Know Your Gems – Jewelry Tips For Everyone
It is beneficial to inform yourself about purchasing, cleaning and maintaining fine jewels, each piece can require different wearing and caring instructions. This advice can help you get answers to some answers!
Keep jewelry stored safely and away from both air and humidity. Ideally, you should keep them in drawstring bags or in a jewelry box. Both air and humidity can lead to tarnished metal. You will be able to polish precious metals to remove tarnish, but non-precious metals may lose their coating, showing the copper metal beneath.
Be cautious of the way all of your jewelry gets stored together. It is better to use boxes, compartments, boxes, and hooks for keeping pieces separate. Do not ever just throw them in a box. This can damage fragile jewelry, and tangle necklaces or bracelets.
Before buying a new item of jewelry, do a little research on recent trends. The only thing that beats getting a new piece of jewelry is getting it for a discounted price!
Sterling Silver
Keep your jewelry from getting tarnished to preserve its best appearance. Try to keep your jewelry away from water. Some metals will tarnish, dull or rust when exposed to water or perspiration. If you are looking to protect your jewelry from the ill effects of water, try applying clear nail polish, just a thin layer, on the piece itself.
If you are shopping for sterling silver jewelry, then by all means bring a magnet. You can detect fake sterling silver with the magnet, as non-precious metals are attracted by the magnet. You will always find a hallmark stamp such as “.925” or “STER.” on genuine sterling, for example “sterling,” “ster,” or “.925.” If your silver is not marked, it may not be sterling silver.
Look at the condition of costume jewelry before making a purchase. Costume jewelry can be very expensive and a great investment, but a piece that shows too much wear and tear will not be worth the money or time. A piece that is in excellent condition will increase in value.
Take a good look at all the pieces that you like, and then hold everything else you consider to that standard. Be aware that some dealers will use to make a diamond look bigger or better.
Give the jewelry a test-run by wearing it for a day. Does it feel comfortable and hang properly? It will also allow you to see if it can withstand every day wear and tear.
Pay attention if they usually wear studs or hoop earrings, sizes, and colors of jewelry that the person wears. These answers should give you a starting point to purchase an item they’ll cherish.
It is a good idea to determine the best approaches for jewelry care. Depending on the metals and stones used in your jewelry, along with how they are set, you will need different maintenance methods. Cleaning and maintenance techniques that work perfectly on one stone might cause damage to another. Ask a jeweler to make sure you know how to maintain your items.
Costume jewelry make good investments and they can be costly, but pieces that are damaged aren’t worth much and aren’t worth the time to restore. A piece in excellent condition will increase in value.
You can use a brooch to make your belt stand out, since it is sure to be eye-catching. The best places to pin the brooch for maximum visual impact are the middle of your waist and at hip line.
Wear the jewelry around for a day or so that it fits right and if it hangs right. This can also help you know how the piece is durable enough to last.
Before you buy, ask if the gemstone has been treated, and the method for doing so. You will need to know what type of care it might require as a result of the treatment. Some cleaning solutions that work perfectly well on untreated gems can strip off treatments, and even damage stones, if you use them on treated gems.
Costume Jewelery
If you are in the market for new jewelry, look for sales! Jewelry sales offer big savings. Check the newspaper, the Internet, and signs in store windows to find the best sales. If you wait to buy jewelry until that particular style is going out of fashion, you can get it for almost 50 percent off of its original price.
You need to pay special care when you are buying costume jewelery! A fair amount of the stones in costume jewelery are glued in and not set in. You will need to avoid using strong chemicals or immersion baths on your jewelry and make sure to stay away from the use of harsh chemicals. The best way to clean these pieces are to wipe them clean with a warm damp cloth and dry immediately with another cloth. This helps keep costume jewelry stunning and new.
The size of the diamond is not as important as its cut and clarity. Most important of all, make sure that the piece you choose complements the nature of the intended receiver.
Before you buy any gemstone, find out if it has been treated, and if so, treatment it received. The way to care for a stone needs is dependent on how it was treated with.
That includes dry or steam saunas. Excessive moisture and heat can be damaging to jewelry.
You could save a lot of money with the time to look for better prices. Check for great sales online, on the Internet, and in stores for the best deals. If you purchase something on clearance, you can get it for almost 50 percent off of its original price.
The high price of gold can interfere with your fine jewelry purchases. Though genuine gold is pricey, remember that it can be more affordable if you consider pieces with lower karats. The best combination of price and quality is an 18k piece made without less than 75% pure gold.
A small but well-cut diamond with high clarity may be more attractive than a bigger diamond of lower quality. You also need to think of the person who will be wearing the jewelry.
If you have gold necklaces and bracelets, you can actually make money from your jewelry while still keeping your pieces. All it takes is clipping off any excess material, usually only a few inches. You will still keep your piece intact so you can wear it. If what you have truly is real god then with just a few chains the potential to make money is there. You can actually make around a few hundred when you shorten these type of pieces.
