Purchasing gold jewelry is not as easy as buying luxurious watches. You really must be knowledgeable on how to distinguish real gold from cheap gold. It is known that the important factor in buying gold relies upon its karat. 24 karat is known to be made up of 100% pure gold. Most jewelry is 14 Kt or 58.5% gold.

So, if you found a gold necklace or other piece of jewelry, how can you tell if it is worth the price? Sometimes, you become mesmerized with its beauty and you are willing to buy it at any cost. Yet, this gold is expensive and of course, you want to be sure that you are getting what you have paid for. Here’s how to determine if an item is made of real gold.

Testing Gold

1. First, you may want to review its weight in grams since gold is better if it is heavier. This can also be sometimes much inexpensive than buying lighter ones.
2. Second is to check the karat markings, since all real gold are mark with its percentage of purity, the percentage begins to 10 to 24 karat gold.
3. Next, take a magnet test. If the magnet was unable to pull the gold then it means that you are on a reliable distributor.
4. Fourth will be the perfume test. It has been said that spraying a perfume on a gold jewelry would reveal its authenticity if it does not fade.
5. When worn, fake gold tends to leave green marks on the skin and eventually tarnish.
6. The final review for the product is the scratch test. This will reveal a fake or plated nugget just by scratching it.

The company’s reputation is also an important thing to consider in buying gold jewelry. This is to ensure you that you have somewhere to go if you have any further concerns after making your purchase. It is better if you will personally buy it, at least you’ll get the feel of the jewelry itself.

What A Jeweler Can Tell You

If you are not convinced with the pre-tests given, you may ask for another jeweler’s assistance to identify if it is a cheap gold or not. Jewelers may perform a chemical test to reveal the piece’s property. They may also just look it under a magnifying lens or is commonly known as the jeweler’s loop to determine its quality. If you want to do the chemical test yourself, you may purchase a nitric acid test kits which covers the karats ranging from 10 to 22. Since there some incorrect purity markings, nitric acid test is the best option to test its quality.

Now, if you have done all the suggested tests and you are still not certain with the piece you want to buy, then it is better for you to get over it and find a new piece that you feel confident about instead.

Karat Markings

You must be aware of how much karat is it in your gold jewelry since most jewelry in the market is not made from 100% pure gold and it tends to be too soft that can be damaged easily. This is to avoid conflict and misinterpretation with the seller. Since gold jewelries are mostly processed by machines, hand-made patterns also add in the price. This is not to be confused with the expensiveness in the rate of its craft from the weight of its gold.

Your Style

Buying real gold jewelry is not just about how much gold it has or expensive it is. This is also about value. You must also consider the style if it is functional because you are buying it because of its purpose. If you are buying this for yourself, you may want to have a piece that would speak or connect to you. Real gold jewelry is timeless which may also be passed on for generations.

Always keep in mind that looks can be quite deceiving so if you are really into buying a real gold piece of jewelry always asks for a certification of authenticity.

You may also be interested in:

• Tips for Buying Gold Jewelry
• Fun Gold Facts

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Sometimes, deciding on what accessories to add to an outfit is the hardest part of getting ready for work. The clothes are laid out – but what sort of accents do you want to add? Here are some jewelry tips and ideas that may help you if you find yourself wondering what jewelry to wear:

• Start Out Simple – decide what types of jewelry you want to wear. A simple gold chain or pair of hoop earrings can add a very nice touch and matches most outfits. If going to work, this can often be all you need.
• Spice It Up – If you want something fancier, think about colors, sizes, and alternative jewelry types. A drab outfit really benefits from a splash of color or large pendant focal piece.
• Add Some Fun – Adding something whimsical or from nature can help ones mood throughout the day. If you are needing a bit more inspiration at work or some extra smiles, consider adding just a touch of something that gets you to smile.

Of course there are many other ways to choose jewelry. Matching the necklace to your neckline, the bracelet so it blends just right, and rings to give your fingers the right affect. Yet, we assume your jewelry box already has pieces that match your style – and are just having trouble choosing which piece to add today.

