Gyrogami Blog - Precious Metals, Jewelry, Artwork

Fake Doesn't Work

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Categories: Messages and statements; Ethics and laws; Commerce and business

Word count/read time: 515 words; 2 minutes

The jewelry and gemstone industries have a storied record of imaginative "marketing" ploys. There's WAY too much money at stake. From altered gemstones and fake metals to major price fixing and blood minerals, many laws were created because the fraud was so rampant. This debauchery and conniving still happens just in a different form.

It's tough to tell if the market has more fake jewelry than real. Much on the favorite auction sites and major selling platforms is illegally hallmarked silverplate and the sellers know it. For that matter, do the sellers even know or care (answer: NO) what toxic materials and processes are used in its construction?

Frugal sellers sleuth out the best price but new sterling silver anythings don't sell for less than the value of raw silver! But they come stamped with a '925' or 'STERLING' hallmark so all is well. Frugal is commendable but selling fake goods - trust me, they know EXACTLY what they are doing - is not. Lying about the metals, construction, or other details is a crime.

An inordinate amount of "handmade" jewelry is illegally advertised anyway so expensive metals are faked as well. Designer handbags for $20, anyone, or the 18k gold chains next to them for less? Not to blame the victim but WTF were you thinking?! Certainly those who value integrity ask the right questions and make wiser choices.

It is irrelevant whether consumers are wooed or fooled by this low-quality stuff. For some, as long as other people think they have class, money, or whatever illusion they're trying to portray then getting a $10 bracelet is preferred over a legit one for more. There's something to be said about selective indifference.

While such items are probably not going to kill you (though toxic metals are quite prevalent) they will neither function like they should nor aesthetically endure. What about all the unseen things, among them:

Encouraging dishonest sellers
Forced, slave, or child labor
Unfair wages or dangerous working conditions
Environmental or habitat destruction
Enriching criminal enterprises and warlords
Not supporting local businesses

Any seller who buys pre-made commercial findings will have lower prices but this means it is no longer handmade according to the law (ahem). Naturally, sellers who ignore laws will have lower prices as do those who don't value quality or just want a quick dollar.

Higher-quality properly made products suffer as the customer expects artificially low prices. It's not just the cheap stuff. Pricing fakeness is at every budget level. Before questioning the cost of handmade precious metal jewelry you must fairly compare identical items based on what the law says. Warning: The astute buyer will find a lot of trickery.

Decent artisans will instill confidence in their products. My jewelry is 100% handmade (legally defined as such) in addition to the sacrosanct metals that I buy, process, and refine myself. I literally make everything - wire, sheet, findings, jump rings, alloys, solders, finished products - starting at the atomic level. Yet I still have precious metal handmade jewelry from $10. For real.

Posted by M: December 24, 2024

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