For centuries, fine jewelry has been one of the most popular gifts that people buy for all kinds of special occasions. While buying fine jewelry and fine gemstone jewelry is enjoyable for many, a lot of people can find the task rather daunting. Why, you ask? Well, there are a couple reasons.
First off, the decision to buy fine jewelry, including designer jewelry and handcrafted designer jewelry, is a quite expensive one and one that should not be taken lightly. Even if you have all the money in the world, it still helps to be educated on fine jewelry, and all of the terms used in the industry.
Secondly, with all of the fine jewelry and designer jewelry collections available out there, one can literally spend hours figuring out what type of jewelry to buy. Necklace or ring? One carat or two? Yellow gold or white gold? Designer jewelry or designer inspired jewelry?
In order to make your next fine jewelry venture a great one, here is some information that will aid you in getting the best quality jewelry for your money, whether shopping in a traditional fine jewelry store or online.
Gold Jewelry
Dense, shiny and the most malleable and ductile of the known metals, gold is one of the most popular choices for fine jewelry. When used by itself, the word gold means all gold or 24 karat gold. Because it is soft, 24 karat gold is commonly mixed with other metals by jewelry designers to increase its hardness and durability.
One can learn about what proportion of gold is mixed with other metals based on its karat quality. For instance, fourteen karat jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. Hence, the higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold is in the piece of fine jewelry.
Although karat marking is not required by law, most reputable designer jewelry and other fine jewelry are marked with its karat quality. Next to the mark should be the trademark of the company that stands behind the mark. A quality piece of fine jewelry will always have the trademark name, symbol, or initials. The term ‘solid gold’ refers to an item made of any karat gold, if the inside of the item is not hollow.
Platinum, Silver & More
Platinum is one of the most expensive precious metals used to make fine jewelry. It is preferred by jewelry designer Peretti, as well as several other fine jewelry designers. More expensive than gold, platinum is typically mixed with other similar metals that are known as the platinum group metals: iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, and osmium.
As compared with gold fine jewelry, different markings are used on platinum modern designer jewelry as well. Quality markings for platinum are based on parts per thousand. For instance, the marking 900 Platinum refers to the fact that 900 parts out of 1000 are pure platinum. This can also be shown as 90% platinum and 10% other metals. When making fine jewelry, designer jewelry, or designer inspired jewelry, the abbreviations for platinum used are Plat. or Pt. Any fine jewelry items that consist of at least 950 parts per thousand pure platinum are allowed to be marked as platinum.
Silver or sterling silver refer to fine jewelry that contains at least 92.5% silver. Oftentimes, silver products such as handcrafted designer jewelry are marked “925,” which means that 925 parts per thousand are pure silver. All quality-marked silver is required by law to bear the name or a U.S. registered trademark of the company or jewelry designer that will stand behind the mark.
Fine gemstone jewelry pertains to both natural gemstones and laboratory-created stones.
Fine jewelry made with real or natural pearls are very rare. They are made by oysters and other mollusks. Because they are so rare, most pearls used in fine jewelry are either cultured or imitation pearls. Cultured pearls refer to those grown by mollusks, but with human intervention. Imitation pearls are man-made, typically with glass, plastic, or organic materials.
Diamonds
And last but not least in the fine jewelry arena are diamonds – perhaps the biggest seller of all for all types of designer jewelry and replica designer jewelry. The value of a diamond is based on the widely known “4 C’s,” which stand for color, cut, clarity, and carat. The clarity and color of diamonds are typically graded using a number of different systems. Diamond weight is typically stated in carats, and can be described in decimal or fractional parts of a carat.
Many designer inspired jewelry and replica designer jewelry use imitation diamonds, which are know as cubic zirconia in their fine jewelry. They largely resemble diamonds but are much less costly and far less valuable.
By: Temp
Archive for November, 2009
Practical Jewelry Box Buying Guide
November 27th, 2009How to find a cool jewelry box that fits your style or used as a great gift?
Jewelry boxes come in a variety of sizes and styles, all with the goal of storing, protecting, organizing, and displaying jewelry. Boxes made specifically for jewelry can be made wood, leather, metal, or various types of fabric. Some boxes are intended specifically for protecting and organizing your jewelry while you travel, while others are intended to compliment the decor or your home. Most jewelry boxes made with women in mind, but there are also jewelry boxes for men and jewelry boxes for children.
