Cheap jewelry usually doesn’t “fail” in a dramatic way. It fails quietly.
You wear it a few times, it looks fine in photos… and then real life happens: your hands touch water, you sweat at the gym, you spray perfume, you wash dishes, you throw your ring into a bag with keys. A month later the shine looks tired. Then a scratch shows a different color underneath. Then you start taking it off more than you wear it. And at some point you realize you didn’t buy jewelry, you bought a temporary accessory.
Here at VarVar, we get the same question regularly: “Why is this more expensive than what I see on AliExpress?” And it’s a fair question. If you’re comparing a shiny “silver-looking” ring from China to a handcrafted piece from a small workshop, the price gap can feel aggressive.
But that comparison is exactly where the truth is: fake jewelry vs real isn’t about style. It’s about what the piece is made of, how it behaves after 50 wears, and whether it can still look good in 5 years.
What authentic silver actually means
925 silver means 92.5% pure silver mixed with small amounts of other metals for strength - because pure silver is too soft for most daily-wear jewelry. In standards language, silver fineness is expressed in parts per thousand, and “925” is the most common sterling mark you’ll see stamped inside rings or on clasps.
What to look for (fast):
- Material shown clearly on the product page (e.g., 925 silver / sterling silver).
- A 925 stamp on the item (when applicable).
- Authentic silver jewelry = solid sterling (925), not “silver color.”
Just take a look at one of our videos on the manufacturing process and pay attention to how we work with silver:
So, what does “cheap imitation” of silver-like jewelry mean?
- Silver-plated: a thin layer of silver over base metal. Once that surface wears through, you’re wearing the base metal, and the look can’t be restored.
- Stainless steel marketed as “silver color”: durable, but it’s not silver, doesn’t age like silver, and can’t be treated like an heirloom metal.
- Mystery alloys: common in ultra-cheap jewelry; more likely to discolor quickly and irritate sensitive skin.
This is the core of fake jewelry vs real: real sterling is a solid precious-metal alloy; imitations rely on surface coatings or unknown mixes.
The real difference between silver vs imitations
Sterling silver:
- 925 silver tends to feel more substantial and balanced than thin-plated pieces.
- Temperature - silver warms quickly against skin and feels “natural” to wear.
- Develops tarnish/patina over time (a surface reaction).
- Pay attention that the tarnish can be removed by polishing, so you can restore shine when you want it.
- 925 silver can usually be cleaned and polished, repaired (soldered), resized on many ring styles and even refinished after years of wear
Cheap metal:
- With cheap metals, you may feel discomfort on the skin depending on sensitivity and metal mix.
- Scratches expose base metal.
- Polishing can damage or remove thin silver plating entirely, accelerating the “ruined” look.
Cheap alloy pieces aren’t worth repairing, may not tolerate heat/soldering cleanly, and can’t be “fixed” once plating is gone.
Best 925 Silver Picks from VarVar Jewelry
Here in VarVar, we stand for quality and use only real sterling silver for our pieces. So, here are some of the best-selling items that have a 925 silver option (authentic silver jewelry, not “silver color”):
1. 925 Silver Oxygen Bubbles Ring
A polished ring with a “bubble” structure (rounded domes and open circular elements) plus a small clear stone accent. It reads modern, clean, and sculptural - easy to wear daily, not costume.
With authentic silver jewelry, even if the surface gets micro-scratches from normal wear, the material underneath is still sterling silver.
2. Necklace “Gjallarhorn”
A Viking-inspired pendant necklace based on Gjallarhorn, the horn of Heimdall in Norse mythology, said to sound at the dawn of Ragnarök. The design includes an ornament inspired by carvings from the Oseberg ship (Viking Age, circa 834 AD, Norway), with symbolism built around strength, renewal, and the cycle of endings and beginnings. It is available in 925 silver and multiple precious-metal options (gold/platinum).
Handmade and designed in Ukraine by VarVar.
3. Necklace “Aska Face”
A pendant necklace inspired by a 10th-century filigree face artifact found in Aska, Sweden. The original was discovered in a Viking woman’s grave and associated with status and protection. VarVar reimagines the artifact by combining it with references to Thor’s Hammer, Gungnir, and runes, and adds natural jasper (noted as a stone Vikings used for sharpening blades). Available in 925 silver (and also gold/platinum variants). Handmade, “100% handcrafted,” and designed by VarVar.
4. Huge Thor's Hammer Pendant Sterling Silver Mjolnir with Ornaments from Mammen Village
A large Mjolnir (Thor’s Hammer) pendant with ornamental detailing inspired by Mammen Village motifs (as stated in the product title). Offered in 925 silver and also available in multiple precious-metal variants (10k/14k/18k gold options + 950 platinum on the product page).
Customer feedback highlights it as “big & chunky” with “superb quality,” and also calls out “amazing craftsmanship.”
Conclusion
If you’ve ever felt annoyed that “cheap” jewelry keeps turning into a drawer of disappointments, you’re not imagining it. Most low-cost pieces aren’t designed to live a real life. They’re designed to look good for a moment.
Authentic silver jewelry is different because it’s honest. 925 silver isn’t a surface effect - it’s the material. That’s why it can be worn daily, cleaned, restored, repaired, and kept in your rotation for years. It can pick up tiny marks, darken slightly, and still come back bright with a simple polish. That’s not “wearing out.” That’s aging like a real metal should.
And that’s exactly why we at VarVar price our work differently from AliExpress-type jewelry. You’re paying for genuine materials, real craftsmanship, and a piece you don’t need to replace every season.
If you want to buy once and wear for years, start with one strong 925 piece: a ring you never take off, or a pendant that actually means something to you. That’s how jewelry stops being an accessory and becomes part of your story.
