Jewelry has existed as a form of ornamentation for centuries. There are an almost limitless number of designs to choose from. Here’s where you can start learning about jewelry and start choosing pieces that you’ll enjoy for a long time to come.
Keep your jewelry looking like new by wiping it with a polishing cloth. This helps keep your jewelry shiny without the need for chemical cleansers, which can damage the pieces. Buff your jewelry with the two-sided cloth, just as if you were cleaning a glass. Polish jewelry with one side of the cloth, then flip it over and shine jewelry with the other side.
Try using a simple polishing cloth on your jewelery collection. A polishing cloth is a very gentle way to get a good shine on all your pieces. You can use the two-sided cloth to polish your jewelry in the same way you would polish a drinking glass. First use the polishing side, and finish with the other side to make it shine.
Be careful when storing all your jewelry together. Using boxes, hooks, holders, and compartments is very effective for ensuring the pieces stay separated. Resist the temptation to jumble all your pieces into a community box. This can harm fragile and fine pieces, along with severely tangling necklaces with other pieces.
Do not clean your jewelry with chemicals such as bleach or ammonia. Harsh chemicals will dull your stones and dissolve the enamel on your jewelry.
Your jewlery needs to be kept in a place where it is protected from air and humidity. A box designed especially for jewelry gives the best protection, but a cloth bag can also work. When non-precious and precious metals are expose to air and humidity, they tend to tarnish. Precious metals can often be polished to remove most tarnish. Non-precious metals often have a single coat of metal. Therefore, polishing them can remove the coat and show the copper that is found underneath.
Jewelry should be stored in an air-tight and humid free area. To ensure it is protected, keep your jewelry in a drawstring bag or a jewelry box that is closed. Metals will become tarnished when exposed to air and humidity. Polishing will work to restore the color and shine for precious metals, but with non-precious metals, polishing will not help the change in color.
Make sure you know what kind of gem you are getting when you are buying jewelry. There are basically three distinct types: natural gems, synthetic gems and imitation stones. Imitation is plastic that is colored to looked like the stone, but natural stones and synthetic stones are real. Natural stones are dug up out of the ground and synthetic ones are grown in a lab.
Know the type of gem you’re buying, when you buy it. Gemstones come in three different varieties: natural, imitation and synthetic. Natural and synthetic gems are real stones, but imitation is just plastic colored to look like the real thing. Natural comes from the ground, while synthetic ones are created in a lab.
Do your research before settling on one diamond. Get up close to inspect the diamond carefully. Make a comparison with other pieces you have looked at. With diamonds, you need to have a keen eye because of the many tricks people will use to enhance it.
Check out the latest trends in jewelry before you pick up a new piece. If there is one thing better than finding the perfect, most heart-stopping bauble, it would be snagging the piece at a wonderful price!
Keep your jewelry from tarnishing as best as you can. Try to keep your jewelry away from water. Water can cause some metals to lose their luster or to become tarnished or rusty. For added protection for your jewelry, try adding a thin coating of clear nail polish.
Costume Jewelry
If you wear the piece for 24 hours, then you can be sure that it has been put together correctly and hangs nicely. This will also help you to determine if the piece is sufficiently durable.
Costume jewelry needs to be handled and stored delicately. Costume settings are often glued-in as compared to set-in. You want to avoid using strong chemicals or immersion baths on your costume jewelry. Simply wipe it with a damp warm cloth, followed by a soft, dry cloth. This will clean off any residue and make it look like new, without damaging it.
Take good care of your costume jewelry. Costume jewelry is generally bound by glue rather than settings and is therefore, a lot more fragile. Never immerse your costume jewelry or use harsh chemicals on it. For best results, use a warmed, damp cloth to wipe your jewelry and then use another cloth to dry it. This helps keep costume jewelry looking sparkling clean and new.
When you are ready to buy a piece of jewelry, think about what you are going to be doing with it. There is no need to spend your money on a bauble that you cannot see yourself wearing. Think of the outfits that you own, and use those to help you choose your jewelry.
Many people find it hard to shop for unique individuals. The trick is picking something unique for them, maybe something made just for them. This will express the time you spent to get their gift just right, just the kind of sentiment you want to show your special friends.
When selling jewelry on the Internet, make the extra effort to present it in the best light possible. This is very important because a customer cannot look at the jewelery if they are buying it online. Avoid taking photographs of jewelery with backgrounds that distract from the piece.
The brooch will call attention to your belt and make it more interesting to look at. You can pin in at the front-center of the belt or near the hip.
More desirable than a big piece is the cut and clarity of the diamond. Also, keep in mind the personality of the person you are giving the diamond to.
You should try to find out whether a gemstone was treated prior to purchasing it. If it was treated, you should discover the way it was treated. The kind of care your stone needs is dependent on what it was treated with. If you have a treated gem you should avoid any solution that could damage the gem by stripping the treatment.
