Jewelry has been popular for thousands of years and there are literally millions of designs to choose from. Here’s where you can start learning about jewelry and start choosing pieces that you’ll enjoy for a long time to come.
Don’t clean your jewelry in harsh household chemicals like ammonia, bleach or turpentine. Doing so can damage the shine and luster of the stones on your favorite pieces.
The metals in jewelry can tarnish if exposed to humid air, so you will want to store them in a way that protects them. It’s best to store it in a closed box, like a jewelry box, or a drawstring bag. Certain metals begin to tarnish when exposed to humidity. Precious metals, through some work and polish, can be restored to their original condition. Non-precious metals are coated, which means that polishing will allow copper metal to come through.
If you are shopping unmarked sterling silver jewelry, then by all means bring a magnet. Imitations will be attracted to your magnet. This is an easy way to recognize quality. True sterling silver will also have a mark on it to indicate its quality, such as “0.925” or “ster”. If the piece you’re inspecting doesn’t carry such a mark, be careful, as it is likely a fake.
Synthetic Gems
Before you buy any new jewelry, you should look around for the latest trends. The one thing that makes a great purchase an outstanding one is getting a bargain on it.
Know the type of gem you’re buying, when you buy it. You have three options as far as the type of gem: natural, imitation and synthetic. Natural gems and synthetic gems are real gemstones, whereas imitation is just an item of plastic with gemstone colors. Synthetic gems come from a lab and natural ones are found in the ground.
Ask about insurance from your jeweler before purchasing a new piece. Insurance policies allow you to bring a defective or broken piece into the jewelry store for repair. You should also think about getting additional insurance in cause of theft or loss.
Observe them and see what jewelry pieces the happen to be wearing, such as necklaces, earrings, or rings. Also take note of any metals or stones they seem to prefer. This information will allow you to purchase that special piece that they will treasure for life.
Preventing tarnish will keep your jewelry look its best. When wearing your jewelry, you should avoid exposure to water. Metals can become dull, rusty or tarnished if submerged in it. Clear nail polish can be used to protect your jewelry if you apply a very thin coat of it on your pieces.
Ask about any insurance a jeweler may offer when you are buying jewelry. Look for a good policy that lets you return damaged items. In some instances, you can even insure your jewelry against loss or theft.
If you own costume jewelry, it is important to properly care for it. Costume jewelry can prove to be a good investment, but also a costly one; keep in mind the pieces you wish to add to your collection don’t show too much wear. Pieces that are in great shape will fetch you better prices down the road, should you choose to sell them.
To help maintain its appearance, take good care of it to keep it from getting tarnished. Jewelry should not be worn near the water. Water can dull and rust some types of metal if it is exposed to it too often. For added protection for your jewelry, try adding a thin coating of clear nail polish.
When shopping for jewelry, think about the stones in the pieces. The right stone will enhance your skin tone and make a statement about your personality. Pieces in neutral tones work well with any item in your wardrobe. Having a beautiful piece of jewelry is pretty worthless if you cannot wear it.
Taking good care of your jewelry is important if you want it to last. Depending on the metals and stones used in your jewelry, along with how they are set, you will need different maintenance methods. Along the same lines, enhancing different stones and settings requires you to take different steps. Whenever you buy a new piece of jewelry, ask the jeweler the best way to clean and maintain it.
A brooch will add a little character to your belt. Try pinning it at the center of your waist or near your hip.
Costume Jewelry
To preserve the pristine look of your jewelry, apply your make-up first, wait for it to set, then put on your jewelry. Dust and grime from makeup gravitates towards jewelry, and putting on your jewelry first can leave it looking dull or dingy. Earrings and necklaces are the prominent pieces affected by this.
Costume jewelry needs to be handled carefully. Many embellishments on costume jewelry are only secured with glue rather than set into the piece. Do not dip your jewelery in chemicals that may harm them. The best way to clean these pieces are to wipe them clean with a damp cloth and dry immediately with another cloth. This helps keep costume jewelry looking sparkling clean and new.
When photographing jewelry for online sale, you need to make the presentation of the piece as attractive as possible. Since your potential customer will not be able to examine the piece in person, your presentation is very important. Be sure your photographs show good details of the jewelry and few, if any, details of the surroundings.
Untangle a delicate necklace easily. It is tempting to throw in the towel against knotted metal, but plastic wrap should be reached for instead. Apply baby oil or mineral oil to your necklace after placing it on the plastic wrap. Use a straight pin to untangle the knot. When finished, wash it with a little dishwashing liquid and pat dry.
