There is no such thing as having enough information with jewelry. Knowing about valuable jewelry is especially important if you want to ensure you get a fair price on every piece. Following are some sensible tips regarding the issue. These tips will allow you to purchase and maintain your jewelry without making some common mistakes.
Steer clear of ammonia, bleach or other strong chemical solvents when you need to clean these items. This can cause the stones to lose their luster in addition to eating away the enamel on any of the pieces.
When shopping for genuine sterling silver jewelry, you need both a discerning eye and a small magnet. Use the magnet to detect fake jewelry; real silver will not be attracted to the magnet, but the cheaper metals will. Also, look to make sure that silver is hallmarked and stamped with .925, sterling or ster. If the item has no markings indicating its authenticity, then be wary.
Find out more about the gems you look at. Ask about where they came from and to which category they belong. Natural gems and imitation gems have been joined recently by synthetic gems, making three main categories. Natural and synthetic gems are real stones, but imitation is just plastic colored to look like the real thing. Natural gems are dug up from the ground, and synthetic gems are man-made in a lab.
As a collector of costume jewelry, you should investigate the condition of the pieces that you want to add to your collection Many costume pieces are a great investment and can be quite costly, but costume jewelry that has too many signs of wear will not keep their value over time. Maintaining a piece of costume jewelry’s condition preserves the beauty and value that attracted you in the first place.
When collecting costume jewelry, pay close attention to the condition of any piece you are considering. A piece that isn’t in very good condition won’t be worth it, and since you may be thinking of an expensive item as an investment, it’s important to watch for wear and tear. A piece of costume jewelry that has been treated well can be a treasure for years to come.
Some people find the appropriate selection of jewelry for particular occasions to be baffling. Others are puzzled by the pricing of precious metals and gems. With any luck, the information from this article will be very useful as you set out to explore different types and styles of jewelry.
