I had no 'real' jewellery as a child apart from a christening bracelet but I never wore it in case it got lost. It's only recently that I have bought a couple of pieces all the rest is costume x

I grew up on both - although I was always super nervous when I wore my "real" stuff. Now I like to change my look up so much that I wear mostly costume, although I still have a few "real" pieces to wear on special occasions. As long as you take care of your costume jewelry it should last a pretty good while. I usually tell my customers to make sure to keep it away from makeup, cosmetics, hairspray, and always take it off before washing your hands, or getting in the shower. Being in the bathroom with steam is also really bad for costume jewelry. If you really want it to last a while, you can store it in a plastic bag as well.
http://www.designsbymandiboutique.com

I don't know if this is considered real jewelry, but I always give sterling silver baby bracelets as gifts to baby girls.

I grew up on real handcrafted jewelry, as I went to the oldest craft fair in the nation every year, and knew all of the artisans personally. I had quite a collection of sterling silver rings with inset semi-precious stones, as well as sterling silver bracelets and necklaces that my parents would buy for me or I would buy for myself. My eldest daughter (4 1/2) already has a sterling silver cross, and a handmade heartshaped pendant (from the fair - going is a 40+ year family tradition). Then again, she also has started her collection of pottery, and picked out her first watercolor this year, so she may not exactly be typical. lol

I consider real jewelry to be fine jewelery, real yellow and white gold, not plated, solid sterling and all silver, not silver plated . Real gemstones either precious or semi precious. and real pearls.

No need to split hairs, and be confused... there is a distinct difference between fine jewelry and costume.

I received some fine jewelry at about 12 . during the holidays I got some gold earrings and a matching necklace and ring in my birthstone. I still have 1 earring and the ring. I save for sentimental value:)

also fine jewelry lasts many generations, and is more often considered heirloom. Whereas costume is FAR less expensive and tends to tarnish, break easily, cause skin irritation and allergies(usually nickle) as in my case. and tends to be quite trendy.

What Taylor said. I don't think there is any reason to feel hurt or offended. I can't think of a better way to distinguish real jewelry from costume, which is a necessary distinction.

If you took me into Tiffany's and asked me to pick something, I'd have a very hard time. I'd much rather head over to Anthropologie or the Alexis Bittar showroom.

I'd really propose 3 categories of jewelry: Real, fake, and costume. Real is the real deal, as Taylor mentioned. Fake is "real look" jewelry. Costume is everything else. It's not trying to appear real. Artisanal jewlery and naturally occuring elements that aren't gemstones or metals would fall into this category.

I do think it is cultural. I had several gold pieces as a child. My mother still has her tiny hops with a gold bead. I had my baby girl's ears pierced at 6 months and she already has several pieces from her relatives. She always wears her pearl earrings and her ID bracelet. Even my son has a chain with a cross and will be getting an ID bracelet for his first birthday, which will probably never come off. I also like the idea that I'm instilling the notion of buying quality and having it for life. Everywhere I go, people always comment positively on my daughter's earrings and bracelet, but I really don't see many other children wearing jewelry.

I agree Maya, Artisan jewelry should have it's own catagory.
Things made of wood, stone, wire, and all sorts of beads and glass, horsehair, leather etc.

Oh, also remembered I had a pearl necklace from my grandmother as a child. It started out as a single pearl, and every year my parents would send it back to my grandmother, who would have a jeweler add a pearl to the necklance.

ETA: I thought costume jewelry was paste jewelry (aka fake jewelry)...I would never consider artisinal jewlery as costume jewlery. It's not pretending to be something other than it is (i.e.braided leather cuffs, ethnic pieces, etc).

ETA #2: The Fair that I mentioned mostly shows "fine jewelry," all juried.

The term "artisnal" jewelry seems like a great idea, especially if distinctions need to be made. Costume and fine jewelry, as Taylor and MMP point out, refer to very specific types. Tell a jewelry artist who fabricates using precious metal and sets nontraditional material that they are costume jewelers and you will have made someone VERY unhappy. So even if you categorize it as such in your head -don't say it to the artist-!

Just so everyone knows, I'm not getting emotive here! Just talkin'!

I had a small pearl necklace as a child that was worn on Sunday's and special occasions. The elementary girls I teach are more interested in movie/TV personalities and young rock stars and show it in their choice of costume jewelry. Little ones want to look like a princess, older ones like a girl rocker. Both looks involve lots of bling. Girls get to pick out their own jewelry more than in the past. They do cherish a real gold cross pendant for First Communion.

Well, ask any jewler what they consider to be fine jewlery and i don't think leather , horsehair, wire and glass beads will ever be considered. Not that is isn't FAB or artistic.

