It can be well worth your while to thoroughly research any jewelry you are planning to buy or sell jewelery and get the most out of it. It can be puzzling to know exactly where to start.
You never want to use bleach, ammonia, or any other cleaning solvents that are not designed specifically for cleaning jewelry. Harsh chemicals will dull your stones and dissolve the enamel on your jewelry.
Use a soft cloth on your jewelry pieces. This is a very easy way to shine all of chemicals or other harsh chemicals. Use the two-sided cloth to polish your jewelry as if it were composed of glass. Use one side for polishing and the other to polish it.
If you are shopping unmarked sterling silver jewelry, then by all means bring a magnet. If the piece you are examining is not silver and is made from non-precious metal, it will be attracted to the magnet. Your sterling silver jewelery should always be imprinted if it is real. The stamp may read “.925” or “ster”. If the piece of presumed silver is not marked, be skeptical that is real silver. It could very well be a fake.
Be cautious of storing all your pieces of jewelry together. It is best to use holders, compartments, boxes, and hooks for keeping pieces separate. Do not ever just throw them into piles in a pile. Not only will your necklaces become hopelessly tangled, but things like necklaces can get severely tangled up with other necklaces or other jewelry.
Good jewelry will last a lifetime. Always purchase pieces from reputable jewelers in order to make sure you are getting quality pieces. High-quality jewelry is durable and displays excellent craftsmanship. The jeweler should be able to give you a history on the piece, like who crafted it and where the stones came from if there are any. When you are looking for jewelry of the highest quality, it is important to be careful in your choice, as you want something that will last a lifetime.
Keep jewelry stored somewhere that is free from both air and humidity.Air and humidity can cause the metals of all types. Precious metals can easily be polished, but non-precious metals coated with a finish will never get back to their previous state.
What color gold do they seem to favor – white or yellow? Do they normally wear a bracelet? What type of earrings do they prefer – drop and dangle or studs? Take a mental note of this important information. By doing this you should have a good idea what to buy them.
Synthetic Gems
Ask about insurance from your jeweler before purchasing a new piece. If something happened to your jewelery, you can take it back and see if they will fix it! You can even find insurance on jewelry pieces that were stolen or misplaced.
Know which kind of gems before you make a jewelry purchase. There are three different types: natural, synthetic gems and imitation stones. Natural gems and synthetic gems are real gemstones, but imitation gems are probably just colored glass or plastic. Natural stones are dug up out of the ground and synthetic gems are grown in a lab.
It’s a simple way to turn a plain belt into something more eye catching. You have the option of placing it close to your hip, or at your waist near the center.
Look at what you like close up, and be sure to compare them to others. Be aware that jewelers use to make a diamond look better than it is.
Ask your jeweler before you make a purchse about what kinds of treatments were used on the gemstones in the piece. 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.
You will need to take special care of costume jewelery! Many of their settings are glued in instead of set in a professional setting. Don’t immerse costume jewelry in water or clean it with abrasives. The best way to clean these pieces are to wipe with a warm damp cloth and then dry immediately with another cloth. This keeps dirt from building up and making your jewelry looks like it did the day you bought it.
Make sure that you regularly untangle delicate, knotted necklaces. It is tempting to throw in the towel against knotted metal, but plastic wrap should be reached for instead. Lay the necklace out on plastic wrap, then apply baby or mineral oil. Untangle it with some needles. Use ordinary dish soap to remove the mineral oil and let dry.
This method is especially helpful in the case of necklaces or earrings.
If you are trying to sell jewelry on the Internet, make sure that you present it in an attractive way. Your customer can’t actually see the jewelry, so they must make the decision solely based on your pictures. Avoid taking photographs of jewelery with backgrounds that distract from the piece.
If you are selling your jewelry online, it is important to post ample photographs from many angles so that each piece is presented in a pleasing and accurate way. This is very important to remember because the person that may purchase it cannot hold it before purchasing it online.
Comparison shopping for diamonds is critical. Every diamond is uniquely different from another, and they each have their own flaws. Some flaws are less noticeable than others and may not bother you. Depending on the number and types of flaws in a diamond, jewelers may be somewhat flexible in pricing the piece. To find a good diamond within your budget, really do your homework and shop around.
Every diamond is unique in both its beauty and has individual flaws. Some flaws may not bother you.
Never swim with your jewelry on. Chlorine in pools will damage your pieces causing them to lose their luster. Ocean salt water can similarly cause damage to any jewelry exposed to it. To extend the life of your jewelry, and protect the beauty, take off all jewelry before going into the water.
Brand should not be the primary concern when purchasing jewelry.You can find fabulous quality from many different brands.
Use attractive robe hooks to hang your necklaces, keeping them tangle-free. These will go nicely on a closet door or wall. You can use more than one by lining them in a row, and you can hang the necklaces by length or color. This will keep the necklaces from turning into a balled mess in a jewelry box. The hooks are attractive as well.