So live a little and have a bit of fun.

You may also be interested in:

• Matching Your Necklace To Your Neckline
• How To Choose A Bracelet
• Tips for Choosing Earrings

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Here are favorite jewelry fashion tips and tricks to be in this season:

• Do you think pendants are so old-fashioned? Think again, because they are making a comeback! Bring out your nice gemstone pendants, from small to big eye-catching ones and rev your style up.

• The use of natural gemstones and beads are getting back into the fashion scene this season. If you think that they could only be worn on formal occasions, well, you are wrong because they could be worn from day until night, wherever you may be. The nice thing about these is that you would have an elegant look by showing off your natural stones.

• Experiment with colors! Neutral may be safe and good to look at, but bring out the sunshiny you! Enhance your simple outfits with colorful stones and jewelries to add life to your boring get up.

• Do not be afraid to wear big and dramatic jewelry pieces. Bracelets with stones, studs, and large jewels are the in thing today. At the same time, chunky cuffs are nice to match with casual wear, so do not be afraid to experiment on it. Necklaces made of several chains and strands are also great to wear this season. When paired with a really simple and plain outfit, you will be instantly glamorized.

Hopefully these simple points will help you be a bit more fashionable this season. Good luck!

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When you want to start a new habit or begin a new project, one often says they want to turn a new leaf. Leaf jewelry can be that reminder to keep following your dreams.

The Extra 30% Off Peridot Jewelry sale sparked these thoughts .. though your leaf jewelry can be of any material.

It is simply an easy way to help one move forward with one’s goals. Because if you don’t follow your dreams, who will?

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Diamonds are common gifts for special occasions. When you try to go back and know the history of diamonds, you will learn that many people in the past decades value it so much. Diamonds are appreciated in the jewelries that are given to wives and other important people in the society. Today, many people are also overwhelmed when they receive this kind of gift. The reason behind this is that diamonds are known to show what the giver feels for the receiver of the present. The emotions that you have will be reflected with the diamond type that you purchase. Thus, you need to carefully select the type that you will give. Also, you should be aware that the prices of diamond jewelries are normally high. So, this investment should be worth every penny that you spend for it. This can only be considered a good investment if your loved one will be able to appreciate your gift.

Elegance

Diamond solitaire earrings are samples of diamond jewelries that can be a perfect gift for a special person. Solitaire jewelry is a type that uses a gemstone as the only ornament in the jewelry. It is usually a ring or a pendant. This may look simple but it is also adored by many as it is elegant looking and can match any occasion.

In special situations like a marriage proposal, giving of diamond solitaire earrings are a unique option. One would then buy an engagement ring together. This creates a wedding jewelry set that can last generations.

Buying Tips

We know that usually one wants the biggest and the best but often one also wants to stay within their budget. So when buying diamond stud earrings there are some ways to have your earrings look bigger. For example, having diamonds set in platinum or white gold rather than yellow gold gernally makes the diamond seem bigger due to the reflections. Additionally, princess cut diamonds cost less per carat weight. If you are really needing to save money, getting your diamonds channel set (where the diamond is surrounded by a silver colored metal), the earrings can give the illusion of a bigger diamond. Thus, you can attempt to look for one that can still make the person happy while not abusing your budget.

Quality jewelry looks beautiful and lasts longer. As such, it is an investment that can be worn for decades with care. Show your love in a way they can understand with diamond earrings.

Related articles:

• All About Diamonds
• Diamond Stud Earrings

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Gold is indeed one of the most popular metals for jewelry. Many could attest as to how this element had stood the test of time. From the ancient Egyptians up until today, it is widely used and, surely, for the future generations as well. You might wonder why is gold so popular. Jewelers would say that gold is one element that speaks for magnificence, durability, workability, and purity. This is actually the reason why most people go after gold jewelry and as a result this jewelry had sprouted in almost every market around the globe. This fact is actually a good sign for the gold jewelry industry; but definitely not for the buyers. Since there are too many pieces to choose from, people usually don’t know which the best one to pick is. If you are one of them, learning tips on buying gold jewelry will help you get great value for your money.

