Jewelry has different meanings from a token of love to an heirloom. No matter what kind of jewelry you want to buy and give, selecting the best pieces can be tricky. This article will show you some ways you can get the most from your jewelry purchases.

Be careful on how you store all of your jewelry together. Using boxes, hooks, holders, and compartments is very effective for ensuring the pieces stay separated. Resist the temptation to jumble all your pieces into a community box. This can hurt very fragile jewelry, and tangle necklaces or bracelets.

Precious Metals

When storing your jewelry, be sure that you store it in a place with low humidity and free of open air. To ensure it is protected, keep your jewelry in a drawstring bag or a jewelry box that is closed. Certain metals will be tarnished when exposed to humidity or air. Polishing will work to restore the color and shine for precious metals, but with non-precious metals, polishing will not help the change in color.

When you go shopping for sterling silver jewelry pieces, take with you a magnet and a monocle. You are able to detect fake pieces of sterling jewelry with a magnet, as non-precious metals are attracted by the magnet. True sterling sliver always has some sort of hallmark stamp on it, such as .925, sterling or ster. If you cannot find a stamp, you might be looking at a cheap imitation.

Jewelry is something that can last generations. When you are shopping for your next piece, choose a reliable dealer. This can make all the difference in ensuring you get jewelry of the highest quality. A truly high-quality piece is one that is well-constructed and of superior workmanship. A good jeweler can provide you with some background on the piece, such as who crafted it, where it was manufactured, and where any stones in it came from. It is important to choose a high-quality piece to ensure that your jewelry will last a lifetime.

Do some price comparisons before you commit to buying a piece of diamond jewelry. Take a look at the diamonds up close, then put it next to other pieces you are interested in. With diamonds, you need to have a keen eye because of the many tricks people will use to enhance it.

Always ask the jeweler about an insurance policy before buying a new piece of jewelry. Many stores offer a policy where you can bring broken or damaged jewelry back to the original jeweler for repair at little to no cost. In some cases, insurance policies will cover lost, misplaced or stolen pieces.

Jewelry that is well-cared for is important, both for its monetary worth and its sentimental value. Learn to properly care for your valuable jewelry, to protect not only your investment, but the memories it evokes. There is a vast amount of information that you can find about jewelry. The more knowledge you gain, the more you will learn to value and appreciate each unique piece in your collection.