The idea of beautiful jewelry can be as exquisite as the actual jewelry pieces themselves. Jewelry not only reminds us of our important relationships, it also helps memorialize those special occasions. Expanding your knowledge about jewelry can make the buying and selling experience become more rewarding.
Be careful on how you store all of your jewelry together. You can protect your jeweled investments with hooks, boxes and holders that keep each piece intact and prevent tangles. Avoid just throwing them into a box in an unorganized manner. Not only can this harm the fine and fragile pieces, but things like necklaces can get severely tangled up with other necklaces or other jewelry.
Arm yourself with a magnet and a magnifying glass when shopping for sterling silver jewelry. As a precious metal, silver should never be attracted to a magnet. You can recognize sterling silver by stamps that say ‘.925’ or ‘ster’. Be wary of pieces that lack any silver hallmarks, as this is an indication that they’re not genuine sterling silver.
Be sure to at least inquire about the insurance that is available when you buy jewelry from a reputable jeweler. If your jewelry becomes damaged, you can return it to the source and have it repaired. In some instances, you can even insure your jewelry against loss or theft.
Wear the jewelry around for a day or so to be sure that it fits right and is comfortable. It will also allow you to see if it can withstand every day wear and tear.
Consider stones when you are buying jewelry. The gemstone you choose should work with your skin tone and suit your personality. Neutral colored stones will work well with any outfit in your closet. There is no point in buying something that is not functional.
You need to learn the best ways to take care of your jewelry. The variety of stones, metals and assorted settings will determine the ways in which you care for them. A treatment that polishes one stone may scratch another stone. If you can’t find proper treatment methods, try consulting with a professional jeweler.
Costume Jewelry
You need to pay special attention when caring for costume jewelry. Many costume jewelry pieces are glued rather than set. You want to avoid using strong chemicals or immersion baths on your costume jewelry. For best results, use a warmed, damp cloth to wipe your jewelry and then use another cloth to dry it. This will keep your costume jewelry clean and shiny.
If your gemstone was treated, you should know about it before you purchase it. Different care is required for different treatments. Knowing the proper care techniques for your gemstone will prevent you from accidentally damaging it by stripping it of its protective treatment.
Untangle your knotted necklaces, even the delicate ones. It’s easy to get frustrated when trying to get the knots out of a badly tangled necklace, but try using some plastic wrap before you call it quits. Put the necklace onto a wrap, and place mineral or baby oil on it. Use small needles to untangle the necklaces. When finished, wash it with a little dishwashing liquid and pat dry.
More desirable than a big piece is the cut and clarity of the diamond. Remember to think about the personality and style of the woman you’re getting the diamond for.
A jewelry set makes an excellent present for that special someone. You can easily get a set of jewelery at a good price. Eventually you can split the set up and give someone just one piece of jewelry when a holiday comes around. You will always have presents ready for your loved ones, even if you did not plan in advance.
Bracelets and necklaces must have a good, secure clasp. You risk losing your necklace, and the expensive stones attached to it, if your clasp fails. With a more expensive piece of jewelry, it is a good idea to insist on a safety clasp. It is common to have two or three clasps for expensive jewelry.
When you set out to buy jewelry, buy a piece because you love it, not because of who makes it. You’ll probably pay too much since a jeweler will be aware that you are probably buying the name and not the piece. Besides, many “regular” people won’t even recognize the brand when you wear it. There are several high quality brands.
Unfortunately, if you are dead set on real gold jewelry, you will run into the problem of high prices. If you must have gold, save money by selecting the appropriate karat. Gold that is 18-karats is made up of at least 75$ pure gold. It is considered to be the best gold on terms of price and quality.
Statement stones like crystal or black onyx are striking and distinctive. Be kinder to your wallet and you’ll probably like the results.
You’ll have a hard time spotting any difference between synthetic gemstones and natural ones. Natural and artificial rubies and sapphires are chemically identical to their natural counterparts, but artificial stones are worth far less. If you’re going to purchase a natural sapphire piece, have it inspected by a gemologist or third-party jeweler for inclusions.
Alexandrite is an attractive stone for jewelry, but often overlooked. This stone changes color from green to purple, depending on the lighting. Alexandrite is most often used in earrings, pendants and rings.
Many people have started wearing silver jewelry and yellow gold jewelry together. In order to do this, you need to have a piece of jewelry that combines both metals. If not, it seems unstylish or mismatched.
Whether you buy, sell or simply own jewelry, you are making an investment in a commodity that is priceless – memories. Each piece of jewelry is filled with emotion. It may be the celebration of a child’s birth or the promise of a lifetime of happiness ahead, but each item will invoke a memory each time it is viewed.