You need to have knowledge of jewelry care regardless of how you acquire it; you should also maintain a basic familiarity with buying and selling trends so you make the best choices with the pieces you have or are considering purchasing. You can make sure that the time and money you devote to your jewelry does not go to waste by reading this article’s tips.
Don’t use acetone, ammonia, turpentine, bleach, or other harsh chemicals for cleaning them. This can cause your stones to turn and dull in color, along with eating away any enamel on the pieces.
Clean all of your jewelry with a polishing cloth. A polishing cloth is a very gentle way to get a good shine on all your pieces. You just have to polish each piece the same as you would polish glass using the two-sided cloth. Use the side that is designated for polish, and the other to make it shine.
Separate your jewelry for storage to avoid getting pieces tangled. Keep pieces separately by using compartments, boxes, hooks and holders. 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.
Separate your jewelry for storage to avoid getting pieces tangled. It is best to use holders, compartments, boxes, and hooks so that everything is kept separate. Avoiding piling your nice jewelry pieces into one big heap in a box. Not only can this harm the fine and fragile pieces, but things like necklaces can get severely tangled up with other necklaces or other jewelry.
Be sure that you store all of your jewelry safely away from air and humidity. Trying putting them in a box with a tight-fitting lid or a bag that has a drawstring closure. Air and humidity can cause the metals that the jewelry are made of to tarnish. While precious metals can be polished back to their original luster, non-precious metals are only coated in which case polishing causes the copper metal underneath to show through.
Know what is trendy before you buy a piece of jewelry. One of the few things that can enhance the appeal of a lovely piece of jewelry is knowing that it came at a great discount!
When you are shopping for jewelry in sterling silver, be sure to examine the piece closely, and take along a magnet for metal testing. As a precious metal, silver should never be attracted to a magnet. You will always find a hallmark stamp such as “.925” or “STER.” on genuine sterling, or alternately, it might simply say, “STERLING”. Silver jewelry that lacks a hallmark may be a fake or composed of other metals.
Ask about a jeweler’s insurance policy before buying anything. Many stores offer a policy where you can bring broken or damaged jewelry back to the original jeweler for repair at little to no cost. In certain instances, there may even be jewelry insurance available to cover loss or theft.
Be sure to pay attention to details like type of metal and shape. This way, you know where you should start when buying a gift.
Costume Jewelry
If you want to maintain the look of your jewelry, you should prevent it from becoming tarnished. Don’t wear jewelry near water. Water can cause some metals to lose their luster or to become tarnished or rusty. If you are looking to protect your jewelry from the ill effects of water, try applying clear nail polish, just a thin layer, on the piece itself.
Collecting costume jewelry is a popular pastime, but if you wish to participate, be careful of the condition of the jewelry. Costume jewelry can prove to be a good investment, but worn, broken, or otherwise damaged pieces are not worth the expense. Make sure you have a piece that is in excellent condition, because this will be a lot more fruitful for you down the road.
Going through a day wearing the jewelry will let you get familiar with how it hangs and whether or not it will be comfortable. This also helps you to see its durability.
One way to ensure that your jewelry stays clean is to put it only after you have applied your make-up and it has had time to set. Makeup can gravitate dust and grime towards your jewelry leaving it to look dull. This tip especially applies to necklaces and earrings.
Esoteric people like to have handcrafted specialty pieces for presents. This means you have taken the time to think about the gift and make it as personal as possible. Customized jewelery will also help you convey the right message.
Before you buy, ask if the gemstone has been treated, and the method for doing so. Depending on the type of treatment used, the piece will require varying types of care. Applying the wrong chemical when cleaning a gemstone can cause the protective treatment to dissolve, and damage the appearance of the gem.
By wearing a brooch, your belt will be accented and look more interesting. You can add it anywhere on the belt that you think looks good.
Untangling knotted chains can be easy if you know how to do it. Believe it or not, you can use plastic wrap to untangle jewelry. Put the necklace onto a wrap, and place mineral or baby oil on it. You can use needles to unravel them. Wash them using dish soap, and then pat dry them.
Untangle a delicate necklace easily. It’s easy to give up on some knotted metal mass; however, you should instead use plastic wrap. Put the necklace on the plastic wrap and cover it with a little baby oil. Try using needles to start untangling it. When your necklaces are straight, use dish soap to wash the oil off and pat them dry.
When making a jewelry purchase, be aware of what you plan to do with it. There is nothing worse than a box full of unloved jewelry. When choosing a piece of jewelry, take into account what you will be wearing it with.
When photographing jewelry for online sale, you need to make the presentation of the piece as attractive as possible. This is quite key since your customer can not physically see and feel the jewelry when purchasing it online. Make sure any photos of the jewelry focus on the item itself and don’t have distracting backgrounds or additional items.
When you want to sell jewelry on the Internet, you should try to show it off in an attractive way. Your customer can’t actually see the jewelry, so they must make the decision solely based on your pictures. Make sure that the pictures focus specifically on the piece of jewelry with a background that enhances its beauty.
A diamond with brilliant clarity and a perfect cut can be more attractive, not to mention more valuable, than a stone that is larger but flawed. It’s also important to consider the personality of whomever is to receive the diamond.
Jewelry that has been cared for properly retains its sentimental and economic value. When you give your valuable jewelry the proper care, you are protecting your investment and cherishing your memories. There is a lot more information out there, so keep educating yourself so that you will know how to get the most out of your jewelry.
This includes steam and dry saunas. Many pieces can be seriously damaged by extreme temperatures and moisture levels.