You want to know the best tips and tricks for making your jewelry look its best. You have done everything you can, but you still end up with tarnished, scratched, or discolored jewelry. Follow the tips and advice provided in this article to keep your jewelry looking beautiful.
Many people see jewelry labeled as sterling silver plated and oftentimes think they’ve hit the jackpot when they purchase it at a very low price. In this case unfortunately, you do get what you pay for. This type of jewelry only contains a very thin coating of sterling silver on top of a cheap metal which can usually be identified as copper. The jewelry will eventually tarnish and cause the copper to show through underneath with enough wear.
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.
A great source for unique and inexpensive jewelry pieces are local thrift shops. Local thrift stores can be a treasure trove for antique and truly unusual pieces. Often, these establishments do not have the staff, training or time, that is necessary to check for hallmarks or gold and silver content. A few dollar’s investment can often yield, not only some really unique pieces of jewelry, but also some pieces that may be, quite valuable.
When purchasing a silver plated piece of jewelry, immediately paint it with a coat of clear nail polish. Doing this will extend the life of the piece. It can also prevent those tiny scrapes and scratches that are so easy to get. Re-paint the piece once every few months for best results.
When you choose to make a jewelry purchase as a gift, do so from a store that allows you to make returns! You never know when someone just won’t like what you pick, and it’s a lot easier to take them with you when you return the piece to pick out something they like.
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.
Having an ornate piece at your waist will naturally draw eyes by adding interest. You can pin it centered at your waist or closer to your hip.
If you’d like to show off your hairstyle, try wearing jewelry that compliments your hair’s color. Green or aqua stones set off red hair beautifully, while jewel tones brighten darker locks. If you have fair hair, a clear sparkling stone like a diamond can make it shine, while a dark stone adds great visual contrast.
When cleaning crystal jewelry simply wipe the dirt away with a soft, damp cloth. Using any kind of chemicals on crystal can damage the shimmer and shine in a very short period of time. Your best bet is to stick to plain water and maybe a tiny touch of dish detergent if your jewelry gets really dirty.
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.
Avoid buying jewelry while gold and silver prices are high. Shop around and look for bargains when it is necessary to purchase a ring while gold is at an all time high. Shopping at locally owned jewelry stores and staying away from large chain stores, will help you find a quality and reasonably priced piece of jewelry.
When buying jewelry online, read the descriptions carefully. Look up words if you do not know what they mean. It is easy to take a flattering picture, but a description should give you a good idea of what you are buying. You should pay attention to size, colors and materials.
Use broken jewelry as well as odds and ends jewelry pieces to glue onto a picture frame to hold a special photo. A clear silicone is all that is needed to create a dazzling frame just perfect for a wedding photo or use old costume jewelry from the right era to surround a photo of a favorite grandmother. Jewelry-covered frames make gorgeous gifts too!
Keep it simple – starting out in the jewelry making world. Find out what essential tools you need to do the job and go out and get them. You do not need to buy top of the line tools at first. Make sure jewelry making is right for you, before you invest a lot of expense!
In summary, you want to know why your jewelry does not look as good as it did the day you purchased it despite all the care you have done for it. Hopefully you learned not only why this was occurring but also how to prevent it in the future.