Know Why You Are Buying

As we know, people buy jewelry for different reasons because they are using it for a variety of purposes as well. Some collect it as a form of investment while others merely go for it as an ornament. These reasons, most of the time, give variations on how people get the right jewelry for them. If you are the type who considers gold as an investment, you should be looking for the quality like looking for the purest ones. On the other hand, if you tend to use it for ornamental purposes, you may just settle for cheaper and less pure forms of gold jewelry.

Quality

When buying gold jewelry, the first thing that you should ask for is its value. Gold’s purity is always measured in karats. You may see them labeled with 24K, 18K, 14K, 12K, and 10K. Just remember, the higher the number associated with gold, the purer it is. The one with 24K is made with pure gold, while others are 75 percent, 58.3 percent, 50 percent, and 41.7 percent respectively. So depending on how you will use the jewelry, you need to choose the best gold quantity in it. If you plan it for daily use, 24K is not a good idea because it is soft (and also not sold). You may choose the jewelry with mixture of other metals if you go after its durability, and good news, that doesn’t increase the prices. In fact, the more percentage of other metals there is in a piece of gold jewelry, the cheaper it is.

Color

Also, gold comes in a variety of colors as gold does not only stand for the color of the sun. Due to processes of mixing some metals to the original gold, other colors are produced such as white gold, pink gold, yellow gold, and green gold. Usually, white gold is achieved with a mixture of platinum or palladium, copper, and zinc; pink gold comes with copper, yellow gold has silver and copper; while green gold has silver, zinc, and copper.

Price

In terms of prices, the value of the jewelry is set depending on its purity and design. So when buying gold jewelry, a higher rate would mean that the piece is one of the purest and was crafted with care. Usually, the more intricate design or craftsmanship there is, the higher the value of it becomes.

How Often Will It be Worn

You may also come across with cheaper ones like those which are only plated. Gold plated jewelry is crafted using a different metal and is just coated with gold to give the jewelry an elegance. If you are buying for this kind of jewelry for a single occasion, then this can be reasonable – but know it will not last. This is because plated jewelry is just coated with a very thin layer of gold which could wash or wear off in a short time revealing the metal within. So still, the bottom line here is, when buying gold jewelry, it is always best to know the reasons of your purchase. Once you already have a clear vision of it, definitely, you’ll find your best buy!

You may also like: Gold Rope Necklaces and Gold Facts

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The most important rule when taking care of body jewelry is to make certain it is clean before wearing.

Best Way To Clean Body Jewelry

The recommended way to clean body jewelry is with water and mild soap. Often alcohol will discolor and possibly damage body jewelry. Cleaning before and after each wear helps ensure safe wear.

How to Deal with Redness From Body Jewelry

Occasionally, ones body will become red after wearing body jewelry. If you know you are not allergic to the metals involved, often the piecing just needs to be cleaned with salt water. Sometimes, using a commercial formula of salt water can make a huge difference. We recommend trying: H2Ocean Body Piercing Aftercare Spray, a Healing Formula. It often helps when other solutions fail. Sometimes soaking the area using a cotton ball for 15 minutes at least once a day can change a painful piercing to being a healthy piercing.

If you think you may have problems with the actual jewelry, read about: jewelry allergies.

Storage

If you keep pieces separate, they will not scratch each other. Wrapping them in soft cotton is recommended. Keeping your jewelry and your jewelry box outside of the bathroom (where there is lots of moisture) and out of the sun/away from the heater (where it can get very hot) is also a wise idea. Low humidity and moderate temperatures are best.

