What jewelry represents is almost as interesting as actually wearing it. Jewelry gives material form to memories and acts as a symbol of important relationships, such as engagements and marriages. Learning more about all kinds of jewelry can help you preserve your memories and having more rewarding buying and selling experiences.
Sterling Silver
To distinguish between real and fake, bring a magnet when you shop for sterling silver jewelry. You can tell if a piece of silver is sterling or not by using a magnet. Sterling will not react to the magnet, but non-precious metals will be attracted. Your sterling silver jewelery should always be imprinted if it is real. The stamp may read “.925” or “ster”. If there is no hallmark, watch its authenticity since it may be fake.
Before committing yourself to a piece, do research to determine which styles are hot and which are not. Getting a great deal on beautiful bauble makes getting it even more enjoyable.
Wear the jewelry piece for a day so that you can get an idea of how comfortable it is and if it hangs right. You will also have the knowledge that the piece is not going to fall apart the first time the receiver wears it.
Try on a few different stones when you are shopping for jewelry. Choose pieces that have stones which express your personality and those that make you feel great when you wear them. Neutral colors are very versatile, as they match well with any outfit. A piece that is hard to wear is not as useful as one that goes with everything.
Costume Jewelry
Costume jewelry should be taken care of. Many costume jewelry pieces are glued rather than set. For this reason, costume jewelry should never touch water, and you should avoid using detergents on it. Use a damp cloth, then dry it with another clean, dry cloth. This will make your costume jewelry sparkle for weeks, months, or even years.
Putting on jewelry only after you have put on makeup and fixed your hair will keep it from being exposed to chemicals that could tarnish it. Any kind of spare dust or oil will attach itself to your jewelry, so putting it on before makeup will just make it look a little dirty. This is particularly important in the case of necklaces and earrings.
See if your gem has had any treatments prior to buying, and if so, which treatments. You will need to know what type of care it might require as a result of the treatment. Cleaning a treated gem using the wrong chemical might damage it.
When you are ready to buy a piece of jewelry, think about what you are going to be doing with it. There is no point in filling your jewelery box with things you cannot wear. Try to match the jewelry that you purchase with your style of clothing.
If you are selling your jewelry online, make sure it is presented attractively. This is important to do because when someone purchases something online, they don’t have it in front of them to feel and touch. Be sure your photographs show good details of the jewelry and few, if any, details of the surroundings.
This goes for any type of sauna, whether it’s the dry type or the steam type. Significant damage can occur to the piece because of the high moisture and high temperatures.
Loved Ones
Jewelry sets make excellent gifts for loved ones. Many jewelry stores offer deals on sets of jewelry. If you purchase a necklace and earring set, you can gift the necklace on one occasion and the earrings on another. You will always have presents ready for your loved ones, even if you did not plan in advance.
Buying and selling jewelry can be an investment that is priceless and filled with positive memories. Jewelry symbolizes many things in the human journey; past, present and future.