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(Image credit: Wolf Circus)

We don't like to use dirty words here, but today we'll make an exception because we're going to talk about—gasp—cheap jewelry. You know the kind. Rings that turn your fingers green, necklaces that clank loudly against your other more subdued chains with cacophonous abandon. What we're not here to talk about, however, is why you have to spend an exorbitant amount of money on your next jewelry purchase. Instead, we're tackling the dead giveaways of a cheap bauble and how to avoid them (while still avoiding an expensive price tag).

We tapped the founder and designer of cult-favorite label Wolf Circus, Fiona Morrison, for her insights on the subject. The brand is on the cusp of launching its fine jewelry sister label Ok Fine, but the current assortment offers affordable luxury pieces for the modern woman. "Since chains are usually the first to tarnish, [I] suggest buying jewelry that uses gold filled or sterling silver chains," Morrison tells Who What Wear. "Also as gemstones can be fairly expensive, pearls are a more price-friendly alternative and are also on trend right now. Overall, investing in some quality staples like gold hoops and simple signet rings and then layering with some more costume favorites [is the best option]."

Morrison adds that investing in a jewelry polishing cloth "can work wonders because tarnishing is caused by general wear, and just like your clothes, giving it a good clean will help."

Ahead, find out what Morrison considers the top three identifying factors of cheap jewelry to be and shop our picks for affordable options that look expensive.

Giveaway 1: The band is thin and flimsy.

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(Image credit: The Style Stalker)

If you're in the market for a new ring, take time to hold the band, give it a squeeze, and ensure it doesn't feel too flimsy or thin. 

Giveaway 2: The metal looks super bright and shiny. 

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(Image credit: The Style Stalker)

This is one of the biggest giveaways but also, thankfully, one of the easiest to catch before purchasing. If the metal looks unbelievably shiny, then you might want to skip it.

Giveaway 3: It turns your skin green.

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(Image credit: The Style Stalker)

There's (almost) nothing worse than taking your ring off only to discover your finger looks like you've developed gangrene. Hard pass!

Up Next: Find out which six indie jewelry brands earn our editors the most compliments. 

Nicole Kliest
Freelance Contributor

Nicole Kliest is a freelance writer and editor based in New York City who focuses on fashion, travel, food, wine, and pretty much anything else that's amusing to write about. After graduating from Pepperdine University with a bachelor's in journalism and creative writing, she started her career back in 2010 as Who What Wear's photo editor and throughout the last decade has contributed to publications including Fashionista, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, The Zoe Report, PopSugar, Fodor's Travel, and several others. She also copywrites and has worked with clients such as Frame, Sea, 3x1, Intelligentsia, and others to develop brand voices through storytelling and creative marketing. She's very passionate about the ways we can improve our sustainability efforts in the fashion industry as well as cultivating content that's diverse and inclusive of all people. When she's not checking out the latest restaurant opening in her West Village neighborhood or riding her bicycle along the West Side Highway, she can be found scheming her next trip somewhere around the world. (Up next is Vienna.)