A diamond’s cut and clarity are often times more important than how big it is. It is important to consider the character of the individual you are purchasing the diamond for.
This applies to dry and steam-filled saunas. The high temperatures and damp environment can corrode the surface of your jewelry and cause long-term damage to the piece.
Don’t swim wearing your jewelry. The life and luster of your jewelry can be damaged by the strong chemical chlorine. Salt water is equally as bad for your jewelry. Take your jewelry off first to keep it from becoming damaged or tarnished.
Of course, higher gold prices also increases the cost for new gold jewelry. If you insist upon a gold ring or necklace, you can still save some money by compromising on karats. The best deal you will usually find is a piece of 18 karat gold, which is at least 75% pure gold.
Don’t just buy a piece of jewelry because of what the brand is. Very few people will recognize where you got this piece, and if a seller can have you buy something because of the brand, you are probably paying too much for it. Many brands offer excellent quality.
Combining large decorative jewelry with basic outfits can have quite the effect. Try wearing something like a black skirt and white top in order to show off your piece of jewelry.
It can be hard to tell a lab-created sapphire or ruby from a natural stone. The artificial rubies and sapphires are chemically the same as the real thing. They cost only a fraction of what the real things cost for suppliers, though. A qualified gemologist will be able to tell a natural sapphire by its natural inclusions, so have the stone checked before purchase.
Always remain in the strict range of your budget when purchasing jewelry. Taking out a loan for a ring or necklace is a bad idea. Consider choosing a simpler version of your fantasy engagement ring if the real thing isn’t feasible. Then, they can upgrade it when they have achieved a little more financial wherewithal.
Alexandrite is a unique stone, which many often forget to consider. This stone will change from a purple color to a green, depending if it is outside or indoors. Alexandrite is usually found in earrings, rings or pendants.
To clean a gem or bauble in a setting, use a damp cloth and be very gentle with the piece. Then pat the piece with a soft clothe to dry the piece adequately. Don’t use steam cleaners or harsh chemicals on costume or fashion jewelry.
It can be quite tempting to buy a piece of jewelry that is out of your price range, so be sure to have a budget, and stick to it. A beautiful ring will soon lose its allure if you have placed yourself in a significant amount of debt just to acquire it. If this is for a young couple, it might be the best decision to start out with a cheaper ring. Then, later in life, when they are more financially secure, they can splurge on a fancy ring.
You can show your woman how much you adore her with a stunning piece of jewelry. Many women love surprise gifts, especially ones that glitter. You can see someone’s face light up with joy when you hand them a gift.
Before selling a piece of jewelry, you should have it appraised by a gemologist or accredited appraiser. By doing this, you will get a truthful appraisal that is based on the value of the item, and you will be ready to negotiate a price for your piece when you decide to sell.
To get a brilliant and big diamond effect, you should choose an illusion setting. Illusion settings have a mirror beneath the diamond. The diamond is mirrored as you wear it and made to look huge and super sparkly. One disadvantage of this setting is the relative difficulty of making repairs.
Using an illusion setting may be an original choice, if you like the effect of a larger, more brilliant diamond. With this setting, before the diamond has been set, a mirrored plate is placed on the ring. The diamond reflects off the plate, and the result is a splashy, sparkly diamond that looks larger than it is. One disadvantage of this setting is the relative difficulty of making repairs.
You need to know how much those diamonds are going to cost you before you go engagement ring shopping. Finding the perfect diamond can be emotional and exhilarating. All too easily you get sidetracked by the emotion of it all and spend a lot more than you intended.
Before you even begin searching for an engagement ring, be sure that you are knowledgeable about the price of diamonds. Diamond shopping can evoke plenty of emotions for both the buyer and the recipient. If you let your emotions get the better of you, you might find yourself spending a lot more than you can afford.
The tips above have hopefully cleared up some of the questions you have about jewelry. It should help you pick out just the right piece. There are so many jewelry designs out there that articles like the one you just read are essential to getting the piece you want.
Instead of seeing buying a wedding ring as a one-off experience, think about buying a small ring initially and then saving for a more expensive one at a later time. Other special occasions, such as anniversaries or birthdays, are a great opportunity to buy the ring you couldn’t afford earlier. You may even be able to sell your ring back to the jeweler, in exchange for buying the ring you had your eye on all along.
About The Author
