Many people think that finding the perfect piece of jewelry is just about being in the right place at the right time, but luck is only one part of it. Like any type of purchase, you need to know what you are looking for before you buy. This article contains a number of tips on purchasing jewelry that will help you to make a smart buy.
The metals in jewelry can tarnish if exposed to humid air, so you will want to store them in a way that protects them. Some good examples of proper storage would be,a jewelry box that is closed, or a small draw string bag. Humid air affects the metals in jewelry and causes tarnishing. You can restore the precious metals back to their former glory, but plated jewelry is different. Trying to polish those pieces can reveal the non-precious metals underneath, such as copper.
Arm yourself with a magnet and a magnifying glass when shopping for sterling silver jewelry. You can detect fake sterling silver with the magnet, since non-precious metals are drawn to magnets. You can generally tell genuine sterling silver by its stamp, which will look something like “.925 ster.” If you don’t see a stamp of any sort on a piece, then be wary of whether it is actually silver or not.
When you are shopping for a diamond, make sure to shop around and compare. Take a look at the diamonds up close, then put it next to other pieces you are interested in. Less-scrupulous jewelry sellers have many ways to enhance the appearance of a sub-par diamond, so you have to stay alert.
When on vacation, pick up a beautiful piece of jewelry as a thank you to your wife. She may be on vacation, but chasing after the kids or hosing them down after being at the beach is no picnic. Buy her something to remind her of the good times you’ve had together on your trip.
To make sure your jewelry makes you look great, wear jewelry that compliments your skin tone. If you have a cool skin tone, choose jewelry with a silver tone. When wearing gemstones, try pearls or jewel-toned stones. To compliment a warm skin tone, wear gold jewelry and pieces with earth tones. Coral and turquoise also look great on those with warm skin.
To clean up a piece of vintage jewelry, use a window cleaner. Spray a small amount of the window cleaner on s soft, lint-free piece of cloth. Gently rub the cloth against the jewelry until it sparkles. Vintage jewelry is often found in poor condition, and using this cleaning method can make it look new.
When learning a new jewelry-making technique, use cheaper materials. For instance, if you are learning wire techniques, pick up some aluminum or copper wire from a local craft store, instead of using your sterling silver wire. This will help you get the valuable practice you need to master the technique, while sparing your pocketbook. If you mess up on your top-quality materials, they may become unusable.
Metal allergies can make wearing any type of jewelry, most especially wrist watches, itchy and painful. A simple way to alleviate the itch that some non-precious metals (common in many watch cases) can cause, change your watch band to one made of leather or cloth and then apply a coat of clear nail polish to the back of your watch. The nail polish, while not permanent, can easily be reapplied when needed and protects your skin from being in direct contact with the metal case of the watch. If the buckle of that new watch band is metal, don’t forget to give it a coating of nail polish as well. Even that tiny bit of metal can cause some serious discomfort to those with sensitivities.
As was stated in the beginning of this article, purchasing jewelry is really about knowing about the product. If you are educated about the product, then finding the right price point is something you can achieve without luck on your side. Apply the advice from this article and you’ll be sure to find the perfect piece of jewelry.