It can be well worth your while to thoroughly research any jewelry you are planning to buy or sell. There is so much to learn, it can be hard to decide where to start.
Costume jewelry is worth considering if you’re going to work and don’t wish to wear any jewelry that has a high value attached to it. Costume pieces of jewelry don’t contain any precious metals or gemstones, which makes them highly affordable and widely available. This type of jewelry does tend to tarnish over time and cannot be shined with a polishing cloth.
Protect yourself when purchasing diamonds by keeping written documents of your purchases as proof. This is the only way that you can prove the 4 C’s you were guaranteed when you purchased the piece or stone. Treat your sales receipts and appraisals as contracts of what you can expect from your purchase, especially if they are not up to the quality you were guaranteed.
Making your own jewelry is easier than you think. You can find interest pendants at craft stores that can be placed on chains you already own or you can easily buy an inexpensive chain. If you knit or crochet, you can use yarn to create chokers and bracelets. Even if you buy and combine store bought items, making your own jewelry still allows you to design what you wear.
To help maintain its appearance, take good care of it to keep it from getting tarnished. Never wear your jewelry when you are going to be near water. Lots of jewelry materials are dulled or tarnished by water exposure. Clear nail polish can be used to protect your jewelry if you apply a very thin coat of it on your pieces.
If you’d like to wear jewelry while wearing a turtleneck, be sure to only wear long necklaces. Shorter necklaces compete with the neckline of your top and can leave your neck looking stumpy. Look for necklaces with a pendant that falls below breast length. When wearing a turtleneck it’s best not to layer your necklaces.
Although it may seem obvious, never wear any type of jewelry when you are swimming. Not only is the water itself a bit difficult on the piece, but most swimming pools are treated with chemicals that will cause lasting damage to the piece, if it does not ruin it completely.
While gold is often mixed with other metals in large amounts, platinum tends to be more pure. The most popular type is 900 Platinum, which is 90 percent platinum. Since there is so little of other metals used in the pieces platinum is considered hypoallergenic and is the preferred metal of people with allergies.
When it comes to taking care of your jewelry – be sure that you take it off before taking care of your laundry. This is important to avoid the risk of losing it in your laundry as well as exposing it to harmful cleaning chemicals.
If you are looking to buy an expensive piece of jewelry, try to buy during an off period. Because demand is higher around holidays, especially Valentines Day, avoid buying at these times. By buying during off periods, you can save yourself quite a lot of money, or even use it as an investment and sell it in a time of high demand, at an increased price.
Use broken jewelry as well as odds and ends jewelry pieces to glue onto a picture frame to hold a special photo. A clear silicone is all that is needed to create a dazzling frame just perfect for a wedding photo or use old costume jewelry from the right era to surround a photo of a favorite grandmother. Jewelry-covered frames make gorgeous gifts too!
When it comes to making the most out of currently owned jewelry, consider repairing pieces that you currently own instead of buying new ones. This is beneficial not only because you may save money but also because you will once again get to wear a piece of jewelry that you have a fondness for already.
With gold prices at an all-time high, buying solid gold jewelery is not always an option. There are many high quality gold plated jewelery pieces, that look just like the solid ones, but are a fraction of the price. Next time you are looking for a great piece of jewelery, consider purchasing gold plated instead.
Charm bracelets are popular items of jewelry among women because it allows for large amounts of customization and allows them to showcase their interests as well as their tastes. Charms come in all forms, from horses and shoes to professional markers, and even age milestone markers. These are particularly popular among young women.
Research the options for rings. Often times when you walk into a jewelry shop they are able to spot a sucker. They may try and throw around a lot of new vocabulary that may or may not be important. If you understand the industry you will not get duped when buying that expensive piece of jewelry.
Store your jewelry carefully. Avoid jewelry boxes that just mash everything together. Each piece should be placed carefully on its own, since pieces touching one another could get scratched or etched. Keep sterling silver jewelry wrapped in special cloth that prevents tarnishing and always make sure they are put away dry, never wet.
To get the most bang for your buck when buying silver jewelry, know what each designation means. For example, silver that bears a “925” stamp is 92.5% silver. Meanwhile, jewelry marked “fine silver” contains 99.9% silver. The higher the silver content, the more likely your jewelry is to retain its value.
Learning how to make informed decisions on the buying and selling of jewelry takes time and effort. If you use these suggestions you can be a winner!
