Um, why is Swarovski so expensive?!

[WhatIfIHadnt]

Am I missing something? The 'gems' are man-made plastic/glass, so why is it £90 for a pair of earrings?!

They're crystal, aren't they?

I have earrings and necklace set, they're really pretty crystal cut glass on titanium. The quality and price match imo

I have a couple of rings and earrings. I usually get them in sale but I think they ar good value. They last well and have some interesting designs. I do think of it as a bit above costume jewellery but I dont see it as having intrinsic value for resale

You are so lucky you whom own some .

I think its beautiful personally but out of my budget

They're also rhodium coated so turn some skin green (like mine).
The crystals are really well cut.
It's all about the brand and the aftercare. Did you know if a stone come loose in a piece of jewellery and you take it back, they'll fix it for you or offer a new piece? Very good aftercare.

I’ve a few pieces of Swarovski. My earrings and necklace for my wedding day were, and I was gifted a pen from my df. I’m sure I have a few other bits in my jewellery box.
It always looks so rainbow sparkly to me.

My OH bought me a necklace set, its is dainty and absolutely beautiful. I've never loved a piece if jewelry so much. It feels and look expensive regardless if.how close you look at it. Its flawless.

Because the name Swarowski sounds really cool and expensive?

Like you OP I have no idea but it is one of the all time most successful branding exercises.

If it was just a bit of sparkly glass without the name, I don't think anyone would give it a second glance.

They got very arsey with me when a £200 ring fell apart. The assistant said that I “must have misused the ring” then said that she’d have to “ask the manager to check [my] story”. Then they kept me waiting for twenty minutes, just to be difficult, before reluctantly checking whether they had a replacement in stock.

I am in my 40s, I was smartly dressed in work clothes and a MaxMara coat, and I work in one of the professions. I wonder how they would behave towards somebody who looked poor?

Weird. I've had a ring and a bracelet lose a stone and a necklace fall apart. Over many years btw, not in the space of a week. Always been replaced

But the "crystals" are man made. It's like when they make a 'diamond' in the lab and have the cheek to call it a diamond!

And the metals are base metal covered with vermeil - it's astonishing.

Because it’s Austrian and I expect they pay decent pay. Their factory is worth visiting ( and I wasn’t a massive fan - not my style) especially with young children.

It's like when they make a 'diamond' in the lab and have the cheek to call it a diamond!

A diamond is a diamond, whether it's created in the bowels of the earth or a lab.
(Trust me, I'm a Dr ... PhD crystallographer )
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond

It's all about the brand and the aftercare. Did you know if a stone come loose in a piece of jewellery and you take it back, they'll fix it for you or offer a new piece? Very good aftercare.

That’s not true, one of the crystals fell out of a bracelet of mine and when I took it into the shop they said I’d have to pay to get it replaced.

No idea. I have always wondered just the same.

Clever marketing I suppose. But I'd never fall for it.

I've always thought it looks incredibly naff. Amazing marketing campaign clearly.

When I was little my cousin had some of the figurines and my mum would never let me get any. Honestly, I was completely obsessed with them but I never got one! My mum thought they were total tat.

I’ve never looked at the jewellery but I’m not adverse to sparkly costume stuff. It does seem a bit overpriced though.

I don't get it either. What is base metal anyway?
I've had white gold jewellery which has been rhodium plated and it's shit - the rhodium wears off and the white gold (unless it's a high quality mix) is not nice to look at. I wouldn't buy cheap white gold again. I can't see how rhodium plated, not even white gold or silver jewellery can justify that price.
The sparkly earrings are nice though and I guess you wouldn't wear away the coating in quite the same way as a ring.

I've never understood it either OP.

Like with most jewellery and clothes, you are paying for the marketing, the store locations etc.

I don't think there is anything wrong with that. People buy it because they like it. Swarovski never claimed to be a gemstone dealer.

My mum loves Swarovski jewellery so I buy her bits every now and again. I think it's rubbish quality - my poor mum has always been puzzled as to why crystals fall out etc. when the stuff is so pricey so in theory should be good quality. I do agree that the aftercare is good (well, it has been in my experience).

But . . . the crystals shouldn't fall out in the first place, should they? Certainly not with occasional wear.

It’s just pretty and sparkly and affordable isn’t it, you may not manage the diamonds but it’s within affordability for many people.

They’re also usually quite ahead in their design.

I do hope a previous poster is right thst hey pay decent wages too.

I've had a few pieces from them and have some beautiful orange fish earrings which my mother bought me when she was well. I've taken other earrings back for repair and was advised that I could pay to send them off but they couldn't be repaired as the heat of soldering would crack the crystals. It was something like £30 and non refundable.

As a student I worked for them and found it very puzzling. We were well trained in customer service but the crystal is, after all, just well cut glass. The metals are thin vermeil on base metal. No intrinsic value but a nice sparkle, not something I would want to pay their prices for. Quite a lot of jewellery came back for repair (although yes that was done nicely).
As a staff member though I balked at strict rules of high heels and a full face of slap / 8 hour lipstick. Not my cup of tea and my poor feet!