How to purchase good jewelry?

Listed below are some guidelines to help make your shopping experience a positive one.

Note if the jeweler talks about quality.
Jewelers who only promote their price and their styles may not have quality merchandise.

Look at the back of the mounting
A good finish and polish throughout the piece is a sign of good craftsmanship

If the jewelry contains gemstones, make sure there’s metal securing the stones in their setting. Count the prongs. One or two prongs is not enough to hold a round stone securely.

If you’re having jewelry custom-made, repaired or sized, specify that you want the appropriate solder used.(for example 14k solder on 14k gold). The use of a lower-karat solder could cause your skin to blacken or the solder joints to turn dark brown or green. It would also lower the overall karat value of your piece.

Ask if the piece is hollow or solid.Light-weight, hollow mountings are ideal for earrings, but they’re not a wise choice for an everyday ring. If you are buying a hollow bracelet, ask the store if you can try denting it with gentle finger-tip pressure. If the salesperson says no, then don’t buy it. Bracelets that dent easily won’t last long with the knocking and scraping they’ll undergo while worn on the wrist.

It there’s a clasp, verify that it works.Try to open and close it by yourself a couple times. Listen for the click, and then pull on the clasp gently to see if it comes undone or remains secure.

Specify that you want jewelry that will last.When salespeople see that you’re interested in well-made jewelry, they’re more likely to show you their better pieces.

Check to see if there’s a karat stamp and trademark on the piece.
Even though they’re not necessarily a guarantee that the gold content is as marked, they’re an indication. If you ever decide to resell the piece later on, these marks would be important.

Try on the piece and walk around with it. Then answer the following questions. If the piece is good choice, all your answers will be positive.

Does it look good on you?
Does it feel comfortable?
Is there a good chance it will stay in style?
Have rough edges been polished away?
Does it look sturdy enough for the purpose for which you plan to wear it?