Fine jewelery isn't a made up term...There is an actual distintion. These are RARE and difficult to mine stones, and many come from only certain parts of the world...let's not get into the diamond debate here though. And look at the price of gold and silver now:0

I own LOTS of fine jewelry and have been gaining a fair amount of costume for fun...but costume... a statement necklace won't be popular in 2 yrs. time, but i always mix the reasl stuff up with it all year after year.

I am not debating the artistic aspect of jewelry making...just the difference between real or fine jewlery and other.

What Taylor said.

I would think most jewelry makers would not only understand but agree with the difference between fine jewelry and costume jewelry. I would also not refer to a jeweler as being one or the other in the first place. A jeweler is a jeweler. Fine, costume, it doesn't really matter.

I don't think there is anything wrong with fake jewelry either. Not everyone can afford real diamonds and not everyone wants to.

Jewelry has so many different functions. Sometimes it is an investment, an heirloom, keepsake, etc. Other times it's purely decorative. There is nothing wrong with either. I do not find the term costume jewelry to be offensive. In fact it's my preference. If some jewelers think costume is beneath them, that's fine. They are not the kind of jewelers I would go to anyway.

Exactly Maya ")

My little girl loves to wear her necklaces and bracelets. Fake, real imaginary.. it's all good. However, I don't even wear my wedding rings these days- LOL! Thinking my students wouldn't notice, well they did! I've been questioned a few times now why I'm a Mrs with no rings!! LOL. Working in a laboratories and in food production got me in the habit of not wearing them. Now I love wearing jewelery, but I have to be careful. As a breastfeeding mum, my son pulls at my necklaces when feeding him and is at an age where he can get distracted by them. Scarfs are better and give a little coverage when feeding. My daughter just screams at me to let her wear them... I do give in and now she proudly wears the necklace my husband gave me on one of our anniversaries, which makes her feel pretty :). She is very careful with it. Unlike the costume stuff... she just broke her string of plastic pearl like beads today I added the beads to the rest of the broken necklaces, I almost have a full jar now. Touch wood she remains careful with my necklace.

I agree that the jewelry-on-little-girls is definitely a cultural thing. I grew up in the same WASP land that Mac (and I imagine Michelle) did, and little girls almost never had their ears pierced. And if someone did, it was like that scene in Friends when Rachel's sister pierces Emma's ears- oh, the horror and judgement! It was something that you begged your parents to let you do, and they likely relented around 11 or 12.

That said, my sister and I did have "real" jewelry. My Mum kept little jewelry boxes in her room for each of us, with a few fine pieces each, most of which were Christening gifts. I remember that we each had a coral necklace, some gold ones, and I had a gold bracelet (that I still occasionally wear) too. We kept our costume/fun stuff in our rooms but Mum was keeper of the nice stuff- which we only wore on special occasions.

I think I'm a rare young person in that I actually like fine jewelry- well, some of it. I like bolder costume pieces as well, but my jewelry wardrobe wouldn't be complete without my pearl studs, gold nugget earrings or emerald ring.

here we still see that a lot, baby girls always wear small gold earrings, but it's cultural.. although I never pierced my daughter and she doesn't like to wear jewelery

Thanks for your responses, ladies. It's been an eye opener.

I also really enjoyed the different perspectives on what is real, fake and artisan jewelry. It's been clear in my head, but it was great to see it debated too. Taylor, you explained this well and that's how I know the differences too - but I would not have been as articulate as you :0)

Ele, I grew up in that WASP environment too and never saw anyone with pierced ears, children or adults, until at least my teens. It must be cultural. My parents were horrified when I had my ears pierced at about age 32 (just one hole per ear). I don't think they ever stopped commenting on it. I think they connected ear piercing with low lifes. My mom wore clip-ons and often complained about them pinching. I couldn't convince her that pierced ear-ring wearing was so much more comfortable.

Joy - you and I clearly shared the same parents : )

I had "real" jewelry as a child - I wore a ring when I was tiny (with a piece of yarn tied to both it and my wrist to keep it from getting lost or swallowed) and I know I had bracelets and necklaces, too (although most of them didn't get worn for long - they were all gold and it turns out I'm allergic). My daughter, on the other hand (she's 2), has a couple of things (a nice gold cross, a sterling cross, a sterling bracelet and a couple of beautiful silver rings that my sister made her that were always too small) but I don't put them on her, more out of fear of her getting hurt than out of losing them. I just don't like things around little kids' necks and I like rings even less (my FIL lost a finger by getting his ring caught on something). So, the princess has some costume jewelry in her dress-up box, but it doesn't leave the house and she can't wear it if she's running or helping around the house at all.