Jewelry has been with mankind forever, and the number of designs and options available continues to grow at a furious pace. The information below can get you started on choosing a jewelry item you are bound to cherish.
When storing your jewelry, be sure that you store it in a place with low humidity and free of open air. To keep your jewelry properly protected, store it in a drawstring bag or jewelry box. Humid air affects the metals in jewelry and causes tarnishing. Precious metals are able to be polished and retain their luster, but the non-precious metals have a coat, and polishing will cause the metal under it to show through.
Be cautious of the way all of your personal jewelry gets stored 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. This not only harms the fragile pieces, but it can also cause items, such as necklaces, to get badly tangled up with the other pieces of jewelry.
Having a good eye to catch the details, and a magnet, are key when you are considering the purchase of any type of sterling silver jewelry. If the piece you are examining is not silver and is made from non-precious metal, it will be attracted to the magnet. In addition, sterling silver pieces are always stamped with silver hallmarks indicating such factors as the degree of purity, the manufacturer’s symbol, and the date of manufacture. Some of the most common hallmarks are “925, “ster,” “sterling,” and “sterling silver.” Be wary of jewelery without any kind of hallmark, as often it is fake.
Jewelry is something that can last generations. Get jewelry from a jeweler with a good reputation to be sure that it’s of high-quality. The best jewelry is well-designed and well-made with close attention to detail. A credible jeweler should offer a complete history of the piece, including information about the creator and the source of the gemstones. It is essential to purchase high-quality jewelry if you want it to become a treasured heirloom passed down for generations.
Identify the kind of stone in every piece you consider. You have three options as far as the type of gem: natural, imitation and synthetic. Natural and synthetic gemstones are both actual gemstones, while an imitation gemstone is just a plastic mold made to look like a gemstone. The difference here, however, is that synthetic is man-made in a laboratory while natural is found buried in the earth.
Well, it’s easy when you know how. This article has just touched on a few of things that you should know about this very rewarding hobby. There is much to learn, but at least you’ve now got a few good ideas to put to work.