Jewelry Buying Guide
If you have decided to give your special someone a nice piece of jewelry this festive season, then a whole new set of challenges awaits you. While jewelry itself can bring sheer delight to your near and dear ones, the difficult job is on you. How do you find the best quality jewelry at the right price? How do you know that you are not being taken for a ride? Unless you have a permanent jeweler whom you trust, you can easily be duped in case of precious gemstones. No reputed jeweler would do this, but you have to be wary of the ones who do it. So it is important that you possess at least a working knowledge about the various aspects of buying jewelry.
 152CT DIAMOND EMERALD WHITE GOLD WEDDING EARRINGS US $527.45 |
 Lots of 100pcs yellow gold p charm earring hook NEW  US $.99
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 14KT GOLD SQUARE TUBBING PETITE HOOP HUGGIE EARRINGS US $66.19
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 14KT WHITE GOLD DIA CUT OPEN HEART DROP EARRINGS US $34.08
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 Mizuki 14K White Gold Diamond Hoop Earrings $590 US $202.50
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 Antique Retro Yellow Gold Filigree Emerald Earrings US $6.99
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 NEW BANANA REPUBLIC GOLD ROSE HOOP EARRINGS US $5.99
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 14K WHITE GOLD BLUE FRIE OPAL EARRINGS US $4.25
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 Pair Pearl White Gold GP Stud Earrings Ring Jewelry US $.99
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 22K GOLD PLATED PEWTER STUD EARRINGS CELTIC CIRCLE 1 PR US $4.19
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Choosing a setting
Choosing a setting or the mounting is the first step and will bring you one step closer to buying that perfect piece of jewelry for your loved ones. What are you looking for? On what occasions will the jewelry be worn? Rings and bracelets are the more chosen form of jewelry when compared to earrings. When you get into rings, you have another huge range of designs and settings to choose from. Is it a wedding ring? Well, then it will be worn everyday and you have to choose a design that can bear a lot of wear and tear, humidity etc. If you choose a thin fancy design for a wedding ring, then it might break off quite easily. The next part is for you to observe the jewelry carefully. Make sure that the back of the piece is smoothly designed. If there are rough edges or prongs, then it is an indicator of faulty workmanship. Try using a loupe to examine the prongs more closely. If the prong is holding a precious stone, then it is all the more reason for you to use a loupe.
 5pcs 925 Silver Glass Beads Fit bracelet charm ZM364 US $.99
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 Pink bule beads fits pandora 925 silver plated bracelet US $.99
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 PUGSTER EUROPEAN SILVER BEAD BRACELET FOR TROLL Y94 US $.99
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 925 Silver Bracelet Charm Pink Turtle Beads Fit Pandora US $.99
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 New 925 silver Fashion beautiful Bracelet B439D US $2.25
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 SILVER 925 VINTAGE WILD CAT ANIMAL BRACELET CHARM 3 G US $6.49
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 NAVAJO Turquoise Coral Silver Bracelet By Yellowhorse US $33.65
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 Authentic Silver Safety Chain Bead Fit Pandora Bracelet US $.99
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 Vintage Silver Tone SnakeRhinestone Eyes Coil Bracelet US $6.99
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 8 Sterling Silver 7mm Diamond Cut Dbl Charm Bracelet US $19.99
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Gold Jewelry
Gold is one of the rarest and the most expensive metals on the planet. It is extremely soft and hence is ideal for jewelry. But this very softness of gold also works as a deterrent against it as it is subject to wear and tear easily. Hence gold is mixed with other metals to make it hard and durable. Gold is measured in weight. Karats abbreviated to K or KT. 24 Karat gold is the ultimate or the purest quality gold. 1K gold means 1/24 part gold, 12 karat gold is only 50% of pure gold and the remaining 50% is alloy and so on. There are minimum gold content standards for each country below which the piece of jewelry is not considered to be gold at all. In several countries the minimum gold content is 18k while in US and England, the minimum is 9 or 10 Karats. Most people mistake Karats with Carats which is another system of measurement used only to measure gemstones and nothing else. When you buy gold, ensure that you buy it only from a reputed jeweler and check the registered trademark of the manufacturer. Do not buy any piece of jewelry even if the jeweler insists on a bargain deal and underkarating.
Diamond and gemstones
Finally when it comes to diamonds and gemstones, there are several factors like carat, clarity, cut and color that are taken into account. The whitest diamond is usually the purest and the most expensive one. Apart from that the cut is another aspect that needs to be looked into. A properly cut diamond is the one that will throw out the maximum light after being exposed to it. The clarity of the diamond will also determine its price. Fortunately, there are grading systems in place which will give you a better idea about the diamond and its cost.
