Anyone who has ever had to navigate the endless number of jewelers and retailers, in search of the perfect piece of jewelry, can tell you how difficult it can be. Save yourself the hassle of making an unwise purchase by brushing up on these tips for shopping for jewelry.
Avoid harsh chemicals like bleach, ammonia and acetone that may permanently damage your jewelry. This can cause the stones to lose their luster in addition to eating away the enamel on any of the pieces.
Many people see jewelry labeled as sterling silver plated and oftentimes think they’ve hit the jackpot when they purchase it at a very low price. In this case unfortunately, you do get what you pay for. This type of jewelry only contains a very thin coating of sterling silver on top of a cheap metal which can usually be identified as copper. The jewelry will eventually tarnish and cause the copper to show through underneath with enough wear.
When going shopping for diamonds, make sure to set yourself a budget and stick to it. The world of diamonds can seem overwhelming and the prices vary a great deal. By keeping a budget in mind, you can cut down the vast variety, to a much more sensible variety to choose from.
If you would like to start collecting gemstone jewelry, make sure that you do your research first. It is important that you know what to look for in spotting fakes and what to look for to identify genuine gemstones. It can also be beneficial to know what different countries and areas different gemstones are indigenous to. This can help determine if what you’re looking at is real or fake.
If you buy an item of jewelry for your wife on your anniversary, why not get a matching piece for her birthday? It’s always lovely to have jewelry that goes together, so complete a set over a year for her! No woman will be disappointed when you present her with a beautiful piece of jewelry.
Combine your gold and silver jewelry. What used to be “so not in fashion” is now considered modern and sleek. Gold earrings can be worn with a silver necklace, or you can even pair gold and silver rings on one hand. The color combination goes great with any outfit as well.
If you’re making wire jewelry and don’t have wire cutters, just use a pair of fingernail clippers. The fingernail clippers are small and great for fine cutting. They will be able to manipulate through most sterling silver wire with ease. The fingernail clippers will no longer be useful for your nails though, because wire will dull them fast.
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.
Find your style in advance. Search an online jewelry store before you make your trip to the jeweler so that you know what you are looking for. Being able to tell the jeweler exactly what style you are looking for will make your trip quicker, as well as making it easier on both you and the salesperson.
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.
When giving a piece of jewelry to a significant other, a great tip to follow if you are not confident in your observation abilities is to ask friends or family members of your significant other their opinions as to what type of jewelry you should purchase. If you do this, you will have shown your significant other that you made a genuine effort to make the moment special.
Now that you have learned some of the best and brightest tips for finding the perfect necklace, brooch, or bracelet, you are sure to make more informed decisions regarding your next jewelry purchase. This advice is sure to help you put a smile on someone’s face as you give them the perfect gift, even if it’s a gift for yourself.