As fun as planning to buy or sell your own jewelry may seem, you need to do some research to begin and to avoid losing a lot of money. Another thing is that you need to understand what to look for when you’re buying or selling. These tips below can help you start.
Try keeping up with jewelry trends. Like with fashion, jewelry also follows seasonal trends and you can find a style and color combination that is right for you. You can even find specialty items that go with clothing pieces in your own personal wardrobe. The possibilities and combinations are endless.
Don’t go overboard with jewelry. Wear one or two statement pieces with each of your outfits. Meanwhile it can be tempting to show off your collection, remember that everything should have a focal point, including your outfit. Choose a small pair of stud earrings with a matching delicate necklace for a conservative and casual everyday look or go bold with dangling earrings and a matching chunky bracelet. This creates a focal point in a positive way without overwhelming the eye.
Vintage jewelry can actually make great fashion accessories. It doesn’t have to be your granny’s jewelry any longer. Make a statement piece by displaying a vintage necklace or a pair of vintage earrings. Vintage seems to be all the new rage and almost every store out there seems to be selling vintage inspired pieces. Why buy “inspired pieces” when you can buy the real thing for a fraction of the cost?
Jewelry is a nice accessory to any outfit. Jeans and a t-shirt can look so ordinary, but paired with a cute chunky bracelet, or a fun pair of earrings, even the dullest outfit can look unique. A colorful choker necklace can brighten up any look, and a uniquely beaded ankle bracelet can accompany any old skirt. Mix and match traditional looks with nontraditional jewelry pieces to create one-of-a-kind looks you’ll love.
If you don’t have any jewelry cleaner handy, try using toothpaste with baking soda to help clean tarnish off of your sterling or pure silver jewelry. Just rub the toothpaste on the tarnished area with a soft cloth and clean off. Make sure to dry the jewelry to prevent future tarnishing.
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.
Before purchasing earrings that have diamonds or other stones in them, make sure that the stones can be replaced. You do not want to be put in a situation where the stones have fallen out of your earrings and they cannot be replaced. If you are unsure, you can always ask a jeweler before you buy them.
In order to save money on the purchase of jewelry you should consider looking at local antique shops. Many people sell their antique jewelry to the shops when they are in need of money or if they have inherited it and just don’t want it. There is no reason to pay the high markups that come with jewelry.
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.
An simple way to get the most mileage from you jewelry is to invest in a jewelry box. It is easy to get stuck in a rut, wearing the same pieces of jewelry over and over, if your jewelry collection is a jumbled mess. A jewelry box will get you organized and reintroduce you to pieces you forgot you had.
If you purchase any diamond over one carat, you need to get proof. Any diamond included in jewelry that is over one carat should come with a diamond grading report. This should be done by an independent gem grader and the report should include any information that could potentially affect its value.
Gold is too soft and needs to be mixed with other metals so that it can be hard and last longer. When you see the carat weight of gold that signifies how much gold is actually in the piece as opposed to other substances. Ten karat is the lowest that is available legally, and that is just 42% gold.
When it comes to taking care of your jewelry be sure to not transfer it between a wide range of temperatures in a short amount of time. This is important so that you do not cause stress fractures in your jewelry. Metals naturally expand with temperature change, however damage can occur if the change happens quickly.
Keep in mind that 10 karat gold is the strongest of all types of gold, but it is also the one that contains the least amount of gold. On the other hand, 24 karat gold is the one that contains the largest amount of gold and it is the weakest.
While figuring out the best way to buy or sell jewelry was pretty exciting, you should feel better that you know how to do them better. You can now apply your newly acquired knowledge either to buying a new piece for yourself or selling more pieces you have to make more money.
