Okay, so I’ve been seeing Claire’s earrings everywhere, and I always wonder, are those things actually real gold or silver? Like, for those prices? It seems too good to be true, so I decided to do a little digging, a.k.a. a shopping spree with a purpose!
My Claire’s Earring Experiment
First, I headed to my local Claire’s. The selection was, well, overwhelming. So many sparkly things! I grabbed a few different pairs that caught my eye, making sure to get a variety:
- One pair labeled “Sterling Silver” (the slightly pricier ones).
- A pair labeled “Gold Plated”.
- And some super cheap ones that just said “Fashion Jewelry”.
Then came the “testing” phase. Now, I’m no jeweler, but I do have some experience. I mostly just look for anything suspicious.
For the “Sterling Silver” ones, I looked for a “925” stamp. I find it! This little stamp means it’s 92.5% pure silver, which is standard for sterling silver. And the price is more expensive than other earrings. So I think it is real.
Next, the “Gold Plated” pair. These were trickier. I checked it. The base metal could be anything. These felt lighter than the silver ones, and, well, the price. They are not so expensive. So, yeah, these are definitely just plated, meaning a thin layer of gold over some other metal.
Finally, the “Fashion Jewelry” earrings. Honestly, I didn’t expect much. I scratched it and see. No stamps, no markings, just… shiny metal. My guess? Probably some kind of alloy. I’m pretty sure these will turn my ears green after a few hours, but hey, they were cheap!
I wore them for a few days. The fashion jewelry ones, predictably, started to irritate my skin after a while. I got a little redness and itching. But the Sterling Silver they are find!
So, my very unscientific conclusion? Claire’s earrings are a mixed bag. If it says “Sterling Silver” and has that “925” stamp, it’s probably legit. The plated stuff is just that – plated. And the super cheap fashion jewelry? You get what you pay for. Don’t expect miracles (or real gold)!
