The purchase of jewelry often times denotes a very important event in our lives, whether it be a marriage, and engagement, an anniversary, or a gift to get us over the hump so to speak. Don’t be left in the cold and not knowing anything about jewelry. This article will offer some tips when it comes to jewelry.
Be cautious about your jewelry storage. Jewelry should be stored in an organized way in a box, a jewelry holder or hung on hooks. Don’t just box all the pieces together in a pile. This does damage to jewelry pieces, which are often fragile. Necklaces lumped together can get tangled up into a knotted ball.
When shopping for genuine sterling silver jewelry, you need both a discerning eye and a small magnet. If the piece you are examining is not silver and is made from non-precious metal, it will be attracted to the magnet. Look for the hallmark stamped on the piece of jewelry to determine what percentage sterling silver it is. If the piece of presumed silver is not marked, be skeptical that is real silver. It could very well be a fake.
When buying jewelry as a gift, buy something that can be worn every day. Diamond stud earrings are an excellent choice as they go with anything. Watches are also a very utilitarian option, just make sure it’s classy but casual enough that she could wear it to work. Neutral colors are also an excellent choice.
When making jewelry and you want to turn a bead into a linked piece, take an eye pin and thread it through the bead’s hole. Let the bead slide to the bottom of the eye pin. Directly above the bead, use your pliers to bend the eye pin approximately 45 degrees. Using wire cutters, trim this to about half an inch in length. Using small round pliers, grasp the tip of the wire and start looping it around the pliers tip. Don’t give up if your eye pin loop is not directly round – practice makes perfect!
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.
Take proactive steps to minimize the number of times that you have to clean your jewelry. When getting dressed, put your jewelry on after you apply perfume and makeup. This will prevent the residue of these products from leaving a film on your jewelry. Also, remember to remove your jewelry before cleaning and doing other housework.
Even though some people use toothpaste to clean their gold, silver or gemstones, jewelers do not recommend this practice. The abrasives in toothpaste can scratch the surface of precious metals and gemstones. To restore the jewelry back to its original, unscratched condition will require buffing and refinishing by a professional fine jeweler.
When stitching peyote rings for your jewelry design, try stitching around a small dowel or pencil. This will help the peyote rings keep their shape while you are working on the jewelry pieces. They are also easily removable (just slide them out!). This works great for beginners who struggle with maintaining the shape of the rings and stitching at the same time.
Whether you are buying jewelry for that special someone on that special occasion, or just a casual buyer, the more you know the better. With so many different types and specifications it never hurts to be knowledgeable. This article hopefully gave some guidance when it comes to making that all important jewelry selection.
