Sunday, January 14, 2018

Tips For Recognizing Sterling Silver 925 And Other Precious Metal Jewelry

By Scott Fisher


If you love jewelry, you are probably always on the lookout for a great piece. Necklaces, bracelets, and rings don't have to be expensive to appear striking and impressive. If you go into a discount store and purchase a piece of jewelry for a few dollars, you shouldn't expect it to be fine jewelry. When you pay a significant amount for a genuine sterling silver 925 piece however, you have a right to expect it to be real.

Those who are new to investing in good jewelry may not be aware of the easiest way to identify an authentic piece. With sterling silver, you need to look for the hallmark 925, . 925, or 92.5. This designation is American. It means that the piece you are looking at is ninety-two and a half percent silver with seven and a half percent another metal, such as copper.

If you regularly shop for jewelry, you have probably noticed pieces described as plated. They are not expensive, nor should they be. Plated jewelry is simply coated with good metal that covers less expensive elements like copper or nickel. After it has been worn, the coating will tarnish and start to wear off. This is not something you can repair.

Even if you're not spending a lot of money, it's a good idea to check the quality of necklace or bracelet clasps and chains. Clasps should feel secure when closed and open without difficulty. Chains should not have bends or kinks. You can check that by laying them on a solid surface to see if they will lay flat. New metallic jewelry is shiny. Vintage jewelry often is not.

Jewelry counters are often the first thing you see when you walk into a department store. There's a good reason for this. This is where a lot of people buy pieces, and many aren't aware of the substantial markup. Independent jewelry stores don't usually mark their pieces up to the same extent. For this reason, these stores have fewer sales and don't offer deep discounts.

You can often find great pieces in second hand stores, antique shops, and flea markets. You won't be looking a new jewelry in most cases, but the vintage pieces are often more interesting and intricate than modern jewelry. If you see someone wearing a piece you really admire, you shouldn't be shy about asking where the person found it.

Everybody buys online these days, but you have to be careful when purchasing expensive jewelry. Since you can't see it or examine it in person, you have to rely on the truthfulness of the seller. The more information the seller provides, the more likely it is that he is offering a genuine precious metal piece.

There is nothing wrong with buying cheap, trendy jewelry. If you are going to purchase the real thing however, you need to know what to look for. It's easy to end up spending a lot of money on an imitation.




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