Switch co-founder Liana Kadisha Cohn on bringing the rental model to designer jewelry

Rent the Runway, but for jewelry. That was the animating idea behind Switch, the company that buys and rents out jewelry for $29 a month.

"Ultimately, jewelry is a very different product from apparel, for rental," Kadisha Cohn said on the Glossy Podcast.

"It's a perfect product for rental. You don't really feel like it's ever been worn before. We sanitize it, we polish it, we kind of bring that shine and make it feel like it's new -- and oftentimes, it is new," Kadisha Cohn said.

Switch also authenticates the jewelry in its collection, which includes thousands of styles. ("We have Chanel, Hermès, Dior, real diamonds and gold," Kadisha Cohn said, also listing Sophie Ratner, Mateo and Do Not Disturb.) Some of Switch's items are one of a kind, and none are valued under $100. Their average value is about $700, which is basically the cost of being a Switch member for two years.

"In two years, to have an endless rotation of jewelry instead of just purchasing one piece -- that, probably, after two years you'd be sick of -- is a really good value for our customers," Kadisha Cohn said.

Switch buys jewelry from the public, for either cash, membership credit or credit to be spent toward purchasing an item outright. "If you fall in love with something, you may want to end up buying that," Kadisha Cohn said.

Kadisha Cohn talked about what goes into jewelry authentication, what to make of wear and tear, and why her career leap into gems was unexpected.