How to Spot a Cheap Piece of Birthstone Jewelry

Imitation Birthstone Jewelry Versus the Real Thing

Birthstones were first developed when historical cultures were looking for a way to associate a gemstone to a specific zodiac sign. Throughout time those gemstones have evolved into birthstones and they are a popular form of jewelry that just about everyone owns.

Birthstones are commonly set into a specific piece of jewelry. They are commonly inserted into rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and pendants. Birthstone jewelry is a popular gift idea for many children or parents. It is not uncommon for a child or teenager to get a piece of jewelry with their birthstone set in it. Many parents wear rings or necklaces that have the birthstones of all of their children attached.

The market for birthstone jewelry is a fairly large one; however, there are many individuals who are distributing fake or cheap birthstone jewelry. To the untrained eye it may be difficult to determine the quality of a particular birthstone, but there are specific tips and other techniques that a shopper should use to determine the quality of an item that they are shopping for.

The majority of jewelry stores will only sell quality or genuine birthstones. If a piece of jewelry that they are selling is not genuine or of full quality the majority of stores will post a notice or inform their shoppers. A shopper may be able to determine if a piece of birthstone jewelry that is found inside a jewelry store is of quality by examining the price on the item. Look around to other pieces of birthstone jewelry and if one piece is significantly cheaper than the others it might be a sign that the birthstone is of less quality. This would be the time to talk to a jeweler or store associate to determine exactly why the jewelry piece is priced lower than the rest.