No matter why you are buying your jewelry, whether for yourself or as a gift, it is important to know the proper way to care for jewelry as well as buy and sell it responsibly. This article will show you some ways you can get the most from your jewelry purchases.

Store your jewelry in a place that is not subjected to humidity extremes or open air. It’s best to store it in a closed box, like a jewelry box, or a drawstring bag. Air and humidity can cause the metals that the jewelry are made of to tarnish. You will be able to polish precious metals to remove tarnish, but non-precious metals may lose their coating, showing the copper metal beneath.

Sterling Silver

Bring a magnet when shopping for sterling silver jewelery. Use the magnet to detect fake jewelry; real silver will not be attracted to the magnet, but the cheaper metals will. Sterling silver will always be hallmarked with a stamp such as .925, ster. or sterling. If the piece that you are looking at is not hallmarked, this is usually the sign that it is a fake.

Know which kind of stone you are buying with your jewelry. Natural gems and imitation gems have been joined recently by synthetic gems, making three main categories. Imitation has little value, as it is generally plastic, while synthetic and natural are considered to be real gems. Natural gems are those that are actually from the earth, whereas synthetic ones are made in labs.

For jewelry to stay shiny and new-looking, it is important to keep it from tarnishing. For example, avoid taking your jewelry somewhere it can get wet. If you let some metals get wet too often, they can tarnish, rust or become dull. Use a thinner coat of your clear nail polish on your jewelry for extra protection.

As a collector of costume jewelry, you should investigate the condition of the pieces that you want to add to your collection Quality costume jewelry may cost more, but a cheaply made piece will fall apart and will quickly become unusable. Pieces that are in great shape will fetch you better prices down the road, should you choose to sell them.

Wear the jewelry around for a day or so to be sure that it fits right and is comfortable. Doing this also helps you see if the jewelery is long lasting or likely to break easily.

If you want to purchase new jewelry, watch for discounts or sales. If the deal is good, you may be able to save some serious money! Watch for sales in the newspaper, on the Internet, and even in the stores themselves. If you purchase something on clearance, you might save 50% or more off the original purchase price.

Plastic Wrap

Untangle a delicate necklace easily. It’s easy to get frustrated when trying to get the knots out of a badly tangled necklace, but try using some plastic wrap before you call it quits. Put the tangled necklace onto the plastic wrap, then pour a little mineral oil or baby oil onto the piece. Needles can be used to untangle it. Once it’s untangled, use dish soap to wash the necklace and pat it dry.

Jewelry that is cared for properly is very valuable, not just in economic terms, but also in sentimental value. Take special care of those valuable pieces of jewelry, and it will pay off in terms of investment and sentimental value. There is a lot more information out there, so keep educating yourself so that you will know how to get the most out of your jewelry.