Onyx or crystal pieces can be wonderful jewelry options. Be friendlier with your wallet and you might find that the results are gorgeous.
You don’t need to focus too much on the brand when you purchase jewelry. The brand may be a significant factor in the price. Usually, brand names like Cartier and Tiffany are much more expensive than jewelry without the brand name for the same piece. Remember that there is top-quality jewelry available under any number of different brands.
It can be hard to tell a natural rubies and sapphires from a synthetic one. These fancy stones might look physically and chemically identical, but synthetic stones are available at a much lower cost than naturally flawless stones.
These days of sky-high gold prices makes buying gold jewelry an expensive proposition. However, you can still have a nice piece of gold jewelry at a lower price if you opt for lower karats. If gold is described as 18 karat it is not less than seventy five percent pure, this is considered to be the best quality.
A beautiful stone that many do not often think of is Alexandrite. Depending upon the lighting levels, the stone’s color switches between green and purple. It is frequently found in pendants, earrings, and pendants with any precious metal.
Jewelry with onyx or crystal can make an impact and separate you from the crowd. You can save your money and still get a beautiful piece of jewelry.
Always remain in the strict range of your budget when you are buying jewelry.A young couple just starting out may want to choose a cheaper ring at first. You can always add to the ring when you are better or add a nice ring guard as an anniversary present.
An excellent suggestion is to keep in mind that large jewelry should be combined with simple outfits. Wear something in a single color and allow the jewelry to steal the show.
This will help you a baseline price as you now have an honest opinion of what that is.
To retain the jewelry’s natural look, clean the piece gently using a lightly dampened cloth. When drying the piece, use a soft and dry cloth. Avoid exposing your costume jewelry to steam cleaners or chemicals.
Never clean jewelry in a sink unless the drain is securely plugged. It’s all to easy for jewelry to slip off your hand when covered in soap. If you don’t want your jewelry ending up down the drain, your jewelry will not end up in the drain pipes.
Have an idea about the cost of diamonds before you go looking for an engagement ring. Diamond shopping is an emotional experience. You can easily get distracted by it all and forget your planned budget.
Buying previously owned jewelry can be extremely cost effective. You can often find pre-owned jewelry in fantastic like-new condition, plus the cost is normally a lot better for used so your dollar will go a lot further.
While toothpaste is not the perfect product for polishing silver jewelry, you can make it work when it’s your only option. Try putting some toothpaste on a fine cloth or paper towel. Rub the tarnished jewelry with the paste, and then rinse or wipe off with water. This does not produce ideal cleaning results, but it will get rid of tarnish.
Before you begin the cleaning process, be certain that there aren’t any loose gemstones or breaks that could be further damaged by a cleaning.If your jewelry has a loose stone, take the piece or pieces to a gemologist or a local jeweler and they can clean it for you.
An engagement ring should reflect not only you and your partner’s lives and lifestyle, but also personal taste. You want the ring to reflect who you are inside, and match your lifestyle. The ring you choose will be worn for the rest of her life and should match both of your interests.
Some men do not be sure when they should wear cufflinks. Cufflinks complement such garments if you make sure that they match well with the shirt and/or suit you’re wearing.
It’s important to have jewelry, such as diamonds, cleaned often by a professional. The gemologist can ensure that there is not any damage to the settings and make the item shine as though it were new.
If you wear a diamonds on a day to day basis, the pieces should cleaned by a professional on a biannual basis, try doing this every six months, even when they are new. The gemologist will clean your diamond and check it closely for damage.
When buying gemstones, there is now the option of buying synthetic or laboratory-created stones. There is basically no difference when you look at these gems. The price of the natural stones is much more expensive, however, because they are more rare.
If any of your rings are too big or loose on your fingers, make sure you take them off before swimming, you should take them off before doing laundry, washing dishes or taking a bath.
In a jewelry store if you happen to be looking through choker necklaces, your best choice is a 16 inch length necklace. This is the industry standard size, however, if a more specific length is required, then measure the neck of the wearer, then deduct one inch from this amount. This approach will yield a perfect fit.
Take it to your favorite jeweler or jewelry store. They can take it from there and create an identical gold-plated piece of the picture using cheaper metals that are plated to look more expensive.
Clean your copper jewelry regularly using a lemon juice solution. Exposure to the elements over time may cause your copper jewelry to appear tarnished. Many find this look to be attractive, but in case you prefer a cleaner, newer appearance, you can always use vinegar, lemon juice or another acidic liquid to remove tarnish easily.
Synthetic lab-created stones are an option when purchasing gemstones.These man-made stones look very similar to natural stones. The main difference is the cost; because these stones are not very rare, since synthetic stones are created in the laboratory rather then uncovered during the mining process.
Figure out your spending limit before buying jewelry and don’t go over it. Setting a price limit will help to narrow down your choices and make your search easier.
As we have shown in this article, doing your homework can certainly have many benefits if you are buying and selling jewelry. Add these tips to your arsenal of knowledge to make more informed choices with your own jewelry.