Every diamond varies and imperfections. Some flaws may be less important to you once you actually see the diamond in person.
You can make a real statement with a stand-out piece of onyx or crystal jewelry. Be kinder to your wallet; you might find that the results are gorgeous.
A jewelry set is a no-fail gift for that special someone. You will find that a great deals on jewelry sets. You could always break the set and gift a piece to your loved one every holiday season. This is an excellent way to always have a gift that you will love.
A beautiful stone that many do not know about is Alexandrite. This stone actually changes color, depending on the natural light. It is frequently found in pendants, rings, or earrings.
The high price of purchasing gold can interfere with your fine jewelry purchases. An 18 karat piece is comprised of no less than 75 percent of pure gold, which has been considered the best combination of price and quality.
Always remain in the strict range of your budget when purchasing jewelry. One of the worst financial mistakes you can make is to rack up your debt for a showy piece of jewelry. If you’re young and buying a wedding ring, consider buying a less expensive one at first. Then, later in life, when they are more financially secure, they can splurge on a fancy ring.
You can earn a little cash from your solid gold necklaces and bracelet without sacrificing the pieces. If you have a number of real gold pieces, you can make a few hundred dollars by just shortening the pieces.
Surprise the love of your life with beautiful jewelry to express your love for them. Any woman would be melted by receiving a surprise jewelry gift. You are sure to cherish that moment of surprise and happiness as you give her such a beautiful gift.
If you are wearing a simple outfit, don’t wear a gaudy outfit to match.Try wearing a simple or solid color to bring attention to jewelery.
If you want to wear a necklace from your childhood years without looking immature or old-fashioned, layer it with larger, more modern necklaces to create a grouped look. If you are wearing a bunch of necklaces, try layering a simple pendant, like a heart or cross, with more complex pieces that are made of similar materials or similar in color.
A lot of people wear gold and silver jewelry at the same time. The easiest way to try this is with jewelry that uses both metals in its construction. If you do not do this, it seems unstylish or mismatched.
Taking your fine jewelry to a gemologist or certified appraiser before selling it can really be in your best interest. This way, you will get an accurate and truthful quote on what the item is worth, so you will be prepared for offers on your piece once you are putting it on the market.
Always keep within your budget when purchasing jewelry. A young couple may need to buy a cheaper ring and upgrade later. You can always add to the ring when you are a nice ring guard as an anniversary present.
If you are looking for diamond brilliance without the price tag, consider purchasing an illusion setting. An illusion setting is when a mirrored plate is placed on the ring before setting the diamond. The diamond will look much bigger and brighter. The only problem with this setting is that they can be difficult to fix.
Keep your fashion and costume jewelry away from steam cleaners or powerful chemicals.
While toothpaste is not the perfect product for polishing silver jewelry, you can make it work when it’s your only option. Apply a very small dab of toothpaste on a soft lint free cloth or even a paper towel. First, rub your jewelry with the toothpaste, and then use water to wipe or rinse the paste off. Your finished product will not look flawless, but the tarnish will be removed.
Shopping for a special occasion that can be an emotional experience.
At times, purchasing jewelry that was previously owned can save you a lot of money. You can often find pre-owned jewelry in fantastic like-new condition, but at a fraction of the cost.
You can always get the perfect ring on another important occasion, such as an anniversary.
To show off your rings, make sure your hands and fingers look good. Trim and buff your nails or have regular manicures so your hands show off your jewelry as nicely as possible.
While toothpaste is not the perfect product for polishing silver jewelry, it can act as a backup if there is nothing else available. Apply a very small amount of toothpaste on a lint-free cloth or paper towel. Rub the toothpaste on the tarnished silver until it is clean, and then use water to rinse or wipe the toothpaste off. This does not produce ideal cleaning results, but remember to give it a proper cleaning later.
When looking for jewelry, don’t pin your sights on the designer brands. While these retailers boast name recognition, is the quality really superior? Once you have decided what styles of jewelry you like from these designers, hunt around and you are guaranteed to find them in other stores at a much more competitive price.
Some men might not understand the proper time and place to wear cufflinks. Cufflinks complement such garments if you make sure that they match well with the shirt and/or suit you’re wearing.
If a piece of expensive jewelry catches your eye but you are unable to afford it, think about having a less expensive replica made. If you have a detailed photo of one of these masterworks, you should be able to find a jeweler who can make a reproduction of it for you. Take the image to a specialist jewelry maker. They have the capacity and the materials on hand to plate the new pieces and provide your finished piece at considerable savings.
If you wear your diamond jewelry frequently, any such items should receive a professional cleaning every six months after your initial receipt of them. The gemologist can ensure that there is not any damage to the settings and inspect it for damage.
Jewelery is such a complex world that everyone finds themselves overwhelmed by choices, prices or occasions at least once. This article serves as a great guideline for jewelry selection, maintenance and ownership.
