You may be buying a beautiful necklace for your mother, or an engagement ring for the love of your life, but whatever the piece is you’ll find it’s hard to top the feeling of buying the perfect beautiful piece of jewelry. On the other hand, should you spend your hard-earned money on something that breaks easily or loses its luster the moment it isn’t under the intense lights of the store then you may find yourself in a world of regret. When we purchase jewelry, we want to make sure that the pieces that we purchase are the quality we expect them to be, and with this helpful guide you can walk away with the utmost confidence in your purchase, no matter if it’s earrings, necklaces, rings or any other fine arrangements in the shops.
How the Metal Makes a Difference
Despite being the foundation of any piece of jewelry, this is a quality that many people gloss over. Most people become so engaged in the gemstone of a ring or necklace that they forget to check the materials surrounding them. There’s likely not a truly right or wrong choice, however you should be aware of what each option entails for you and whomever you may be gifting the item to.
Gold: Due to how soft it is, gold is prone to being easily damaged or misshapen. To combat this you’ll find gold is typically mixed with other metals. This is what karats are about. Karat is the measure of the purity of gold. For pieces less than 24 karats you’ll be able to find the percentage of gold found within. For example, a ring that is advertised as 18 karats (K) is approximately made of 75% gold. U.S. law prohibits the selling of anything with less than 10K. Pieces that have higher levels of other metals, and thusly are a lower karat, will be less brilliant or colorful compared to the traditional look of gold. The danger with this is that other metals, such as copper, will be more likely to have chemical reactions to everyday use, such as sweat, and ruin the quality of the piece by changing color. Gold is a lovely looking metal, but it requires a lot of maintenance to keep looking brilliant.
Silver: Silver is still quite lustrous while also being more durable than gold, however it can become tarnished quite easily when it’s exposed to the elements. One of the greatest dangers, however, is not in the metal itself, but in the confusion with its labels. People will often believe that “German silver” or “nickel silver” are the same as actual silver. These names shouldn’t hold any bearing on the matter, as the products contain no real silver. They simply appear similar to silver. Ensure that you double check with a jeweler before you buy any silver piece. As well, ask them the percentage of silver in the piece, since anything less than 92.5% is legally unable to be sold as silver.
Platinum: Platinum is the most durable of all the metals commonly found in jewelry, making it also one of the more expensive metals as it requires a lot of extra work on the manufacturer’s part. This makes the maintenance a lot more easy, but it does tend to dull more quickly than the other metals, so it will need more upkeep overtime. Similarly to silver, platinum will often be advertised simply as “platinum”, but that doesn’t fully reveal the actual content of the ring. Similarly to gold it will have several metals making up the piece, so it’s important to ask jewelers what the percentage of platinum actually is. Typically the manufacturer will stamp this information onto the piece, but it helps having a jeweler verify.
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The gems and how they Sparkle
You’ll be looking at three different categories of gem: Imitation, Synthetic, and Natural. Natural is exactly what the word implies; the gem was naturally found, cut and treated. Natural gems are rare, and thereby far more expensive. Synthetic gems are created inside of a lab and are made to act and look similar to their real counterpart. Lastly, imitations are often poor quality, well, imitations, and are usually made of things like plastic and glass. You’ll also want to consider these following qualities when looking at gemstones:
- Color: Color is no guarantee as to what the gem is, as things like emeralds, sapphires, and rubies have all been discovered to come in other colors. Certain companies use this misinformation to sell cheaper gems as if they are something more precious. You can still use the various tone levels though to narrow down which gem it may be. Examine the gem from at least three different angles and take note of the coloration from each one.
- Transparency: This term is just about how well light passes through a gem. Gems that are more transparent will allow more light to pass through, while other gems that are more opaque will allow less to pass through. This can be a strong indicator, as every gem has a rough level or each associated to it.
- Cut: Gems will be cut into different styles. Some of the most common styles include the cameo, bead, tumbled, cabochon, and faceted cuts. In general these shapes are all round to some degree, and cuts that deviate into anything more unique or complex will be considered a “fancy cut” and will have a heftier price tag. Common fancy cuts include oval, pear, princess, marquise, antique and trillion.
