It might seem like cheap hip hop jewelry is a contradiction but it really should come at no surprise that there are plenty of regular people that spend a small fortune to amass a huge collection. Fashion hip hop jewelry is usually exaggerated masterpieces created with inexpensive materials that won’t cost thousands. They are typically called reproductions, but there are many out there that are very convincing. They have the weight and luster of the real thing. The selection of metal is the first decision when designing hip hop jewelry.

If inexpensive is what you are going for, sterling silver is a good metal to start with. It can be rhodium plated to give it a pure white appearance. White gold is processed in a way that is similar to take away the yellow from its appearance that creates a gleaming white shine. Sterling silver simply lacks the value of karats when it goes through this process. This can also be done by coating sterling silver with gold to create vermeil. The layer of gold may only be a few microns thick but it still has a lustrous gleam that makes it look real. Other base metals such as stainless steel and pewter can be polished to make them appear close to the real deal. The next decision in creating hip hop jewelry is what gives it it’s bling, the choice of gemstone can be pivitol.

One of the best stones to use to create cheap hip hop jewelry is the cubic zirconia. It is a man made stone that looks like diamonds. The CZ has been produced since 1976. It is one of the best crystal choices when looking for the diamond look without the price. The crystals are pure white in color and almost flawless, making CZ a great substitute. There are many levels of quality, so it really does depend on how much you want to spend. There are a few ways these stones can be set into the jewelry, this is the next decision that must be made.

It would not really make a lot of since to pay someone to set these stones the way that one would typically set diamonds. This can be very labor intensive and that would easily raise the price. When the goal is to create something that has a low total price, having the stones glued in place instead of placed into prongs seats is better. This type of work can be done in places ike China to keep the price low.

So if you are wanting the bling bling of hip hop jewelry without the price of the genuine thing, it is possible to have a collection that won’t break the bank by employing these techniques. Using sterling silver instead of white gold, Czs instead of diamonds and not setting them into prongs is the way to go and still get something that may still fool everyone. This way we can all look like a rap star without the sacrifice.