What is jewelry to you? Perhaps you need to question your knowledge about quality pieces and the various types available. The advice provided in the below article should be able to give you more of an understanding about the complexities of jewelry. Read the following tips for the guidance you need to understand how to buy, care, and enjoy your jewelry.
Be careful when storing all your jewelry together. You can protect your jeweled investments with hooks, boxes and holders that keep each piece intact and prevent tangles. Resist the urge to jumble all your pieces together in one box or basket. Fragile jewelry could easily be damaged by doing this, not to mention the nuisance of having to untangle necklace chains that could get caught together.
Sterling Silver
If you are shopping for sterling silver jewelry, you’ll need a magnet and an eye for the real thing. Metals that aren’t precious will connect to the magnet, signaling that it is fake. Sterling silver always has some sort of stamp to indicate it is sterling. If the item has no markings indicating its authenticity, then be wary.
Be sure to pay attention to details like type of metal and shape. Noticing these things lets you choose jewelry more suited to their tastes.
Keep your jewelry from tarnishing as best as you can. Jewelry should not be worn near the water. A lot of metals will rust, tarnish or dull when they come in contact with water. Clear nail polish, applied in a thin coat, can give jewelry some added protection.
You can use a brooch to make your belt stand out, since it is sure to be eye-catching. Place the broach in the middle of your waist for the best effect.
Before buying jewelry or a fine stone, find out if it was treated in any way. If it was, find out how. You will have to treat different gemstones with different kinds of care. You do not want to try to clean a treated gem with a solution that may strip the treatment and damage the gem in the process.
When deciding on which jewelry pieces to buy, look through the sales advertisements. You could save a lot of money if you take the time to look for better prices. Go through magazines and websites to find the best deals. If a particular piece was designed to fit a current trend, and that trend is nearing conclusion, then you could make a saving as big as 50%.
Avoid steam saunas and dry ones. The jewelry can be damaged from extreme heat or moisture.
When buying diamonds, remember to shop around. Every diamond varies and has individual flaws. Once you see some of the flaws in person, they may become less important. Jewelers have some flexibility with the price depending on the severity of the flaws. Don’t just look at one jewelry shop. Take the time to really look around until you find the best deal possible.
When you are looking to buy someone a gift, you may consider getting a jewelry set. Most jewelers offer special deals on jewelry when it is bought in sets, rather than each piece individually. There is nothing stopping you from splitting a set after buying it; you can use a set for a series of gifts over multiple holidays, for example. This is a surefire way to ensure that you are never without a gift for that special someone.
A clasp that will hold up is a very important part of any necklace or bracelet. Unless your necklace or bracelet has a durable closure, you risk losing expensive or sentimental pendants, stones and charms. For very expensive items, like diamond necklaces or gold bracelets, a strong clasp is essential. Some opt for two or three clasps on their extremely valuable pieces of jewelry so that they stay safe during wear.
Remove your jewelery prior to swimming. Chlorine is a strong chemical and it can damage the luster and life of your precious jewelry pieces. Salt water can damage them over time too. Take off your jewelry before diving in the water to keep them looking their best.
Do not buy jewelry based solely on the manufacturer or brand name. Many designer pieces are of the same quality than other, more affordable baubles. For example, if you opt for a ring from Cartier, you are actually paying more for the name than you are for the piece itself. There are many different manufacturers, that make high quality jewelry, without the huge markup for the brand name.
Unfortunately, if you are dead set on real gold jewelry, you will run into the problem of high prices. If you insist upon a gold ring or necklace, you can still save some money by compromising on karats. The best combination of price and quality is an 18k piece made without less than 75% pure gold.
Onyx and crystal, for example, can be especially striking and make a strong impression. Be kinder to your wallet and you’ll probably like the results.
It is hard to tell the difference between natural and fake rubies and sapphires. The stones are nearly the same, both physically and chemically speaking, but artificial stones are much easier and less expensive to obtain. Before you buy a piece of jewelry sold as natural sapphire, get a reputable gemologist to examine it for natural inclusions.
No matter what your purpose is in reading this article, hopefully we have given you a tip or two to help. You may save money by recognizing a deal on a great item. Anyone can acquire a better taste in jewelry with time and efforts.