Yes, it’s true and it can be quite unnerving and overwhelming, to start looking into buying or selling jewelry. This, of course, is because it involves thinking about losing money. Still, it’s important to know what information you need about jewelry to be better prepared to avoid scams. That’s what the tips below are for.
Do not purchase any jewelry from retailers in China. This country is notorious for selling fake gemstone and metal jewelry. Oftentimes, the jewelry advertised as sterling silver with real turquoise is just a piece of metal sprayed in silver and the turquoise is a fake piece of plastic. Such vendors may accept returns, but the hassle of shipping it back at your own cost, is usually not worth it. Be aware of scams like this.
When jewelry shopping, you need to be prepared to carefully look, and inspect anything that you may want to buy. You need to get a loupe. This is a small pocket-sized magnifier that can show you what kind of quality you will be getting. It magnifies the jewelry so that you can inspect it to see if you are getting something of bad quality or good quality.
Try adding some industrial metals to your collection. There is more to metal jewelry than just gold and silver. Industrial metals include stainless steel, titanium, tungsten carbide and tungsten. Industrial metals provide a much nicer shine and are more durable and less susceptible to damage. Titanium is known for being more lightweight, stainless steel and can be polished until it practically glows. Tungsten carbide can resist scratches for a long time, as well as being a dark metal.
If you’re buying an item of jewelry for your wife, pick something that says love. There are so many pieces of jewelry that have a story behind them, like an infinity band or hugs and kisses pendant. Items that are called “forever”, typically with diamonds, will show her you want to spend the rest of your life with her. Beautiful!
When on vacation, pick up a beautiful piece of jewelry as a thank you to your wife. She may be on vacation, but chasing after the kids or hosing them down after being at the beach is no picnic. Buy her something to remind her of the good times you’ve had together on your trip.
Question any piece of jewelry that is so cheap it’s too good to be true. Look at any gemstones to ensure they don’t have large inclusions in them. Look for stamps on the metal to prove that it is what it’s claiming to be. If someone takes offense to your double checking authenticity, they’re probably lying.
When cleaning silver, it is best to invest in a jeweler’s rouge cloth. It has a polishing compound on the red side which is safe to use with all gemstones, and the yellow side is intended for giving a polish that will sparkle. This will keep your jewelry looking gorgeous for a long time to come!
When packing for a vacation, planning your jewelry is as important as planning your outfits. Since you can’t take your whole jewelry box, plan your outfits in advance and think about what jewelry you’ll be able to wear with multiple outfits. When checking your bags, never pack any jewelry that you absolutely can’t bear to lose. If you can’t live without it, wear it or leave it at home.
When photographing jewelry to sell it on an auction site or post your newly purchased or gifted jewelry to a social media site, try to use as much natural or day lighting as possible. Using a tripod is also recommended as you will avoid blurring the picture. Jewelry is temperamental when trying to get a good picture because it typically reflects light in ways that will give you poor quality photographs.
As a jeweler, you should do your best to differentiate yourself from the concurrence. Set up your store in a unique way or create an original website. Create original pieces as well as classics. Choose the strategy that works for you: find your audience and create pieces that correspond to a certain style.
Invest in a jewelry box. If you keep your jewelry in different compartments of a jewelry box, it will protect your pieces from scratching one another and will slow tarnishing. When storing pearls in your jewelry box, an added measure is to place them in a piece of natural material such as a cotton pouch.
For a quick, simple, retro look, choose a length of attractive ribbon that matches your outfit to wear as a choker. Various colors of lace ribbon are also very attractive when used in this way. This charming look from the 70s is easy and inexpensive to achieve and surprisingly fetching.
If you are looking for diamond jewelry of any kind, remember to ask if the diamond you are considering is “conflict free”. Diamonds that are not conflict free may have been indirectly the cause of a great deal of suffering and even death. Conflict free diamonds are mined, processed, and exported under exacting conditions that do not allow any illegal activity or violence.
Jewelry represents such a pricey purchase that the wise buyer will safeguard his or her investment by thoroughly investigating return policies before buying. This is even more important with jewelry intended as a gift, as no one can be entirely certain their gift will suit the recipient. Buying pieces with a return policy can prevent long-term regrets over ill-considered jewelry purchases.
After cleaning your fine rings, bracelets, and necklaces with a mild jewelry cleaner, be especially diligent about thoroughly drying each piece before storing in its box or case. Excess water can leave dark, tarnish spots on both gold and silver. Residual water stains are especially difficult to remove and detract from the value of your jewelry.
See, it wasn’t nearly as bad as you thought it would be. There are a lot of people in the jewelry market that wish to take your money and leave you with something of low-quality or to try to buy what you’re selling for less. Do yourself a favor and follow these tips.
