You can never have enough good information on the subject of jewelry. Making one small mistake could cost you with a small fortune. This article provides several practical tips about jewelry. These helpful tips can assist you in picking out the right jewelery and you can avoid some road blocks.

To keep your jewelry looking attractive, polish it regularly using a cloth made especially for this purpose. This will give your jewelry shine and luster without the use of potentially harmful chemicals. Just polish each piece with the special cloth in the same way you would polish a piece of glass. First use the polishing side, and finish with the other side to make it shine.

The metals in jewelry can tarnish if exposed to humid air, so you will want to store them in a way that protects them. Keep them stored safely in a closed, dark area, like a jewelry box or drawstring bag. Both air and humidity can lead to tarnished metal. 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.

If you want to buy sterling silver pieces, use a magnet and examine the jewelry very carefully. Metals that aren’t precious will connect to the magnet, signaling that it is fake. If your silver is sterling, you will also notice a mark on the piece. This mark might state .925, sterling, or ster. Silver jewelry that lacks a hallmark may be a fake or composed of other metals.

You need to know the type of gem that you are purchasing. Gems are divided into three main categories: imitation, synthetic and natural. Synthetic and natural are real stones, while the imitation ones are plastic that is colored. Natural comes from the ground, while synthetic ones are created in a lab.

When you go diamond shopping, make sure that you do shopping comparisons. Look at the pieces up close before purchasing them, and be sure to compare them to others. However, be mindful that there are fraudulent ways to make the diamond look better than it is.

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 can prove to be a good investment, but worn, broken, or otherwise damaged pieces are not worth the expense. Costume pieces kept in great condition will enhance your collection much more over time.

You can use a brooch to make your belt stand out, since it is sure to be eye-catching. To add a twist to tradition, place the brooch at your hip.

Before you buy, ask the jeweler if and how the gemstone was treated. You will have to treat different gemstones with different kinds of care. You don’t want to clean them with a type of solution that could strip the treatment or damage the gem.

Try searching for sales when purchasing jewelry. The best sales can offer deep discounts on premium pieces. Use the resources at your disposal like the Internet, newspapers, and even window shopping to find the best sales. Buying styles that are going out of fashion can be a huge money saver, even getting up to 50% off.

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.