When you are looking to purchase a piece of jewelry, there are a variety of things that are important to consider before making your final decision. Being an informed and knowledgeable customer will help you find the item(s) you are looking for which will make the process much less stressful. This article outlines a number of tips that can aid you in your quest for the perfect piece of jewelry.
Try not to bathe or swim in your fine jewelry. Many times the type of water (hard versus soft) can splash and wear the metal jewelry or stain the stone. There are also chemicals like chlorine found in many swimming pools that can turn stones and badly stain metal jewelry.
When dealing with precious and fragile stone jewelry, take them to get professionally cleaned. This is much better than scratching or destroying them yourself with regular jewelry cleaners. Even the jewelry cloths may be too much for some stones. Make sure though that they are not cleaned too often as this can be very counterproductive and actually weaken the stones.
Don’t keep your jewelry in open air or someplace with a lot of humidity. Keep your jewelry in a drawstring bag or in a box that is made for jewelry. Being submitted to extreme humidity and temperature can cause your pieces to tarnish. 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.
Enroll in a beading class, if you’re a fan of necklaces and bracelets. If you are buying them all of the time, this can put a dent in your budget. Instead, take a class and make some jewelry yourself. You will save a ton over buying already made products, have something unique to wear, and you can even sell some of your pieces for a profit.
View the gemstones in correct lighting, with the right background. Diamonds or other gems should never be viewed on a black background. Black backgrounds alter your perception of a gems real shine and color, so you may make a purchase and later realize that the stone is not as clear and perfect as you originally assumed.
When determining the type of jewelry you should purchase for your significant other, you should always remember that quality does count. Even though you should always aim to make your purchase an affordable one, you do not want to sacrifice quality. When you have a set price, shop around for a good deal.
When making a jewelry purchase, make sure that you educate yourself about it. It is especially important when you are buying any types of gems and especially diamonds. By educating yourself, you will be able to understand what the jeweler is telling you and you will be able to make a decision based on your knowledge and not what the jeweler tells you is best.
Always clean all of your jewelry, both after and before using it. This will help you to remember to keep it polished before storing it for a long period of time. Keeping jewelry clean and safe will extend the life of all types of pieces, including metals and all types of stones.
Be sure to ask the person you are dealing with at the jewelry store if the gem you are trying to purchase has been treated in any way. A lot of times they are treated to make them look better and last longer, but that decreases the value of the gem.
As was mentioned in this article, there are a variety of things that need to be considered and factored into the process of purchasing jewelry. Again, being an informed and knowledgeable customer will enable you to make sound decisions. Apply any combination of these tips to your purchase, and good luck in your quest!