| The use of jewelry has varied in varied cultures. Jewelry has been used as amulets and body decorations. It has been the object of jealosy, the cause of numerous murders, ruthless betrayal and burglaries. It has been inherited from grandparents.
India is regarded to be the place where the first jewelry appeared. In our time exotic handmade jewelry has turned into a thriving business.
If you have made up your mind to purchase jewelry, visit a reliable jewelry store. Here are a few pieces of advice on how to buy jewelry.
1. When choosing metal jewelry, give your attention to markings. Various pieces of jewelry are marked differently. For example, if a piece of jewelry is marked as sterling silver or silver, it denotes that it contains leastwise 92,5% of pure silver. If it is labelled with "925", it means that it is made of pure silver. The markings "Pt" and "Plat" stand for Platinum - a metal which is far more expensive and precious than gold.
2. If you would like to purchase a gemstone, ask a shop assistant whether it is natural or artificial. Artificial jewels look very much alike with natural ones. The main metric unit for jewels is carat. 1 carat is 1/5th of a gram.
3. Assure that you have a receipt with the weight and size of a gemstone indicated.
Now when you have obtained a piece of jewelry, keep and store it in the proper way to avoid any damage.
1. It is a must to keep jewels separately, because rubbing up against each other can damage jewelry. Store your jewels in a jewelry box. Or you can use an organizer box or ice cube trays which are far cheaper. Ziploc plastic bags with anti-tarnish strips inside are ideal to store jewelry in. Remember that earrings should be stored together.
2. Necklaces and necklets are strongly recommended to hang up.
3. Threads of beads should lay flat.
4. Store jewelry far away from heat. Room temperature is appropriate for storing gems. Direct sunrays can also damage jewelry. If your house is situated in a very dry climatic area, store opals beside a small vessel of water, because they require humidity.
5. It is recommended to wipe down jewelry with a wet cotton cloth each time after usage.
Stick to the above stated recommendations on buying and storing gems and enjoy wearing them. |
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