Jewelry has been with mankind forever, and the number of designs and options available continues to grow at a furious pace. Read this article to learn more about the meaning of jewelry, how to buy it and how to wear it.

Be cautious of storing all of your pieces of jewelry together. For best results, separate different pieces into different boxes, compartments or hooks. Avoid just throwing them into a box in an unorganized manner. This can damage fragile, delicate jewelry, and necklaces can become very tangled in other jewelry pieces.

If you are in the market to buy some silver jewelry, don’t forget to take a magnet along with you. Jewelry made with non-precious metals will be attracted to the magnet, revealing any fakes. You will always find a hallmark stamp such as “.925” or “STER.” on genuine sterling, or alternately, it might simply say, “STERLING”. If the piece you’re inspecting doesn’t carry such a mark, be careful, as it is likely a fake.

Your jewelry should endure an entire lifetime. Go to a dealer you can trust to make sure you get a quality item at a fair price. High-quality jewelry is durable and displays excellent craftsmanship. The jeweler should be able to give you a history on the piece, like who crafted it and where the stones came from if there are any. Choosing a high-quality piece of jewelry is important, so that it will last forever.

When you are shopping for a diamond, make sure to shop around and compare. View the piece you are currently considering closely and then compare it against some other pieces that are in the running. Look out for tricks that make the diamond look better than it is.

Pay attention if they usually wear studs or hoop earrings, white gold or yellow, and any other typical jewelry that they wear. Doing this will provide a good basis for where you should begin so that you can purchase a special piece for that special someone.

Check to see if your jeweler offers an insurance policy before purchasing an item. Many stores offer a policy where you can bring broken or damaged jewelry back to the original jeweler for repair at little to no cost. You should also think about getting additional insurance in cause of theft or loss.

Keep your jewelry free of tarnish to make it look its best. Jewelry should not be worn near the water. Water can dull and rust some types of metal if it is exposed to it too often. Applying a very thin covering of clear nail varnish to your jewelry offers an added degree of protection.

This will accent the belt, and will add a lot of visual interest. Pin it in the center of your waist or towards your hip.

If your gemstone was treated, you should know about it before you purchase it. The various treatments that gems are given means that they need to be cared for differently. Some cleaning solutions that work perfectly well on untreated gems can strip off treatments, and even damage stones, if you use them on treated gems.

Fortified with the preceding tips, you will be a little bit better equipped to handle making jewelry decisions. There is such a vast range of jewelry to pick from that it can all be a bit overwhelming. So make sure you do a little homework before you go shopping.

Purchasing a pricey piece of jewelry can prove to be stressful. Depending on the material a piece of jewelry is made of, the price varies greatly for each piece. If you are not educated in this area, you might end up overpaying for jewelery. Use this advice to make the most of your next jewelry purchase.

Try to avoid cleaning it with harsh chemicals like ammonia or turpentine. These can erode both the color and the materials of your jewelry.

Keep your jewelry pieces looking beautiful by protecting them from tarnish. When wearing your jewelry, you should avoid exposure to water. Many types of jewelry become dulled or tarnished when they are exposed to water. Painting a thin layer of clear-colored nail polish on your metal jewelry can add a protective barrier to it.

Take stones into consideration when you go to purchase new jewelry. The right stone will enhance your skin tone and make a statement about your personality. Choose neutral colors that will easily match any outfit you decide to wear. You want to have plenty of opportunities to show off every piece.

Think about how best ways to look after your jewelry. Metals, gemstones and settings all have different storage and cleaning requirements. What works well with one type of precious stone may actually harm another. Speak with a knowlegeable jeweler if you do not know the best way to take care of your jewels.

Resist the common notion that size matters; concentrate instead on quality and clarity. Also, bear in mind the style of the intended recipient.

A matched jewelry set is a no-fail gift for any woman on your list. Buying a set of jewelry can get you a deal many times. Eventually you can split the set up and give someone just one piece of jewelry when a holiday comes around. This is a fabulous way to always have a gift that someone will love.

Long chains can be shortened and the excess metal can be sold for a profit. A few inches clipped off the end of the chain can be valuable, but still leaves you with a usable piece. Ensure that your items are real gold before doing this and, if you have enough, you can acquire a significant amount of cash from a reputable dealer.

An excellent suggestion is to keep in mind that large jewelry should be combined with simple outfits. Wear a solid color or the “little black dress” to highlight interesting pieces.

Making and selling your own jewelry can be an exciting and lucrative hobby, but you simply must have an attractive, eye-catching way to display your wares. Whenever you are buying materials for your jewelry, also be on the lookout of a good display as well. You can use items like cigar boxes, baskets and other unusual items to display your jewelry in an interesting way.

Rubies deserve their reputation as a very popular gemstone. The ruby is known for being red in color, but the shades of red it appears in are quite varied. They can be found from the deepest of maroons to a light rose pink and all the hues in between. Rubies are very resilient and can hold up to a lot of impact and even be okay if they are in chemicals. Their ability to last many years make them a wonderful choice for jewelry.

It’s no longer uncommon to see people wearing yellow gold and silver jewelry at the same time. To pull this off, wear a jewelry piece that contains the two colors of metal. If not, it seems unstylish or mismatched.

Buy a piece of jewelry you can reasonably afford. Going into great amounts of debt so you can have a fabulous ring on your finger is a poor financial decision. When just starting out, a young couple might be better served getting a cheaper ring. In later years, when finances are more abundant, a more expensive replacement could be purchased.

An engagement ring is a monumental purchase in your life, as you will want to understand all of the costs associated. Shopping for a diamond is an emotionally charged experience. If you let your emotions get the better of you, you might find yourself spending a lot more than you can afford.

If you are unable to afford the wedding ring of your dreams, consider buying something smaller and then upgrading later on when you have more money to spend. You can add it later on for a momentous occasion, like an anniversary. There is even the opportunity to trade the ring back to some jewelers if you need a bigger size.

When you are cleaning jewelry over the sink, make sure that the drain is plugged. It is all too easy for an item of jewelry to fall out of your soapy hands. If you don’t want your jewelry ending up down the drain, put a plug in it!

Now that you have finished reading, you should be more knowledgeable about many different aspects of jewelry. Follow the advice in this article, and you will be saving money in the jewelry store before you know it!