A gemstone’s worth may also be measured in its cultural significance. For example, Celtic jewelry appeases more Europeans than it does Americans. Marketing jewelry to a predetermined segment will help your business attain the targeted patrons it needs in a shorter time. If you live in the middle east, the value and interest they put up for gold is significantly higher than their need and budget for sterling silver.
Knowing whom to market your products is the key to your jewelry store’s lasting legacy. If you start selling jewelry, get tips from jewelers (many of whom can easily be emailed), join discussion boards and read online articles about what jewelry has a higher demand in your country/region/area. Jewelry is akin to fine wine - you have to be a seasoned connoisseur to appreciate the real value of the items you are selling. And being a connoisseur demands time and love for the craft.
From the lack of a government agency that appraises jewelry comes the professionals who appraise jewelry - “gemologists” or “jewelry appraisers”. Gemology is the science of identifying and evaluating precious gems. Most jewelry appraisers are trained gemologists. In gemology, a gem is appraised by its external and intrinsic properties, such as its refractive index and specific gravity.
You might be thinking that a jeweler would feel intimated by the likes of a gemologist. But in reality, getting a gemstone appraised by a certified professional appraiser would likely only increase its value “higher” than the retail price.
The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, ASA Jewelry Appraisal Professionals, Accredited Gemologists Association are just some of a few for-profit and non-profit groups a professional appraiser is likely to be affiliated with.
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Marketing jewelry is no easy task. Selling jewelry is not a science, but should be considered as one because the formalities and traditional ways of acquiring jewelry and selling jewelry all account as important factors weighing in on the longevity of a jeweler’s trade. Selling jewelry, more importantly, is an art, because it emphasizes the femininity or machismo of the one interested in purchasing. A jeweler must always closely associate the buyer to the jewelry and be hands-on on helping the interested party to choose his/her desired gemstone. Jewelers, as a precaution, should be able learn about the history, aesthetic value and spiritual elements of their gems. It is a rule of the thumb of traders that they should know the significance and inherent value of the items they are selling.
You could see on many online jewelry stores the time they put in researching about a gemstone’s aesthetic utility and its spiritual properties. More often than not, the description of the gemstone is lengthier than its specifications. This is because the one interested in purchasing the gemstone is more likely attracted to its form and “perceived spiritual prowess” than its dimensions and weight. Again, we advise sellers to put much regard into their knowledge of a gemstone’s spiritual uniqueness than its physical characteristics.
People forget to bargain - Rich businessmen tend to bring their wives to the storefront and buy them any accessory of the ladies’ choice, without haggling for the price, because that would hurt the man’s pride. The male ego is so powerful that it forgets that a gem could be bought for a half the store price if he didn’t tag his wife or fiancé along. See, surprises are better, gentlemen.
Of course, men aren’t the only ones under fire. Women also forget that buying from a physical store is better than shopping online for jewelry. The internet is such a great tool for buying almost anything, but there really are some things - expensive things- which are meant to be bought on the brick-and-mortar store instead.
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First-timers - First time buyers of a product they’re practically unknowledgeable about have bad beginner’s luck. Take for example an amateur athlete-turned-basketball-superstar. Sure, these people are always on their high horses, looking for the shiniest bling they could swag on the streets. And who could blame them - they earned their way top (or as they say).
What intrigues us thrift sellers is when buyers are loaded with money, they break-away from their “practical ideologies” like “what’s in this for me” and “do I even need this?” Regardless, when you buy a piece of jewelry, there’s no turning back. Even if you return it, the jeweler likely only give back 80% of what you just paid for it, even if you only wore the piece overnight.
We’ve heard at least a hundred times: “Diamonds are a woman’s best friend.” Though not entirely true, women, regardless of their social status, still do fall in love with these elegant and perplex gems. Old adages tell us that “every piece of jewelry is a story waiting to be unfolded.” True enough, older generations pass down different forms of jewelry to enrich the vanguards of the next generation with a deep religious, heritable sense. Other families pass down jewelry using widely-held belief that whoever possesses these gemstones is protected by ancestral forefathers. There are many reasons why our grandparents pass down their belongings to their children, and then our parents to us.
The jewelry industry has been flourishing since the oldest days of civilization. Its main patrons are the wealthy families and common folk who adorn jewelry as a way to present their clean-cut social status and fine taste in life. In the eastern nations, jewelry has a deeper meaning. For example, the popular gemstone, amethyst, is said to grant its owner spiritual fortitude and resiliency to stress. In western countries, however, gemstones are given a more materialist importance. In modern homes, a house’s floor can be adorned with authentic to faux gems to promote a soothing a feel to settlers and guests of the house.
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Easily the most fun part is next. When you add charms you have so many to choose from. You can select those that represent the things in your life that mean the most to you: a dog that reminds you of your darling pooch, a purse in honor of your Coach collection, or a tennis racquet for your favorite hobby.
