Fashion accessories vs. handmade goldsmith jewellery

Let’s break it down honestly. 

While fashion jewellery can be way more affordable, trendy and is great for experimenting with your style, it is made of materials that are not durable and often plating wears off and cannot be repaired. Whilst handmade goldsmith jewelleery is made of quality materials that can last generations, while also supporting a craftsperson, sustainable production and quality. 

✨ Girl Math Time ✨

Fashion jewellery:

  • Average cost: €30

  • Average lifespan: a few months to a few years

  • Let’s be generous and say 5 years total of wear before it tarnishes, breaks, or can’t be repaired.

  • Most people buy multiple pieces over those 5 years because styles change and pieces don’t last.

Let’s say you buy just 1 piece per year (which is VERY conservative):

5 pieces × €30 = €150 over 5 years

If you buy 2–3 pieces per year (more realistic):

10–15 pieces × €30 = €300–€450 over 5 years

And at the end?

Most of it ends up unworn, broken, or thrown away.


Handmade goldsmith jewellery:

  • One piece: €200

  • Lifespan: literally decades & can be passed down

  • Can be cleaned, repaired, resized, polished, kept forever

  • Supports: a real craftsperson, sustainable, small-scale production & quality materials

Cost per year if it lasts 30 years:

€200 ÷ 30 = €6.67 per year

If it lasts 50 years (very normal for real metal):

€200 ÷ 50 = €4 per year

(That’s less than a cup of coffee.)

Girl math conclusion:

✨ A €200 lifelong piece is actually cheaper per year than €30 fashion jewellery that keeps needing to be replaced. ✨

And honestly… if something lasts decades, supports an artist, stays beautiful, and you wear it constantly?

Girl math says it basically pays for itself.