Friday, 12 January 2018

How To Differentiate Sterling Silver 925 And Other Quality Jewelry From Imitation

By Scott Fisher


A great way to dress up a simple outfit is with a piece of metallic jewelry. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a dramatic piece that everyone notices. You can find necklaces and bracelets at outlets and big box stores that will work but are not fine jewelry. When you decide to invest in quality jewelry, like sterling silver 925 however, you want to make sure you are getting something authentic.

Those who are new to investing in good jewelry may not be aware of the easiest way to identify an authentic piece. With sterling silver, you need to look for the hallmark 925, . 925, or 92.5. This designation is American. It means that the piece you are looking at is ninety-two and a half percent silver with seven and a half percent another metal, such as copper.

When you are in the market for a quality metallic piece of jewelry, you should avoid anything that is described as plated. Plating is a coating of metal over the piece. The actual piece could be made out of any kind of less expensive metal such as nickel or copper. After you have worn the jewelry for a while, it will tarnish, and the coating will wear away.

There are other ways to test the general quality of a piece of jewelry. The clasp should be secure and easy to open and close. If you lay the chain down on a hard surface and stretch it out, it should lay flat. Bends and kinks in the metal are an indication that the piece is not well made. New jewelry should look shiny instead of tarnished. Vintage pieces may be tarnished, but that simply means they need to be cleaned.

You may find nice pieces in department stores, but experts warn that the markup can be extremely high. That's one reason the stores are able to able to have such great sales. Independent jewelers, on the other hand, normally don't markup up their jewelry in the same way. They seldom have the same kinds of sales for that reason.

You can often find great pieces in second hand stores, antique shops, and flea markets. You won't be looking a new jewelry in most cases, but the vintage pieces are often more interesting and intricate than modern jewelry. If you see someone wearing a piece you really admire, you shouldn't be shy about asking where the person found it.

You can find anything online, but you have to be smart about what you purchase, especially if you are looking at expensive metallic pieces. You have to depend on the photos and descriptions, which can be deceptive. The seller should be willing to discuss the pieces you are interested in and have a reasonable return policy.

When you are buying trendy jewelry, choosing less expensive pieces is usually a good idea. If you want a classic piece you will wear for years, you should look for signs of authenticity and quality. Otherwise, you are just wasting your money.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment