Jewelry shopping can be fun and stressful if you want an expensive piece. Jewelry is an investment, and you need the right information to help you make the most of your jewelry buying, selling or wearing endeavors. A shopper who hasn’t done their homework can wind up overpaying for a piece. These tips can help you be more knowledgeable about all aspects of purchasing jewelry.
Sterling Silver
A magnet is a useful tool when shopping for jewelry in sterling silver. By using the magnet you can quickly determine if the jewelry item is made of a cheaper metal and not sterling silver. Your sterling silver jewelery should always be imprinted if it is real. The stamp may read “.925” or “ster”. If there is no marking on the piece, it may not be sterling silver.
Know what is trendy before you buy a piece of jewelry. The only thing better than picking up a gorgeous bauble is getting it on sale!
Keep your jewelry free of tarnish to make it look its best. Keep your jewelry away from water. This could cause your jewelery to rust or become more dull. Clear nail polish, applied in a thin coat, can give jewelry some added protection.
You should wear the jewelry for a few days to see how it feels and if it is comfortable. You will also find out if your creation is durable enough.
When shopping for jewelry, think about the stones in the pieces. You should chose stones that reflect your personality, as well as complement your skin tone. Choose neutral colors that will easily match any outfit you decide to wear. Do not buy something that looks nice on the shelf but that you will never use.
Costume Jewelry
Take good care of your costume jewelry. Stones in costume jewelry are usually held in place with glue instead of a physical setting. Never immerse your costume jewelry or use harsh chemicals on it. The best way to maintain your costume jewelry is to use a moist, warm cloth first, then dry it off with another cloth. This helps keep costume jewelry looking sparkling clean and new.
One way to ensure that your jewelry stays clean is to put it only after you have applied your make-up and it has had time to set. 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 extra important when you are cleaning necklaces or earrings.
Before buying jewelry or a fine stone, find out if it was treated in any way. If it was, find out how. Gemstone treatment can affect the type of care the piece needs. You do not want to try to clean a treated gem with a solution that may strip the treatment and damage the gem in the process.
Look for sales when you want to buy some new jewelry. Jewelry sales can save you a significant amount of cash. Check ads in the newspaper, on the Internet, and in stores for the best deals. If you purchase something on clearance, you might save 50% or more off the original purchase price.
Before buying any jewelry, think about what you will use it for. Having a lot of never worn jewelry is not necessary. Think of the outfits that you own, and use those to help you choose your jewelry.
After reading this, you should have information that you can use to make wiser choices when shopping for jewelry. By remembering the advice presented here, you could save a lot of time and money at the jewelers.