Non-Piercing Body Jewelry

If you are prone to jewelry allergies or infections, consider non-piercing body jewelry. Here are some articles that may be helpful:

• Favorite Non-Piercing Body Jewelry
• Anklets
• Toe Rings

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Jewelry enhances the person’s face, clothing, and beauty in more ways than one. From the shape of one’s face to the clothes that she wears, picking out the perfect necklace, the best brooch, and the most compatible pair of earrings will depend on those important factors. Women buy jewelry for a lot of reasons; they buy a few to enhance their beauty while others buy bulks for collection purposes. Some would buy cheap to a little expensive types of, for example, pairs of earrings while others prefer spending thousands of dollars on Cartier and Swarovski earrings alone. Whatever type of earrings you may decide to buy, they have to at least fit the person’s taste and preferences, especially when you’re buying the earrings as a gift, in order for them to appreciate the gesture and to actually wear them.

What Criteria?

Picking a pair of earrings, especially if you want them to be perfect and right, can be time consuming if you don’t know what the person might like or not like in a pair. There are some helpful tips in picking the right pair of earrings, but the focus will be based on the shape of the face. This is so because a pair of earrings can make a woman’s face look wider, slimmer, or rounder. But this would also depend on the woman herself; she might want to enhance her looks by trying to hide the shape of her face, or she could emphasize the bold features of the shape with a good pair of earrings.

Choosing Earrings Based on Face Shape:

• Narrow and Thin:

Since there’s more emphasis on the length, the earrings have to be shaped more horizontally to give more on the width. A good choice would be hoops or button earrings for this type of face shape. If you like hoop earrings, then this will definitely bring some proportion to your face.

• Round and Square:

This time, we want to emphasize more on the length of the face, so the best pair of earrings would be dangling earrings or cascades of beads. Since the vertical lines emphasizes more on length, the face begins to look slimmer and longer. If you add some color the illusion is often even more creating the look you desire.

• Too Sharp Features:

For face shapes that are usually square or with too sharp features, then you can wear round earrings or earrings with curves. Hoops or round beaded earrings would definitely enhance the looks of women with such sharp features. The curves soften the features over all to creaet a very flattering look.

• Flat Features

The best way to sharpen face shapes with flat features is to wear angular earrings. Earrings with points like stars, triangles, and diamonds work well with women with flat features. You can have some extra fun with geometric shaped earrings.

Budget

Buying a pair of earrings would also depend on how much money you’re willing to spend. Any of these styles can be very affordable depending on the materials you use. Know that high quality materials do last longer as long as you take care of them. If you are afraid of losing your earrings see: How to Never Lose Your Earrings.

You may also be interested in Picking the Best Earrings for You and Earring Styles and Trends.

One can never go wrong with a watch gift – whatever the occasion is, for whom it may be – anyone would be delighted to receive an accessory that does not only tell time, but accentuates one’s personality as well.

The trick is in choosing the right watch. Did you know that there are many kinds of watches out there that you can choose from? Let me share some watch buying tips to give you a jump start:

Designer

The good thing about designer brands is that they stay elegant through time. Your loved one can use it in a boardroom meeting, an evening party, lunch with friends, or even just a stroll in the park. You don’t have to worry about quality nor aesthetic value, because both are guaranteed. You will need a generous amount of money, though. So if you have the bucks to afford it, head to the nearest designer watch shop, and buy your loved one a timepiece that is sure to be loved.

Smart Watches

If you want kick functionality up a notch, then you might want to try smart watches. Smart watches are a range of different gadgets combined. With the existing technology today, your watch can also be an MP3 player, a heart rate monitor, an internet browser, a barometer, and even a messaging client! If your loved one’s crazy for gadgets and gizmos, this gift is a sure winner.

Pocket Watches

Love the olden times? A pocket watch is the answer. Sure, it may be quite big compared to the regular wrist watch, but nothing says elegant better than a good pocket watch. Whether the hand that holds it is that of a man, a woman, or a child, it doesn’t fail to bring with it the dreamy atmosphere of the time it belongs to.

Vintage Watches

Maybe your loved one is a fan of the classic, but you’re not too sure if a pocket watch is the right gift – it’s quite bulky to use everyday after all. If this is the case, then you can try vintage watches. Any watch made before the 1960s is considered as vintage, and is by nature wrapped in the enigma of a previous time. A watch for the mysterious and fashionable, indeed!

