 2008

The Classic Elegance of Tiffany Jewelry

By Elvin Retinz

Although customized jewelry is easy enough to buy these days, there is simply something very special about owning your own piece of designer jewelry. Designer jewelry brings with it a legacy and a history all its own; when you own a piece of designer jewelry, it is like owning a piece of fashion history, and everything else that goes along with it. A case in point is Tiffany jewelry. Despite having been in business for more than 100 years, Tiffany jewelry is still in extremely high demand all over the world. The price may not always be reasonable, but the cache of owning a piece of Tiffany can make it well worth while for some.

More Than A Century of Business

Tiffany jewelry has been in demand since 1845, when Tiffany and Co. first opened their doors as a trading house. Although the company originally specialized in silver goods and gift items, their silver jewelry designs are what earned them fame all over the world.

The reason Tiffany has maintained its hold on the jewelry market for so long is simple - quality. It should come as no surprise that Tiffany jewelry is the most copied and replicated pieces of jewelry in the world; everyone wants a piece of Tiffany jewelry, even if getting one means settling for a fake, knock off version. You will find them in magazines, movies and even highlighted in engagement picture poses. Most jewelry designers aspire to be as associate with style and quality as Tiffany, and so many of the replicas of Tiffany jewelry that are out there are of very high quality - these designs gives non-Tiffany designers a chance to try their hand at the best.

The high availability of knock offs can however make purchasing the real thing tough on some consumers. Because Tiffany fakes are so easy to find, it is also easy for people to get conned into buying what they think are Tiffany pieces that are really knock offs. There are a few ways to avoid Tiffany jewelry scams. For one, you can choose to buy only from Tiffany themselves.

You can also check the jewelry you are buying for the telltale Tiffany engraved emblem. You can also have your jewelry appraised by an expert. Any jewelry appraiser worth his salt will be able to spot a Tiffany fake a mile away. These tricks will help you stay ahead of the curve when purchasing Tiffany jewelry.

If you don't have a Tiffany budget, look for good quality replicas in high end stores like Saks and Neiman Marcus. These replicas can be so good, only you will know they are not the real thing. - 16651

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