If you have $500 to spend on a piece of jewelry, you are out of luck and beyond help. Just kidding! Granted, $500 does not commend the cream of the jewelry crop, but what exactly does this mean? Asked differently, what type of jewelry can one expect to find for under $500 and is this jewelry worth buying? While the latter part of this question can only be answered by each individual buyer, we are in a position to present a great deal of information with regard to jewelry priced below $500. $500 is an intricate price range, since when you pay $499 for a piece of jewelry, you rightfully expect more than cz engagement rings and cheap wedding rings with sterling silver and cubic zirconia. But $500 is also nowhere near high enough to commend 18k gold and upscale diamonds, so this price range becomes a balancing act for jewelers. The fact is that almost every major diamond jewelry category offers options within the $500 range. Keep in mind that the possibility of the “you cheap !@&(#/$” reaction is higher in this category than in some of the higher end categories. For instance, engagement rings under $500 offer some impressive design characteristics, but the diamond quality will tend to be no higher than I2-I3. Necklaces under $500 present a brand new challenge, as necklaces typically require more metal than a ring or pair of earrings, thereby increasing the cost of materials. In other words, diamond necklaces under $500 will tend to feature a smaller diamond weight, generally also limited to diamond clarity of I2-I3. In this issue of DT Era we explore the specifics of jewelry under $500, including engagement rings, necklaces and earrings.
Cheap engagement rings under 500 dollars are a hot topic because, although this category is no match for Italian engagement rings, many diamond engagement ring designs can be fit for placement in the engagement rings under $500 category, with the proper combination of metals, diamond clarity and diamond weight. The first solitaire engagement ring under $500 shown above features a 10k rose gold interwoven shank with a 1/5 carat round cut diamond. The second side stone engagement ring boasts a plain 10k white gold shank with ten round cut side diamonds and a gorgeous eleven-diamond halo.
You didn’t think that we would fathom to show Italian rings or necklaces for under $500, did you? Fortunately, however, there is an abundance of diamond necklaces with price tags below $500. As stated previously, they tend to feature a smaller diamond weight but still offer gold as the base metal. The first diamond necklace shown above features a gorgeously modified bypass design, with a 3/4 carat white sapphire gemstone and 0.02 carats in diamonds, produced in white gold. The second diamond necklace boasts a half carat blue sapphire with an additional 1/12 in round cut diamonds. As you can see, these are as far from Italian necklaces as can be, yet they offer plenty of beauty and sophistication, at an affordable price.
Diamond earrings under $500 follow much the same basic principles as engagement rings and necklaces. As you can see, both pairs of diamond earrings above are intricately designed. The first pair features a unique interweave pave design in white gold, with a tenth of a carat in round cut diamonds. The second pair boasts a delicate hourglass design with round cut black diamonds, also in white gold. Indeed, a $500 budget for a jewelry gift does have the potential to go a long way.
There are jewelry gifts that are easy to find with a $500 budget, and then there are those that present a much greater challenge. As with all jewelry and gifts in general, it is important to understand the limitations imposed by a given budget. There are plenty of beautiful engagement rings, diamond rings, necklaces and earrings for under $500, and as long as no individual diamond is over 1/5 of a carat, the I2-I3 clarity rating is not typically a reason for great concern.
