Does any of your friends/acquaintances...

[lilmosun]

Nope - but strangers will often ask if my fingernails are real (they are)

I guess they are more impressive than my jewelry

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

No one has ever actually asked me so I don’t know what they think. But I also don’t care. I feel like most people also don’t know how to evaluate jewelry - like this one lady I know (an acquaintance) who I ran into once when I was wearing this coloured stone bracelet (Big and chunky but not really pricey) gushed all over my bracelet, then asked me if it was real, and before I could answer (I wasn’t sure what to say) said something like “no no I totally understand, if it was real it would be worth a fortune!” And I just awkwardly nodded/shrugged because well, yes, it was real but now she made me feel awkward about it; but also I was wearing my studs and those are many magnitudes more expensive than the bracelet...

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Friends know me well enough to know that my stuff is real. I have no idea about acquaintances. Strangers have, however, approached me, usually in retail stores, to compliment me on what I'm wearing and ask if it's real. They often comment that they've never seen diamonds that sparkle as much as mine do. I think this happens because in my area, the majority of diamonds most folks wear or see are poorly cut. Unless you're an aficionado, you don't know what you're missing until you see it.

The woman who designed our master bath reno kept asking me why my diamond ring sparkled so much and was it real. Her 5 carat diamond was so poorly cut it was like a black hole -- light went in and nothing came out. I felt bad to see the disappointment on her face when she compared hers to mine.

Matata, that makes me feel bad, too. None of us work to find nice diamonds to make anyone else ashamed for what they have but it occurs by accident sometimes. Maybe she'll trade hers in for something lovely.

 

[123ducklings]

I’d bet good money that some of my acquaintances or relatives are clueless about jewelry in general. “Real” doesn’t even register bc they are just clueless.

This. I have a few relatives and friends who know my jewelry is real, but I think for most people it doesn’t even register. I remember many years ago a coworker got engaged over the weekend. I noticed the ring immediately when I saw her Monday morning. At the time we worked closely with probably 30 people, and somewhat regularly with another 20 or so. I was shocked that no one else noticed the ring. For days and even weeks later people were surprised to hear she was engaged when it would come up.

 

[kenny]

FWIW, the other day I met the wife of a man I work with.
She said nothing about it, but couldn't take her eyes off my Octavia under the halogen lighting in their kitchen.
It was very awkward for me.
I also noticed her hubby noticing her staring.

He knows me well enough to know it has to be real.
I wonder whether he'll bring it up.
They are loaded and could easily afford whatev they'd ever want to buy.

Turning others onto good diamond cut is kinda a weird thing I rarely do.
You may not want to "show off" but if someone you trust shows sincere interest I think it's okay to edjumacate them in an appropriate way.
But still, it feels weird ... like you're encouraging or at least facilitating them spending some big bucks on a very esoteric item, not like an-easier-to-understand-and-accept splurge on a BMW or Mercedes.

If I had a really $$$$$$ FCD set into a ring (all of my FCDs are still loose) I'd be way less willing to discuss the details.
FCDs are just too far out, too $$$$$$, and specialized for me to be at ease chatting about what's on my finger with the general public.
But then 0.00001% of the public would recognize it - unless (now) it was surgically installed into my forehead.

 

[Ionysis]

When I see my friends (infrequently) these days one of the first questions they ask me is what new bling I have so they can try it on. People who know me know I collect so know what I’m wearing is likely to be real. Where I live, no matter how huge or outlandish, people just assume it’s the real thing!

In the U.K. I guess everyone thinks I am wearing costume pieces. Especially because I go for larger brightly coloured stones usually. I’m good with that.

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

I think the women that work at the Goodwill near my house think my jewelry is fake because I go in there to buy a good portion of my clothes. I refuse to pay retail, and when I can get Levi's for 5 dollars I do it. The store sits outside of a country club neighborhood and I get great deals sometimes. I have been known to justify it is as "green", but honestly it boils down to being cheap about clothing I'm gonna spill my coffee on anyway.

 

[kenny]

I think the women that work at the Goodwill near my house think my jewelry is fake because I go in there to buy a good portion of my clothes. I refuse to pay retail, and when I can get Levi's for 5 dollars I do it. The store sits outside of a country club neighborhood and I get great deals sometimes. I have been known to justify it is as "green", but honestly it boils down to being cheap about clothing I'm gonna spill my coffee on anyway.

