Hello! I don't believe you've visited here before.
Seeing this fabulous jewellery in a catalogue is so much better than browsing online. If you contact me, I'll send you one right away, since I'm just around the corner in Hook, Hampshire. Thanks for visiting!
Kerry
Introducing an exciting new Designer Costume Jewellery concept for Basingstoke and surrounding areas.
How to look like a million dollars, despite the credit crunch.
Tired of the boring jewellery designs offered in high street stores? Fed-up with crowds and parking that’s never available? Worried about ordering jewellery online and being disappointed when the real thing arrives?
Allow me to visit you, at a time that suits you, with a stunning range of burnished silver, rhodium, leather, sterling silver, Swarovski crystal and cubic zirconia designer costume jewellery fit for a queen.
Browse the Designer Costume Jewellery Gallery, find out more about me, and when you’re convinced this jewellery will turn your friends green with envy, contact me for a friendly chat in the Hampshire/Surrey area, or I’ll send a stunning full colour glossy catalogue. We all know it’s much easier turning pages than clicking next.
What is Costume Jewellery?
Costume jewellery (also called fashion jewellery, faux jewellery or fake jewellery) is jewellery that is made of less valuable materials including base metals, glass, plastic, and synthetic stones, instead of more valuable materials such as precious metals and gems.
Costume jewellery is usually less expensive than traditional gold and diamond jewellery. Its main use is in fashion, as opposed to fine jewellery which is often acquired primarily as collectibles, keepsakes, or investments.
Originally, costume or fashion jewellery was made of inexpensive simulated gemstones, such as rhinestones or lucite, set in pewter, silver, nickel or brass. Modern costume jewellery incorporates a wide range of materials. High end crystals, cubic zirconia (simulated diamonds), and some semi-precious stones are used in place of precious stones. Metals include gold- or silver-plated brass, and sometimes vermeil or sterling silver. Lower-priced jewellery may still use gold plating over pewter, nickel or other metals. Some pieces incorporate plastic, acrylic, leather, or wood.
What is Designer Costume Jewellery?
The costume jewellery you will find on this site is, I’m sure you’ll agree, far better than the average costume jewellery available in high streets. I represent Miglio jewellery, who use only the finest materials from around the world, both man-made and natural. See for yourself!
Swarovski crystals are the finest machine made crystals of Austrian origin. Due to a foiled back and the content of lead, Swarovski crystals have a brilliance and sparkle close to that of diamonds and they come in variety of colours, imitating precious and semi-precious stones.
A gemstone is a mineral, rock, or petrified material that when cut or faceted and polished is collectible and considered precious or beautiful to be used to enhance jewellery.
Designer Costume Jewellery Glossary
Designer Costume Jewellery has its own language. Here is a basic list of the terms you will find used on this site.
Alloy: The name given to a metallic material made from mixing a molten metal with at least one other molten metal or non-metal substance in order to give the resultant material specific properties. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
Aurora Borealis: A name given the colour of faceted glass beads or the tops of rhinestones that have had an added iridescent coating.
Bakelite: Bakelite was one of the first plastics ever developed. Invented in 1907 by L. H. Backeland, it has been used in many applications due to its ease of forming, low cost, fire resistance and insulating properties of heat and electricity. Bakelite jewellery was primarily made in the 1930’s and 40’s. When rubbed it gives off the scent of formaldehyde - so don’t rub it!
Barrel Clasp: A clasp made of two parts that screw together, usually used in necklaces. A great way to ensure you never lose your precious jewellery.
Base Metal: A non-precious non-ferrous metal e.g. copper, zinc, nickel, brass.
Belcher Chain: The Belcher chain, or guard chain, consists of broad oval links, made of D-section wire, with a convex outer shape. The links are generally broad and oval in design. The design of chain gets it’s name from the belcher ring, of which its links are a miniature version.
Cannetille: Metal jewellery made from fine wires, often in a pyramid or rosette motif.
Cloisonne Enamel: A design is created by fastening ribbon-like strips of metal or wire (cloisons) to a metal base and then filling the partitioned areas with enamel. After the piece has been fired, it is polished until the design of the cloison appears.
Clutch: The name given to the finding which slips over the stud or post of an earring. Also called a nut. Makes sure your earring doesn’t go walkabout while you’re shopping up a storm.
Costume Jewellery: An early 20th century term given to jewellery designed to complement a specific outfit or style. Characteristically this jewellery is flashy and made from inexpensive materials, including base metals, glass, plastic, and synthetic stones, in place of more valuable materials such as precious metals and gems.
Crystal: The term crystal refers to glass that contains lead. Glass, which has at least 30% lead, has a highly refractive quality and is desirable for jewellery making.
Cubic zirconia: The cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide, is a mineral that is widely synthesised for use as a diamond simulant. The synthesised material is hard, optically flawless and usually colourless, but may be made in a variety of different colours. What a mouthful! Basically, cubic zirconia’s are the thinking woman’s diamonds.
