Switch is a jewelry subscription that lets you rent designer jewelry starting at $29 a month. You can wear the pieces for as long as you like, or switch them out for new piece(s) whenever you want. Shipping is always free. The jewelry, which includes pieces by Hermes, Alexander McQueen, and Celine, among others, averages $500, and includes necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Jewelry is cleaned between wearers.
I have always admired fun statement jewelry on other women, but I can never bring myself to commit to a piece. Who wants to spend $500 on a piece of jewelry that you may wear only a few times before it goes out of fashion? But who wouldn’t like having an amazing new piece whenever you go out? Not being an heiress or a tech entrepreneur, and having a firm frugality-is-golden Midwestern upbringing, I figured this kind of jewelry was out of reach for me. Enter Switch, which lets you have fun without the commitment. It’s like internet dating for jewelry!
Sign-up is simple. You look through the collection and pick the pieces you like. The website makes it easy to know which pieces are available. So, just like you’re shopping, you pick what you want, put them in your closet, and check out. Shipping is free both ways. Wear it as long as you like, and send it back when you’re ready for something new. I have the Black plan, which allows me to have three pieces at any one time for $69 a month.
Switch recently redesigned its packaging, and it’s all new and Switch-branded. Don’t forget to save that black shipping envelope, though — you’ll need it to send the jewelry back.
DEAL: Get half off your first month on any plan. Use coupon code HELLOHALF.
Switch is always changing up its inventory, so there’s always something new and fun to select. This month, I went all-earrings. I got the Odette Pearl Klint Earrings ($165 retail value), the Switch Brand Simple Huggie Earrings in 18K Gold ($500 retail value), and the Oscar De La Renta Short Silk Tassel Clip-on Earrings ($390 retail value).
First up were the Odette Pearl Klint Earrings ($165 retail value).
One thing that’s great about Switch is that they are always bringing in new designers’ pieces. Odette NY’s jewelry is handcrafted in-studio and has a terrific organic feel. These earrings, made from bronze hand-cast from wax molds, are about 2 1/2 inches long. The freshwater pearl at the end is about 5 mm.
I absolutely adore these earrings. I love the way the pearl is gently held at the bottom of the earring, like a raindrop about to fall from a twig. These are somewhat delicate, so care is required, and I’m not wild about the inexplicably long hook, but generally you’re not going to be wearing 2 1/2″ statement earrings to the office, right? I wore them with a simple black cocktail dress to a party, and they were stunning. If I wanted to purchase them, I would receive a member discount and could buy right from my closet on the Switch website.
Next up are the Switch Brand Simple Huggie Earrings in 18K Gold ($500 retail value).
Switch has a line of its own fine-material jewelry. These 18K gold earrings have three teeny diamond chips each (.02TCW). They are true “huggie” earrings at .9cm in diameter. They just reach around the edge of your earlobe. (If your piercing is up particularly high, these might not work for you).
These are lovely, classic earrings. They would look great at the office, of course, or in your second hole if you have multiple piercings. The diamond chips are sparkly and the bright yellow tone of the 18K gold will suit most skin tones. Have a job interview and can’t drop $$$ on the real thing but want to project that look? In the boardroom and want to look put-together but not flashy? Have to attend Grandma’s 90th birthday party/your cousin’s bat mitzvah/a Sunday baby shower? You really can’t go wrong with these elegant hoops.
Last up are the Oscar De La Renta Short Silk Tassel Clip-on Earrings ($390 retail value).
You’d think tassels would be over by now, but you would be wrong. 2018 is still the year of the curtain-inspired jewelry. But, surely, SURELY, this trend is going to be over soon. So, do you really want to drop hundreds of dollars on flippy fabric that is sure to expire before you get your money’s worth out of them? No, you do not. Get them from Switch, wear them to bunko, and send them back.
You can see the Oscar de la Renta logo on the edge. These light green silk clip-on earrings are about 3″ long. They have a fun bluish/greenish glass crystal at the top. And, let’s be honest, these are super fun to swing around your head. Be the tapestry you want to see in the world.
And that was our month! It was fun to get a mix of earring styles, from so-proper-the-queen-could-wear-it to bleeding edge tassel-trendy. I sent everything back for a new shipment, but if I had fallen in love with anything, I could have purchased it at a discounted price. Also, every month, I get $10 toward a future purchase. I definitely have my eye on a few things.
Overall, Switch is a really fun experience. I really like the variety of pieces available. I love the idea that I can go “shopping” for new jewelry anytime I want. Given the retail prices of the pieces (over $1000 total in this shipment!), the $29-69/month is very reasonable value. With that money, I can either buy a new piece of jewelry every 1-2 years, or I can have a new piece whenever I want. For this kind of statement jewelry that may have a shelf life of your interest or that of the fashion world’s, the economics really do weigh in favor of renting. I can’t wait to get my next Switch!
Have you tried Switch? Which piece is next in your queue? Let us know in the comments below!
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