Many people love to indulge themselves in jewelry. It has the ability to make us feel good about ourselves while being beautiful at the same time. When it comes to buying jewelry, things can get a little tricky! We need to know exactly what to look for and to know what aspects are of utmost importance. With the right jewelry buying tips, you can find the perfect piece!
Buying Diamond Jewelry
Don’t go to the jewelry store uneducated! By being educated on diamonds, you’ll know what the best value is, and more importantly, you’ll know why. Start with the 4 C’s: color, cut, clarity, and carat. Color can range anywhere from colorless to yellow. Cut refers to the symmetry and proportion of the diamond. Clarity takes into consideration how many inclusions the diamond has, and carat refers to the weight of the stone. Make sure you do some comparison shopping when looking at diamonds. Evaluate each of the 4 C’s carefully, and decide which ones are most important. You may want to choose a stone with a lower color grade and a higher clarity level. Also, remember that a higher cut grade adds more sparkle to the diamond. Next, determine which carat size best suits your needs.
When buying a diamond, ask the jeweler about diamond treatments. Diamonds can be enhanced to improve their appearance. While a treated diamond may be less expensive, it isn’t always the best quality. Consider buying a lower carat diamond in your price range that has not been enhanced.
Gemstone Jewelry
Before buying a gemstone, ask the jeweler if it is synthetic, natural, or imitation. A synthetic gemstone is created in a lab, and while they are identical to natural stones, they do not have their value or rarity. A synthetic gemstone is made of less valuable material. These stones are easily scratched or damaged. Also, ask if it has been treated in any way. A gemstone that has been treated is usually of lower value. You may want to purchase a natural, faceted gemstone. This type has the most quality, as the facets allow the light to shine through. The rarity of a natural, faceted stone adds to its value.
Gold, Silver, and Platinum Jewelry
Gold jewelry is beautiful and holds its value over time. Become familiar with
karats, which is the percentage of pure gold a piece of jewelry contains. 24K gold is pure gold. 18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloy. 14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy. 12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 alloys. 10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts alloy. Simply put, the higher the karat, the more value the jewelry has. Always make sure that the gold is
hallmarked. This is a stamp that indicates the quality of the gold. Stamps including EP, GP, HGP are not solid gold. The hallmarks can range from 333 to 999. The higher the number, the better the fineness of the gold. For a piece of jewelry that holds its value, you’ll want the highest karat and hallmark possible. Silver jewelry ranges in hallmark from 800 to 999. Platinum ranges from 850 to 999.
Of course, the type of jewelry you are buying must be taken into consideration as well. When purchasing an engagement or wedding ring, for example, you’ll want the highest quality you can afford. Taking the 4 C’s discussed above into consideration can help you decide which factors are most important in determining what fits into your budget. You may want to buy a lower karat of gold in order to afford a better stone. If you are buying a piece of jewelry that will eventually be upgraded in the future, you can sacrifice factors like color or clarity of a diamond, whether a gemstone is natural, synthetic, or imitation, and the percentage of pure gold in the piece.
Remember, buying jewelry should be a fun experience! Armed with the right knowledge, you no longer have to feel stressed when you head to the jewelry store!
Head into
Houston Gold Exchange for a fine selection of jewelry to fit all of your needs!
