It is a shame when someone saves money for years in order to buy the perfect jewelry and the pieces that they are sold are not genuine. Use these handy tips to make sure that the jewelry that you intend to buy is the same jewelry that you bring home.

Pewter jewelry has been widely popular for decades. If you’re looking to invest in jewelry pieces made from pewter, make sure that they are lead free. For a long time, pewter jewelry has contained lead causing many unhealthy side effects to the wearer. Usually modern jewelry made from this metal is advertised as lead-free if it doesn’t contain any.

Make sure to get rings sized properly so that they will fit you or someone who you are giving the ring to. Either go to a professional or use the string trick. You don’t want to play guessing games and end up having to return it several times to get it right. The ring should feel snug, but not too tight or two loose. Also, take into account, daily water weight fluctuation if you are measuring a finger yourself.

If you don’t have any jewelry cleaner handy, try using toothpaste with baking soda to help clean tarnish off of your sterling or pure silver jewelry. Just rub the toothpaste on the tarnished area with a soft cloth and clean off. Make sure to dry the jewelry to prevent future tarnishing.

Are you looking to purchase jewelry for someone special? You should first learn about jewelry so you will be an educated consumer. Nothing would be more awful than to purchase a special ring and have it turn your friend’s finger green! Do your homework and educate yourself about buying jewelry. You will be glad you did.

Even though some of the pieces may be attractive, you should stay away from gold filled jewelry. No matter what the seller may say, gold filled jewelry can turn your skin green and the colors can fade away. The best thing to do if you do not know if it is gold filled is to just not buy it.

Costume jewelry needs special care. That’s because a lot of the costume settings are not set-in; they have usually been glued. For this reason, costume jewelry should never touch water, and you should avoid using detergents on it. Wiping it down with a damp, warm cloth and then drying it with another cloth is the best care for it. This will clean off any residue and make it look like new, without damaging it.

If you’re having a difficult time finding that perfect piece of jewelry, consider buying a stone and visiting with a specialist. A jewelry specialist can design a setting just for you, in exactly the way you are envisioning it to be. Your piece will be unique and possibly more valuable because of it’s one of a kind nature.

When you go to make a new jewelry purchase, you need to give yourself a strict budget. It can be extremely easy to overspend on an awesome piece of shiny jewelry. It will be a lot harder to enjoy later if you do not stick to your own budget goals.

To help jewelry maintain its maximum possible value you should aim to keep it in a pristine condition. Not only will it look better on you but it will also fetch a higher asking price should you ever decide to sell it. Semi annual trips to jewelry store for regular cleanings will help accomplish this.

When making or gifting jewelry, make each piece even more meaningful by selecting stones, beads, and colors that communicate different emotions. Green gems like jade and emeralds represent growth and vitality, which makes them ideal gifts for expectant mothers, newlyweds, or perhaps friends who are especially active in eco-friendly lifestyles and initiatives.

When it comes to quality and price, don’t count synthetic gemstones out. These gems, which are created in a lab, appear remarkably similar to the real thing. Take this into consideration as you shop for your next piece of jewelry: Rather than spending exorbitant amounts of money for a natural stone, opt for an affordable synthetic stone. The money saved on the stone can go toward a more intricate or higher-quality metal, such as platinum.

Be very careful with the types of beauty products that you wear near your fine jewelry. Some types of perfumes and even many lotions include ingredients that can damage your jewelry over time. Try to wear perfume in locations that won’t make contact with whatever you are wearing and you will be able to avoid this problem.

While jewelry is a fun fashion accessory, it may be causing an allergic reaction. Certain metals that are added to strengthen the piece cause this. In order to avoid this reaction, you can limit the amount of time the jewelry is worn. Also, make sure your jewelry isn’t too tight, which will allow the skin to breathe, limiting the irritation.

When purchasing diamond jewelry such as engagement rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets, knowing the 4 C’s of diamonds are important. The 4 C’s include: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat. Some jewelers also like to add a fifth C which is Certificate and it is the grading report on the quality of the diamonds in your piece of jewelry. Knowing the C’s of diamonds will make you a more knowledgeable customer.

This is not as tricky as it may seem, and you do not have to be afraid that every jeweler is out there trying to prey on you. Just keep all of this advice in mind while you are searching for your jewelry and you should be absolutely fine.