With so many choices how do you choose the right jewelry box? How do you select the best one? The key is the think about how much and what type of jewelry you have, how you want to use your jewelry box, and then set a budget.
Below are some popular types of jewelry boxes. Each one has its own unique appeal and is designed to keep your jewelry safe and secure. All you have to do is pick the one you like.
* Leather Jewelry Boxes
Boxes for men’s jewelry, often called “valets” are simpler than women’s versions. They’re typically wrapped in leather and may be a single layer tray with compartments or two layers with a lid. They’re designed to hold watches and cuff links.
These boxes make excellent gifts for the man who has everything.
* Wooden Jewelry Boxes
Wooden jewelry boxes are often the largest. Most contain several drawers and possibly one or two cabinets with glass or wood doors. They’re frequently constructed of oak or mahogany, but other woods such as teak or burl wood may be used. Women’s jewelry boxes can range from very small chests designed to tuck into a drawer to large bureaus on legs. Most boxes fall in the middle range and provide ample storage for earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets. The drawers may slide out or lift out accordion style. Wooden boxes for jewelry are traditionally have a high gloss lacquer. Some are intricately carved or ornately painted while others are sleek and simple. Drawers are usually lined with velvet and may have necklace hooks or a mirror inside the lid.
Many women receive these boxes as gifts and treasure them for years. Wooden jewelry boxes become family heirlooms that are passed on through generations.
* Fabric Jewelry Boxes
Fabric jewelry boxes are becoming increasingly popular. Usually smaller than wooden boxes, they’re frequently lined with a combination of satin and velvet. They may have decorative beading on the outside and come in a wide range of colors so as to match the room’s decor. These boxes look lovely displayed on a dresser. Fabric boxes also tend to be more inexpensive jewelry boxes than those made of wood.
Fabric boxes are popular gifts for bridesmaids or younger women.
* Children’s Jewelry Boxes
Children have many uses for fine jewelry boxes. Baby necklaces, charm bracelets, and earrings can all be stored in a plush jewelry box. And just because the jewelry box is authentic doesn’t mean the jewelry has to be. Children can store replica and vintage jewelry for when they play dress up like Mom and Dad.
The solution to getting a cool jewelry box for a child is to know what the child likes. If she’s into music, a musical jewelry box will be a better choice over one that has a cartoon character theme. In any case, there are a number of cool jewelry boxes for children to choose from. It all comes down to what the child considers “cool”.
On the other hand, boxes for children’s jewelry are usually more about the box than its contents. They can be cardboard or wood wrapped in a licensed character’s image or fabric. Inexpensive jewelry boxes have a simple latch. When opened, they play a song for a twirling ballerina. Boxes suitable for an older child may be wrapped in brightly-colored leather or fabric. They’re often lined with satin rather than velvet and have one to three compartments and a mirror.
Cool jewelry boxes for children come in a variety of forms. Often they’re made of thinner wood and emblazoned with popular cartoon characters. Others are made of more luxurious woods yet have a simple design. Some even have music boxes built right in.
* Men’s Jewelry Boxes
Do you believe it? Jewelry boxes are not just for women. For men, there are valet boxes, pen boxes, and watch boxes. Dads who enjoy a smoke every now and then may want to invest in a finely crafted box. Such items can make great Father’s Day gifts and provide a suitable storage place for Dad’s treasured gifts or family heirlooms. However, these cool jewelry boxes aren’t always called jewelry boxes. In most cases they are referred to as valet boxes. Valet boxes are designed to hold men’s “everyday” items such as rings, loose change, wallets, keys, watches, etc. A valet box is a more luxurious way for men to keep their items in one place, rather than shoving everything in a dresser drawer or empty ashtray. Other types of cool jewelry boxes for men include watch boxes (designed to store and display your watch collection) and cigar boxes (which can be used to store cigars or as a keep-all for your pocket items). So as you can see, there are such things as cool jewelry boxes for men.
