Many people,including both men and women, love to wear nice jewelry. But buying jewelry can be a tricky thing. How can you tell you’re buying a quality item and not a piece of over priced junk? This article will have some tips and tricks to help you learn the difference between quality and crap.
Don’t spend a lot of money purchasing cheap costume jewelry. Costume jewelry does sell in more designs and cost significantly less than fine jewelry. Yet, over the course of a few months or years, costume jewelry loses its color which causes the cheap metal to show through underneath. Invest in one or two pieces of fine jewelry that are sure to last a lifetime.
If you see a ring that claims to be diamond and has a sterling silver setting, be very wary. Diamonds are only professionally set in white gold, yellow gold or platinum. Very rarely and mostly never will you see a diamond ring set in sterling silver. There are a few infrequent cases with a few low grade diamond chips set in silver, but usually this will not happen. If you see a jewelry store with this practice, they are usually selling zirconia and claiming them as diamonds.
Make sure to get rings sized properly so that they will fit you or someone who you are giving the ring to. Either go to a professional or use the string trick. You don’t want to play guessing games and end up having to return it several times to get it right. The ring should feel snug, but not too tight or two loose. Also, take into account, daily water weight fluctuation if you are measuring a finger yourself.
If you’re trying to buy a diamond on a budget, look for one that has slight inclusions and is a less than perfect color of white. Often times, you cannot even see the inclusions and “off” color with the naked eye, but it can save you hundreds or thousands on the price of the stone.
Don’t buy any jewelry that could easily be broken, or the recipient could end up disappointed. Many pendants come in tiny little chains that are so frail that they break right away, and if your loved one loses their new diamond pendant, they’ll be heartbroken. If the chain is inadequate that comes with a pendant, buy a larger chain or just buy a different pendant!
When you are looking at buying any type of jewelry, be it costume or vintage, it is important to remember that just because a piece may be signed, it does not necessarily mean it is more valuable. Some jewelry creators sign every piece they make, which drops the value of a signed piece dramatically.
The jewelry looks great on you, but the allergic reaction it causes, does not. If this is a problem that you have faced, you may want to try using clear nail polish. This gives a protective barrier from the metals that could irritate your skin. You just put a coat of polish, on the area of the jewelry that is most likely to come in direct contact with your skin.
To take care of your diamond jewelry all you need is a baby toothbrush, ammonia, water and a soft cloth. You soak your jewelry in a little bit of ammonia mixed with water and then scrub it softly with the toothbrush. This will help remove all of the grime that builds up on it. Then rinse it off with water and dry with the cloth. It will shine like new after this.
Try to have the wedding band and engagement ring soldered at least a week before the wedding. This way your bride will not be stuck at the alter fussing around trying to fit the rings together. Getting this process done before the wedding will also make the pictures look great because you will have already had the rings polished as well.
Budget your jewelry purchases well in advance and stick to the price range you settle on. The jewelry store can be every bit as tempting as the candy shop, but you must resist the urge to splurge. Jewelry carries lots of memories and associations with it; you do not want to spoil a piece by spending so much that you regret the sight of it later.
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 because not only do you run the risk of losing it in your laundry, but you also may expose it to harmful cleaning chemicals.
When shopping for jewelry for your wife or girlfriend, consider her lifestyle and hobbies. If she tends to dress conservatively and enjoys traditional and classic styles, opt for diamond studs, simple chains, or tennis bracelets. If she constantly changes up her look, consider jewelry with interchangeable pendants, stones, or beads.
When considering jewelry for your wedding, make sure that the gown and jewelry compliment each other. This is important because you need to make sure that you have purchased a gown before even starting to look for the jewelry. You will notice how much the design on the dress will influence your jewelry design decision.
Making sure you’re buying quality jewelry isn’t always an easy task. But hopefully now that you’re armed with these pieces of advice, you’re confident you can pick out a quality piece for that special someone and not get ripped off. If you’re still not confident, check out some of the other articles out there, until your confidence grows.
