Most women have a large amount of money invested in their jewelry. With such a large investment being made, taking proper care of your precious gems is important. Taking care of your jewelry extends its life, and makes it sparkle against your skin. So just how should you care for your precious possessions? Read the following tips and you will find out.
Do not purchase any jewelry from retailers in China. This country is notorious for selling fake gemstone and metal jewelry. Oftentimes, the jewelry advertised as sterling silver with real turquoise is just a piece of metal sprayed in silver and the turquoise is a fake piece of plastic. Such vendors may accept returns, but the hassle of shipping it back at your own cost, is usually not worth it. Be aware of scams like this.
If you see a ring that claims to be diamond and has a sterling silver setting, be very wary. Diamonds are only professionally set in white gold, yellow gold or platinum. Very rarely and mostly never will you see a diamond ring set in sterling silver. There are a few infrequent cases with a few low grade diamond chips set in silver, but usually this will not happen. If you see a jewelry store with this practice, they are usually selling zirconia and claiming them as diamonds.
Make sure you know what to look for when buying platinum jewelry. Platinum needs to be at least 95% pure in order for it to be considered real platinum. If it’s lower it is platinum alloy. Also, be aware that platinum can develop a patina, which many people feel gives jewelry a nice antique look. This jewelry also does not wear away and is hypoallergenic.
For an easy way to organize and display your earrings, attach a piece of metal screen mesh to an attractive photo or mirror frame. Paint your frame and mesh to match your decor, and attach your earrings to the mesh. You can hang the frame in your bathroom, bedroom, or closet to enjoy handy, tangle-free storage that doubles as art.
Make sure that you clean your jewelry on a regular basis. Although it may not seem important, when you don’t clean your jewelry, you are taking the risk of getting skin irritations. This is because dirty jewelry can hold bacteria and germs in it. Also, cleaning jewelery will make it look brand new, even if it’s old.
A fun craft for your wedding is to make your own jewelry. It really is simple and it gives you the ability to customize the items exactly as you wish. For my wedding I used various shades of purple pearls and Swarovski crystals to make all my jewelry and my daughter’s as well. It was stunning AND affordable!
When buying jewelry for a one-of-a-kind person, buy them something equally unique. Look for something that fits their personality. This will express the time you spent to get their gift just right, just the kind of sentiment you want to show your special friends.
Try storing your silver and other metallic jewelry in plastic air tight bags. These bags keep air from contacting your precious jewelry, which, in turn, allows the jewelry to last longer. If you do this simple and cheap process of storing your metallic jewelry, they will last longer and look better.
When buying jewelry, stay away from well-known name brands. Without any difference in quality, just adding the name of a particular business to an item, could increase the price by as much as 80 percent. Try browsing styles that you like at these locations and then comparison shop at stores that are more likely to have sales.
If you have your jewelry insured, be sure to take good pictures of it. This will help when dealing with the insurance company in case something should happen to your jewelry. It can really help speed the process up and help you get through the insurance red tape. It also helps document what you have in case your home gets broken into.
As a jeweler, you should do your best to differentiate yourself from the concurrence. Set up your store in a unique way or create an original website. Create original pieces as well as classics. Choose the strategy that works for you: find your audience and create pieces that correspond to a certain style.
Onyx and crystal can be wonderful jewelry options. Not only will you feel fabulous about your beautiful jewelry, but you’ll also feel fabulous about how much you saved.
For a quick, simple, retro look, choose a length of attractive ribbon that matches your outfit to wear as a choker. Various colors of lace ribbon are also very attractive when used in this way. This charming look from the 70s is easy and inexpensive to achieve and surprisingly fetching.
Labradorite makes a popular and easy to care for alternative to multicolored stones like opal. It has a similar play of color, although the primary color that reflects off of labradorite is blue, rather than all colors of the rainbow. However, you don’t have to keep it moist to prevent it from cracking.
With the increasing acceptance of wearing timepieces alongside formal wear has come the rise of decorative watches as jewelry. They now come in gold plate or studded with diamonds. Some are ringed with pearls or enameled in glorious colors to match any outfit you choose. They no longer must be kept in one’s purse, so show off your good taste with a jeweled watch.
Taking care of your precious jewelry is important for many reasons. Your jewelry will look better, last longer, and retain its value. In this article we have discussed some important tips for caring for your precious gems. Follow them and you will enjoy your lovely jewels for a lifetime to come.