LCD Watches

Why waste a twenty seconds figuring out hand positions, when you can spend just five looking at a digitized display? If your loved one is pragmatic, or is always on the go, then you can make him/her happy with a watch with an LCD display. No waste of time, guaranteed!

Jewelry Watches

Here’s a fact: women love jewelry. What better way is there to please your loved one than to combine both glamour and functionality in one gorgeous package? Jewelry watches do not only say your loved one is a queen, it also says she’s as priceless as time.

Dive Watches

If your loved one is a fan of the ocean, give him/her a scuba diver watch that won’t break under pressure. Dive watches can read water temperature and depth, and is a good gadget for both amateur and professional divers alike.

Designer, smart, pocket, vintage, LCD, jewelry and dive — these are some suggestions you can take into consideration as you choose a piece for your loved one. It’s up to you to make the right choice. Whatever the occasion is, or whomever it is for, the right watch will always make a person happy. As the saying goes, time is gold. And having the right timepiece? – It’s golden.

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Choosing a bracelet, especially if it is a gift for a friend or a close family relative, can be difficult and time consuming. You want the bracelet to be gorgeous, memorable, but with so many designs, styles, not to mention prices, you have to be an expert in choosing a bracelet. I’m talking about knowing what brand to buy, how to tell if the gem stones are real or fake, knowing what goes style of bracelet goes with what type of person, and the like. This article aims to provide you with the best tips and steps on how to choose carefully what bracelet to buy either for yourself or for someone else as a gift. Simply follow these tips on how to choose a bracelet:

Budget

First of all, you have to set a budget for yourself. You may think bracelets are easy to find, but what hinders people from buying them is the price. Decide and stick to the budget you’ve chosen for yourself and make sure that the bracelet doesn’t go over it (or if it does, don’t let it be more than 10%). Once you have a budget in mind, then it is time to look for a good bracelet.

Design

The first thing is to decide what design you want for your bracelet. This includes knowing how heavy the bracelet should be, if it’s streamlined or with pointed edges, if the mount for the stones and gems are strong enough, etc. Here are some ideas you might want to consider:

o The prongs used to mount the gems should be sturdy and shouldn’t be too thin or else they could open up and fall off anytime unnoticed.

o Consider the design dimensions of the bracelet to avoid instances where the metal is too thin, the overall bracelet too heavy, etc.

o Make sure the designs are damage proof and that the bracelet can last for a long time without loosing its luster or strength.

Metal

One way of determining the price of a bracelet is through the metal. The heaviness of the metal used and if the choice is a gold bracelet will determine if you can afford it or not. Usually jewelers are very excited to sell you gold bracelets, so make sure you know what kind you’re buying before handing over the money.

Gems

The next step in choosing a bracelet is choosing the gemstones. There are a lot of ways in choosing a bracelet based on gemstones, one of which is through associating them with the person’s birthstone. Here is a chart of birth stone colors to help you in the process. Sometimes choosing alternative birthstones can help you stay in your budget.

Quality

You have to know if the craftsmanship is of good quality or not. You should always demand well crafted bracelets, especially if you’re buying gold or silver ones as a gift. You will know if the craftsmanship of a certain bracelet is bad when you:

o Notice that the price is cheaper than normal good quality bracelets

o Luster is of low quality

o The mount of the gemstones can easily be bent open.

o Badly connected links

Size & Color

o Verify the size is appropriate for the the person who will wear the bracelet.

o Does the color match ones wardrobe. Though gold and silver generally match more outfits, certain colors won’t be worn often.

Brands

Name brands or at least established jewelers often have higher quality of craftsmanship. This is one of the reasons people often buy from designers. Tiffany’s and Harry Winston come to mind as many people’s favorites. However, there is a premium for this and your budget may encourage you to simply look for high quality materials without the name to go with it.

Hopefully, these tips will help you find the best bracelet!

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