Jewelry has been used for an extremely long time and there are countless designs to choose from. The information below can get you started on choosing a jewelry item you are bound to cherish.
Clean all of your jewelry with a polishing cloth. This will allow your jewelry to shine without using chemicals. Gently polish your jewelry with the two-sided cloth as if it were a mirror. One side is designed to polish, and the other is used to make the piece shine.
Sterling Silver
When shopping for genuine sterling silver jewelry, you need both a discerning eye and a small magnet. As a precious metal, silver should never be attracted to a magnet. You can recognize sterling silver by stamps that say ‘.925’ or ‘ster’. If you don’t see a stamp of any sort on a piece, then be wary of whether it is actually silver or not.
Before you buy a gemstone, ask what type of gemstone it is. A stone may be natural, synthetic or imitation. Natural and synthetic gems are real stones, but imitation is just plastic colored to look like the real thing. While natural gems come out of mines, synthetic ones come out of laboratories.
When you go diamond shopping, make sure that you do shopping comparisons. See what you like up close, and then compare it to other pieces that you look at. Be alert, since there are various ways to deceive consumers into thinking a diamond is better then it really is.
Costume Jewelry
You should ensure the quality of the pieces of costume jewelry that you purchase for your collection. Costume jewelry make good investments and they can be costly, but an item that shows major signs of usage will be a poor investment of your time and money. Stick to pieces that are in good to excellent condition, as they are the best investments.
You need to take special care of costume jewelry. 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. Wiping your jewelry off with with a slightly dampened cloth and then wiping it dry is usually sufficient to keep it clean. This keeps costume jewelry looking its best.
If you are getting jewelry for someone you consider to be one-of-a-kind, think about buying a piece that’s the same: unique and specially-crafted. This means you have taken the time to think about the gift and make it as personal as possible. Customized jewelery will also help you convey the right message.
A brooch can add visual interest and an accent to an otherwise dull belt. Pin the brooch on your belt in the center, or offset to one side.
Before you buy, ask the jeweler if and how the gemstone was treated. The way to care for a stone differs greatly depending on how it was treated. For example, you would not want to use a jewelry cleaner that is incompatible with a certain type of treatment. Doing so could result in irreversible damages to the color and surface of the stone.
This pertains to saunas that are steam or dry. Because of the high temperature and moisture in saunas, they can cause serious damage to your jewelry.
Comparison shopping for diamonds is critical. Every diamond is unique and has its own set of flaws. Sometimes an imperfection isn’t so important, but you need to see the diamond in person to determine this. Depending on the number and types of flaws in a diamond, jewelers may be somewhat flexible in pricing the piece. Try different jewelers and locate the most beautiful diamond you can afford to buy.
When getting presents for someone, you may want to consider purchasing sets of jewelry. You can often get a better price if you buy an entire set. You can split up the set and give the loved one a piece of jewelry as each holiday comes around. This ensures that you will have a lovely gift that is sure to match and be cherished.
You will want to avoid necklaces getting tangled, which can damage them. Try to find some attractive-looking hooks to hang them. Put these small hooks along a bedroom wall or even on a closet door to organize and hang your necklaces from. Not only will this prevent your necklaces from getting entwined in your jewelry box, it will also look really attractive.
The tips above will guide you in your quest for the jewelry that works with your tastes and budget. There is a vast array of jewelry pieces available making it a bit of a challenge to select, give or care for one properly. Reading up on jewelry is a useful way to spend a little time educating yourself.
