First time: the piece looked right for about a month. Then your neck went green, the shine rubbed off at the clasp, and the "silver" turned out to be brass wearing a coat of paint. You paid for a look. You got a rental.
So you went the other way. The real stuff. And everything real was either cold as a showroom case, dressed for a costume party, or so loud it was wearing you instead of the other way around. Jewelry that performs an identity. Not one that carries yours.
And none of it came from where you come from. Not the block. Not the family table. Not the 2 a.m. train home after you closed the deal or closed the bar. It came from a mood board, a marketing meeting, a warehouse.
You can tell authentic from performance in half a second. So why is it so hard to find the real thing?