The jewelry you own may include heirlooms, gifts or pieces you have bought. It can be difficult to know the age or provenance of a piece of jewelry. Owning jewelry dates back centuries, so where do you look for answers when you have questions? This article outlines many useful hints you can use to be more educated about jewelry.
Try cleaning your jewelry collection with a polishing cloth. This method ensures your jewelry stays shiny without having to use any chemical cleansers or solvents. Polish your jewelry with a two-sided polishing cloth as you might buff a lovely glass. The first side is designed to polish, while the other is for adding shine.
Don’t use things that contain harsh chemicals like bleach, ammonia, acetone or turpentine, to clean your jewelry. Chemicals can eat away the stones or enamel on your stones.
Sterling Silver
When shopping for genuine sterling silver jewelry, you need both a discerning eye and a small magnet. Take the magnet with you to find fake pieces of jewelery, sterling silver will not stick to the magnet. Sterling silver should always bear a stamp that says Sterling, Ster. or .925. If the piece you’re inspecting doesn’t carry such a mark, be careful, as it is likely a fake.
If you want costume jewelery, you will have to take care of it. Quality costume jewelry may cost more, but a cheaply made piece will fall apart and will quickly become unusable. A piece that is in excellent condition will increase in value.
You should carefully consider how to best care for your jewelry. Different styles of jewelry affect the way they need to be cared for; one type of metal will need a different treatment than another, for example. 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.
A brooch can add visual interest and an accent to an otherwise dull belt. Either put it near your hip or near the middle of your waist.
Before you purchase a new piece of jewelry, consider what situations you will be wearing it in. Having a lot of never worn jewelry is not necessary. Think about the style of clothing you will be wearing when choosing a piece of jewelry.
You can probably tell that there are many different ways you can approach jewelry. If you are willing to read up on the subject, you are almost guaranteed to find and keep a gorgeous piece of jewelry. Welcome to the exciting, and always changing, world of jewelry. The tips below will help you learn what you need to get started.