It can be great fun to go jewelry shopping, but the price tags can be stressful. There are various materials in jewelry and they vary in costs. Educate yourself on jewelry so that you can recognize the best pieces and the best deals. These tips can help you be more knowledgeable about all aspects of purchasing jewelry.
Try using a polishing cloth on all of the jewelry in a collection. This is a fairly simple way to achieve shine without dealing with solvents and chemicals. Use this two-sided cloth on your jewelry as though you were cleaning glass. Use a two-sided cleaning cloth, one for polishing and one for shining.
For example, you should never use bleach, turpentine, or ammonia on your jewelry. These can erode both the color and the materials of your jewelry.
Precious Metals
Never store your jewelry in open air or humidity. To protect your jewelry it is important to secure it in a small bag with a drawstring, or in a jewelry box that remains closed a majority of the time. Humid air affects the metals in jewelry and causes tarnishing. Precious metals are able to be polished and retain their luster, but the non-precious metals have a coat, and polishing will cause the metal under it to show through.
Having a good eye to catch the details, and a magnet, are key when you are considering the purchase of any type of sterling silver jewelry. If the piece you are examining is not silver and is made from non-precious metal, it will be attracted to the magnet. True sterling sliver always has some sort of hallmark stamp on it, such as .925, sterling or ster. Silver jewelry that lacks a hallmark may be a fake or composed of other metals.
When you are shopping, think about the color or type of gem you want to buy. There are three unique types of stones: imitation, synthetic and natural. Synthetic stones are lab created jewels, while imitation stones are normally colored glass. The difference here, however, is that synthetic is man-made in a laboratory while natural is found buried in the earth.
When you buy a piece of jewelery, inquire about the jeweler’s insurance policy. If your jewelry becomes damaged, you can return it to the source and have it repaired. Some jewelers even offer insurance for jewelry pieces that have been misplaced or stolen.
Know how to keep your jewelry beautiful. Every metal, setting, and stone has different requirements when it comes to care. A treatment that polishes one stone may scratch another stone. For the best information on how to look after your jewelry, you should talk to a jeweler.
Consider unique pieces of jewelry for unique individuals. A unique piece like this that matches their personality appears creative and thoughtful, and it shows them that you care about them enough to buy them something that they’ll wear.
Doing this will not only accentuate your waist, it will also act as the accent piece for your outfit. You can pin it centered at your waist or closer to your hip.
You should try to find out whether a gemstone was treated prior to purchasing it. If it was treated, you should discover the way it was treated. Care for your gemstone is different, depending on how it was previously treated. 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.
Take the time to shop at several different stores, both online and offline, when considering a diamond jewelry purchase. Every diamond is unique and they all have slight imperfections. Seeing a diamond in person will help you determine whether you can accept a given imperfection. Also, jewelers can adjust prices based on a specific diamond’s particular condition. Try different jewelers and locate the most beautiful diamond you can afford to buy.
Keep your jewelry in place with a strong clasp or closure. It is extremely easy to lose your valuable chains, pendants and stones with jewelry that has a flimsy clasp. You can get a safety clasp to keep costly necklaces and bracelets from falling off and becoming lost. There are those that use two or three clasps to keep their jewelry safe while they wear it.
Don’t wear jewelry when swimming. The chlorine in pool water is very harsh and may cause your fine jewelry to appear dull. Salt water is equally as bad for your jewelry. It is advisable to remove all jewelry prior to participating in any water sports to protect and extend the life of your jewelry.
Rubies are extremely popular for good reasons. True rubies are red, but rubies have a myriad of red shades that range from deep pinks to near maroon. They can handle a lot of abuse and are not as affected by chemicals as other jewels. Both their appearance and their toughness make them perfect to use in jewelry.
Buy a piece of jewelry you can reasonably afford. Taking out a loan for a ring or necklace is a bad idea. A young couple may want to choose a cheaper ring at first. Then, they can upgrade it when they have achieved a little more financial wherewithal.
Get an illusion setting if you wish to have a noticeable effect. Illusion settings have a mirror beneath the diamond. The diamond is reflected in the plate while it is being worn, which magnifies how large and sparkly the jewel appears. There’s only one problem with this setting: it can be hard to fix if the piece becomes broken.
Make sure you have a plug in the drain as you are cleaning jewelery over the sink. It’s too easy for a piece of your precious jewelry to slip from your grasp when covered in soap. By placing the plug in the drain before you begin the cleaning process, you can prevent your jewelry from becoming stuck in the drainpipe or being washed away forever.
Whether it is a ring, watch or a beautiful new bracelet, you can use the advice in the article above to buy your next piece of jewelry with confidence. By implementing these suggestions, your next trip to the jewelers should save time and money.
