It’s impossible to know too much about beautiful jewelry! Even a seemingly trivial mistake could cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. What follows are some common sense jewelry tips that will help prevent you from making these costly mistakes. This information is going to help you take care of you jewelry and steer clear of potential mistakes that people commonly make.
Don’t clean your jewelry in harsh household chemicals like ammonia, bleach or turpentine. This can cause your stones to turn and dull in color, along with eating away any enamel on the pieces.
Prevent your jewelry from tarnishing so that it keeps looking great. Remove your jewelry if you plan on spending time in or near water. Many of the metals become tarnished, rusty or dull when they get exposed to the elements of water. A very light coating of clear nail varnish can be applied to some jewelry, and this will add an additional line of protection against the elements.
Costume Jewelry
Costume jewelry requires specific care. Many of the costume type settings are glued-in, rather than set-in. Costume jewelry should never be submerged in liquid, nor cleaned with chemicals. The best way to care for your jewelry is to use one damp cloth to wipe it followed by a dry one to dry it. This will ensure that all of your costume jewelry looks like it did the day you bought it.
One way to ensure that your jewelry stays clean is to put it only after you have applied your make-up and it has had time to set. The small particles of powdered makeup can easily dull the shine of your jewelry. This method is especially helpful in caring for necklaces or earrings.
Before you buy any gemstone, determine what, if any, treatment it received. It is important to understand the varying treatment processes because each one requires a specific care regimen. For example, improper cleaning with the wrong method may damage the stone by stripping the treatment.
Untangle a delicate necklace easily. The first thing you need to do is get a piece of plastic wrap. After placing the necklace on the wrap, coat it with mineral or baby oil. After the necklace has loosened, try to untangle it by hand. If this does not work, consider using a sturdy pin or needle. Be sure to use extra caution due to the slippery oil. Use ordinary dish soap to remove the mineral oil and let dry.
You should always know what you plan on doing with jewelry when purchasing it. There is no point in filling your jewelery box with things you cannot wear. Think about what type of clothing you will wear with the jewelry before deciding what to buy.
If you are looking to sell jewelry online, ensure that the photos you use make the piece look attractive. This is extremely important because the potential buyer can not handle the item that is being sold. Photograph jewelry in a setting that concentrates the viewer’s attention solely on the jewelry; avoid distracting backgrounds.
Inspect the clasps of your necklaces and bracelets. Without a decent clasp, you risk losing your expensive stones or chains. 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 swim wearing your jewelry. Chlorine in pools will damage your pieces causing them to lose their luster. Salt water can damage them over time too. Take off your jewelry before swimming to ensure that it lasts as long as possible before you have to replace it.
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.
