Nothing shows that you took the time and cared, quite like nice jewelry. It has always been, and always will be, the best gift to pick up on a moment’s notice. No one is ever sad or disappointed that they received jewelry instead of a card or picture. There are a few things that you should remember when shopping for jewelry and they are listed in this article.

Try not to bathe or swim in your fine jewelry. Many times the type of water (hard versus soft) can splash and wear the metal jewelry or stain the stone. There are also chemicals like chlorine found in many swimming pools that can turn stones and badly stain metal jewelry.

If you are looking to purchase fashion jewelry, make sure to invest a few dollars. While fashion jewelry is available in almost every design and price range under the sun, purchase something in the mid-price range. If you go too cheap, you may end up purchasing something with unhealthy metal alloys or inferior quality workmanship.

When buying jewelry, make sure that you don’t just rely on really prestigious name brands. This can generally lead to you paying 80% more than that of another popular jewelry retailer. Most of the non-prestigious jewelry retailers, also offer very nice holiday and yearly discounts, so it’s an overall better deal to shop with them.

If you have a light ivory skin tone with darker hair, consider purchasing jewelry in silver, white gold or platinum. The silvery colors look elegant set against an ivory skin tone especially if you have brown or black hair. Make sure to choose darker gemstones such as green, black or deep blue.

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.

When choosing earrings, test the weight in the store. You can’t–and shouldn’t–try them on, but holding them in your hand may be able to tell you if they’re too heavy for all-day wear or just too heavy. Heavy earrings will eventually become painful. No matter how nice they look, you won’t want to wear them if they’re not comfortable.

If you lose the butterfly backing for your post earrings, you can easily replace them. Any local craft stores carry replacement backings for post earrings in the jewelry making aisles. You can find them in different metals such as sterling silver, gold plating, silver plating or silver tone metal. You no longer have to throw your old earrings out, you can replace the backing quite affordably.

Shopping for birthstone jewelry may seem simple, but some months have more than one stone. June, October, November, and December all have multiple birthstones. If you’re shopping for yourself and you’re from a multiple stone month, decide which one you like best. If shopping for a gift, don’t be afraid to ask the recipient!

To keep your jewelry in top condition, never wear it to sleep. When you sleep, your body produces a lot of sweat and gives off a lot of heat, both of which can cause serious damage to jewelry. Sweat can cause it to tarnish or rust, while the heat can cause soft metals to deform.

Looking at jewelry you would like to buy, decide how unique you want it to be. If you are having trouble finding a piece that speaks to you, try hand crafted. Hand crafted jewelry is available in any form of style and options. People who usually struggle to find something they like, will love the uniqueness of handmade jewels.

When you are working with any kind of silver there is one word that you should always keep in mind – polish! If you polish your silver regularly it will keep it shiny and beautiful for much longer. This helps to extend the life of the piece as well as look newer for longer.

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.

A great tip that can help you maintain your jewelry is to take your ring off when you go to the gym to lift weights. Lifting weights with your ring on can do a lot of damage to your ring. You’ll constantly scrape it against the weights which will badly scratch it.

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.

As you begin to shop for diamond jewelry, you will notice that most pieces are presented against a black velvet background. Viewing a diamonds in front of a black surface can actually alter your perception of the clarity and cut of the diamond. Instead, ask to view the piece against a lighter-colored surface and under magnification. This gives you a more accurate visualization.

When buying jewelry for someone that you care about make sure that you are always aware of the exchange or return procedures. This is very important in case either the recipient does not like it or if something happens where you choose to not give it to them. Be sure that all terms are in writing.

Observe each piece carefully and do not purchase anything that you are not completely positive about. Follow the guidelines listed and you will be able to pick up something great that your loved one is guaranteed to enjoy for the rest of his or her life. You can’t go wrong when you go with jewelry.