You need to have knowledge of jewelry care regardless of how you acquire it; you should also maintain a basic familiarity with buying and selling trends so you make the best choices with the pieces you have or are considering purchasing. This article will give you the tips and tricks that you need to get the most from the money and time you devote to jewelry.
Be sure that you store all of your jewelry safely away from air and humidity. A jewelry box or drawstring bag out of a humid area is ideal. Air and humidity can cause the metals that the jewelry are made of to tarnish. Precious metal jewelry can be polished to fix tarnish, but non-precious metals coated with a finish will never get back to their previous state.
When purchasing sterling silver, take along a good magnifying glass, along with a small magnet. Imitations will be attracted to your magnet. This is an easy way to recognize quality. If your silver is sterling, you will also notice a mark on the piece. This mark might state .925, sterling, or ster. If your silver is not marked, it could be because it is not real!
Know the distinctions between kinds of gems before you make a jewelry purchase. A stone may be natural, synthetic or imitation. Both synthetic and natural gems are real; however, imitation is simply plastic. Synthetic gems come from a lab and natural ones are found in the ground.
Quality Piece
You should expect good jewelry to last the rest of your life, and possibly beyond. To ensure you are buying a quality piece, refuse to deal with anybody but the most reputable of jewelers. You should be able to notice a quality piece by its craftsmanship. The jeweler should tell you about who made the piece and the origin of the stones. A quality item of jewelry will last a lifetime or more, so take the time to do your research.
Make sure a piece of jewelry is still in style before you buy it. The only thing better than picking up a gorgeous bauble is getting it on sale!
Make sure you check into insurance policies when you make a jewelry purchase from a jeweler. If your jewelry gets damaged or broken, you can come back to the store and have it repaired or replaced. In some instances, you can even insure your jewelry against loss or theft.
Jewelry that is taken care of is extremely valuable both in monetary worth and sentimental value. By learning what you need to treat your jewelry, you can protect the money and memories invested in it. There is a vast amount of information that you can find about jewelry. The more knowledge you gain, the more you will learn to value and appreciate each unique piece in your collection.