When you want to buy something nice for someone, think about getting them a jewelery set. Many jewelers offer deals on jewelry sets. You could always break the sets up and give them as individual gifts. This way, you can ensure that you don’t have to worry about getting a gift at the last minute, and you know that it will match what they already own.
Buy jewelry on sale whenever possible. With the right kind of sale, you can save a lot of money. Scope out the sales in every store you can find. Purchasing a piece of jewelry that is recently out of style can save you nearly half of what you would have paid originally.
Every necklace, bracelet or anklet can benefit from a quality clasp. You may end up losing a treasured or costly piece through no fault of your own. You can avoid this by looking at the clasps prior to purchasing new pieces. You can purchase a safety clasp to secure expensive pieces of jewelry. Some people choose to use additional safety clasps in order to keep their priceless pieces safe while they have them on.
This goes for any type of sauna, either steam or dry. Both heat and moisture will damage your jewelery.
Don’t swim wearing your jewelry. The life and luster of your jewelry can be damaged by the strong chemical chlorine. Even ocean swimming is not good for jewelry. The salt is damaging. To extend the life of your jewelry, and protect the beauty, take off all jewelry before going into the water.
Robe hooks are a great way to keep necklaces safe and separate. With the right space, you can incorporate a row of these and use them for organizing and hanging necklaces easily. Not only is this a decorative touch to your intimate spaces, but it will protect the necklaces from being damaged by excessive contact with other pieces in a small box.
Gold Jewelry
Crystal or onyx jewelry can really stand out well and make a statement. Find ways to economize and you might be pleased with the results.
The high price of gold can interfere with your fine jewelry purchases. However, you can still have a nice piece of gold jewelry at a lower price if you opt for lower karats. For the best compromise between price and quality, consider 18kt gold jewelry which is comprised of 75-percent pure gold.
Beautiful displays will help you sell the jewelry you make. The next time you go shopping for new materials, look for things you can use for display. Nearly any type of display, box or case may make a good jewelry stand, if you put in a bit of work.
Remember to contrast finely detailed, ornate jewelry with a simple outfit. Let the jewelry take center stage by dressing in a solid color.
Give your loved one a special surprise with a new piece of jewelry. A surprise jewelry gift is something practically every woman dreams about. The joy for you will be in watching the amazement show on her face when you give her the box.
If you are a jewelry maker and sell it at craft shows and other sales, you may need new ideas for displaying it. Use the same creativity you employ on your jewelry to come up with notable, memorable displays for it. Look for baskets, racks and boxes. Use other original objects to display your creations.
In order to wear jewelry that is from when you were a child without looking outdated or childish, use modern pieces in accordance with your childhood piece for a modern, layered effect. A simple pendant will add some flare to a grouping of several necklaces when they are all in the same style.
It is very difficult to distinguish natural sapphires and rubies from artificial ones. The ones grown in a lab are exactly the same and cost way less. Make sure that you have a professional and reputable gemologist examine any natural sapphire you are thinking of purchasing.
If you have a good piece of jewelry that you wish to sell, think about taking it to an appraiser or a gemologist. This gives you a baseline price against which you can evaluate offers from potential buyers.
A lot of people wear gold and silver jewelery at the same time. However, you have to find jewelry that incorporates both metals into one piece. Otherwise the look is out of style and doesn’t look right.
If the one you really want is not affordable right now, get something simpler and then upgrade to what you want later when you can afford it. When you have a significant timeline anniversary or another special occasion, the ring could be upgraded at that time. Some jewelers provide buy-back programs where your ring can be traded for a larger one.
To maintain the integrity of the setting, only use a slightly damp cloth to gently clean the piece. Afterwards, dry the whole piece with a soft cloth. Harsh cleansers and chemicals should not be used to clean fashion or costume jewelry.
Though this is not an ideal cleaner, it will do the job if you have nothing else. Begin by using a cloth that is soft and free of lint, or a paper towel in a pinch. Put a small dollop of toothpaste on it. Rub the tarnished jewelry with the paste, and then rinse or wipe off with water. This does not produce ideal cleaning results, but it will get rid of tarnish.
If you want to wear a necklace from your childhood years without looking immature or old-fashioned, layer it with larger, more modern necklaces to create a grouped look. If you add a cross or heart pendant necklace to a grouping of others, it gives the entire grouping a lovely, personalized touch.
When you and your future spouse are shopping for an engagement ring, don’t just consider the ring styles, but consider your lifestyles as well. It is key to find a ring that exemplifies your relationship and the person that will wear it. Engagement rings are a material container for memories, so make sure you are creating the right ones when you choose a ring.
The preceding jewelry tips will help when you are looking for pieces that are just right for you. The world of jewelry is filled with a multitude of choices, but the right information makes the decision-making process a whole lot easier.
Fancy brands mean expensive jewelry. There are many famous jewelry stores and jewelers that charge top price for their goods based on their name, but is their quality any better than others? Be a savvy shopper and choose designer styles you like, then find other lesser-known jewelers making similar styles with much more reasonable prices.