In the world of buying or selling jewelry, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced people in the market. This set of tips contains some of the best advice for helping you buy or sell jewelry.
Save some of your most fragile jewelry for special occasions only. Some fragile stones like opal and peridot should only be worn for special events and then carefully stored until the next occasion. This may seem irritating since you want to be able to wear your best pieces, but it can prolong their life if you avoid exposing them to harm too often.
When choosing jewelry as a gift for a girlfriend, make sure it is something that will really show her that you love her and understand her. At this point in your relationship, the jewelry that you give her should be more than just a gift, but a passing of your love.
Men are very picky about the jewelry they wear, especially when they are gifted some that may seem feminine. When selecting jewelry for a man, make sure it something that goes with the way that they dress. Also, when selecting what you will get for him make sure that it is subtle and not flashy.
Much like a bride’s dress, wedding jewelry may have to be adjusted and sized, therefore you should choose your jewelry as soon as your dress choice has been made. Your best estimate is that when your dress is done, your jewelry will be sized correctly as well, so include that in your time management planning.
When making jewelry, beeswax is a wonderful product to use for taming frizzy twine. Just rub a little on to the twine and you’ll have a smooth look in no time. Your beads will go on easier and your piece will have a more elegant, professionally made look.
To keep your clothing the focus when wearing jewelry, choose modest gemstone pieces. A simple gemstone ring or necklace will add sparkle and visual interest to your look, but will not overpower the rest of your outfit. It is best to wear at least 2 pieces of jewelry that have a similar visual look.
If you have the cash resources, consider buying findings, fasteners, chains, and beads in larger quantities; most jewelry and craft suppliers offer significant discounts on large orders to encourage quick inventory turnover. Your jewelry-making business will consume less cash, but only if you purchase large quantities of items that can be used in a variety of pieces and styles.
If you are looking to purchase a piece of jewelry with precious stones, there are synthetic gems that are more affordable, and have a similar grade of quality as natural gems. But, remember that imitation gems which are composed of plastic elements are indeed fake, whereas synthetic gems are cultured in actual laboratories.
When buying turquoise jewelry, make sure you’re getting the real thing. Some of the things you can check for are that the color is uniform throughout and that the stone tends more toward opaque than clear. Also, the presence of veins or splotches, ranging from white to black, are a good indication of a real turquoise rather than a fake one. Most important, buy from a reputable dealer and ask for written authentication of the value. Unfortunately, with all the enhancements done to fake turquoise stones, sometimes it’s hard to tell the real thing from an imitation.
Do not be afraid to buy silver jewelry. Gold items are incredibly expensive right now, and silver is “in”. Search for products that are labeled as sterling silver because they have a large amount of the metal in them. Not only will you save money, but you will have the opportunity to buy a nice piece of jewelry that you might have missed otherwise.
Jewelry should never be cleaned with bleach. Bleach damages soldered joints and can eat away at finishes. Jewelry should not be worn in swimming pools for two reasons. Jewelry is easily lost in swimming pools and chlorine bleach is used in the water of pools. If cleaning with bleach, remove your jewelry or wear protective gloves.
You should learn how to use the jeweler’s magnifier (loupe) so that you can see the inside of the stone and check to see if there are damages or chips on the inside of it. If there are any chips or damages that will greatly reduce the value of the stone.
After reading these tips, you can begin to understand what it takes to become a more informed buyer or seller of jewelry. There is a lot of information to be had and you need to know how to apply it. With this in mind, you can refine your own methods and strategies so that you can either buy that perfect piece or you can sell more pieces to make bigger profits.