It can be great fun to go jewelry shopping, but the price tags can be stressful. Different jewelry materials can make a very big difference in the overall value of a piece. Buyers who have not educated themselves about jewelry may end up paying too much money for what they get. Read on for some tips on becoming a jewelry shopping pro.

You should always store your jewelry very carefully. For best results, separate different pieces into different boxes, compartments or hooks. Avoid simply piling them on top of each other in a box. Heavy pieces should not be placed in the same compartment with fragile pieces.

Precious Metals

Always keep your jewelry in a place that doesn’t experience extreme temperatures or humidities. For maximum protection you can choose to store them inside of a small drawstring or a closed jewelry box. Continued exposure to humidity extremes or air causes metals typically used in jewelry to tarnish. Precious metals can often be polished to remove most tarnish. Non-precious metals often have a single coat of metal. Therefore, polishing them can remove the coat and show the copper that is found underneath.

Take a magnet and a keen eye with you when you head out to purchase any jewelry made from sterling silver. To spot scams, see if the magnet attracts the piece. If it does, then shout “FAKE!” at the top of your lungs and move to the next store. Sterling silver will always be hallmarked with a stamp such as .925, ster. or sterling. If you don’t see such a mark, you might want to reconsider the purchase. This is usually an indication that the piece is fake.

Be sure that you understand the kind of gemstone that is in the jewelry that you are purchasing. Gemstones come in three different varieties: natural, imitation and synthetic. Imitation has little value, as it is generally plastic, while synthetic and natural are considered to be real gems. Natural stones are mined, and synthetic stones are created in a laboratory.

To keep your jewelry looking great, take steps to prevent it from tarnish. Remove your jewelry if you plan on spending time in or near water. Many of the metals become tarnished, rusty or dull when they get exposed to the elements of water. If you must take your jewelry somewhere wet, prepare it by adding some clear nail polish on the surface.

Costume Jewelry

If you want to collect costume jewelry, concentrate on getting quality peices. Costume jewelry is pricey and can retain its value in many cases, but pieces that are damaged aren’t worth much and aren’t worth the time to restore. Make sure you have a piece that is in excellent condition, because this will be a lot more fruitful for you down the road.

Consider stones when you are buying jewelry. The right stone will enhance your skin tone and make a statement about your personality. If you choose a neutral color it will match anything you wear. Buying a stone that you will never wear is pointless

It’s a simple way to turn a plain belt into something more eye catching. You can pin in at the front-center of the belt or near the hip.

See if your gem has had any treatments prior to buying, and if so, which treatments. The various treatments that gems are given means that they need to be cared for differently. If you have a treated gem you should avoid any solution that could damage the gem by stripping the treatment.

Look for sales when you want to buy some new jewelry. The right sale will save you a lot of cash. Check for great sales online, in the newspaper, and even storefront windows. If a particular piece was designed to fit a current trend, and that trend is nearing conclusion, then you could make a saving as big as 50%.

Whether you’re shopping for a ring, watch, necklace or other piece, you should now be better equipped to make wise purchasing decisions. You will be able to use these tips to save a good amount of time as well as money.