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How To Determine Cost Per Wear

Jewelry Cost-Per-Wear: Splurge the Right Way!

When purchasing jewelry, many people don’t think about the cost-per-wear. While it’s always nice to splurge on the latest looks and styles, a thoughtful approach to your jewelry purchase will ensure you get the most from your jewelry investment.

CPW = Cost Per Wear

What is Cost-Per-Wear?

Simply put, the cost-per-wear (or CPW) of your jewelry is the purchase price divided by the number of times the item is worn.

For instance, if you purchase a pair of $1000 diamond hoops and wear them twice, your CPW is $500 ($1000 ÷ 2 = $500). However, if you take those same $1000 hoops and wear them an average of twice per week, you have an investment that really pays off in terms of CPW - $1000 ÷ 104 = $9.62. Wear them even more, and the CPW goes down even further!

Buy Better to Get the Best CPW

When purchasing jewelry, there are many things you can do to ensure you get the very best cost-per-wear from your items.

Purchase classic styles Invest in timeless pieces like diamond solitaire pendants and earrings, diamond tennis bracelets and durable link chains. These jewelry styles rarely – if ever - go out of style and you can stack and layer trend and even costume pieces for extended wear.

Choose a diamond solitaire engagement ring Diamonds have long been investments in style – and investments in the future. When purchasing a diamond solitaire, always get the best quality diamond you can afford – even if it’s smaller in carat weight. In the future, when you are looking to upgrade, you can trade in your diamond solitaire and receive credit for its full purchase price toward a new diamond when you use Zales Diamond Trade-In program.

Invest in karat gold Karat gold is not only great looking, but also a good investment! When looking for karat gold to wear, choose classic pieces like rope chain, curb chain and other chains and jewelry items created with a higher gold karat weight. All karat gold is a mixture of gold and alloy metals, however 14K and 18K contain more actual gold and tend to be the best value for your money. Learn more about gold karat weights here.

Take advantage of sales and promotions Jewelry, especially gold, diamonds, and gemstones, can be expensive. Take advantage of sales and promotions to purchase styles you love and lower your cost per wear.

Finally, What is Considered a ‘Good’ Cost -Per-Wear?

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to deciding on a ‘good’ cost-per-wear. It’s up to the individual purchaser and wearer. Just remember, if you make thoughtful investments in quality jewelry, and you wear it often, your cost-per-wear can net out to pennies – or even pay for itself!

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