Every woman dreams of having that perfect engagement ring, beautiful necklace, or great set of earrings. However, picking the right kind can be confusing especially when you step into a jewelry store and are pressured to make big purchases that may not always be in your best interest. This article provides some great pointers for buying jewelry.
Costume jewelry is worth considering if you’re going to work and don’t wish to wear any jewelry that has a high value attached to it. Costume pieces of jewelry don’t contain any precious metals or gemstones, which makes them highly affordable and widely available. This type of jewelry does tend to tarnish over time and cannot be shined with a polishing cloth.
When shopping for stone jewelry, you need to be educated on everything to look for. Your jeweler can help guide you on what and how to look at stones to make sure that you can distinguish bad from good quality. This type of education can help you make better decisions without so much help when you are jewelry shopping.
Pay attention if they usually wear studs or hoop earrings, white gold or yellow, and any other typical jewelry that they wear. This will give you a good idea of where to start when purchasing that special item.
When dealing with jewelry that will displayed as part of you, it is important to trust the store that is selling you their items. If you trust them, it more likely they will not give you low quality pieces of jewelry. A company that you trust will give the feeling you that you made a good decision.
Use a toothbrush and small bit of toothpaste to clean your precious gems. This works really well on diamonds. The toothpaste is a non-abrasive scrubber and the toothbrush is small enough to get into those little nooks and crannies. This method is safe to use as often as you like.
Buy real gemstones, not fake knock-offs. Real gemstones, like diamonds, give off a gorgeous sparkle that can be spotted from a mile away. Fake gems are dull and glassy and aren’t even worth wearing. If you can’t afford a real gemstone, why not buy Swarovski crystal? They’re gorgeous, too, and have their own special sparkle to share.
Unless you’re giving your fiancee an heirloom ring, don’t shop for an engagement ring alone. Don’t feel pressured to buy something out of your price range, but make sure you can find a ring that fits your future bride and that she loves the ring. Why ruin the moment, by having to take the ring back for resizing or, even worse, just take it back?
Costume jewelry needs special care. Many pieces of costume jewelry have the stones glued on, for example. You want to avoid using strong chemicals or immersion baths on your costume jewelry. The best way to clean these pieces are to wipe them clean with a damp cloth and dry immediately with another cloth. This will ensure that all of your costume jewelry looks like it did the day you bought it.
Cure the green skin of copper jewelry easily. When you wear jewelry that has a copper base you may soon find yourself turning into a martian. The green is caused by the metal oxidizing. Stop it in its tracks by applying clear nail polish to any jewelry surface that will be touching your bare skin.
You should check your rings periodically for loose stones or bent prongs. It is best to catch these issues early and have the ring repaired by a professional jeweler than to lose a precious stone. Most jewelers can re-tip worn prongs to ensure your stone stays secure.
When cleaning crystal jewelry simply wipe the dirt away with a soft, damp cloth. Using any kind of chemicals on crystal can damage the shimmer and shine in a very short period of time. Your best bet is to stick to plain water and maybe a tiny touch of dish detergent if your jewelry gets really dirty.
Gold prices are higher than ever and are expected to continue rising. As a result, silver rings, bracelets, and necklaces in 92.5 percent silver are a better bet for your money. Avoid purchasing pieces that are made of so-called “German silver” or “nickel silver” as they contain little to no actual silver.
When considering jewelry for your wedding, be sure that you consider the option of renting the jewelry for yourself and/or your entire wedding party. This is important because you can save a lot of money and nobody in attendance will know either way. It is only important that you look your best.
When it comes to jewelry, be sure that you listen for compliments from people that you respect and let that guide you as to the frequency that you wear a particular piece. This is important because there is obviously something about it that compliments your style and who better to listen to than your own peers.
When buying gemstones, look for synthetic, rather than imitation. Imitations gems are just colored pieces of glass. In time, the color will chip and fade because they are not made to last. Synthetic gemstones are real gemstones, they are just grown inside a laboratory. They can be a more affordable option than natural gemstones too, and just as attractive.
Invest in tools to help you stay organized. Jewelery making can involve a lot of small pieces. Investing in containers with smaller compartments inside or using tackle boxes for storing your jewelery is always a good way to stay organized. Your creative ventures will go a lot smoother this way.
As you can see, finding that perfect piece of jewelry is not impossible. It just takes time, patience, and knowledge of what you are looking for. Now that you know more about shopping for and selecting the right kind of jewelry, you will make great purchases at the jewelry store instead of just listening to the salesperson!
