If you want to boost the look of your outfit, you can add color with a little jewelry. Whether you want to purchase jewelry for yourself or for a friend, the following tips will certainly help you pick something out.
Be cautious of the way all of your personal jewelry gets stored together. You should keep the pieces separate in compartments, boxes, holders, and on hooks for better storage. Resist the urge to jumble all your pieces together in one box or basket. This can damage fragile, delicate jewelry, and necklaces can become very tangled in other jewelry pieces.
Precious Metals
Always keep your jewelry in a place that doesn’t experience extreme temperatures or humidities. To keep your jewelry properly protected, store it in a drawstring bag or jewelry box. Continued exposure to humidity extremes or air causes metals typically used in jewelry to tarnish. Precious metals can often be polished to remove most tarnish. Non-precious metals often have a single coat of metal. Therefore, polishing them can remove the coat and show the copper that is found underneath.
If you want to buy sterling silver pieces, use a magnet and examine the jewelry very carefully. You can tell if a piece of silver is sterling or not by using a magnet. Sterling will not react to the magnet, but non-precious metals will be attracted. Look for the hallmark stamped on the piece of jewelry to determine what percentage sterling silver it is. Be wary of pieces that lack any silver hallmarks, as this is an indication that they’re not genuine sterling silver.
Quality Jewelry
Jewelry should be a purchase that truly lasts a lifetime. It is important to invest in a quality piece of jewelry, so only work with respected and reputable jewelers. High-quality jewelry can be told by its superior craftsmanship and good manufacture. Your jeweler should have all the information on the piece, including where it came from and who created it. It is essential to purchase high-quality jewelry if you want it to become a treasured heirloom passed down for generations.
Have shopping companions when you shop for diamonds. Look at the pieces up close before purchasing them, and be sure to compare them to others. Be aware that some dealers will use cheap tactics to make a diamond look better than it is.
Make sure a piece of jewelry is still in style before you buy it. Getting a nice piece of jewelry is good, but getting it at a discount is even better.
When collecting costume jewelry, pay close attention to the condition of any piece you are considering. Costume jewelery pieces can be expensive but they are not worth the investment if they look too old. Jewelry that’s in good repair can be a much better investment.
You are now armed with the information you need to make better purchasing decisions when it comes to jewelry. No longer shall you find gemstones, diamonds, beads or precious metals overwhelming and daunting. Whether you buy it, give it, receive it or inherit it, a fine piece of well-cared-for jewelry is something you can enjoy for many years to come.