Jewelry is the number one item that people tend to reach for when they want to give a special gift or give an outfit a last touch of personality. Jewelry is an item that can be made in millions of variations using a myriad of materials and designs. The tips below are sure to be of help in making the right jewelry decisions.
Keep your fragile stone jewelry stored in separate boxes, away from your other pieces, to prolong the life of these stones. You don’t want them getting scuffed or broken, by being in direct contact with stronger and harder jewelry pieces. Try wrapping these fragile stones in velvet or silk, before placing them in the boxes. It’s best if you keep the boxes that they originally came in, for this purpose.
To create a fashion forward look on a budget, try shopping for vintage jewelry. Jewelry trends are cyclical and stylish jewelry can often be found for cheap at thrift stores. Take the time to sort through the old jewelry at your local thrift stores and flea markets. You’re likely to find some great pieces at a low cost.
When buying jewelry, ask a friend what looks good on you. Though you may have a preference for gold, it may turn out to be that silver actually looks best for you and your skin tone. Of course, always consider your tastes, but don’t forego advice from others about what makes you look best.
If you’d like to wear jewelry while wearing a turtleneck, be sure to only wear long necklaces. Shorter necklaces compete with the neckline of your top and can leave your neck looking stumpy. Look for necklaces with a pendant that falls below breast length. When wearing a turtleneck it’s best not to layer your necklaces.
Metal allergies can make wearing any type of jewelry, most especially wrist watches, itchy and painful. A simple way to alleviate the itch that some non-precious metals (common in many watch cases) can cause, change your watch band to one made of leather or cloth and then apply a coat of clear nail polish to the back of your watch. The nail polish, while not permanent, can easily be reapplied when needed and protects your skin from being in direct contact with the metal case of the watch. If the buckle of that new watch band is metal, don’t forget to give it a coating of nail polish as well. Even that tiny bit of metal can cause some serious discomfort to those with sensitivities.
Cure the green skin of copper jewelry easily. When you wear jewelry that has a copper base you may soon find yourself turning into a martian. The green is caused by the metal oxidizing. Stop it in its tracks by applying clear nail polish to any jewelry surface that will be touching your bare skin.
When selling jewelry online, you need to be able to stand behind your pieces. Because your customer does not get to handle the jewelry, it should be made to be able to hold up to regular use. Otherwise, you will lose customers. You should aim to offer a warranty program, and be willing to fix other pieces not covered by it.
Keep your jewelry in place with a strong clasp or closure. If your chains and pendants with costly gems do not have secure clasps, you may lose them. For very expensive necklaces and bracelets, at least one safety clasp is recommended. Some opt for two or three clasps on their extremely valuable pieces of jewelry so that they stay safe during wear.
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.
Some people choose to clean their fine jewelry with warm water and mild soap. For most pieces of fine jewelry, this is an acceptable means of cleaning. Just make sure you rinse the jewelry well and dry it thoroughly with a soft, clean cloth. Both silver and gold may tarnish if it is not dried well.
When it comes to purchasing jewelry, make sure that whenever you are able to that you try it on first. This very is important because that piece of jewelry you love may not be as favorable after you try it on and find it to be extremely uncomfortable.
Rubbing alcohol is excellent for removing tarnish from sterling silver jewelry. You can either, soak the jewelry item in a small cup of rubbing alcohol for a few minutes or wrap the jewelry in a paper towel and pour rubbing alcohol over it. Let it soak for about 5 minutes and then polish with a soft, dry cloth.
It is hard to tell the difference between natural and fake rubies and sapphires. While the stones appear to be identical, both physically and chemically, the man-made stones are a lot cheaper than the natural ones. Always have a gemologist look at a piece if it is advertised as natural sapphire to see if the piece has natural inclusions or not.
The beginning of this article mentioned what a great effect jewelry has on everyday life. There are millions of jewelry styles and designs to choose from which can oftentimes be very overwhelming to a consumer. Apply the tips from the article above to be successful in making the right jewelry choices.
