Buying and selling jewelry can be exciting. Before you jump into this market, you need to do your research and learn all you can about jewelry. There are many things to learn so that you don’t get poor pieces and so you don’t lose money on a sale. The tips below can help you with that.
If you have metal allergies, make sure to purchase nickel free jewelry. Nickel is a common alloy that is mixed in with precious metals such as sterling silver to make them more pliable. Silver itself is very liquid in its original state and therefore not substantial enough to be properly molded into jewelry. Oftentimes, another alloy such as nickel is added. Make sure you check what you are purchasing to make sure it is nickel free.
There are two types of categories that jewelry falls under. Fine jewelry is jewelry made from silver, gold or platinum and is combined with any precious or semi- precious gemstones. Jewelry classified as costume is any form of jewelry made from low cost metals that contain only a silver or gold surface finish as well as synthetic or plastic “gemstones”. Both categories have their pros and cons, and it really depends on personal taste and budget that helps determine which to buy.
When storing your fine jewelry in a chest or case, wrap each piece in a small piece of velvet cloth. That way harder gemstones will not scratch softer gemstones and metals. It also helps pieces not get tangled with themselves and the velvet helps to keep the pieces safe from excess moisture.
Men are very picky about the jewelry they wear, especially when they are gifted some that may seem feminine. When selecting jewelry for a man, make sure it something that goes with the way that they dress. Also, when selecting what you will get for him make sure that it is subtle and not flashy.
When making jewelry and you want to turn a bead into a linked piece, take an eye pin and thread it through the bead’s hole. Let the bead slide to the bottom of the eye pin. Directly above the bead, use your pliers to bend the eye pin approximately 45 degrees. Using wire cutters, trim this to about half an inch in length. Using small round pliers, grasp the tip of the wire and start looping it around the pliers tip. Don’t give up if your eye pin loop is not directly round – practice makes perfect!
Consider your setting when buying an engagement ring. Do not rush into the first or cheapest setting you are shown. Your setting is equally as important as the stone you are getting set into it. Consider if you want a classic, or modern style for your ring’s look and feel.
Read all your warranties and guarantees. Carefully paying attention to all the details in both of these can help you prevent any major issues from coming up. If you find any issues in the warranties or guarantees, you can correct them before you take the jewelry you’ve bought out of the store.
Ask your salesperson how they recommend you clean your new purchases. Different gemstones require different care processes. Your salesperson is most likely the best person to tell you great care methods for your individual piece. Knowing these methods can greatly increase the lifespan of your jewelry pieces, and keep them looking new for much longer.
Learning what you can prior to buying or selling jewelry ensures that you can make smarter decisions as to what you should have to get what you need. So, do yourself a favor and do your research and apply the above tips to your jewelry buying or selling ventures.