* Women’s Jewelry Boxes
For women, a jewelry box can be a lovely companion piece to an engagement ring or gold necklace. A velvet-lined jewelry box can be a great way store or show off your most precious valuables. Jewelry boxes can also be customized to suit taste or preferred functionality. They can be crafted to be thin or large, 3-drawer or 4-drawer, or with panels, in a variety of woods. Many boxes can be built in teak, cherry, maple, oak, walnut, or quilted maple.
Women have a number of different types of jewelry boxes to choose from. Jewelry boxes are often crafted in luxurious woods such as maple, oak, walnut, etc. A wood jewelry box gives your collection a solid foundation and protects your pieces from the elements. Some jewelry boxes even contain glass inlays and ornate carvings. Glass and even ceramic makes of jewelry boxes are also quite popular among women and provide their own grace and beauty. Some larger jewelry boxes have multiple swinging doors and compartments, and even finely carved legs. Many jewelry boxes are lockable to protect the precious jewels inside from theft or being lost. Women have many different styles to choose from when selecting a jewelry box. However, it’s very important to match your jewelry collection with a box that will display and protect your pieces appropriately.
Cool jewelry boxes are available for children, women, and even men. However, the jewelry box you select depends on the jewelry you have, what your jewelry storage needs are, and what “cool” factors are important to you in a jewelry box.
* Travel Jewelry Boxes
Travel boxes for jewelry need to be specially designed to ensure the jewelry will remain secure and organized. Popular styles include the small locking box with lined compartments and the fabric roll.
Travel boxes usually have compartments that touch the inside of the lid or slide out of the case. The compartments are divided into one large one for necklaces and two or more smaller ones for earrings, rings, and bracelets.
Jewelry rolls have several plastic zippered compartments of varying sizes. They’re then rolled up and fastened with a ribbon to keep it secure.
Both of these styles have advantages and disadvantages. The roll tucks easily into a suitcase but provides less protection while the box takes up more space but provides better protection for expensive pieces.
It’s known to us all, jewelry boxes are not meant to be disposable items. They are meant to be personal, gifts that can be treasured for generations. That’s why it can mean so much to have your jewelry box engraved. Monogramming can be a great way to make a jewelry box your own. A tender message from a loved one can also increase the sentimental value of these wonderful items. So these jewelry boxes make wonderful gifts for family members and other loved ones. They also bring with them a rich, Old World heritage that can be passed from generation to generation. After all, your valuables deserved to be stored in jewelry boxes that are equal to the value they contain.
Last, I’d like to give you some useful terms when shopping for your jewelry box.
- Musical Jewelry Box
This type of jewelry box combines the musical component of your typical music box with the storage space of a jewelry box. Musical jewelry boxes function similar to music boxes – you lift the lid and the music starts. However, these types of jewelry boxes also contain drawers and storage space for jewelry.
- Travel Jewelry Case
Made for transport, travel jewelry cases are jewelry boxes designed to handle the bumps and dings of travel. These types of boxes are fashionable but serve a more protective purpose than display.
- Valet Jewelry Box
Valet boxes are jewelry boxes for men. These boxes serve as a keep-all for everyday items such as rings, keys, loose change, cell phone, etc. Valet boxes are designed specifically for men and are unlike your typical jewelry box.
- Watch Box
This type of box is intended specifically for watch storage. Watch boxes come in single and multiple watch capacity, and are available in many different sizes and styles. Asides from this, you may have noticed a specific type of watch box which also called ‘watch winder’, which rotates the watch in a circular pattern to keep the self-winding mechanism of automatic watches in motion. If left in rest, these types of watches often stop. A watch winder eliminates this problem.
- Jewelry Box Lining
The lining is the interior of a jewelry box. Jewelry box lining is often lush and consists of fine fabrics. The lining is designed to protect your jewelry but also present them in a fashionable way.
- Jewelry Trays
Jewelry trays are open trays with compartments for jewelry storage. Often these trays are stackable and lined with fabric for safe storage of your jewelry pieces.
I’d like to introduce and display an excellent selection of China jewelry boxes, on which you will view various jewelry boxes for different persons, and you might find exactly what you are looking for without further ado..
By: Krista QQ(www.123giftfactory.com)
Amber Jewelry – Large Selection with Many Styles Online | Competitive Prices | Amber Jewelry by the Russian Jewelry Store
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By: Amber Jewelry