There is a lot more to owning jewelry than being flashy and spending extravagant amounts of money. It can become your legacy and is a very good investment. You need to absorb all of the advice that you can, which will show you how to select quality jewelry and properly care for it.
Make sure you know what kind of gem you are getting when you are buying jewelry. There are three different types: natural, synthetic and imitation. Natural stones and synthetic gems are both real, but imitation gems are probably just colored glass or plastic. The only difference between natural and imitation gemstones is where they are made. Natural occur naturally, while synthetic stones are grown in labs.
Stay away from cheap glass jewelry. Borosilicate and lampwork glass jewelry are a new rage. Many styles of this type of jewelry are popping up in malls all over the country. However the products labeled as high quality lampwork glass are nothing more than cheap imported glass goods. Such glass products are usually not kiln annealed which means that there is a high chance that the product can shatter, cutting your skin while you’re wearing it. Purchase glass jewelry from local artisans or reliable vendors that you know are selling quality products. If it’s too cheap, you know it is too good to be true. Good glass costs anywhere from the low forty dollar range up into the hundreds.
Native American jewelry has a rich history in American culture. The colorful beads and designs tell stories of generations past. Jewelry was an important part of most Native Americans heritage, with beautiful pieces dating back thousands of years. These same styles and designs are still popular and in high-demand today.
Try adding some industrial metals to your collection. There is more to metal jewelry than just gold and silver. Industrial metals include stainless steel, titanium, tungsten carbide and tungsten. Industrial metals provide a much nicer shine and are more durable and less susceptible to damage. Titanium is known for being more lightweight, stainless steel and can be polished until it practically glows. Tungsten carbide can resist scratches for a long time, as well as being a dark metal.
When choosing jewelry for an outfit, think about not only what color or colors your clothes are, but also what color your jewelry is. If you’re wearing a necklace on a silver chain, try to pair it with a silver ring or earrings with silver findings. Try to avoid mixing different colored metals unless you have a single piece, such as a watch, that combines both.
A great source for unique and inexpensive jewelry pieces are local thrift shops. Local thrift stores can be a treasure trove for antique and truly unusual pieces. Often, these establishments do not have the staff, training or time, that is necessary to check for hallmarks or gold and silver content. A few dollar’s investment can often yield, not only some really unique pieces of jewelry, but also some pieces that may be, quite valuable.
The best thing you can do to care for your jewelry is to make sure it is properly insured, especially if it is highly valuable. This will protect your jewelry from theft, damage, and being lost. There are many ways you can insure your jewelry, and it is definitely worth looking into since no one wants to be left standing after suffering an unfortunate event.
While having jewelry is very nice, you should be very careful about the process of getting it. There are people all over the world that spend all of their time preying on the naive. Following these tips will help you to spot a problem when there is one.