When you are buying or selling precious jewelry, doing your homework can have its benefits. There is so much to learn, it can be hard to decide where to start.
When shopping for stone jewelry, you need to be educated on everything to look for. Your jeweler can help guide you on what and how to look at stones to make sure that you can distinguish bad from good quality. This type of education can help you make better decisions without so much help when you are jewelry shopping.
Before purchasing earrings that have diamonds or other stones in them, make sure that the stones can be replaced. You do not want to be put in a situation where the stones have fallen out of your earrings and they cannot be replaced. If you are unsure, you can always ask a jeweler before you buy them.
If you find yourself putting off wearing a bracelet because you wear a watch, buy a bracelet that matches your watch in style and color, and wear it on your other wrist. Bracelets are fun and are one of the only pieces of jewelry that you can see on yourself when you’re wearing them. Wear one on your wrist without a watch, or simply get rid of your watch altogether.
Know what to ask your salesperson. Find out if the gemstone you are interested in is natural, synthetic or imitation. Natural gems cost the most because they have a higher cost to attain them. Synthetic gems are man-made and are easier to get, so they are cheaper. Imitations are the cheapest overall, but, of course, they are not be of the best quality.
Look for creative ways to add value to your handmade jewelry. Instead of using a cardboard earring holder, you can offer earrings that are mounted on a handmade birthday or Mother’s Day card, or a necklace that is packaged in a vintage seed packet. Finding ways to encourage gifting of your wares, can make all the difference in the world for your cash flow.
If you have nice jewelry, chances are you will want to clean it from time to time. You will want to use a mild soap and warm water, rinse, and then use a soft cloth to polish it. Always dry your gold and silver jewelry before you store it to keep it from tarnishing and to prevent water stains.
When buying jewelry it is important to remember that you can finance it. There are a lot of jewelry stores who offer in house financing for their customers. That means that you could get a loved one jewelry that they have always dreamed of and pay for it over an extended period of time. Financing helps to make gift giving a little bit easier.
If you plan to stay in the sunlight for any length of time, remove your gemstones before hand. Sunlight can have a damaging effect on many gemstones, dulling them or changing their color entirely. Stones such as Quartz, Citrine, and Amethyst are especially vulnerable. Better to leave your stones at home where they will be safe.
When it comes to taking care of your jewelry be sure that you are only using a soft cloth to rub it down. This is critical in ensuring that you are not causing further damage by scratching it. Be sure that you purchase a jewelry specific cleaning cloth and do not use it for any other purposes.
Picking a good quality diamond is important when purchasing diamond jewelry. Ask to see the diamond under a jeweler’s loop or a diamond microscope. You should notice no visible flaws, fractures, cloudiness or black spots. Watch out for chips that are hidden under prongs as well.
When selling jewelry online, you must take full advantage of all the opportunities you have for free advertising, if you want to be successful. When an online shop hosting site offers free advertising, take it. Take advantage of social media sites, like Facebook and Twitter. If you do not have the proper amount of advertising, no one will know about you. As a result, you will fail.
Don’t be afraid to play with different textures in your jewelry designs. Incorporating different types of beads (crystal, pearl, seed beads, glass, plastic, etc) will add a degree of interest to any piece. Adding in alternative materials, like metal rings and even fabric, will help you to create memorable, one-of-a-king jewelry pieces that will be sure to wow.
Use broken jewelry as well as odds and ends jewelry pieces to glue onto a picture frame to hold a special photo. A clear silicone is all that is needed to create a dazzling frame just perfect for a wedding photo or use old costume jewelry from the right era to surround a photo of a favorite grandmother. Jewelry-covered frames make gorgeous gifts too!
You need true expertise to make smart jewelry buying and selling decisions. Use the information you’ve learned in this article to make successful jewelry acquisitions.
