Shiny-Baubles.com

Below are sites that have passed my inspection for quality of products, reasonableness of price, ease of use and, of course, good customer service. This list will be updated as much as possible.

Amazon - Amazingly massive website which sells everything you could possibly want. Their jewelry store is almost overwhelming however, if you utilize the search function (be sure to put your phrase in quotation marks, e.g. "river pearl") you can greatly narrow down the field. The bonus to Amazon is the wish list function. You can add items to your wish list and either buy them later or let others see your wish list so they can buy the items for you.

Bag, Borrow or Steal - One of the most fun sites to window shop. The premise is for a small monthly fee you become a member of the site. Once you're a member, you can rent various accessories such as jewelry, purses, etc. Each item has a varying rate of rental depending on how expensive it is. Surprisingly, some of the items don't cost that much to rent so if you have a special occasion and you want to bring the bling, this is a great way to borrow the high end jewelry. Of course, you have to send it back at the end of your rental period but hey, even Cinderella didn't get to keep the dress and coach. :)

Bidz - This site is similar to eBay in that you can bid on items actively or passively. It's free to sign up and easy to use. I've bought several items from Bidz and loved all of them. However one of the pair of earrings I bought mysteriously disappeared and reappeared in my mother's jewelry box. I can't imagine how that happened.....

eBay - I don't want to exaggerate and say I worship at the alter of eBay however, after all the pieces I've bought from that site, I could honestly say eBay and I are dating. Seriously dating. I've even introduced him to my parents. :) (make sure you use the search function and the quotation marks otherwise you could be wandering around that site for weeks before the search and rescue team finds you.)

eMitations - This site is chockful of great cubic zirconia jewelry and a lot of it is identical, or at least very similar, to jewelry you see on celebrities (both on the red carpet and casual outings when they are being stalked by paparrazi)

Eve's Addiction - Another great cubic zirconia site. I've only had one disappointment (the Britney Spears replica ring....I know, I know....Britnety Spears??? Don't judge me. It looked cute in the photo.) and EA processed my return promptly with no questions asked. Other than that, I've loved all the items I've bought from them.

Fantasy Jewelry Box - Not only is this what I call my own jewelry box, I love this site. It's another cubic zirconia site and it has pieces that are not only shiny and pretty, some of them look like high end jewelry. I'm just amazed how sparkly their CZs are.

The Hollywood Collection - This site combines two of my favorite interests: Old Hollywood glamour and jewelry. They offer reproductions of jewelry worn by your favorite Golden Age actresses (both in movies and in publicity appearances). The Ingrid Bergman Casablanca Rose-Cut Diamond (a soft pink stone that stays a true pink regardless of what lighting you're in) is one of my faves. Even men comment on how pretty it is. However, the one I wear most often is Jean Harlow's Sex Symbol (lame name but a beautiful "emerald" ring which works with fancy or casual occasions).

HSN - I haven't ordered from here however, a couple of my friends have and I love the pieces they bought. Hence it's inclusion here. This is another site that has an enormous amount of jewelry to gawk at. Bring a snack and a soda before you start on this one. :)

Inspired Silver - More cubic zirconias and another site that showcases celeb look-a-likes, jewelry wise.

Jewelry Television - Huge. Wide variety. One of my all time favorite sites to buy jewelry.

Novica - From the minds of National Geographic comes Novica. Not only is the jewelry diverse, it's well made. Just like the mag. :)

Sam Moon Trading Co. - This site is vast and most of it is dirt cheap. In fact, you'll have to wade through some junk to get to the good stuff however, it's worth the effort. Also, if you live in Austin, Houston or Dallas, you can visit the brick and mortar stores.

Sundance Catalog - This multipurpose website/catalog is in my jewelry Hall of Fame. Not only do I want every single piece of jewelry they have, I want to buy an extra piece of everything just to use as loaners for friends and family. Their prices range from "I can't believe that's so cheap" to "Are you kidding me with this???" However, you can find plenty of items that are reasonable so don't overlook this one. Bonus: if you're a beader, you can use this as inspiration for creating your own jewelry.

Tibet Shining - Stunningly beautiful gemstone jewelry. I have several pieces from TS and they never fail to get compliments. The pieces here are bold and colorful, definitely not for the faint of heart.

Trader Lou - This is a recent discovery of mine. They used to be Gilbert and Frech (or are related to them. What am I... the human Googler???) and I've bought from G&F for years so I gave TL a try. Loved them! I bought a pair of pearl earrings that are thisclose to being identical to a pair Sundance has but I paid a fraction of the cost. Also, they have freakishly fast shipping.

Treasured Finds - Wonderful selection of beaded and Celtic/Renaissance-ish style jewelry. I've been a customer of their's for over 7 years. Love the selection and love the customer service.

Ziamond - This is by far the priciest site listed here however, it's a fantastic source of the highest quality cubic zirconias you can buy. And compared to real diamonds, the jewelry of Ziamond is still a bargain. Plus, everything is so gorgeous, it's great cyber window shopping.

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Bonus links (I swear by the following sites!) :

Fragrance: I use Fragrancenet to supply my perfume addiction.

Skincare: Paulas's Choice skincare is simply the finest skincare. I've tried everything and her skincare is amazing.

Vitamins/supplements: Vitacost is the site I turn to time and again for my vitamins, supplements and protein powder. Not only do they have everything you could possibly want, your order (regular shipping) is only $5.00 regardless of how much you buy.