I understand the appeal. You want a stylish chain that looks great without breaking the bank. So, you search for "necklace for men near me," hoping to find a quick, affordable deal. I did the same thing, and it didn't go well.
I made these five major mistakes so you can avoid wasting your money or ending up with green skin. Learn from my errors, and you'll find a quality piece that lasts much longer than a couple of weeks.
I once saw a necklace advertised for just $8. My first thought was, "What a steal!" I saved $20 compared to mid-range options. That was a huge mistake and the most common pitfall when buying inexpensive jewelry online.
The $8 necklace looked fine when it arrived. After three showers, it began turning a dull brass color. Within a week, the "gold" finish had completely worn off. It was just cheap base metal with an ultra-thin layer of plating. The finish faded quickly because the underlying metal was porous and low-quality.
If a price seems too good to be true, it almost always is. Sellers cut costs by using the thinnest possible plating, which is the only thing making the chain look presentable.
While searching for a good men's necklace, I saw the term "Stainless Steel" and assumed all stainless steel was the same. It's not. Many sellers use low-grade steel that can still react with sweat and cause skin discoloration.
My cheap chain started itching after just a few days because the material irritated my skin. I hadn't bothered to check the specific grade of steel.
There's one specific grade you must look for if you want a chain that won't rust, fade, or cause irritation:
I glanced at the star rating but didn't read the actual review text. I saw 4.5 stars and clicked "Buy." I completely missed the critical warnings hidden in the three-star reviews.
Low-quality sellers often inflate their overall rating with fake five-star reviews. The real issues typically surface in the mid-range ratings (three or four stars). These are the reviews from people who liked the item's appearance but found it broke or deteriorated quickly.