You need to learn how to take care of jewelry and buy and sell it responsibly, whether you are giving jewelry gifts, receiving them, or inheriting family heirlooms. This article has most of the tips you need to learn how to keep your jewelry looking brand new.
Clean all of your jewelry with a polishing cloth. This will give your jewelry shine and luster without the use of potentially harmful chemicals. Use the dual-sided cloth to gently buff your jewelry as you would a delicate glass. Use the side of the cloth that is designed for polishing to remove fingerprints, dust and other surface imperfections, and then use the opposite side to buff the jewelry and make it gleam.
Don’t clean your jewelry in harsh household chemicals like ammonia, bleach or turpentine. This could cause the stone to change color or become dull in appearance, and it may eat away at the enamel on the piece.
Be cautious of storing all of your pieces of jewelry together. Consider delegating each piece to its own resting place, utilizing compartmental boxes and storage units. You should never simply throw your jewelry into a box in a messy pile. Not only will your necklaces get all tangled up, you risk damaging all your fragile and fine jewelry pieces.
Precious Metals
Store your jewelry in a place that is not subjected to humidity extremes or open air. Keep them stored safely in a closed, dark area, like a jewelry box or drawstring bag. Humidity quickly tarnishes both precious and non-precious metal. You can restore the precious metals back to their former glory, but plated jewelry is different. Trying to polish those pieces can reveal the non-precious metals underneath, such as copper.
Most jewelry is intended to last for a life time. When choosing jewelry, you should always buy from a reputable store or dealer, in order to ensure you only get high-quality pieces. If a piece of jewelry is of high quality, it should be made well and exhibit top-flight craftsmanship. The jeweler should tell you about who made the piece and the origin of the stones. Unless you purchase jewelry that is of high-quality, the piece is not likely to last a lifetime.
When you are shopping for a diamond, make sure to shop around and compare. View the piece you are currently considering closely and then compare it against some other pieces that are in the running. Some diamond sellers use misleading practices to try to increase the apparent quality of their merchandise, so you should be wary of these tactics.
Watch to see whether they usually wear necklaces or bracelets, or if they prefer dangly earrings to studs. This will give you a good idea of where to start when purchasing that special item.
Make sure a piece of jewelry is still in style before you buy it. If there is one thing better than finding the perfect, most heart-stopping bauble, it would be snagging the piece at a wonderful price!
If you can prevent your jewelry from tarnishing, it will surely look much more attractive. When wearing your jewelry, you should avoid exposure to water. Water exposure can cause different metals to become tarnished, dull or rusted. Apply clear nail polish to your jewelery as an added protection.
Wearing the jewelry yourself can help you decide if it will be appropriate for your intended recipient. This will also help you to determine if the piece is sufficiently durable.
For a special and personalized gift, have a jewelry piece custom made for your recipient. A unique piece to match their personality shows thoughtfulness and creativity, which is exactly what you want to express to a person you care enough about to buy jewelry for.
If you care for your jewelry well, it will be worth a fortune, in both in the sentimental and economic senses. With proper knowledge on how to care for your jewelry, you can keep your memories safe and the value of the jewelry high. You can find more information to continuously educate yourself on how to treat jewelry.
