About that Jewelry….how to make that choice

One of the best rewards for living on a budget is being able to treat ourselves once in a while.

For many of us, that treat may be in the form of something that sparkles.

Even if you are seasoned in purchasing jewelry, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of what you should be looking for ans asking about to get the most bang for your buck.

How do you decide on what to purchase?

1. Your budget (we like to think of it as how much we have saved up).
2. Your metal choice.
3. Gemstones.
4. Reason for purchase.

Your budget is an important aspect behind making your decision. If you can’t afford it right now, do you really want to pay for financing? There are stores that will give you a same as cash finance plan and if you are comfortable with making those payments then this is the way to go. If you are someone who has been saving coins for the past year and only want to use those towards your purchase than you probably want to get the biggest bang for your buck (or coins).

Choosing a metal has to do with any of the following;

• What you already own.
• What goes with your skin tone.
• Personal preferences.
• Budget

Briefly- here are the major metals that are used.

Gold

Gold comes in white and yellow. It is usually mixed with other metals to increase its hardness and durability. The karat marking tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold . The higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry and usually the higher the price.

You can cut your gold budget by purchasing gold that is attached to a base metal some other way. On the downside of this, gold plating wears away, but how soon depends on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.

Gold-filled, gold overlay and rolled gold plate has a layer of at least 10 karat gold mechanically bonded to a base metal.

Gold electroplate describes jewelry that has a layer (at least .175 microns thick) of a minimum of 10 karat gold deposited on a base metal by an electrolytic process. This will wear away more quickly than gold plate, gold-filled or gold electroplate.

Platinum

Platinum is the higher end metal used. It has a more subtle shine than gold. Platinum is usually mixed with similar metals or non-precious base metals. The value of a platinum piece of jewelry often depends on the percentage of platinum it contains. No platinum jewelry is 100 percent pure platinum. Platinum jewelry is usually 85 to 95 percent pure platinum alloyed with metals that may include iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium and osmium. In recent years, some platinum pieces have been alloyed with a larger percentage of non-precious base metals like copper and silver. Platinum on silver has been a very popular and affordable look in recent years.

Silver and Other Metals

Silver is the lower end of the white metal group. The words ‘silver’ or ‘sterling silver’ describe a product that contains 92.5 percent silver. Silverplate has a layer of silver bonded to a base metal.

Vermeil, a special type of gold plated product, consists of a base of sterling silver that is coated or plated with gold.

Pewter items may be described and marked as such if they contain at least 90 percent tin.

Gemstones.

Gemstones choices can be based on any of the following:

• Birthstone
• Color
• Reason for purchase.

If you are going for gemstones for a birthday, there are a lot of lower priced alternatives out there. If color is your reasoning, you may find some lab created quality pieces such as in emerald. Emeralds in good quality are pretty hard to find and a lab created one set in a good setting may fulfill your color needs. If you are purchasing your stone for something important, such as getting married, definitely do a lot of research on the C’s and the dealers out there.

How do you make your choice?

The FTC suggests this:
A Jewelry Shopper’s Checklist

When you’re in the market for a piece of jewelry for yourself or someone you love, shop around. Compare quality, price and service. If you’re not familiar with reputable brick-and-mortar jewelers in your area, ask family members, friends or co-workers for recommendations. At the store:

• Ask about the refund and return policy before you buy.

• Check for the appropriate markings on metal jewelry.

• Ask whether the pearls are natural, cultured or imitation.

• Ask whether a gemstone is natural, laboratory-created or imitation.

• Ask whether the gemstone has been treated, whether the change is permanent and whether special care is required.

• Make sure your sales receipt includes any information you relied on when making your purchase, like the gem’s weight or size. Some jewelers may give you a grading report from a gemological laboratory.

If you are planning to shop for jewelry online:

• Shop with companies you know or do some homework before you buy to make sure a company is legitimate.

• You might check a reputation by entering the outlet’s name and the word ‘complaints’ before giving them your business.

• Get the details about the product, as well as the merchant’s refund and return policies, before you buy.

• Look for a street address to write to or a phone number to call if you have a question, a problem or need help.

We always suggest asking around and going with someone reputable. Some auction sites may have some great deals but, the buyer should beware. Sites like QVC offer a variety of choices in all kinds of price ranges and featuring some top designers.

Tacori IV Diamonique Epiphany Crescent Design Bloom Cut Ring

You can find excellent looking items such as this Diamonique(R) simulated diamond. This ring is done by Tacori, a top name in diamond jewlery who has teamed up with QVC to offer affordable choices for us Posh Budgeters.   The Epiphany(R) Collection uses Platinum Clad(R) sterling silver to create a big bold look at a fraction of the price of platinum. Simulated Ruby, Simulated Sapphire, or Simulated Emerald.

Check out these Related posts:

1. Buying Jewelry? 12 things you should know…
2. JEWELRY DEAL:All Natural Freshwater Black Pearl Jewelry Set in 10K Gold – $49 + FREE Shipping
3. How to clean your gold jewelry
4. Max and Chloe West Avenue Jewelry
5. Weekend Diamond and Gemstone Blowout Jewelry Deals from just $19 + Free Delivery before Christmas
6. JEWELRY DEAL! 4 Carat Created Emerald and Genuine Diamond Earring and Pendant Jewelry Set in .925 Sterling Silver – $68 + Free Shipping
7. Jewelry Deal!5 Carat All Natural February Amethyst and White Sapphire Jewelry Set – $67 + Free Shipping

Tagged as: gold, how to choose jewelry, jewejry tips, jewelry, picking our jewelry, platinum, silver, tacori