Because jewelry is personal, it’s prized as a token of love, pride and accomplishment. Even small pieces of jewelry can have big significance. Follow this article to learn how to buy and give jewelry to others.

Do not use harsh chemicals such as ammonia, bleach, turpentine or acetone to clean them. These chemicals can turn stones dull and even erode the enamel.

Take a moment to consider how your valuable jewelry is stored and sorted. Precious metals and certain gemstones will tarnish if they are exposed to humidity, so keep the away from this. Don’t just toss your jewelry in a pile. Not only will your necklaces become hopelessly tangled, you risk harming any fragile pieces as they bump and scrape against each other as you search the box.

Store your jewelry in a place that is not subjected to humidity extremes or open air. To maximize protection, put your jewelry in a jewelry box or a small drawstring bag. Certain metals will be tarnished when exposed to humidity or air. Precious metals can often be polished to remove most tarnish. Non-precious metals often have a single coat of metal. Therefore, polishing them can remove the coat and show the copper that is found underneath.

Know the distinctions between kinds of gems before you make a jewelry purchase. You have three options as far as the type of gem: natural, imitation and synthetic. While both natural and synthetic stones are still real, imitation is just glass or plastic made to look like the natural stone. The difference here, however, is that synthetic is man-made in a laboratory while natural is found buried in the earth.

Your jewelry should be durable and long-lasting. Go to a dealer you can trust to make sure you get a quality item at a fair price. High-quality jewelry items will have superior craftsmanship and pleasing, aesthetic designs. Make sure the jeweler is able to tell you the history of the piece, including who created it and where any stones come from. It is important to choose a high-quality piece to ensure that your jewelry will last a lifetime.

Costume Jewelry

If you want to collect costume jewelry, concentrate on getting quality peices. Even though it is not as expensive as its precious counterpart, costume jewelry represents a significant investment, one that can be lost if the pieces are allowed to get worn and broken. A good piece will give you many years of happiness and even gain value over time.

Going through a day wearing the jewelry will let you get familiar with how it hangs and whether or not it will be comfortable. In this way, you will be able to tell if the item will withstand normal wear.

For a gift that is as unique as its recipient, look for handcrafted or customized pieces. You want the piece to match the person; unique people deserve unique jewelry.

Putting on jewelry only after you have put on makeup and fixed your hair will keep it from being exposed to chemicals that could tarnish it. All the grime and dust from your makeup attracts jewelry. Therefore, putting on jewelry beforehand can make the piece look dingy. This is particularly important with necklaces and earrings.

Gems are given chemical treatments in the process of cutting, polishing and setting. When you are thinking of buying, ask what treatment a stone was given. A treatment will make a difference on how to care for your gemstone. Cleaning a treated gem using the wrong chemical might damage it.

As you have read, jewelry can be the perfect gift for many different occasions. Even the most delicate necklace or a modest pair of diamond earrings can make a big difference to the wearer. There are a lot of points you need to know about when it comes to taking care of your jewelry, too. Apply the tips from this article to buy and care for your jewelry better.