1. Know Your Karats*
The Karat mark tells you several important things.
First, that it's real gold. Buy from a reputable retailer. Buy solid or hollow. Buy rose or green or white gold. As long as it has a Karat mark and manufacturers hallmark, you know it's real.
The Karat mark also tells you the percentage of pure gold in the piece. 24K is 100% gold. Soft and somewhat easily damaged, it's not often used in gold jewelry today. Instead, gold is alloyed with other metals such as copper, silver, nickel and zinc, to give it strength and durability. (Different proportions of these alloys are what gives gold its rose, green or white colorations.)
18K is 75% gold, 14K is 58.3% gold, and 10K is 41.7% gold.*
The higher the karatage, the richer the color will be.
2. Know How to Tell When the Price is Right
Many elements determine the price on that little tag. Once you understand them, you'll be able to judge whether a particular piece of gold jewelry offers the value you're looking for.
Karats count, as you already know. Generally, the higher the karatage of the piece (that is, the percentage of pure gold in it), the higher the price.
But price is also affected by the total weight of the piece. So all else being equal, a larger, heavier piece is likely to be more expensive than a smaller, lighter one.
You can also expect to pay more for better design and construction. It makes jewelry both easier to slip on and off and more comfortable to wear.
Ornamental detailing, such as engraving or a diamond laser finish, or a special matte or florentine finish, also adds to the cost. And although nearly all gold jewelry is made with the help of special machines, some hand work is always involved. The more there is, the higher the price will be.
Now that you know the factors that increase price, here's some very good news. Through new manufacturing technology, large, dazzling pieces can be surprisingly affordable. And especially light, and comfortable to wear, too.
Ultimately, the way to make sure that you're getting the best value is to take your time shopping.
Try on various pieces. And compare karatage, craftmanship, and price before you buy.
3. Start Buying a Gold Wardrobe Now
Try thinking about gold jewelry as you would clothing. In both cases, you should start with great basic, that will give you a lot of wear and a lot of style.
To begin building your basic Gold Wardrobe, you need the following essentials: a necklace, a pair of classic button-style earring, and a pair of hoop earrings. And add -on pendants for a quick change of looks.
Choose these key pieces carefully, because you'll be wearing them so often. Try them on. Make sure they're comfortable - and that they fit well with your taste and your lifestyle, too.
Later, you'll go on from basics, adding special pieces for special occasions, for special drama, or just for joy.
- Courtesy of the World Gold Council
"It's important to do your homework before purchasing a diamond" my husband will inform his customers when they walk into our family owned jewelry store in Thousand Oaks California. He will give an hour long of advice that helps the customer be less intimidated by this very important purchase they are considering. Knowing the four C's of Diamond is a good basic start.
So what are the 4 C's?
The 4 C's as known through out the industry are: cut, clarity, color and of course carat (the weight). You might want a great clarity and a smaller carat size, or you're willing to sacrifice the color to have the larger rock. Maybe you want perfection on all levels! Then you will pay a higher price. For example, often we will recommend a 1.90ct stone over a 2.0ct as the size difference will not show that much but the price will significantly be lesser even if the quality grade of the rest of the "c's" remain the same. So there is a lot to consider indeed. Taking the time to sit with your jeweler to discuss your options is important and your local jeweler will more likely be better informed than the mall retail store you might consider at first. So do shop around.
Below is a chart most jewelers carry explaining the four properties of the diamond:
1) Cut: this is the shape of the stone, shapes come in ( round, oval, square, pear, marquise, cushion, emerald, trillion, baguette ). The most popular shapes overall are the round and square also known as princess cut. Our personal experience at Jewels Quest lately has been a stronger preference for the cushion cut. Cut also refers to the facets of a diamond, the amount of facets determines how much light is reflected. The more facets, the more light. We always desire more sparkle and therefore the cut and facets are often a very important consideration but not as important as the "clarity grade".
2) Clarity: is the amount of blemishes found in the diamond. The grading ranges from flawless (perfect) to I (included). The cost of a diamond is strongly dependant on the clarity grade.
Below is a chart used in the industry, you can find this chart on any jewelry site or at your local jeweler:
Flawless: perfect inside and out, no inclusions, no blemishes.
Internally Flawless: minor blemishes on the outside
V-VS1, V-VS2: very small inclusions.
V VS1 inclusions can only be seen through the pavilion.
V VS2 inclusions are more visible.
VS1, VS2: small inclusions.
VS1 most common choice because inclusions are harder to see than VS2.
I1, I2, I3: these have inclusions which are visible to the naked eye.
3) Color: most diamonds will have slight yellowish tint when under a magnifying glass, but to the naked eye will appear white or colorless. Increasing the color grade will increase the value of your diamond. The color grading goes from D (most valuable) to J and beyond. Most sold diamonds will range G-H.
4) Carat: is the size and weight of your stone.
The larger the carat the more expensive the stone.
Now you have a basic knowledge of the four main properties of diamonds. You can better make a decision what is most important for you. The size or the flawlessness or the perfect color? Usually customers will look for a balance of all these properties according to their budget, and a budget will be the very first thing you should determine and then go see your local jeweler.
