Costume jewelry has been around for almost 300 years, when jewelers began experimenting with inexpensive types of glass and metals. Through the decades, costume jewelry styles have evolved due to changing social and political trends, typically mirroring the accepted styles of the fine jewelry world.
In 1917, a London company called Ciro began marketing their pieces through a mail order catalogue reproduced on newsprint. Within three years, Ciro had gained enough traction in the marketplace to open a shop on Bond Street, one of the most expensive shopping districts in London. It was the Roaring Twenties, and people were just starting to embrace the automobile, moving pictures, and the radio. Ciro fit right in. The brand was affordable, eye-catching, and elegant. Ciro’s founders turned their back on the conservative culture of pre-World War I Europe. By promoting imitation pearls and clip-on earrings to the Flappers of the day, their jewelry became synonymous with the racy and forward-thinking women of the 20th Century. Ciro’s fashion jewelry became the rage in London and, soon thereafter, in Hollywood, too.
Ever since its inception, and through several changes of ownership, Ciro has maintained its tradition of targeting youth culture. Younger demographics, including Gen Z and Millennials, care less about a brand name than about trends, sustainability, and ethics. Young buyers shop for pieces they can afford. Ciro has made purchasing possible by utilizing a new material called cubic zirconia. Zirconia is nearly indistinguishable from the real diamond in clarity and brilliance and only slightly inferior to it in durability.
Equally important, young buyers are often curious about the entire supply chain leading to the product of their choice. In this context, cubic zirconia has another undeniable appeal; it is free of any sustainability and ethical concerns that sometimes characterize the mining of real diamonds. Although by definition an imitation brand, Ciro has done a superb job in blurring the line between fine and costume jewelry. Even for the aficionado of fine gems, the distinction between what is real and what is make-believe is nearly impossible to find.
Since 2010, the Ciro brand has flourished online, producing costume jewelry of fine jewelry quality. Ciro’s pieces are made from 925 sterling silver and 18 ct gold plated silver. For many of the pieces, Ciro uses nano stones, which are the best substitutes for natural color gemstones, simulating the color, brightness, and to a great extent, the hardiness of emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. Three distinct collections have emerged: The Black Tie for formal occasions; First Love for elegant evening wear; and Cocktail for a flashier, everyday style. For an in-depth look at the Ciro collection, visit cirojewelry.com.