You need to learn how to take care of jewelry and buy and sell it responsibly, whether you are giving jewelry gifts, receiving them, or inheriting family heirlooms. This article will provide you with some nifty tricks and tips for getting the maximum benefit out of any time or money you invest in jewelry.
Take a polishing cloth to each piece of jewelry in your collection. This is a fairly simple way to achieve shine without dealing with solvents and chemicals. Just polish each piece with the special cloth in the same way you would polish a piece of glass. Use the side of the cloth that is designed for polishing to remove fingerprints, dust and other surface imperfections, and then use the opposite side to buff the jewelry and make it gleam.
Make sure a piece of jewelry is still in style before you buy it. It is one thing to get a gorgeous bauble, but it is another to get it on sale!
Make sure you take precautions to stop your jewelery from losing its shine. One of the best ways to keep your jewelry looking beautiful is to avoid wearing it in water. Water can cause some metals to lose their luster or to become tarnished or rusty. To protect your jewelry from exposure, apply a single coat of clear nail lacquer to its surface.
Costume Jewelry
If you are interested in collecting costume jewelry, be sure to stay conscious of the condition. Quality costume jewelry may cost more, but a cheaply made piece will fall apart and will quickly become unusable. A piece in good condition will be much more resourceful to you in the future.
It is a good idea to determine the best approaches for jewelry care. Different metals, stones, and settings have different needs to ensure proper maintenance. What works for one piece of jewelry could dull or damage another. For the best information on how to look after your jewelry, you should talk to a jeweler.
For a gift that is as unique as its recipient, look for handcrafted or customized pieces. A unique piece to match their personality shows thoughtfulness and creativity, which is exactly what you want to express to a person you care enough about to buy jewelry for.
To keep your jewelry looking clean, only put it on after your make-up is applied and set. The small particles of powdered makeup can easily dull the shine of your jewelry. This tip especially applies to necklaces and earrings.
Plastic Wrap
Untangle your knotted necklaces, even the delicate ones. Don’t give up on that tangled mass of jewelry. Instead, get a piece of plastic wrap. Lay the necklace on the plastic wrap, and then cover it with a thin coat of mineral oil or baby oil. It is possible to untangle very snarled necklaces with a needle. Rinse the necklace off as best you can and gently pat it dry with a soft cloth. Use soap only if it has been approved to not damage your jewelry.
You need a good clasp for any necklaces and bracelets. Without a decent clasp, you risk losing your expensive stones or chains. It is always in your best interest to fit expensive pieces with a safety clasp. For very expensive items, some consumers choose to increase security with an additional clasp or two.
Jewelry is extremely valuable, economically and sentimentally. When you give your valuable jewelry the proper care, you are protecting your investment and cherishing your memories. There is more to it than what you’ve read here, and continuing to learn can help you mazimize the wear and value of all your jewelry pieces for years to come.