Lastly, you’ll add spacers. These are smaller than charms and they fit between them. They can be gold or silver and they can even be mixed and matched with your bracelet itself.
The good news is that keeping your beaded charm bracelet looking shiny and new over time is very easy! Just use warm, soapy water and a toothbrush when cleaning it. Some companies even offers some special cleaners to help your preserve your bracelet’s beauty over time.
Wow, you’re done! Now you have your very own beaded charm bracelet!
Our advice for first-time buyers of expensive jewelry: do your homework.
That’s been an informative ride. We hope your first or next purchase of any piece of jewelry turns out to be a practical one. Buying jewelry is far from playing “The Price is Right”, because the unimaginably lowest price your mind can come up with for a seemingly $1,000 pearl necklace might just be the price you and the jeweler can come to an agreement to.
MadeItMyself is a rapidly growing, unique and fun artisan online marketplace that lets you post your handmade creations and share them with the rest of the world.
MadeItMyself provides endless possibilities for the people who love art and originality and want to make a good living from their respective trades.
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Jewelry is a broad term that describes any ornamental adornment on the body. It includes toe rings to tiaras and everything in between. Jewelry has been used in every culture throughout history and in many different ways. While in our culture today jewelry serves mostly an aesthetic purpose, jewelry can serve other functions as well. Jewelry is used to represent social or official rank, age, marital status, and tribal affinity. In addition, jewelry serves as emblems of religious, social, and political affiliation. In fact, one of the very first uses of jewelry was to show religious affiliation. The following are the main cultures that began the use of religious jewelry and the common symbols and uses of their jewelry.
It also never hurts to try something different and buy jewelry that’s a little different than what you would normally buy. Change is good! What’s most important is that your jewelry adds the finishing touches to your outfit. Make your fashion statement count and get noticed!
You need to determine what you want your jewelry to do. Do you want it front and center stage? Do you want it to compliment? Do you want it subtle? The occasion or event you’ll be wearing your jewelry to is also important - make certain it is fitting. A sexy oversized choker might be perfect for a night on the town but may not be fitting for the boardroom.
Although you may have a favorite designer. There’s really no need to stick with just one designer. In fact there’s no need for the pieces to actually be designer. There are plenty of wonderful pieces on the market that are unsigned but certainly make a fashion statement. Mix and match your jewelry to give it character and a little pizzaz!
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“Cats are possessed of a shy, retiring nature, cajoling, haughty, and capricious, difficult to fathom. They reveal themselves only to certain favored individuals, and are repelled by the faintest suggestion of insult or even by the most trifling deception.” - Pierre Loti
Ah, where to start? Cats are among the most celebrated creatures of literature. They’re domesticated and at the same time wild, loved and at the same time hated. They stand for stealth and mystery, the power of silence and secrets. And cat jewelry is a testament to that power.
Even before Halle Berry popularized the Catwoman, and before the sleek, sassy villainess ever graced the pages of DC comics, cats were being worshipped all over the world. The way the cat moves, the easy grace and mysterious stillness fuels the imagination and fires up the senses. Bast, the ancient Egyptian cat-goddess, was a wild goddess who was generous in good humor, and ferocious in ill. To kill a cat in ancient Egypt was to call down the wrath of Bast, and was not only considered an act of evil, but a crime against the gods.
Large, ostentatious pieces of jewelry did not start becoming popular only because of the hip-hop cultural phenomenon (think Elvis Presley and Tom Jones), but hip-hop has altered the jewelry market in a big way. Fans see what their favorite celebrities are wearing, and there are numerous options for them to emulate their idols – at least in terms of fashion. Jewelry has always been a part of popular culture, and today’s hip-hop jewelry and the celebrities who wear them are even more so in this age of instant information.
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Hip-hop jewelry comes in many shapes and sizes, all of them meant to catch the eye and attract attention. Heavy chains of silver or gold (or both) can oftentimes be seen on celebrities such as LL Cool J and Ja Rule in their music videos. Hip-hop jewelry web sites offer fully ‘iced-out’ bling-bling, or watches, rings, bracelets and earrings that are heavily decorated with real or faux diamonds. So-called ‘spinner’ watches and rings are big best sellers in the hip-hop jewelry category. Also available are customized, removable gold, silver and platinum teeth which may be studded with jewels and gemstones, so even the pearly whites can have their share of hip-hop jewelry.
Women celebrities are keeping pace with their male counterparts when it comes to wearing hip-hop jewelry. Stars such as Beyonce, Lil’ Kim, Ashanti and Missy Elliott are regularly seen in pictures wearing large diamond jewelry items of various colors. Even young female celebrities are getting on the bling-bling bandwagon. Teen stars like Jo Jo and Hilary Duff are said to be avid hip-hop jewelry enthusiasts and count themselves among the large number of bejeweled stars today.
