Making an investment in jewelry in many cases is a substantial one. You will find many tips about all kinds of things regarding jewelry inside this article. You will learn anything that you may need to know to take better care, store and many other helpful tips that will help protect your jewelry.

Sterling silver jewelry makes a great investment. Pieces of jewelry made from sterling silver last for a lifetime and provide endless elegance. Sterling does tarnish, but can be quickly shined up using a polishing cloth. However, pieces of sterling silver jewelry that have specialty coating can last ages without tarnishing.

Jewelry is one of the best gifts to give to someone you care about. When purchasing jewelry as a gift, you should consider the person’s interests and lifestyle. For example, if they enjoy sports and the outdoors they may prefer more basic pieces. Think about what they enjoy doing, this should provide a good starting point when you are ready to purchase the jewelry.

The best tool for any jewelry hunter, whether searching for personal treasure or for the profit in reclaiming gold or silver, is a jeweler’s loupe. Jeweler’s loupes are small, but powerful magnifying instruments designed specially for use in examining jewelry at very close range. Some jeweler’s loupes also have a built-in, battery-powered light which can be very handy if examining pieces in a dimly lit area. Most jeweler’s loupes are extremely economical in cost and can help you make the most of your jewelry-buying dollar, especially when buying from second-hand sources.

To add more personality to your look, choose jewelry in colors that contrast with the rest of your clothing. Not only will this give you a stylish and sophisticated look, but it will also make your entire outfit look more bold. Try looking for jewelry in shades of blue or striking metallic.

If you would like to buy a pair of earrings for a loved one, make sure they have pierced ears first! It is a major faux pas to pick up a pair of gorgeous baubles only to find out they’re unwearable. If you can, check her jewelry box, or ask someone close to her who might know like her Mother.

If you like to collect costume jewelry pieces, become very choosy about each piece’s condition. Costume jewelry can prove to be a good investment, but also a costly one; keep in mind the pieces you wish to add to your collection don’t show too much wear. A piece of costume jewelry that has been treated well can be a treasure for years to come.

When deciding on the jewelry for your wedding, check out the differences between purchasing and renting. If you are only planning on wearing these extravagant pieces once, then renting may be your best bet. However, if you feel you would wear it again, or want to keep it as a memento, buying may be the best choice.

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.

Many types of metals will quickly tarnish when exposed to air for prolonged periods of time. One of the easiest ways to avoid this is by placing them in an air-tight location. A great and simple solution is purchasing small zipper plastic bags and then carefully sealing your jewelry inside them.

When buying turquoise jewelry, make sure you’re getting the real thing. Some of the things you can check for are that the color is uniform throughout and that the stone tends more toward opaque than clear. Also, the presence of veins or splotches, ranging from white to black, are a good indication of a real turquoise rather than a fake one. Most important, buy from a reputable dealer and ask for written authentication of the value. Unfortunately, with all the enhancements done to fake turquoise stones, sometimes it’s hard to tell the real thing from an imitation.

When buying jewelry, make sure that you know the difference between the different types of silver available. Be aware that nickel silver and German silver do not actually contain any silver and they are only called silver because of the color. Sterling silver is the only real silver there is.

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.

Don’t store your jewelry in the bathroom or laundry room. Any space where the humidity is normally high, or where the temperature fluctuates drastically, can lead to damage of your precious jewelry. Instead, store it in a climate-controlled location such as your bedroom, perhaps inside or on top of a dresser.

Give the gift that allows you to keep on giving. Add-a-pearl and add-a-bead type necklaces and bracelets along with charm bracelets make gift-giving easy! Start your loved one off with the basic chain or bracelet necessary and perhaps a pearl, bead or charm to commemorate the occasion, and with every holiday, birthday or special event in the future, use those opportunities to add to it with additional charms and beads.

When cleaning your jewelry, make sure to use warm water and soap. Always dry thoroughly with a soft cloth, making sure not to leave any water behind on your jewelry. Some pieces come with special cleaning instructions, so make sure to follow those as well. It is important that you do not use any other chemicals unless specified.

Following these tips are the first steps to protecting your investment. If you take the information included in this article and apply it to your everyday life, you are sure to reap the benefits of the knowledge that was put into writing it for you. Enjoy your jewelry for your lifetime.