My Guide to Beautiful Bling on a Budget

During this pandemic, I’m sure that we are all logging more screen time. There are so many choices between home workout videos on YouTube and all the binge worthy shows on Netflix. For those of us who have champagne taste on a beer budget, finding quality jewelry for an affordable price is daunting. One thing that I took it upon myself to do was to find beautiful jewelry that looks high-end but won’t hit you in the wallet quite as hard. So if you want to pull a “Talented Mr. Ripley” but the jewelry version, here are some of my favorite picks.

Pave Eye Sweet Leaf Crown Inlay Necklace – Jacquie Aiche

I really like this necklace. The eye reminds me of the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, which were prominently displayed on a billboard in Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby.” Many people analyzed the work and thought maybe the eyes symbolized the eyes of God, overlooking the valley of ashes.

I can’t tell you Jacquie Aiche’s exact intent was when she was crafting this necklace but I love the pave white diamond detail and I love the metal choice of yellow gold. Also it’s pretty quirky that the eye looks pretty serene and it’s bordered with marijuana leaves. Sans the leaves, you can get a necklace that is pretty similar for thousands less. Jacquie Aiche’s necklace is priced at $6750 but this Evil Eye Necklace is only $30.

Evil Eye Necklace – BlissBelleDesigns

This necklace is being sold for over $6500 less than the original Jacquie Aiche piece. The evil eye necklace can be purchased with a 16, 18, or 20 inch chain. All of the metal hardware (chain included) are 14k gold filled. For just $30, this necklace is extremely reasonably priced. It will add a mysterious vibe to your otufit without you wondering how all of your money went mysteriously missing.

Star Duster Earrings – Colette

What I love about these earrings is the color scheme, the silver and the black together. (If you want this particular pair, you have to select “Multi-Colored Gold.”) These earrings are set with 3 carats worth of conflict-free black and white diamonds. 

I’ve always really liked things that look a bit sci-fi and futuristic, so these earrings really caught my eye. They actually reminded me of an old Disney movie, “Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century.” I remember in that movie the characters were living on some spaceship and had these gray metallic outfits. So that same gray and “living in the galaxy” sort of vibe is what I got from these earrings. They’re actually from Colette’s signature Galaxia collection. They’re priced at $22,500, which is a year’s tuition at some universities and the cost of a decent car. However, I found a pair that I think really echo the color scheme and the same extraterrestrial energy and they cost phenomenally less.

Tickle II Long Earrings – Karolina Bik

The Tickle II Long Earrings are a beautiful alternative to the Star Duster Earrings. And I think they would be just as fitting on the ears of a heroine in a sci-fi movie. You get the same gray and black tones and the same dangle style that will allow for movement. (In order to get this exact color scheme you have to select “top:silver/bottom:black” in the dropdown menu.) These affordable earrings are priced at a cool $100 and will leave you with your college tuition money still in your account.

Would you wear these jewelry dupes? Do you like these wallet-friendly alternatives better than the originals? Let me know in the comments below!