There are many different designs, colors, and materials available for jewelry, and it can be overwhelming at times. Let this article help you to identify the best possible jewelry investments.

You should always store your jewelry very carefully. It is better to use boxes, compartments, holders, and hooks for keeping pieces separate. Avoiding piling your nice jewelry pieces into one big heap in a box. This can damage the finer and more fragile pieces, and items like necklaces can entangle with each other and other pieces into a big mess.

Sterling Silver

When you go shopping for sterling silver jewelry pieces, take with you a magnet and a monocle. As a precious metal, silver should never be attracted to a magnet. Your sterling silver jewelery should always be imprinted if it is real. The stamp may read “.925” or “ster”. If the piece you’re inspecting doesn’t carry such a mark, be careful, as it is likely a fake.

Always look at a number of different places when you are shopping for diamonds. Look at what you like close up, and compare them to other pieces you have seen. Some diamond sellers use misleading practices to try to increase the apparent quality of their merchandise, so you should be wary of these tactics.

Ask about any insurance a jeweler may offer when you are buying jewelry. This is to avoid any future complications. If anything were to happen you have yourself covered and to avoid complications with that jeweler in the future, they can replace or fix it for you if you run into problems. There are some jewelers that will also have insurance plans for pieces that get lost or stolen.

Keep your jewelry free of tarnish to make it look its best. When wearing your jewelry, you should avoid exposure to water. Some metals will tarnish, dull or rust when exposed to water or perspiration. If you want to give your jewelry a measure of protection from this element, coat it thinly with clear nail polish.

Costume Jewelry

Collecting costume jewelry is a popular pastime, but if you wish to participate, be careful of the condition of the jewelry. Costume jewelry, while expensive, can be a great investment. However, if a piece shows wear it will lose value. The most useful pieces in your collection are the ones that are in excellent condition.

You should wear the jewelry for a few days to see how it feels and if it is comfortable. This can also help you see whether the piece is durable enough to last.

A brooch will accent your belt and will instantly add visual interest. To add a twist to tradition, place the brooch at your hip.

Makeup isn’t for jewelry. Let your makeup dry before you put on a piece of jewelry. Makeup will settle into your jewelry making it look dull and dingy. Earrings and necklaces are especially prone to this kind of contamination.

Shop the sales to get great jewelry on a budget. Finding a store offering extreme markdowns is a way to realize tremendous savings. Sales can be found online, in store windows, or in your local newspaper. Buying styles that are going out of fashion can be a huge money saver, even getting up to 50% off.

The preceding jewelry tips will help when you are looking for pieces that are just right for you. There are so many jewelry designs out there that articles like the one you just read are essential to getting the piece you want.