Jewelry is sometimes the most beautiful when it has an exquisite gemstone set perfectly in the piece. More times than not, perfectly set pieces of jewelry are done by people with decades of experience under their belt. The skills necessary to take that gem and cut it so perfectly so that it shines in the light is something that most people are not born with. Stone cutting is a combination of artistic skill and a learned skill that takes years of practice to perfect. What you see at the stores are the end result of the hard labor of these master craftsman.

One of the most important points to bear in mind is to only buy sterling silver, and of course always make your purchases from reputable and trusted jewelers. You can buy anything online, but you might be better off dealing with someone local, and seeing the product. If you decide to buy online, check out the business as best you can.

Usually the most respected jewelers will be in business for a long time, so you should be able to find a home town jeweler to deal with. The jewelry store that has been in business the longest may be the place to start. Most people like to examine any piece of jewelry they want to buy. What has been done in history is still being applied today in principle. For example, the jewelry of the particular day was entirely dependent on current levels of technology. So, there were no gems or precious stones used in some cultures simply because there were no means for properly cutting the stones. Once gem cutting began to spread, there was more jewelry that included cut gems. Additionally, many of the designs were based around the precious metal that was more abundant in the area. Thus, in history, some areas featured more silver jewelry and some more gold jewelry.

When you are looking at silver or gold jewelry and it has an identifier stamped on it, then you know that it comes from the US. This code simply refers to the quality of the metal, and the law also states that the maker must be identified as well.

It is nice to see the number 925 on your piece of jewelry, because then you will know that it is sterling silver. Sterling silver has the number 925 stamped on them, because sterling silver contains 92.5% silver. On your sterling silver rings, or bracelets, the number will be stamped on the insides. For necklaces, the stamp will be placed on the clasp most of the time. When systems work right, they make things a lot simpler, that is what has happened with identifying sterling silver. You will find several other types of jewelry in the marketplace and a lot more could be written regarding these other styles. When you're out and about, have some fun searching for the different types of jewelry and see what you can find.

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