It can be well worth your while to thoroughly research any jewelry you are planning to buy or sell. This makes it difficult to know where to start.
Be cautious about your jewelry storage. The right jewelry box that has separate compartments, hooks and holders to keep the pieces apart is the best choice. Don’t just put them in one huge, unorganized pile. Not only can it damage finer, fragile pieces, but it can also make a tangled mess out of chains.
When shopping for genuine sterling silver jewelry, you need both a discerning eye and a small magnet. You can detect fake sterling silver with the magnet, since non-precious metals are drawn to magnets. Another way to tell if a metal is sterling silver is to check for a hallmark stamp, for example .sterling, .ster, or .925. If you don’t see a stamp of any sort on a piece, then be wary of whether it is actually silver or not.
Preventing tarnish will keep your jewelry look its best. When you are close to water, do not wear your jewelry. Exposure can result in tarnishing, rusting or dulling of different metals. It is wise to place a single coat of transparent nail lacquer on jewelry in order to protect it.
Wear the jewelry piece for a day so that you can get an idea of how comfortable it is and if it hangs right. It will also allow you to see if it can withstand every day wear and tear.
When buying new jewelry, carefully consider the stones. The gemstone you choose should work with your skin tone and suit your personality. Neutral colors are versatile enough to wear with any outfit in your closet. A piece that is hard to wear is not as useful as one that goes with everything.
Costume Jewelry
You will need to take special care when you are buying costume jewelery! Costume jewelry is generally bound by glue rather than settings and is therefore, a lot more fragile. Don’t submerge costume jewelry in water or clean it with harsh chemicals. The best care is to wipe with a warm damp cloth and then dry with another cloth. This will make your current costume jewelry look great.
Accent a belt with a brooch to add more visual interest instantly. You can pin it centered at your waist or closer to your hip.
Make sure you look around for awhile when you decide you want to shop for jewelry. All diamonds are unique and will have different types of imperfections. When you see the diamond yourself, you may find certain flaws not to be that important. Jewelers price diamonds differently, depending on their flaws. Don’t just look at one jewelry shop. Take the time to really look around until you find the best deal possible.
When you want to buy something nice for someone, think about getting them a jewelery set. The larger jewelry stores will often give discounts on an entire set of jewelry. Eventually you can split the set up and give someone just one piece of jewelry when a holiday comes around. This way, you know that you are giving a present that perfectly matches something the person already has.
An important part of your necklace or bracelet is having a quality clasp. You risk losing your necklace, and the expensive stones attached to it, if your clasp fails. For especially valuable necklaces and bracelets, adding a safety clasp to the piece is a good way to safeguard them. For added protection, you may choose to use an additional clasp beyond the one you already have.
As you can see, it does indeed require some knowledge and effort for both the buying and selling of jewelry. Keeping the aforementioned tips in mind, you are well on your way to being successful with them.