- Phenomena: Phenomena is the way light interacts with the structural anatomy of a gem, and the optical effect that occurs as a result. The effects may appear as a glow, shimmer, color change, flash of light, or even a moving band of light. You can narrow down the type of gem it is by the type of phenomena that occurs. You’ll typically find chatoyancy, color change, orient, play of color, and asterism type phenomenal effects. Phenomenal effect stones will often hold a rare kind of captivative beauty in them.
- Luster: Luster describes the quality and intensity of a gem’s surface in reflected light (this can also be used in metals as well). This can help you determine how polished the gemstone is.
- Dispersion: Dispersion is used to describe the amount of separation there is of white light into spectral colors. Each gem will have its own level of ‘fire’ in it, which is the term for this form of gem identification.
- Heft: Heft is the weight of the gem compared to its size. Large but light stones will have a low heft. Typically amber and plastic are low heft materials, while pure gems are high heft.
Diamonds have their own category, as there are no other gemstone quite like it. There are four categories used to measure diamonds: carat (a gem’s weight, different from karat), cut(like other gems it’s how they are presented), color (ranging from colorless to yellow), and clarity (how flawless the diamond is). This is also referred to as “The Four C’s”, and is considered to be the best method of determining a diamond’s actual worth.
Now that we’ve established some of the components to be on the look out for, let’s discuss the finer details of shopping for necklaces, earrings and rings.
How to pick the Perfect Necklace
Think of necklaces as a complimentary piece for fashion. They are far more noticeable than any other piece of jewelry, and can either make or break an outfit. It’s best you’re aware of what you need to look at, as they’re meant to help you stand out.
Monochromatic Vs. Multicolored: As they are only one solid color, monochromatic necklaces are fairly easy to use when designing an outfit. A multicolored necklace will include more than one color, or gradient of color. These are often best paired with plain outfits, like a simple white top or single colored dress. Anything with a pattern can look too busy and detract from the attire.
Shapes: Necklaces are described in one of the following three categories in regards to shape; Bib, Geometric and Irregular. Bibs are tight fitting, resting just under the neck, and work well with strapless dresses or smooth, simple tops. You can use geometrics with most any type of outfit as they are tend to follow more traditional looks and include geometric shapes. Irregular necklaces will stand out, and are often the centerpiece of the outfit, so it’s best to wear something simple with it.
The Trick to Picking the Perfect pair of Earrings
Earrings are typically an easy and safe shopping option when looking for a gift for a friend. A rule of thumb would be to find a matching necklace for them, but this isn’t necessary. Given earrings are typically a one-size-fits-all item you won’t have to worry about how well they fit. On top of this, most styles are able to adapt to a variety of outfits. There are three main styles for them:
Studs: Elegant and small, these are the simplest to match with outfits. One pair of studs can easily compliment a cocktail dress, while at the same time be just as flattering with a shirt and jeans combo.
Hoops: Hoops are circular or semicircular in design, looking similar to that of a ring. They come in many shapes, sizes and styles. Though they are normally used in light, casual attire, they are able to work with a formal dress if they’re made with finer metals or some gemstones.
Drops: Drops are earrings that dangle below their setting, and sway with movement. This style is most commonly seen at more formal events, as they have a more sophisticated touch.
Deciding on an Engagement or Wedding Ring
The best, and often most important, piece is left for last. Rings go beyond the normal sentiments of other pieces of jewelry, as they traditionally symbolize commitment. Best seen in wedding bands and engagement rings, they are often viewed as the ultimate symbols of love and romance. Everything we’ve discussed in this article should be utilized when picking out these rings. You’ll have an easier time finding the dream ring if you think to the metal and gemstone topics discussed as the beginning.
As well, you should ensure you’ve gathered a great deal of knowledge before entering a jewelry store. Details like ring size, stone preferences, and style of ring. This information will allow a jeweler to best help you in your decision making.
On top of this, you’ll want to make sure you receive certificates of authenticity, and invest your money with jewelers that offer good insurance and return policies. Knowing these are amongst the most pricey items the shop will sell you should be sure that you get the best service possible. If a ring isn’t insured and becomes damaged, there’s nothing you can really do outside of buying a new ring, which as you’re well aware at that point, is very costly.
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