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Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,327
Registered: ‎02-07-2011

Why are we seeing so much of either bronze or brass in jewelry now? They are usually covered by either gold or silver but I'm more used to seeing sterling silver as the main metal with a gold overlay. Both silver and gold prices have come down dramatically so why so much brass and bronze?

And what does everyone think about brass and bronze for jewelry?

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,371
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Bronze and brass are cheap. Even if it's clad, it's cheap to make. Retailers are trying to fool us into thinking it's the hot new thing in Italy. It isn't. I have a friend from Italy and she says it's sold only as super cheap costume there.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,837
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I don't like it at all.


The Bluebird Carries The Sky On His Back"
-Henry David Thoreau





Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,597
Registered: ‎03-10-2010
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,327
Registered: ‎02-07-2011

Thanks for the answers. JTV especially is featuring a lot of brass/bronze. I'll pass.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 672
Registered: ‎03-27-2010

I think this ring is a new low ... bronze plating over silver ...

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Valued Contributor
Posts: 1,070
Registered: ‎03-30-2010

I happen to really like it! I just got this new Carolyn Pollack ring and it is a stunner with the brass accents.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,300
Registered: ‎05-27-2013

It's not for me, but some people love it.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,326
Registered: ‎10-21-2011

Silver got expensive--it's not so much now (ca $15 an oz, spot price) and gold soared for a while--it's now around $1150 an ounce. In the 90's (1990-99) silver was averaging 5 an oz and gold below $300. So the prices for both essentially tripled.

To make cheaper jewelry, they're using bronze as the base metal and plating it with gold or silver. It's costume jewelry at that point, in my opinion.

I have a few bronze pieces AS COSTUME jewelry but I don't like buying any for what I consider silver prices.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,227
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I don't think they're fooling anyone, but I also think the days of lots of impulsive jewelry buying may be over. Gold has gone down in price, but it could well stay there for 20 or 30 years. Doesn't make it a great investment.

So, if I were buying jewelry, I'd buy more bronze or clad or whatever would give me the look I want. I like that which I already own - I've had some bronze for many years now - in jewelry I like.

I just don't understand why everything has to be silver or gold just as I don't understand why anyone wants only leather handbags. Give me well-made items in lots of different materials and I'm happy.