Faux or Foe?

Splurge or Save? 

Will people notice the difference? 

Is faux another term for really cheap?  

All good questions and worthy of consideration. I don't claim to be an expert by any means but I'm happy to share what I've learned.
Is faux right for you?  There are three primary factors to consider: 

• Quality counts!  Pay attention to how the piece feels (weight & texture).  Is the gold too yellow? Is the stone smooth? Does the clasp work well?  Ask the questions, where were your materials sourced?  Are there any special care instructions? If something seems to good to be true, it probably is.
• Are you comfortable wearing the faux jewelry or will you be self-conscious?  Unless your friends are jewelers or have a special interest in gemstones or sell leather as a career, they probably won't notice.  But if you feel fake, your faux becomes a foe to your self-esteem and that's no good.
• Cost is always a factor.  A quality faux can cost HUNDREDS or THOUSANDS less than the real thing.  Even so, a quality faux may not be inexpensive.  High end 18K gold filled/plated items are beautiful and while they cost only a fraction of the real thing, it is not cheap. Look at your budget and determine is you are looking for a single piece to wear or a few quality faux pieces to wear with several outfits.

Trust your instincts, educate yourself prior to shopping and you won't go wrong. 

Already have some fabulous faux pieces?  How do you faux?