After you’ve made a number of jewelry items, there are steps you can take to get other people interested in them. Be a walking advertisement for your jewelry making business. Wear some of your creations whenever you go out: wear them to work, when you go to the supermarket, or when you attend parties. Word of mouth is also a great way to let other people know about your jewelry making endeavor. Show some of your finished pieces to family and friends, and encourage them to spread the word.
The important thing to remember is that you continue to enjoy making jewelry and to take pride in your creations. Your love for jewelry making will be the key factor in maintaining your creativity level and it will help you come up with the designs that appreciative customers will buy. Never forget the ‘fun’ factor in jewelry making, as this will be reflected in your work, and the ‘profit’ factor will follow.
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Solid gold refers to an item made of any karat gold, if the inside of the item is not hollow. The proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry still is determined by the karat mark.
Jewelry can be plated with gold in a variety of ways. Gold plate refers to items that are either mechanically plated, electroplated, or plated by any other means with gold to a base metal. Eventually, gold plating wears away, but how soon will depend on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.
Gold-filled, gold overlay and rolled gold plate are terms used to describe jewelry that has a layer of at least 10 karat gold mechanically bonded to a base metal. If the jewelry is marked with one of these terms, the term or abbreviation should follow the karat quality of the gold used (for example, 14K Gold Overlay or 12K RGP). If the layer of karat gold is less than 1/20th of the total weight of the item, any marking must state the actual percentage of karat gold, such as 1/40 14K Gold Overlay.
Second, if you haven’t already, decide on the kind of jewelry you are going to make. If you’re just getting your feet wet in the jewelry making arena, start out with something simple. Think about what type of jewelry you’d enjoy and feel comfortable wearing and go on from there. Whatever materials you might need are readily available either on the Internet or in a physical retail store. Then, as you become more adept at what you’re doing, you can start exploring other, more complex jewelry making techniques. Remember, there is a plethora of information resources to help you make money from your hobby: books, specialty magazines, the Internet, and other jewelry makers.
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Jewelry continued to evolve over the centuries and by the 17th Century fake pearls and paste earrings were making an appearance. A lady permanently wore earrings, so the fakes were worn through the day and the diamonds etc were brought in the evening, along with brooches which were worn down the from of the body in descending sizes.
In the earlier part of the 20th century designers such as Coco Chanel were influencing the quality glass jewelry being massed produced by Lalique. Costume jewelry was given the grand title of cocktail jewelry. They encouraged wearers to mix and match between their fakes and their genuine jewelry.
After a lull during World War II due to the rationing of the metal, jewelry production came back big style. The glamorous movie stars of the 40`s and 50`s dazzled everyone with their sparkling gems. The old newsreel films show them at premieres and parties dripping with gold and diamonds. The Oscars ceremony has always been the big event of the year, and the jewelry that the stars wear is as talked about as their hair and clothes.
Jewelry is one invention of man that is the ultimate mean to get into any woman’s heart. To women, their personality is incomplete without their precious jewels. When a woman decks herself up to go out, she has to wear the most glamorous dress, set up her hair in the best style, and shine like a true diamond. Add the usual jewelry to the combo, and you have an enigma. For men too, all they need to woo a woman’s desire with are diamonds, rubies, emeralds and gold. To a woman, wedding is important, but what is more important is that she has a diamond the size of her fist.
When you are going for jewelry, gemstone jewelry is the best option. Of course, there is no need for cost control in here, since you will have to invest a lot of money to posses them.
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Jewelry has, in many shapes and forms, been around since the Stone Age. In the ancient cave paintings, items are clearly seen around necks and wrists. These will have been symbolic and not decorative, but they are there nonetheless.
The ancient Egyptians in 3000 BC first created Jewelry as we know it. When Howard Carter and his team first discovered Tutankhamen`s tomb in 1922, the array of gold jewelry that they found was priceless. Pendants, bracelets, rings, armlets, diadems, earrings, head ornaments and collars of pure gold where all found in the land of the Pharaohs.
By the time of the ancient Greeks in 1400 BC, the art of jewelry making had come on an awful long way. The heavy chunkiness that the Egyptians were so fond of had been replaced by very delicate earring and necklaces. Beads shaped into flowers, beetles and shells were manufactured on a large scale. The delicacy of the work is nothing less than miraculous considering the primitive tools they had at their disposal. By 300 BC the Greeks were making multi colored jewelry and using precious stones such as garnets, pearls, amethysts and emeralds.
Ensure that you gift the jewelry suiting the personality of the person as gifting wrong jewelry leads to more trouble. Gifting jewelry studded with birthstone always makes a right choice.
Purchasing jewelry involves lots of patience and close checking for damages such as cracks or scratches should be done. Similarly, knowing the accurate size for rings is essential as out of size rings may not be of any use.
Selection of jewelry is a wise shopping and hence choosing any jewelry that will suit the receiver should be taken into concern.
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