While shopping for jewelry can be really fun, it can be difficult if you are not sure how to choose expensive pieces. Jewelry is an investment, and you need the right information to help you make the most of your jewelry buying, selling or wearing endeavors. A shopper who hasn’t done their homework can wind up overpaying for a piece. Read on if you want some great advice about purchasing jewelry.
Try using a polishing cloth on all of the jewelry in a collection. These cloths can replace the need for chemicals or solvents during the process. You use the special cloth to polish your jewelry just like you would polish your silverware. Use one side of the cloth for polishing, and the reverse to make it sparkle.
Use a soft cloth on your jewelry as often as you want. This is a chemical-free method to maintain the appearance of your fine jewelry. All you do is polish it like you would a glass with the two-sided cloth. Polish jewelry with one side of the cloth, then flip it over and shine jewelry with the other side.
You should always store your jewelry very carefully. Consider delegating each piece to its own resting place, utilizing compartmental boxes and storage units. You should never simply throw your jewelry into a box in a messy pile. This does damage to jewelry pieces, which are often fragile. Necklaces lumped together can get tangled up into a knotted ball.
Be careful when storing all your jewelry together. A better idea is to keep the pieces separate by using boxes, hooks, compartments or holders. Don’t throw piles into a box. Fragile jewelry could easily be damaged by doing this, not to mention the nuisance of having to untangle necklace chains that could get caught together.
Take a magnet and a keen eye with you when you head out to purchase any jewelry made from sterling silver. To spot scams, see if the magnet attracts the piece. If it does, then shout “FAKE!” at the top of your lungs and move to the next store. True sterling sliver always has some sort of hallmark stamp on it, such as .925, sterling or ster. Be wary of jewelery without any kind of hallmark, as often it is fake.
When storing your jewelry, be sure that you store it in a place with low humidity and free of open air. Keep your jewelry in a drawstring bag or in a box that is made for jewelry. All metals will tarnish if they are subjected to too much air and humidity. Precious metals, through some work and polish, can be restored to their original condition. Non-precious metals are coated, which means that polishing will allow copper metal to come through.
When shopping for a diamond, it’s crucial that you do comparisons. Look at the pieces up close before purchasing them, and be sure to compare them to others. Beware, there are many tricks to enhance the look of a sub-par diamond.
Take a magnet and a keen eye with you when you head out to purchase any jewelry made from sterling silver. Imitations will be attracted to your magnet. This is an easy way to recognize quality. Also, look to make sure that silver is hallmarked and stamped with .925, sterling or ster. If you cannot find a stamp, you might be looking at a cheap imitation.
Take note of whether they wear hoop earrings or studs, yellow gold or white gold, an ankle bracelet, etc. Doing this will provide a good basis for where you should begin so that you can purchase a special piece for that special someone.
You should expect good jewelry to last the rest of your life, and possibly beyond. To ensure you are buying a quality piece, refuse to deal with anybody but the most reputable of jewelers. A truly high-quality piece is one that is well-constructed and of superior workmanship. Your jeweler should have all the information on the piece, including where it came from and who created it. Put effort into your choice, so you can be sure that the piece will last generations.
Make sure a piece of jewelry is still in style before you buy it. Price a variety of similar items before buying an expensive piece.
Before you think about picking up new jewelry, check into what the latest trends are to get a sense of what’s of value. You will enjoy your jewelery even more if you can get it on sale.
If you can prevent your jewelry from tarnishing, it will surely look much more attractive. Avoid wearing your jewelry near water. Many of the metals become tarnished, rusty or dull when they get exposed to the elements of water. If you must take your jewelry somewhere wet, prepare it by adding some clear nail polish on the surface.
Now that you’ve come to the end of the article, you are armed with the knowledge you need when shopping for that next great piece of jewelry. Not only are you going to save yourself some time, but you also are going to save quite a few dollars by following the tips and tricks in this article.
As a collector of costume jewelry, you should investigate the condition of the pieces that you want to add to your collection Many costume pieces are a great investment and can be quite costly, but costume jewelry that has too many signs of wear will not keep their value over time. An item in good condition holds its value better in the long run.