Jewelry is one of the most ancient forms of personal decoration, yet it continues to change and evolve in the present day. Selecting and caring for good jewelry is more than just a matter of taste; it requires a little knowledge of the specialized concerns that apply to the field. Here are some tips for getting the most out of jewelry:
If you have a light ivory skin tone with darker hair, consider purchasing jewelry in silver, white gold or platinum. The silvery colors look elegant set against an ivory skin tone especially if you have brown or black hair. Make sure to choose darker gemstones such as green, black or deep blue.
When shopping for diamonds, make sure that you shop for them based on their four main criteria: color, cut, clarity, and carat. The color refers to the hue of the stone. The cut refers to the way that the stone is fashioned, such as princess and square cuts. Clarity refers to the flawlessness of the stone. The carat refers to the weight of the stone.
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.
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.
One of the biggest dangers to jewelry is loss. When you are not careful with the pieces of fine jewelry that you have, it can be quite easy to lose it. By paying attention, especially to very small pieces and stones you will ensure that you have your jewelry throughout your life.
If you are purchasing jewelry online, investigate how much experience the seller has in the industry. Pay particular attention to how many years they have been making the items. Look to see that their web site includes a comprehensive description of what they do and search for any reviews or testimonials from clients.
If you have old bracelets, necklaces or rings that you like but do not wear, consider revamping them into new pieces. Gemstones can be reset by professional jewelers, and necklaces can be reworked into bracelets or combined with other necklaces to create a modern, multi-chain design. Be creative and look for ideas online for recycling those outdated pieces.
If your grandmother or someone else is passing down antique jewelry to you, refrain from having it cleaned. For antiques, it’s actually that old varnish, “the patina”, that makes the piece worth a lot of money. An old clean piece of jewelry is essentially worth whatever the market puts the jewels and metal at.
When you purchase your diamond engagement ring, see if you can get a Botswana diamond. Botswana produces wonderful diamonds under safe and fair conditions, and the money that the diamond industry earns is invested in their country to provide good education, roads, waterworks and other things that the people of Botswana need. A Botswana diamond is an investment in good Karma!
Making hemp jewelry can be fun for you and your friends. Sometimes the hemp can get a little fuzzy when stored for a long time. A good way to combat the fuzzy look of hemp is to melt a wee bit of wax and smear it over the hemp before you tie it.
Pandora beads are a very popular trend at the moment, combining all the fascination of a traditional charm bracelet, with the ease of customization associated with glass beads. While brand name Pandora beads are comparatively expensive, a number of other companies are making compatible beads with more themes and colors, at a cheaper price.
When photographing jewelry, lighting is key. By now you know that your camera’s onboard flash is horrible. Too harsh, too bright for close distances, is impossible to previsualize and is likely in the wrong place. For jewelry, use continuous, diffuse (soft) lighting on stands. Photographic daylight-balanced fluorescents are recommended as they remain cool. Note that even those fluorescents will need some kind of diffusion.
If you have made the investment into a nice piece of jewelry, you want to keep it looking great for a lifetime. Regular cleaning and maintenance will need to be done. Many times the jeweler that you purchased the item from will perform a standard cleaning at no cost to you.
Clean the piece with a cloth that is only slightly damp to avoid loosening the stones. Afterwards, dry off the whole piece with a cloth. Keep your fashion and costume jewelry away from steam cleaners and harsh chemicals.
Your jewelry should be removed prior to and during completion of daily chores and cleaning. Many household cleaners and chemicals are very caustic and can significantly compromise the quality of gold and silver, as well as that of the more colorful gems like rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. If you cannot remove rings, you should wear thick, protective gloves on each hand.
To get the most bang for your buck when buying silver jewelry, know what each designation means. For example, silver that bears a “925” stamp is 92.5% silver. Meanwhile, jewelry marked “fine silver” contains 99.9% silver. The higher the silver content, the more likely your jewelry is to retain its value.
A piece of jewelry that is well-selected, well-maintained and well-purchased can last longer than a lifetime, and carry many pleasant memories along with it. Helpful advice on the subject, like that above, can help the prospective owner (or purchaser) get more out of the time and money they spend on jewelry.
