The concept jewelry has is almost as stunning as physical jewelry is alone. Jewelry can be a testament to celebrations in a person’s life and will serve as a memorial to the relationships between two loving people. When you understand how jewelry works, it makes the whole process more memorable.
Don’t use harsh chemicals like turpentine or bleach to clean jewelry. This can cause the stones to lose their luster in addition to eating away the enamel on any of the pieces.
Use a polishing cloth for all of your jewelry pieces. This is a natural way to shine all of your jewelry without relying on abrasives or other harsh chemicals. To clean your jewelry, obtain a soft two-sided cloth and gently rub in a circular motion. Use a two-sided cleaning cloth, one for polishing and one for shining.
Take care when you are storing your jewelry in the same place. Jewelry should be stored in an organized way in a box, a jewelry holder or hung on hooks. Don’t just box all the pieces together in a pile. This does damage to jewelry pieces, which are often fragile. Necklaces lumped together can get tangled up into a knotted ball.
Don’t use acetone, ammonia, turpentine, bleach, or other harsh chemicals for cleaning them. This could cause the stone to change color or become dull in appearance, and it may eat away at the enamel on the piece.
If you are shopping unmarked sterling silver jewelry, then by all means bring a magnet. Imitations will be attracted to your magnet. This is an easy way to recognize quality. Sterling silver always has some sort of stamp to indicate it is sterling. If the piece you’re inspecting doesn’t carry such a mark, be careful, as it is likely a fake.
Be cautious about your jewelry storage. It is better to use boxes, compartments, holders, and hooks for keeping pieces separate. Avoid just throwing them into a box in an unorganized manner. Not only can this harm the fine and fragile pieces, but things like necklaces can get severely tangled up with other necklaces or other jewelry.
A good piece of jewelery can last you your whole life. To ensure you are buying a quality piece, refuse to deal with anybody but the most reputable of jewelers. High-quality jewelry items will have superior craftsmanship and pleasing, aesthetic designs. A jeweler should know about each piece he sells, including the person that made it, the origin of precious stones or other materials and other history, such as previous owners for antique or estate pieces. When you choose a piece of jewelry that is high in quality, it can become a heirloom that will last forever.
Precious Metals
Do they often wear hoop earrings, or stud earrings? Do they show a preference for white or yellow gold? This is a great place to start when picking out that special item.
When storing your jewelry, be sure that you store it in a place with low humidity and free of open air. Some good examples of proper storage would be,a jewelry box that is closed, or a small draw string bag. Certain metals will be tarnished when exposed to humidity or air. While precious metals can be polished back to their original luster, non-precious metals are only coated in which case polishing causes the copper metal underneath to show through.
Always check with your jeweler about insurance policy options before buying anything. If your jewelry becomes damaged, you can return it to the source and have it repaired. There are jewelers who offer insurance for misplaced or lost jewelry, too.
If you are looking to purchase sterling silver jewelry make sure that you have a magnet with you and a good eye. You are able to detect fake pieces of sterling jewelry with a magnet, as non-precious metals are attracted by the magnet. You can generally tell genuine sterling silver by its stamp, which will look something like “.925 ster.” If your silver is not marked, it could be because it is not real!
Keep your jewelry from getting tarnished to preserve its best appearance. Remove your jewelry if you plan on spending time in or near water. If you let some metals get wet too often, they can tarnish, rust or become dull. Clear nail polish, applied in a thin coat, can give jewelry some added protection.
Selling, owning or buying jewelry means you are investing in something that is nearly priceless, which in itself is the memory. Every piece of jewelry has its own story, whether it reminds you of a special time in your life, or represents an important part of your personality.
You could wear it for a day to make sure it is not uncomfortable. You will also find out if your creation is durable enough.