Me too, all my clothes are from thrift stores, except for shoes, hats undies and sox.
When shopping for nearly everything I'm very price sensitive ... but not with a few things like FCDs.
I'm an oddball in that I don't just automatically buy everything I could afford.
IMO the most rip-off things, that you'd need a gun to make me buy, are movie popcorn and "smart"phones and those obscene data plans.

I keep an eye out for different things when shopping at thrift stores in various-income areas.
In the swankier areas I'll see real sterling flatware. but in cases and priced "fairly".
But in those Zip codes I'd never find what Kenny's looking for - high-end crystal or china or designer clothing for a penny on the dollar.

At a thrift store in an "extremely affordable" neighborhood I've found crystal stemware from Lalique, Waterford, Edinburgh, Baccarat, Riedel, Wedgewood Hermes, Orrefors for 95 cents each ... and on a certain weekday they are all 50 cents.
No joke.
They just don't recognize what people have donated.

However, I've never found real solid Sterling sliver flatware or accessories there.
I simply must put on my Karen hat and have a loud talk with their manager.

 

[dk168]

@kenny you would not be so lucky in the charity shop where I volunteer, as they would check via the internet or with the jeweller next door before they price anything up for sale!

DK

 

[kenny]

@kenny you would not be so lucky in the charity shop where I volunteer, as they would check via the internet or with the jeweller next door before they price anything up for sale!

DK

Well, you're not going to get a hay penny from THIS miserly bottom feeder snob.

 

[Chasiu]

I think the women that work at the Goodwill near my house think my jewelry is fake because I go in there to buy a good portion of my clothes. I refuse to pay retail, and when I can get Levi's for 5 dollars I do it. The store sits outside of a country club neighborhood and I get great deals sometimes. I have been known to justify it is as "green", but honestly it boils down to being cheap about clothing I'm gonna spill my coffee on anyway.

I definitely don't like telling people about my jewery/gemstone hobby in general unless they share first. And I don't like paying retail prices for clothing or shopping in general, so I can save money for things I do care about (like shiny things)... Probably better for me that way if people assume my stuff is fake not my problem! I wear it because I enjoy it and love it and will get totally blinged out at home, just to sit on my computer.

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

I definitely don't like telling people about my jewery/gemstone hobby in general unless they share first. And I don't like paying retail prices for clothing or shopping in general, so I can save money for things I do care about (like shiny things)... Probably better for me that way if people assume my stuff is fake not my problem! I wear it because I enjoy it and love it and will get totally blinged out at home, just to sit on my computer.

I do too, lol. Hubby mentioned getting me bigger studs for our anniversary this summer, but I declined. He was shocked until I explained that if we are gonna spend that kind of money I would want a ring or a bracelet so I can see it. I don't wear it to look fancy/like I have $, etc. It's about my pretties making ME happy.

 

[123ducklings]

I do too, lol. Hubby mentioned getting me bigger studs for our anniversary this summer, but I declined. He was shocked until I explained that if we are gonna spend that kind of money I would want a ring or a bracelet so I can see it. I don't wear it to look fancy/like I have $, etc. It's about my pretties making ME happy.

I totally get it about earrings. My mom and I have the same size studs, but mine are basket settings and hers are martini. When we’re together I’m always thinking how much I like hers and that maybe I should switch to martini. Then recently she told me she was thinking about switching her settings because she likes mine so much. I think the real issue isn’t the setting, it’s that we can actually see and appreciate the other person’s studs!

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

It's too late to edit but I hope no one takes offense to my above comment if they love their earrings (and certainly don't wear them for others!) I love mine too, just wish I could see them.

 

[MjK1]

I have so many pairs of cs earrings they have their own box...I too wish I could see them. Sometimes I just open their box and leave it on the dresser and stare, lol!

 

[MjK1]

I definitely don't like telling people about my jewery/gemstone hobby in general unless they share first. And I don't like paying retail prices for clothing or shopping in general, so I can save money for things I do care about (like shiny things)... Probably better for me that way if people assume my stuff is fake not my problem! I wear it because I enjoy it and love it and will get totally blinged out at home, just to sit on my computer.

Me too, I am a real cheapskate (not that that is what you are) when It comes to anything else, but I love my sparklies! I tend to dress very casually, jeans, T shirts, sneakers unfortunately (I have really bad foot issues) and then wear my favorite gems just to go to the grocery store or whatever. One of the advantages of moving away from my family is I don't have to hear their constant lecturing about how I "have enough rings, what a waste of money, stop buying them, it is so stupid to own so much jewelry" etc etc etc ad nauseum...I can wear what I want without the harping.