Selling and buying and maintenance of jewelry is a big business in today’s economy, and you can either benefit from it, or you can lose out. Whether you are interested in a private collection, or are looking to make some money, how can you be sure that you are making the best choices? Here’s some useful advice that can help you to do well.
Never store your jewelry in open air or humidity. Keep your jewelry in a drawstring bag or in a box that is made for jewelry. When non-precious and precious metals are expose to air and humidity, they tend to tarnish. Polishing will work to restore the color and shine for precious metals, but with non-precious metals, polishing will not help the change in color.
Protect yourself when purchasing diamonds by keeping written documents of your purchases as proof. This is the only way that you can prove the 4 C’s you were guaranteed when you purchased the piece or stone. Treat your sales receipts and appraisals as contracts of what you can expect from your purchase, especially if they are not up to the quality you were guaranteed.
When cleaning your fine jewelry, always follow the recommended cleaning directions for the gemstones used in the piece instead of the metals. Many jewelry cleaners designed to remove tarnish from metals can also dull or even destroy many soft precious gemstones. Use a cleaner safe for all gemstones and avoid harsh chemicals.
When choosing jewelry for an outfit, think about not only what color or colors your clothes are, but also what color your jewelry is. If you’re wearing a necklace on a silver chain, try to pair it with a silver ring or earrings with silver findings. Try to avoid mixing different colored metals unless you have a single piece, such as a watch, that combines both.
Buying used jewelry can be a great way to expand your options without spending a lot of money. Look for estate sales or yard sales. Depending on where you live, prices may be lower than antique stores (which use the name “antique” to charge a bit more). Browsing in person can be a fun way to find things you might not have thought to go looking for.
When you want to get diamond jewelry it is important that you know the quality of the stone you are trying to buy. Any qualified or knowledgeable jeweler will be able show you the quality of the diamond you are buying. From there, the prices are explainable; the higher the quality of the diamond the more expensive.
When shopping for jewelry, you may need to check what kind of metal you’re buying. Everyone’s heard of a cheap necklace turning skin green, but you may also have a bad reaction to certain metals in earrings. For earrings, look for items labeled “sensitive skin” or for stainless steel, silver, or gold.
One “old fashioned” piece of jewelry that you might want to reconsider wearing, is a watch. Younger people are used to using their cell phones or other electronics to tell time, but in certain situations, it may be more appropriate or more professional to wear a nice watch. You don’t want to be constantly checking your watch at a job interview or a formal event, but wearing one sends a certain message.
To show off a graceful neck, try wearing a choker. A choker will immediately draw eyes to your neckline and can accentuate it in a variety of ways. A simple ribbon choker can make your neck look more delicate, while a dramatic, showy choker can make your neck look longer. If you’re proud of your neck, a choker is a great way to complete any look.
When you are buying jewelry as a gift for someone else, be sure to figure out what their preferences are. Many people only like gold or silver, not both. Look at the recipients wardrobe choices and current jewelry to find what jewelry type they would be most likely to enjoy and actually wear.
By wearing a brooch, your belt will be accented and look more interesting. You have the option of placing it close to your hip, or at your waist near the center.
When selling jewelry online, you should aim to offer as many alterations as you can. A customer may love a certain piece, but it is nine inches long instead of the eight inches he or she desires. If you don’t have an alteration to that piece, you could lose that customer. Therefore, you need to have foresight in your design stage in order to be able to accommodate your customers.
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.
It is important that you tell if a diamond is real or not before buying it. You do not want to be stuck with a fake jewelry. The reflection of a real diamond manifests as a gray color. If the diamond’s reflection is a rainbow color, it is either low quality or fake.
Navigating all the options that are open to you in the area of jewelry can be a minefield. However, if you are well-informed you can make good decisions and end up with a nice, and valuable, collection.
