Learn some tips that can help you become smarter about buying or selling jewelry. You can figure out everything you need to not fall for scamming “jewelers” and how to not lose money when trying to price and sell your jewelry pieces. It’s not so scary once you know the basics.

When buying jewelry, make sure that you don’t just rely on really prestigious name brands. This can generally lead to you paying 80% more than that of another popular jewelry retailer. Most of the non-prestigious jewelry retailers, also offer very nice holiday and yearly discounts, so it’s an overall better deal to shop with them.

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.

When choosing earrings, test the weight in the store. You can’t–and shouldn’t–try them on, but holding them in your hand may be able to tell you if they’re too heavy for all-day wear or just too heavy. Heavy earrings will eventually become painful. No matter how nice they look, you won’t want to wear them if they’re not comfortable.

Personalized jewelry will never fail as a gift, especially for Mother’s Day. A ring with the birthstones of all her children will make a Mom beam with delight. You could also get a bangle bracelet with her childrens’ names engraved on the inside. My favourite is a ring with “I Love You” engraved on the inside.

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.

If you are giving jewelry as a gift, it is easy to make interesting and unique gift boxes that will leave an impact! You can find plain jewelry gift boxes at any craft and hobby store. After you have your plain gift box, head to the scrapbooking aisle and pick out some sticker packages that match the type of mood you want the gift box to convey. Decorating the plain box with these stickers gives it a nice decorative touch without breaking the bank.

To make eye-catching jewelry, don’t be afraid to experiment with different colors. If you have difficulty thinking of a palette, look around you and take your inspiration from things found in nature. Contrasting, complimentary, traditional, or monochromatic color schemes can make quite the statement when integrated into a jewelry piece.

When making or gifting jewelry, make each piece even more meaningful by selecting stones, beads, and colors that communicate different emotions. Green gems like jade and emeralds represent growth and vitality, which makes them ideal gifts for expectant mothers, newlyweds, or perhaps friends who are especially active in eco-friendly lifestyles and initiatives.

Although it may seem obvious, never wear any type of jewelry when you are swimming. Not only is the water itself a bit difficult on the piece, but most swimming pools are treated with chemicals that will cause lasting damage to the piece, if it does not ruin it completely.

If your jewelry is causing skin irritation, there are certain steps you can take to minimize it. You can use a small amount of powder on the skin in the area the jewelry will be touching. This helps absorb moisture, which will then lessen the chances of allergies or irritation.

Even though some people use toothpaste to clean their gold, silver or gemstones, jewelers do not recommend this practice. The abrasives in toothpaste can scratch the surface of precious metals and gemstones. To restore the jewelry back to its original, unscratched condition will require buffing and refinishing by a professional fine jeweler.

Don’t wash your hands while wearing inexpensive or costume jewelry, this can damage the finish. Even though these pieces may not have much monetary value, they can be highly sentimental and should be cared for with the same respect as precious jewelry. Place it in a pocket or in your purse before you wash your hands, so that you don’t leave them behind.

Don’t buy a piece of jewelry based solely on the brand. Almost no one will be able to identify the maker of your jewelry. Don’t be persuaded to pay more for a piece of jewelry simply because of its brand name. You can find fabulous quality from various brands.

Don’t use toothpaste to clean your jewelry. There are countless websites out there claiming that toothpaste is a great way to clean jewelry. Fine jewelers will tell you otherwise. The abrasives in toothpaste can damage the surface of metal and will permanently ruin soft stones such as turquoise, amber and lapis.

When it comes to purchasing jewelry, it is advisable to purchase jewelry that you can wear with much of your clothing. This is important because buying jewelry in neutral colors will help you get the most wear out of it. This can also help you justify buying more expensive jewelry because you will wear it more often.

As you can see, buying or selling jewelry isn’t nearly as difficult as it may appear. It just requires doing research, some legwork, asking questions, getting certificates and other related jewelry material. The work will pay off once you see how it can help you with your jewelry buying and selling goals.