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Costume jewelry has been very popular for many years. The Ancient Egyptians were known to have worn decorative bracelets and beaded necklaces. Cleopatra was probably the first woman to adorn herself in what we know today as costume jewelry.

Costume jewelry is generally known to be produced without the use of precious metals or gemstones. So you will pay a lot less for it than fine jewelry. It is often created with non-precious metals, sometimes gold or silver plated. There are various materials that are traditionally used to make beads, such as wood, amber, pottery, ceramic metals ivory and pearls. Today modern materials such as plastics, nylon and polycarbonate variants are also being used to make beads. Costume jewelry can be antique, period or contemporary.

As you may know, there are some people who cannot wear costume jewelry next to their skin. This is because of their sensitivity to the metals used. So if you are giving costume jewelry as a gift to a friend or loved one, you should make sure that they are not allergic to nickel or copper. This is especially important when it comes to pierced earrings.

To prevent tarnishing in costume jewelry, it should be cleaned on a regular basis. This is very simple to do with a mild soap and water. The jewelry should be soaked and then dried thoroughly before putting it away. You can also use anti- tarnish paper to wrap and store you jewelry for long periods of time. However, regular cleaning is the best defense against tarnishing.

Costume jewelry, unlike fine jewelry is meant to be fun rather than impressive. It should be a fashion accessory rather than an investment. Since you normally will not pay as much for costume jewelry as you would for fine jewelry, it’s alright to experiment with different colors and styles. If you become bored with it after a while, you won’t feel like you wasted a lot of money. So enjoy the freedom of expression with costume jewelry.