It can be difficult knowing how to select just the right pieces of jewelry. There are so many different styles and materials to choose from, and they are available in such a wide range of prices. Then there is the issue of care and maintenance of the jewelry. This article features tips to help you out with many of your jewelry questions.
Try not to bathe or swim in your fine jewelry. Many times the type of water (hard versus soft) can splash and wear the metal jewelry or stain the stone. There are also chemicals like chlorine found in many swimming pools that can turn stones and badly stain metal jewelry.
Know which kind of stone you are buying with your jewelry. Natural gems and imitation gems have been joined recently by synthetic gems, making three main categories. “Real” can mean natural or synthetic, and an imitation stone could be glass or plastic. Natural stones are found in the earth and are mined out, while synthetic ones are grown in laboratories.
Try adding some industrial metals to your collection. There is more to metal jewelry than just gold and silver. Industrial metals include stainless steel, titanium, tungsten carbide and tungsten. Industrial metals provide a much nicer shine and are more durable and less susceptible to damage. Titanium is known for being more lightweight, stainless steel and can be polished until it practically glows. Tungsten carbide can resist scratches for a long time, as well as being a dark metal.
Jewelry consignment stores are a great place to sell your jewelry. Consignment stores will sell your jewelry for whatever you think is a fair price, and they take a certain percentage of the sales when the item sells. They will usually display it for about 3 months and then you have the option of either picking it up or selling it to the store. Occasionally the store will keep it on display for longer if you ask.
Don’t discard your antique broach from Grandma, re-purpose it. If you put a chain through it, the broach instantly becomes a fashionable necklace. Vintage jewelry is extremely popular these days and finding a way to make it wearable makes it fashionable. Re-using is also a popular concept in our “green” society. That broach can serve you well with just a slight alteration to its use.
Keep your jewelry unsoiled by only putting it on after all of your makeup has been applied. The sparkle of a piece of jewelry is a magnet for loose or wet makeup, which will leave it tarnished and dingy. Especially keep this tip in mind for necklaces or earrings.
When buying jewelry it is a good idea to personalize it. You can choose to have an engraving on the interior of the piece or on the backside of it. It should be a message that will mean something to the person who is receiving the jewelry so that they can look at the engraving and think of fond memories from the past.
Make sure that you understand the language and jargon the jewelers speak. When you go looking at jewelry they will throw out information about the grade of the stones. It is important that you know what they are talking about and it will save both you and the jeweler time if you understand at least a little bit about the language that they use.
Ask your jeweler if they have the current equipment that is used to distinguish real diamonds from those that were created in a lab. Most of the older equipment can detect cubic zirconia, but sometimes they mistake lab diamonds for real ones. Making sure your jeweler has the correct testing equipment can save you from being a victim of fraud.
When you purchase jewelry to give as a gift, make sure you select pieces that are appropriate to the relationship you have to the recipient. The cost, style and material of gift jewelry all say a lot about the way the giver feels about the receiver. Be sure that your gift does not imply a relationship that does not exist.
Gifts of jewelry are often given to romantic partners. A romantic presentation is a great way to enhance a romantic piece of jewelry. Packaging and decoration can be used to make an attractive piece of jewelry look even better. Theatrical presentation also makes for a more memorable gift-giving. Jewelry given with a ceremony will remind its recipient not only of a relationship but also of a particularly romantic moment.
Whether you’re a man or woman shopping for jewelry, avoid asking store clerks how things look when you try them on. To make a sale, people are obviously going to be very flattering with you. A false sense of confidence here can result in a really bad purchase that you’ll end up regretting later.
Clean gold properly. Even though gold has an advantage because it doesn’t tarnish or rust, it still needs cleaning. Harsh chemical cleaners will strip away any shine or luster, so only use a soft wet cloth for cleaning. If there are hard to reach areas, you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush dipped in warm soapy water.
Gold jewelry can be effectively cleaned with one teaspoon of ammonia, one teaspoon of dish soap, and one cup of water. The dish soap will act as a de-greaser, while the ammonia has an oxidation quality. You can use this as your regular cleaner for gold jewelry, but never use it on precious stones.
Before you make a jewelry purchasing decision, it is good to be armed with as much knowledge as possible. Then, when you finally have your pieces home and have worn them for some time, it becomes vital to know how to care for them properly. By applying the tips you have read in this article, you will be better equipped for both tasks.
