Do not use harsh chemicals such as ammonia, bleach, turpentine or acetone to clean them. This could cause the stone to change color or become dull in appearance, and it may eat away at the enamel on the piece.
Take care when you are storing your jewelry in the same place. Precious metals and certain gemstones will tarnish if they are exposed to humidity, so keep the away from this. Do not just throw them into piles in a box. This haphazard approach can cause damage to the individual components of fine jewelry, and create a tangled mess.
Keep your jewelery in a space that is dry and doesn’t have any air flow. To maximize protection, put your jewelry in a jewelry box or a small drawstring bag. Air and humidity can tarnish metals of all types. It is possible to restore precious metals to their previous state, but it’s better to avoid damaging them in the first place.
When shopping for genuine sterling silver jewelry, you need both a discerning eye and a small magnet. You can tell if a piece of silver is sterling or not by using a magnet. Sterling will not react to the magnet, but non-precious metals will be attracted. You will always find a hallmark stamp such as “.925” or “STER.” on genuine sterling, or alternately, it might simply say, “STERLING”. If you don’t see a stamp of any sort on a piece, then be wary of whether it is actually silver or not.
Know the type of gem you’re buying, when you buy it. Natural gems and imitation gems have been joined recently by synthetic gems, making three main categories. Natural and synthetic gemstones are both actual gemstones, while an imitation gemstone is just a plastic mold made to look like a gemstone. The only difference between natural and imitation gemstones is where they are made. Natural occur naturally, while synthetic stones are grown in labs.
Utilize the advice in this article so you can make the right choice next time you buy jewelry. Keep this advice in mind to save some money and time next time you go jewelry shopping.
