With so many different retailers all offering the best deals and most beautiful jewelry, shopping for the perfect piece can be quite a challenge. Fortunately, this handpicked selection of tips and suggestions is sure to leave you more enlightened when it comes to finding the best rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.
Save some of your most fragile jewelry for special occasions only. Some fragile stones like opal and peridot should only be worn for special events and then carefully stored until the next occasion. This may seem irritating since you want to be able to wear your best pieces, but it can prolong their life if you avoid exposing them to harm too often.
The best tool for any jewelry hunter, whether searching for personal treasure or for the profit in reclaiming gold or silver, is a jeweler’s loupe. Jeweler’s loupes are small, but powerful magnifying instruments designed specially for use in examining jewelry at very close range. Some jeweler’s loupes also have a built-in, battery-powered light which can be very handy if examining pieces in a dimly lit area. Most jeweler’s loupes are extremely economical in cost and can help you make the most of your jewelry-buying dollar, especially when buying from second-hand sources.
To help you make chainmaille jewelry, it is important that you choose your tools wisely. The handle of your pliers should fit comfortably in your hands and the tip should be sturdy. This will help you to manipulate the wire with the most ease and comfort, preventing unnecessary strain and pain.
If you’re making wire jewelry and don’t have wire cutters, just use a pair of fingernail clippers. The fingernail clippers are small and great for fine cutting. They will be able to manipulate through most sterling silver wire with ease. The fingernail clippers will no longer be useful for your nails though, because wire will dull them fast.
If you are giving jewelry as a gift, it is easy to make interesting and unique gift boxes that will leave an impact! You can find plain jewelry gift boxes at any craft and hobby store. After you have your plain gift box, head to the scrapbooking aisle and pick out some sticker packages that match the type of mood you want the gift box to convey. Decorating the plain box with these stickers gives it a nice decorative touch without breaking the bank.
To get use out of an earring after one half of a pair is lost, use it as a brooch. Many earrings can be worn just as a brooch can, and can make a great accent piece. Try pinning the earring to a scarf or attaching it to your top just below the collar bone. A more delicate earring is a great way to accent a purse or a belt.
When you are interested in buying some jewelery you should expect to find good sales. Jewelry sales can save you a significant amount of cash. You will find advertisements for the sales in a variety of media mediums including on the net, in newspapers, and also in the stores themselves. Sometimes, buying fashion styles that are on their way out can save you almost half of the original price.
If you are lucky enough to have a nice piece of emerald jewelry, then you will want to be careful in how you clean it, as it requires special care. You can soak it in cool water and then briefly brush it. Do not use hot water, steam or extreme heat, and cleaning with harsh solutions should be avoided.
If you love wearing jewelry, but hate the irritation it causes, then you may want to examine the metals in the jewelry. Higher karats of gold are less likely to cause irritation so opt for 14 or 18 karat. You could also try platinum or even palladium as both of these metals are harder and stronger than gold.
When purchasing jewelry it is important to keep in mind for whom you are buying it, unless it is for yourself. You may really love a certain piece but the person you are buying it for my loathe it. So carefully consider the person it will be for, and then make your decision.
All bracelets and necklaces must have a good, durable clasp or closure. Weak clasps put your expensive pieces of jewelry at risk of loss. A safety clasp is available and is recommended for valuable bracelets and necklaces. With the most expensive items of jewelry, some people will use two or three clasps for extra security.
Make sure you store your pearl jewelry in breathable bags, away from other jewelry that may scratch your pearl jewelry. Pearls can easily become flawed so it is important that you keep it away from jewelry that may scratch their surface. You should never keep your pearls in a zip-lock bag.
If you have gold jewelry, you should try to avoid storing them in areas around diamonds and other hard gemstones. These hard stones can scratch or damage your gold. If you keep your gold away from hard jewelry, you can keep your gold looking better for longer.
If you have your jewelry insured, be sure to take good pictures of it. This will help when dealing with the insurance company in case something should happen to your jewelry. It can really help speed the process up and help you get through the insurance red tape. It also helps document what you have in case your home gets broken into.
If you want to buy silver jewelry, consider buying vintage pieces. The price of silver is higher now than it was in years past, and it is expected to continue to increase. This means purchasing silver jewelry is a good investment. If you focus on buying vintage pieces that were made when silver cost much less, they will be more affordable than new pieces you can buy today.
With the advice in this article, you should have no problem finding the best deals, the most reputable sellers, and the most gorgeous and valuable pieces of jewelry. Remember these tips and you are sure to come out on top with an amazing bauble that will undoubtedly wow its intended recipient.
