Thursday, February 11, 2010

BM Gift #2 - Swarovski Crystal Jewellry

My bridesmaid jewellry came in the mail yesterday!!! I had ordered them almost a month ago but due to an mailing error (not the sellers fault) it was delayed by another two weeks. On the plus side, because of the delay, the seller reimbursed me $15 which was really nice of her to do.

So - here they are!

Already packaged in a box, ready to give!


Swarovski crystal necklace and matching earrings


I was really intent on getting the girls Swarovski crystals because I think they are both beautiful and classic. My dress also has Swarovski crystals beaded along the bodice, so it ties in nicely.

When I first started my search, both on-line and in real stores, I was surprised to see that "Swarovski crystals" were available everywhere! I was always under the impression that they could only be purchased from the actual Swarovski store, but as it turns out, this was not the case - as long as you were actually buying the real thing.

Thinking about getting Swarovski, but can't tell real from fake? First you need to avoid the confusion between the name itself. Swarovski, the brand, uses crystals known as Austrian Crystal Beads. So technically it's the type of crystal you need to look out for, not the actual name Swarovski. However, there's more to it than just that. According to Your Swarovski, "there are some who try to sell the far lesser quality glass beads as Swarovski." So if you're a stickler for details, you should look out for things like weight and color. Associated Content has a good article that you may find useful. Regardless, for Budget Conscious Brides this is a great alternative to the actual Swaroski product line without paying for the name.

I have to admit that I didn't do as much research as I could have, since I was addicted to Etsy at the time of my search. I ended up going with Whitney Lynn (formerly Wynn Studios), who not only has a beautiful collection of jewellry but has great feedback from past buyers. So I guess I took a chance buying it, but I'm so happy I did!

I can't wait to see my girls open their little boxes and try them on!!

1 comment:

  1. Oh, so pretty. I love crystals like that. I actually had custom necklaces made for my girls to match their BM dresses as part of their gift. Can't wait to see them open them either :)

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