A current occupational hazard is that my mother is wont to pass me certain pieces of jewellery of hers (god forbid, sometimes even of her friends) that have fallen apart. The latest example lies to the left.

Now let's look at these earrings closer. The style is clean and simple - I like. However, the technical design and quality of materials sucks stinky baboon ass. Not only are the hoops and settings constructed from what feels like lousy, lightweight metalised plastic which is rubbing off in certain areas (!!!), the loops that connect the drops to the earwires are open. Which means you can yank them apart effortlessly if so inclined. I am also 100% sure these are either glass or crystal. Likely with a mirror coating at the back.

Never mind that I fixed them in two seconds. I asked my dearest mother how much she paid for this nonsense, and she said it was $30 from some brand they carry in the department stores. I screeched in outrage because, in my humble opinion, they aren't worth more than $2. OK, maybe $4. Heck - for $30, I think I can get at least 5 different pairs of earrings from a streetside pushcart.

And today, I saw a comment that saddened me: someone (a Singaporean) let on to a friend that although one of the pairs of Vintaj brass earrings they purchased from me was their favourite, they felt I run an "expensive online shop". Riiiight... materials aren't cheap y'know, even at wholesale rates.

Add in the fact that some people, as I mentioned in my previous post, get away so damn successfully with even more obscene prices for their shoddy craftsmanship, and you end up with an extremely disgruntled and disillusioned me.

I don't know how many times I need to remind people that (a) I use only quality materials; (b) you do not pay any useless middlemen so costs are as low as humanly possible; (c) most of my designs are limited. But I guess a large portion of local consumers are already used to and therefore constantly looking for disposability a.k.a. cheap temporary shit. Quantity > quality.

My mother included.

P.S. I don't like to get accessories for my mum because her style is totally different from mine. She likes colourful, gaudy, glittery things. When I give her costlier but classic pieces (not even made by myself), she doesn't even wear them as often. BAH.