Buying and selling jewelry can be exciting. Before you jump into this market, you need to do your research and learn all you can about jewelry. There are many things to learn so that you don’t get poor pieces and so you don’t lose money on a sale. The tips below can help you with that.
Keep your jewelry in a relatively air-tight container, and minimize its exposure to humidity. Store them in a closed jewelry box or small drawstring bag for maximum protection. Humidity quickly tarnishes both precious and non-precious metal. Polishing will work to restore the color and shine for precious metals, but with non-precious metals, polishing will not help the change in color.
Try opting for silver over gold. The olden days of silver being a lesser metal than gold are over. Silver is also consistently priced, while gold continues to rise in price. You don’t have to worry about karats with this metal. Just make sure to avoid nickel silver or German silver as they contain no real silver.
You can get jewelry that speaks of ancient and vintage times passed. They take their styling from the Victorian era and other famous time periods. These make perfect pieces to any wardrobe where you want to show some old world class. Popular types include Bakelite jewelry, book chains, cameos, celluloid jewelry, doublets, filigree jewelry, and much more.
To make an outfit look more balanced, mix and match different kinds of jewelry. If you wear a statement necklace, you can pair it with some basic rings or bracelets. If you like to wear oversize rings, compliment them with a simple chain necklace. This will help to accentuate your more dramatic pieces and will keep your look from feeling like too much.
In order to save money on the purchase of jewelry you should consider looking at local antique shops. Many people sell their antique jewelry to the shops when they are in need of money or if they have inherited it and just don’t want it. There is no reason to pay the high markups that come with jewelry.
Before you buy a gemstone, it is important that you learn about the treatment process it underwent. Different care is required for different treatments. For example, you would not want to use a jewelry cleaner that is incompatible with a certain type of treatment. Doing so could result in irreversible damages to the color and surface of the stone.
When you go to make a new jewelry purchase, you need to give yourself a strict budget. It can be extremely easy to overspend on an awesome piece of shiny jewelry. It will be a lot harder to enjoy later if you do not stick to your own budget goals.
Always clean all of your jewelry, both after and before using it. This will help you to remember to keep it polished before storing it for a long period of time. Keeping jewelry clean and safe will extend the life of all types of pieces, including metals and all types of stones.
To keep jewelry safe, avoid putting it all in a jewelry box that sits out as a decorative piece in your home. Nothing says, “Come grab me, I am filled with expensive stuff!”� to thieves quite like a displayed jewelry box. If you want more access to your jewelry than a safety deposit box allows, and a professionally installed wall safe isn’t an option, get creative and hide your jewelry within objects not likely to even be touched by thieves. Air-tight containers can be be tucked inside plant pots or diaper pails, hollow out a book to form a secret compartment, or stash a small case at the bottom of a box of tampons! You need to think like a thief to avoid being taken advantage by a thief.
If you are going to use a jewelry cleaning liquid on your jewelry, it is important that you first read the cleaning instructions very carefully. If you do not read the instructions carefully, you can end up destroying your jewelry. Make sure you follow the directions if you are going to use a jewelry cleaning solution.
When purchasing jewelry it is important to keep in mind for whom you are buying it, unless it is for yourself. You may really love a certain piece but the person you are buying it for my loathe it. So carefully consider the person it will be for, and then make your decision.
Make sure that you understand the language and jargon the jewelers speak. When you go looking at jewelry they will throw out information about the grade of the stones. It is important that you know what they are talking about and it will save both you and the jeweler time if you understand at least a little bit about the language that they use.
You should learn how to use the jeweler’s magnifier (loupe) so that you can see the inside of the stone and check to see if there are damages or chips on the inside of it. If there are any chips or damages that will greatly reduce the value of the stone.
When you sell jewelry online, write a few paragraphs about who you are and your background. When people walk into your store, introduce yourself. Do not go into details, but have people feel as if they know you and can trust you. You should emphasis your experience in jewelry and perhaps even show some of your past creations.
To get cheaper rates on your jewelry-making supplies, try to take advantage of discounts and sales. Several chain hobby and craft stores sell basic supplies that you can use when making jewelry (such as thread, pliers, beads, etc), and these frequently can go on sale, sometimes up to 50% off. If you need to purchase items that are not sold in local stores, do research online before settling on a place to purchase from.
Learning what you can prior to buying or selling jewelry ensures that you can make smarter decisions as to what you should have to get what you need. So, do yourself a favor and do your research and apply the above tips to your jewelry buying or selling ventures.
