Wearing jewelry and practicing the art of adornment is an age-old practice that has roots in cultural, social, and fashion movements and history. Whether you are looking for insight on how to wear jewelry to enhance your personal style, how to shop for the best jewels, or just for interesting facts, you will undoubtedly, find some intriguing and informative gems in these hand-picked tips.
Do some research on the gem in your new piece of jewelry before you buy. The three different types of stones are natural, imitation and synthetic. Synthetic and natural are real stones, while the imitation ones are plastic that is colored. While natural gems come out of mines, synthetic ones come out of laboratories.
Always shop around when buying a diamond. Find a few reference pieces that you like, and see if other diamonds can do better. With diamonds, you need to have a keen eye because of the many tricks people will use to enhance it.
Attending yard-sales is a great way to build up a collection of jewelry. Many people sell old costume jewelry for practically pennies. This is a perfect opportunity to stock up on broken pieces that can be repaired or made into new jewelry later. Many new beautiful pieces of jewelry can be born of old broken pieces. Use yard-sales to build up your collection.
Take off your rings when you’re in the shower. It can be often tempting to keep your wedding band or promise ring on all the time, but the chemicals in soap, body wash and shampoo can have negative effects on your ring. Another great reason is because rings can often slide off and disappear down the drain. Keep your ring everlasting and safe by removing it before stepping into the shower.
If you’re going to buy earrings for a woman, also get a matching necklace. If you want to buy a necklace, grab a bracelet, too. A matched set of jewelry is double the joy for whomever you’re buying it for, which makes picking the perfect item twice as much fun for you!
To help maintain its appearance, take good care of it to keep it from getting tarnished. Never wear your jewelry when you are going to be near water. If you let some metals get wet too often, they can tarnish, rust or become dull. If you are looking to protect your jewelry from the ill effects of water, try applying clear nail polish, just a thin layer, on the piece itself.
When you’re choosing a piece of jewelry to wear, think about what you like on other people, and what they like on you. Think about particular pieces that you’ve received compliments on, especially from strangers. It also helps to think about what you’ve complimented on others. If you find yourself telling others how much you like certain pieces, remember what those are when you’re out shopping for jewelry for yourself.
When making jewelry and you want to turn a bead into a linked piece, take an eye pin and thread it through the bead’s hole. Let the bead slide to the bottom of the eye pin. Directly above the bead, use your pliers to bend the eye pin approximately 45 degrees. Using wire cutters, trim this to about half an inch in length. Using small round pliers, grasp the tip of the wire and start looping it around the pliers tip. Don’t give up if your eye pin loop is not directly round – practice makes perfect!
If you’d like to wear jewelry while wearing a turtleneck, be sure to only wear long necklaces. Shorter necklaces compete with the neckline of your top and can leave your neck looking stumpy. Look for necklaces with a pendant that falls below breast length. When wearing a turtleneck it’s best not to layer your necklaces.
Do not underestimate the power of pearl jewelry. Pearls are often considered a throwback to the days of old. How untrue this is. Modern pearls come in so many varieties, you can cheaply acquire them and spice up any fashion style you are trying to pull off. They come in many colors and shapes.
Avoid letting your jewelry come into contact with chemicals, such as those found in hairspray, lotion, perfume and other products. Some chemicals can stain or otherwise damage precious metals and stones. Porous stones like pearls, opal or turquoise should not be submersed in water for long, either, to prevent damage.
It is important that you tell if a diamond is real or not before buying it. You do not want to be stuck with a fake jewelry. The reflection of a real diamond manifests as a gray color. If the diamond’s reflection is a rainbow color, it is either low quality or fake.
When buying jewelry, look for stones that actually flatter your eyes of complexion. Avoid red stones if you have very pale skin, and avoid paler stones if you have dark skin. A stone with a color similar to your eyes will do wonders for you. Find something that you can easily wear with your outfits too.
Rubbing alcohol is excellent for removing tarnish from sterling silver jewelry. You can either, soak the jewelry item in a small cup of rubbing alcohol for a few minutes or wrap the jewelry in a paper towel and pour rubbing alcohol over it. Let it soak for about 5 minutes and then polish with a soft, dry cloth.
When you walk into a jewelry shop you are immediately approached by a salesperson. Do not be afraid to ask for a second to talk to your partner about this important financial decision. Take a few steps away from the glass and discuss they options without the salesperson whispering in your ear. Make sure that it is the decision you want to make.
If find yourself considering jewelry to buy, wear, make, or sell, the tips that you have just read are sure to shine a little light on the beauty of metals, stones, and construction of gorgeous rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Men and women alike, have enjoyed the attractive and compelling allure of jewelry for centuries and will continue to do so indefinitely.
