It can be well worth your while to thoroughly research any jewelry you are planning to buy or sell. It can be puzzling to know where to start.
For example, you should never use bleach, turpentine, or ammonia on your jewelry. These chemicals can turn stones dull and even erode the enamel.
You should always store your jewelry very carefully. Boxes, holders, compartments, and hooks are all valuable tools for storing jewelry safely. Do not just throw them into piles in a box. This haphazard approach can cause damage to the individual components of fine jewelry, and create a tangled mess.
Sterling Silver Jewelery
Bring a magnet when shopping for sterling silver jewelery. If an item of jewelry is attracted by a magnet, it is not sterling silver! Only non-precious metals can be drawn to a magnet. Your sterling silver jewelery should always be imprinted if it is real. The stamp may read “.925” or “ster”. If the piece of presumed silver is not marked, be skeptical that is real silver. It could very well be a fake.
Know the distinctions between kinds of gems before you make a jewelry purchase. Natural gems and imitation gems have been joined recently by synthetic gems, making three main categories. Natural and synthetic gemstones are both actual gemstones, while an imitation gemstone is just a plastic mold made to look like a gemstone. While natural gems come out of mines, synthetic ones come out of laboratories.
Pay attention if they usually wear studs or hoop earrings, white gold or yellow, and any other typical jewelry that they wear. This information will allow you to purchase that special piece that they will treasure for life.
You need to learn the best ways to take care of your jewelry. Jewelry is composed of different stones, metals, and settings that all require different care to be properly maintained. What works for one piece of jewelry could dull or damage another. Ask a jeweler when you do not know how to take care of your jewelry.
Before you purchase gemstone jewelry, you should first determine if and how the stone was treated. The kind of care your stone needs is dependent on what it was treated with. If you use the wrong cleanser because you are uneducated about the gem, you could strip off the treatment and even damage the stone.
Remove your jewelery prior to swimming. The chlorine in swimming pools can ruin a piece of jewelry. Saltwater is equally damaging to your precious jewels. By removing all of your jewelry before entering the pool or swimming in the ocean, you can prolong its life and keep it looking brilliant.
Don’t buy a piece of jewelry based solely on the brand. You will often pay more for name brand jewelry, and it is unlikely that others will recognize the name associated with your new piece of jewelry unless you tell them. It is not difficult to find quality jewelry that is made by different brands.
Gold prices have skyrocketed, which is good if you’re selling gold, but not quite so helpful if your heart’s set on purchasing gold. If you must have gold, save money by selecting the appropriate karat. An 18 karat piece is comprised of no less than 75 percent of pure gold, which is generally considered by many to be the most optimal combination of quality and price.
If you have gold necklaces and bracelets, you can actually make money from your jewelry while still keeping your pieces. Consider removing excess portions of gold or silver that will not affect the overall piece. If it is real gold and you have a few chains, you can make a few hundred dollars by just shortening the pieces.
As we have shown in this article, doing your homework can certainly have many benefits if you are buying and selling jewelry. This article has provided you with important techniques to ensure your success.