15 June 2026·5 min read
Demi-Fine Jewellery Explained: Between Costume and Fine
Between throwaway costume jewellery and solid-gold fine jewellery sits a category built for real, repeated wear at a price that is not an event. That is demi-fine.
The three categories
Costume jewellery uses base metals with a thin flash of colour and glued stones. It is made to last a season and priced accordingly.
Fine jewellery is solid precious metal with natural or lab-grown precious stones, and is priced as a store of value as much as an object.
Demi-fine sits between them: a hypoallergenic base with a substantial gold or rhodium coating, hand-set stones in real prongs or bezels, and construction detail borrowed from fine jewellery.
What to check before buying
Are the stones set or glued? Prongs, bezels and channels are set. Glue is the single clearest sign of costume construction.
Is the finish sealed? An anti-tarnish seal over the gold layer is what stops sweat reaching the base metal, and it is the difference between two years and two months.
Are the chain links soldered? Pressed links open. Soldered links do not. On a fine chain this is the failure point every time.
Why we build the way we do
Naira Petite is made at our atelier. Every zircone is hand-set and levelled, every chain link soldered, and every surface sealed against tarnish before it is boxed.
Making to order rather than to inventory is what lets us spend the time on the setting rather than the volume.
Frequently asked
- Is demi-fine jewellery worth buying?
- If you want pieces you can wear daily without worrying about them, yes. You get set stones, sealed finishes and proper construction at a fraction of solid-gold pricing.
- How long does demi-fine jewellery last?
- A well-made, sealed piece kept away from perfume and chlorine holds its finish through years of regular wear. Costume jewellery at the same care level lasts months.
