There is no such thing as having enough information with jewelry. Even a seemingly trivial mistake could cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Here’s a few very sensible tips on the subject. With these tips, you can steer clear of potential pitfalls and have the best experience possible with buying, giving, and maintaining jewelry.
Use a polishing cloth for all of your jewelry pieces. This is a fairly simple way to achieve shine without dealing with solvents and chemicals. You can use the two-sided cloth to polish your jewelry in the same way you would polish a drinking glass. Use the one side designated for polish, and the other for making it shine.
Bring a magnet when shopping for sterling silver jewelery. To spot scams, see if the magnet attracts the piece. If it does, then shout “FAKE!” at the top of your lungs and move to the next store. Sterling silver will always be hallmarked with a stamp such as .925, ster. or sterling. If there is no hallmark, the piece is probably not authentic and may, indeed, be counterfeit.
If you wish to keep a piece of jewelry looking fantastic, preventing it from tarnishing is important. For example, avoid taking your jewelry somewhere it can get wet. Metals can become dull, rusty or tarnished if submerged in it. Applying a very thin covering of clear nail varnish to your jewelry offers an added degree of protection.
Costume Jewelry
Make careful note of the condition of costume jewelry you wish to collect. Many costume pieces are a great investment and can be quite costly, but costume jewelry that has too many signs of wear will not keep their value over time. A piece of costume jewelry that has been treated well can be a treasure for years to come.
Costume jewelry requires specific care. Costume settings are often glued-in as compared to set-in. For this reason, costume jewelry should never touch water, and you should avoid using detergents on it. Wiping your jewelry off with with a slightly dampened cloth and then wiping it dry is usually sufficient to keep it clean. This keeps dirt from building up and making your jewelry look dull.
If you are in the market for jewelry, always seek out sales. If the sale is a good one, you can save a lot of money. Locate the best prices online, in newspapers and in stores. You could get great jewelry at discounts close to 50%, especially when it comes to styles that are being phased out.
Well, it’s easy when you know how. This article has just touched on a few of things that you should know about this very rewarding hobby. There is much to learn, but at least you’ve now got a few good ideas to put to work.
