You need to have knowledge of jewelry care regardless of how you acquire it; you should also maintain a basic familiarity with buying and selling trends so you make the best choices with the pieces you have or are considering purchasing. You will find some great suggestions to increase your understanding in these matters when you read this article.
The use of polishing cloths are helpful in cleaning your jewelry. With this method, you can simply shine it up and not deal with the hassle of using cleaners. You just have to polish each piece the same as you would polish glass using the two-sided cloth. Use a two-sided cloth to clean your jewelry, one for polishing, and the other for shining.
Keep your jewelry in a relatively air-tight container, and minimize its exposure to humidity. Trying putting them in a box with a tight-fitting lid or a bag that has a drawstring closure. Air and humidity can cause the metals that the jewelry are made of to tarnish. Precious metal jewelry can be polished to fix tarnish, but non-precious metals coated with a finish will never get back to their previous state.
If you are shopping for sterling silver jewelry, you’ll need a magnet and an eye for the real thing. Use the magnet to detect fake jewelry; real silver will not be attracted to the magnet, but the cheaper metals will. Sterling silver should always bear a stamp that says Sterling, Ster. or .925. If the item has no markings indicating its authenticity, then be wary.
Sterling Silver
When you are purchasing a new piece of jewelry, be aware of the gemstone that it contains and what it is made of. A stone may be natural, synthetic or imitation. “Real” can mean natural or synthetic, and an imitation stone could be glass or plastic. The difference here, however, is that synthetic is man-made in a laboratory while natural is found buried in the earth.
When shopping for sterling silver jewelry, it is a good idea to bring a small magnet along with you. As a precious metal, silver should never be attracted to a magnet. Look for the hallmark stamped on the piece of jewelry to determine what percentage sterling silver it is. If there is no marking on the piece, it may not be sterling silver.
Ask the jeweler what type of insurance is available for your purchase. These policies dictate whether or not the jeweler will replace or fix your item of jewelry if it is damaged. In some cases, insurance policies will cover lost, misplaced or stolen pieces.
Before you buy a gemstone, ask what type of gemstone it is. Gems are divided into three main categories: imitation, synthetic and natural. Imitation gems are made out of glass or plastic; natural and synthetic gems both consist of real gemstone. Natural gemstones are mined, while synthetic gems are artificially grown.
If you can prevent your jewelry from tarnishing, it will surely look much more attractive. Don’t take your jewelry into the water, regardless of whether you are showering or hitting the beach. If you let some metals get wet too often, they can tarnish, rust or become dull. A single coat of transparent nail polish may help protect certain types of metal.
Most jewelry is intended to last for a life time. When you look for a piece of jewelry, always use a dealer with a good reputation, ensuring that the piece you choose is of high-quality. High-quality jewelry is durable and displays excellent craftsmanship. The jeweler should tell you about who made the piece and the origin of the stones. Put effort into your choice, so you can be sure that the piece will last generations.
Give the jewelry a little test drive and wear it for a little bit to see if it is comfortable and lays right. This will also help you to determine if the piece is sufficiently durable.
Always ask the jeweler about an insurance policy before buying a new piece of jewelry. If something happened to your jewelery, you can take it back and see if they will fix it! There are some jewelers that will also have insurance plans for pieces that get lost or stolen.
Do some research on the best way to clean your particular piece of jewelry. You should know that different materials require different maintenance. What works for one material could damage another. For the best information on how to look after your jewelry, you should talk to a jeweler.
For most people, jewelry has significant monetary and sentimental value. Properly caring for your jewelry is crucial to preserving it and any attached memories. You can find more information to continuously educate yourself on how to treat jewelry.
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 grime and dust in makeup are attracted to the jewelry, and if you put on the jewelry before the cosmetics, it can cause the pieces to look dull. This is particularly important in the case of necklaces and earrings.