High Street jewellery that looks designer dazzling
Fine jewellery should only be worn by the very y oung or t he very old, according to Carine Roitfeld, the influential former editor of French Vogue. What she hadn’t counted on, though, was how blurred the l i nes would become between the real ‘rocks’ worn by dowagers and starlets and the more affordable costume jewellery you can buy on the High Street.
Recently, a rash of ranges have been springing up offering sophisticated, trend-led designs that look expensive — the only difference being that you can snap them up at very affordable prices.
Jeweller Monica Vinader has a lot to answer for. She led the way with her elegant, colourful and iconic friendship bracelets and signature stack rings.
Thanks to her — as well as websites such as Astley Clarke — over the past ten years, affordable jewellery has become an increasingly fashionable way to accessorise.
CleARly, it wasn’t going to be very long before the High Street caught on and offered similar designs for less. And, thankfully, this affordable jewellery doesn’t look cheap. Fashion chains have wised up to the fact that jewellery is having a moment — and that, in 2015, women want to play around with offbeat trends, such as funky ear cuffs and statement rings, without paying the high price tags of designer versions by the likes of Repossi (where an ear cuff could set you back several thousand pounds).
This new style of adornment is for a generation of women who have grown up wanting affordable pieces to wear every day to work, or with jeans at the weekend.
For a night out, they might crave a new piece that won’t cost them the earth, but which will give them the sartorial wattage factor of a knockout pair of shoes.
This explains why Zara has done so well with its statement necklaces. There’s no easier way to give a nod to the new trend than slinging on a £20 tassel necklace — and there’s no guilt attached, either.
The collection that’s making the biggest splash i s the Z For Accessorize range. it offers the sort of hippy- deluxe jewellery (triple-band rings, semi-precious stone necklaces and gold/diamond ear cuffs and studs) that you would expect to see on the beaches of Mykonos, the Greek island beloved by the style set.
Created by Zara Simon (daughter of Monsoon and Accessorize founder Peter Simon), the range is filled with well- designed rings, necklaces and earrings that look far too considered to be cheap — despite mostly costing around £15.
‘ We noticed a gap between costume and fine jewellery, and this range bridges it rather well,’ says natasha Hodson, buying manager at Accessorize. ‘ Women don’t necessarily want to splash out on fine jewellery, but can achieve a similar look at very affordable prices.’
So, how does Zara Simon do it? She explains that she selects semiprecious stones and, instead of brass, she uses gold plate. At these prices, here are pieces you can buy for yourself without having to think twice — and they make beautiful presents, too.
At another High Street store, Oliver Bonas, the jewellery is just as enticing and aff ordable. Standouts include the inia Agate necklace (£18) and the Prya Howlite metal-edged long necklace (£22).
Then there’s the store’s Sajana range — handcrafted by skilled artisans in a family-run jewellers in Delhi, india — which comes in 14 carat gold plate. Rings come with pastel-hued stones — stacking styles cost £45 — while bracelets and pendants cost around £30.
To prevent it looking mumsy and to keep i t trend- l ed, eleanor Hodson, Oliver Bonas’s jewellery buyer, says that Maartje De Man, the l abel’s i n- house j ewellery designer, is careful to pay attention to detail.
‘She is very particular about the l engths of necklaces and the settings. it’s details such as these that can make something look modern. The Howlite necklace chain, for example, is 20 in — a bit longer, so that you can layer it with other necklaces.’
MeAnWHile, Cos’s edited j ewellery range is j ust as keenly priced, but here, the offerings are more architectural in design. Sure to sell out this season, for example, is i ts delicately cut metallic necklace (£39) — at once feminine, yet in vogue.
For those who like to be different, head to online emporium Wolf & Badger, which offers a contemporary assortment of jewellery brands by designers such as Tada & Toy, whose star cuffs in rose-gold (£38) snake around your earlobe, and adventurous designers Astrid & Miyu or Maya Magal london, who are doing ever more innovative things with semiprecious stones, such as bashing them and chipping away the edges.
Just as quirky is the jewellery from online womenswear brand Finery. Mis-matched earrings can be picked up for around £20 and are an easy way to update a favourite outfit.