Forms of jewelry have been around for thousands of years. Jewelry makes a great fashion statement and a great piece of accessory to complete any number of outfits. There are many decisions to make when it comes to purchasing, making or gifting jewelry. Use the tips below to make the right choices when it comes to selecting the jewelry that’s right for you.
Try displaying your jewelry with a fine jewelry box that opens with drawers or a vertical jewelry box with glass doors. Don’t just allow your jewelry to hide away in the dark; properly display it, complete with a gorgeous box. Most vertical boxes also include hooks for fishhook earrings, necklaces and bracelets.
Knowing what type of jewel you are buying when you purchase jewelry is very important. Gems can be natural, imitation or synthetic. While both natural and synthetic stones are still real, imitation is just glass or plastic made to look like the natural stone. Synthetic gems are grown in a lab, natural gems are dug out of the Earth.
Jewelry consignment stores are a great place to sell your jewelry. Consignment stores will sell your jewelry for whatever you think is a fair price, and they take a certain percentage of the sales when the item sells. They will usually display it for about 3 months and then you have the option of either picking it up or selling it to the store. Occasionally the store will keep it on display for longer if you ask.
Don’t discard your antique broach from Grandma, re-purpose it. If you put a chain through it, the broach instantly becomes a fashionable necklace. Vintage jewelry is extremely popular these days and finding a way to make it wearable makes it fashionable. Re-using is also a popular concept in our “green” society. That broach can serve you well with just a slight alteration to its use.
Use an egg to antique your sterling silver jewelry. Just boil the egg, chop it up, and put it in a bag with your silver piece. In a few hours your jewelry will change colors and then you can polish it to a beautiful antiqued look. This is an effective method because egg contains sulfur, and sulfur causes the reaction when mixed with sterling silver.
Stick to one stand-out piece of jewelry per outfit, and choose simpler pieces for the rest. If you are wearing long, shoulder-grazing earrings, for instance, keep your necklace simple. This gives the eyes somewhere to rest and keeps your ensemble from looking too busy.
If you have pearl jewelry, you need to make sure that you keep your jewelry away from blow dryers. Blow dryers will quickly pull moisture out of your pearls, which will in turn cause them to become dry and brittle. This will cause them to lose their natural luster and sheen.
You should learn how to use the jeweler’s magnifier (loupe) so that you can see the inside of the stone and check to see if there are damages or chips on the inside of it. If there are any chips or damages that will greatly reduce the value of the stone.
As a jeweler, you should do your best to differentiate yourself from the concurrence. Set up your store in a unique way or create an original website. Create original pieces as well as classics. Choose the strategy that works for you: find your audience and create pieces that correspond to a certain style.
Avoid storing multiple bracelets and/or multiple necklaces together, especially if they’re thin. They can easily tangle and outright tear while you’re trying to get them untangled. If you’re storing them in the same box, pick up some small bags to keep them in separately. A little time to separate could save you some big money.
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.
When making jewelery such as a bracelet, remember that beads can be expensive. A good way to find cheaper beads is to go to a thrift store and buy jewelery that is on sale and deconstruct it and use it in your design. If you do not use all of the beads don’t worry, maybe you will later!
Opals are beautiful stones, and not only naturally contain a myriad of colors, but also their base matrix can be any of a number of gorgeous colors, including the classic white and black, but also including beautiful blue or vivid orange matrixes. Just don’t let them dry out; wipe them down with water regularly to avoid cracking.
If you are cleaning your jewelry at home, make sure that you use warm water and a mild soap. Rinse very thoroughly to make sure that there is no residue left on the metal. Dry well and leave to air dry completely. Water left on precious metals can leave residual water stains.
After cleaning your fine rings, bracelets, and necklaces with a mild jewelry cleaner, be especially diligent about thoroughly drying each piece before storing in its box or case. Excess water can leave dark, tarnish spots on both gold and silver. Residual water stains are especially difficult to remove and detract from the value of your jewelry.
As the beginning of this article mentioned, jewelry has been a part of mankind for thousands of years as a great adornment for outfits. Jewelry makes a lasting statement and shows a great deal of your personality. Apply the tips from the article above to go on your way in becoming an expert in selecting the right jewelry choices for you and others.