Filigree: A term given to delicate lacy ornamental work created from intricately arranged and intertwined wires.
Findings: A broad term given to the tools, materials and components used to make jewellery.
Fish Hook Clasp: Type of necklace clasp. The male part is hooked into the female part and it locks in place via spring action.
French Hook: A type of earring hook, which can often easily slip out of your ear. You can add clear plastic or metal stoppers for French Hook earrings to stop them from riding up and out of your earlobe.
Gold Plated: A manufacturing technique of applying a thin layer of gold to the surface of a piece made of base metal or silver by a method known as electroplating. The surface of gold plate will wear off more quickly than that on gold-filled items. So treat your gold-plated jewellery with more care than the real thing!
Gold Tone: Gold coloured material.
Guilloche Enamel: An enamel design formed on a piece of jewellery by engraving two or more bands or strings twisted over each other in a series and then covering the engravings with translucent enamel so that the engraving can be seen through the enamel.
Gunmetal: A metal alloy, which is 90 percent copper and 10 percent tin.
Gutta-Percha: An inelastic material produced from the sap of certain Malaysian trees (Palaquium gutta). It was formerly used to make jewellery, novelties, electrical insulation and dental products.
Hallmark: A mark stamped into gold and silver articles, frequently indicating the maker, country of origin, date, and fineness of the metal.
Jet: Jet is black colour stone, which can be highly polished and carved. Considered to be a mineraloid rather than a mineral, it is derived from decaying wood under extreme pressure. A common source of jet is the hard coal, mined at Whitby, England. Jet is primarily sold as memorial jewellery.
Kidney Wire: Metal earring hook shaped like a kidney.
Lanyard Clasp: A common clasp used to attach a strap to a ring.
Lariat: A cord worn as a necklace with the ends of the cord dangling like a necktie. It can be tied into a knot or secured by a sliding brooch.
Leverback: Type of earring attachment. More secure than a French Hook and are easy to take on and off, and you never have to worry about losing an earring or backing.
Lobster Clasp: Metal clasp whose shape and design resembles a lobster pincer claw.
Mourning Jewellery: Jewellery woven from the hair of a deceased friend or family member as a sentimental remembrance. How sick!
Nut: The name given to the finding, which slips over the stud or post of an earring to ensure it stays securely in your ear. Also called a clutch.
Post: The earring component which goes through one’s ear, preferably after it has been pierced. Also called a stud. (As in a metal stud, not the male variety, of which there appear to be fewer and fewer nowadays.)
Pot Metal: The name given to the alloy formed from any combination of non precious metals such as lead and tin. Also called “White Metal”.
Rhodium: A hard silvery white and durable metal that has a high reflectance. Rhodium metal does not normally form an oxide, even when worn for extended periods against the skin. In jewellery, it is electroplated on white gold and platinum to give it a reflective white surface. This is known as rhodium flashing in the jewellery business. It also may be used in coating sterling silver in order to strengthen the metal from tarnish, as a result from the copper compound found in sterling silver.
Silver Tone: Silver coloured material.
Spring Clasp: An attachment device found on necklaces and bracelets, characterised by its circular tubular design with an interior circular pin held close by a spring. A bloody nuisance to attach - most men find it impossible, so don’t bother asking him for help.
Sterling Silver: An alloy of silver and usually copper, which has at least 92.5% pure silver. Only such pieces may be marked as STERLING or 925.
Stud: The earring component which goes through the piercing of one’s ear. Also called a post.
Swarovski Crystal: Swarovski is the luxury brand name for the range of precision-cut lead crystal glass and related products produced by companies owned by Swarovski AG of Feldmeilen, near Zürich, Switzerland. Swarovski crystal contains approximately 32% lead to maximise refraction. The Swarovski Crystal range includes crystal sculptures and miniatures, jewellery and couture, home décor and chandeliers.
All sculptures are marked with a logo. The original Swarovski logo was an edelweiss flower, but was replaced with the current swan logo in 1988.
Toggle Bar: Type of necklace or bracelet clasp, characterised by a ring and bar. The bar slips through the ring to form the attachment. One of the simplest attachment methods, but only effective in chunkier chains.
Vermeil: 18 karat gold plate over solid sterling silver.
Vintage Jewellery: Jewellery from the period between 1910 and 1970.
Victorian Jewellery: Jewellery from approximately 1837 when Victoria became Queen of England until 1901 when she died. This period is further divided into three periods: Early (approx. 1840-1860), Mid (approx. 1860 - 1880) and Late (approx. 1880-1900) since it covers a wide span of time, and a number of distinctive design trends.
White Metal: The name given to the alloy formed from any combination of non-precious metals such as lead and tin. Also called “Pot Metal”.
Next: The Stunning Designer Costume Jewellery Gallery
x
x
x
x
x
x
