Enough with the diamonds, right? Wrong! Diamonds continue to serve as the epicenter of jewelry standards. But in the context of a $100 budget, we make a conscious choice to part with the vast majority of possibilities involving diamonds. Does this mean that cheap engagement rings under 100 dollars are not available with diamonds? They are, but few and far between. Cheap wedding rings under 100 dollars are even less likely to feature diamonds, as wedding rings in general tend to offer designs such as three-stone, five-stone, seven-stone and eternity bands. Moving on to necklaces, you may recall the heavier metal content with necklaces, which tends to make them more expensive to produce. Add gems and diamonds and a diamond or gemstone necklace under $100 becomes literally impossible. Italian engagement rings or even Italian rings, for that matter, are hardly possible under $1,000, let alone under $100, and Italian necklaces follow the same basic premise. Are you thinking, “You cheap !@&(#/$”? While jewelry under $100 certainly does carry the risk of such a reaction, there are times when engagement rings under $100 are justified, and gifts like necklaces and earrings $100 have their place as well. In this issue of DT Era we discuss the possibilities in the context of jewelry under $100, offering a comprehensive account of what to expect.
Unlike engagement rings under 500 dollars, which almost invariably feature gold and diamonds, engagement rings under $100 almost invariably feature sterling silver, different versions of gold plated and bonded crystal alloys, cubic zirconia and/or some of the lower end gemstones. The first engagement ring shown above features a twisted shank in 14k white gold bonded crystal alloy, three rows of cubic zirconia side stones and a gorgeous 4.5 carat round cz center stone. The second engagement ring boasts a shank in sterling silver, with a generous row of cz side stones and a large princess cut cz center stone, to complete the design.
Cheap wedding rings under 100 dollars is a category of art and science at the same time. Maximizing value on a budget of $100 requires typically underestimated skills of balancing materials, labor and design sophistication. The first wedding ring shown above features a three-row eternity band, with baguette cut cz along the center and round cut cz stones along the two outer rows. The second wedding ring features a cross pattern shank with black and clear cz stones. As you can see, both of these wedding rings have a few design elements in common gold bonded metals, cz stones and gorgeous aesthetic qualities.
Necklaces and earrings under $100 certainly present significant design potential, with similar design characteristics as the engagement and wedding rings under $100 presented earlier. The necklace above offers a sterling silver 16.5 inch chain with a 1.5 inch extension and black onyx gemstones. The sterling silver earrings present a breathtaking tear drop design with round cut clear cz stones. Both of these pieces of jewelry can make an extraordinary gift, especially when gifted together.
As you can see, jewelry under $100 really does offer some unique opportunities. As with all other categories that we present at DT Era, jewelry under $100 is not for everyone, so know your audience and plan accordingly. We do hope that observing the designs presented here will help shape some positive outlooks with regard to the amazing design possibilities that are available on such a limited budget.
