Points on How to Buy Jewelry Online

If you’ve found a good deal on an engagement ring or a wedding band, try to first learn about the jewelry store. Call them on the phone and speak to a representative. Ask some questions about where they source their materials (Israel? China/Thailand? Europe?). Probe for information and make sure that they sell only “conflict-free” diamonds.

2. Study their return policy carefully. In case your purchase does not work out, you should always have a reasonable way out.

3. Don’t fall for huge discounts (Rule of thumb: scrutinize any discounts over 30%). With gold prices on the rise and jewelers hunting for profits, be sure that you are getting a quality product for a reasonable price. Large discounts are typically the result of an artificially inflated price on inventory, often with poor turnover, which is then put -on sale- and given an unreasonably large discount to make it attractive to bargain hunters.

4. When shopping online, have a general idea of the current cost of gold per gram. This number alone will often help you differentiate a bargain from a marketing ploy.

5. Be careful about purchasing from publicly traded jewelry companies as they are under intense pressure to increase profits for shareholders, look attractive to wall street analysts and to cut costs, which could translate into higher prices and lower quality for the end consumer.

6. When you finally receive your purchase, make sure that you got what you paid for. Use a magnifying glass and check for the metal stamp (14K or 585, 18K or 750, PT950, etc-). Even better, take your purchase to a local jeweler and have it inspected for quality and accuracy.

7. Ideally the jewelry you purchase should have a stamp of the manufacturer. (For example, -Encore DT-, -DT Collezioni- or -EDT- when space is limited).

8. Always inspect your purchase for dents, scratches or any other signs of wear and tear. We have heard of companies shipping out used jewelry that was posted and sold as new.

9. If the jewelry you purchased has diamonds or semi-precious stones (especially rings and earrings with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, etc-), have a local jeweler inspect to make sure that the stones are properly positioned in the setting and are not likely to fall out.

10. If you ordered a paired piece of jewelry (such as earrings), make sure that both are equal in size, have the same shape and are of the same color.

11. When you find an online jewelry store, look for signs of credibility. Online stores will often have icons in various places on their websites with logos of third party companies that guarantee the safety of your private financial information (SSL, Authorize.net, PayPal, etc-), previous customer testimonials and successful conflict resolution (Yelp, Facebook and BBB), and some assurance about dealing strictly with conflict-free diamonds.

12. When you finally decide to purchase, search for online coupons or promo codes on Google, Yahoo or any other search engine. Whether it’s a diamond engagement ring, a wedding band or a pendant, there is almost always a coupon out there you can use and save money with. Cheers, good luck and make it a great buy!

13. Nowadays many buyers chose engagement rings under $100 to make proposals with simply because they don’t want to make expensive decisions without their significant others. Later, a couple will chose a diamond ring together. This can be a perfect strategy to make a great gift and not spend more then you should.

The Costume Jewelry Manufacturing Process

Brass

Brass is best described as a buttery yellow alloy of zinc and copper which has been manufactured for thousands of years all over the world. For jewelry, at least 67% copper and 33% zinc is used. Copper melts at 1083 Celsius and zinc boils at 907 Celsius and silver melts at 960 Celsius. Formulas with varying proportions of copper and zinc are alloyed together colors to achieve different variations of brass.

The color of the alloy will also vary, depending on the amount of zinc: brass gets lighter in color with additional zinc, and can reach a pale yellow stage. With this particular mixture, it helps the brass become stronger and more durable than copper alone, although not as strong as metals like steel. Thus, the perfect mixture for fashion jewelry. Although brass was often made by accident, early intentional brass was actually made with calamine, a mineral which contains zinc. By 200 BC, China was differentiating between brass and bronze, and in 300 AD, Germany and the Netherlands became well known in Europe for their brass.

In 1746, the properties of zinc came to be more generally understood, and England patented the technique for producing brass in 1781. Now brass is used to make several commodities offered in our markets, including Costume Jewelry!

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel used in fashion jewelry can be defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10% chromium content by mass. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode or rust as easily as ordinary steel (it stains less”). It is also called corrosion resistant steel when the alloy type and grade are not detailed, particularly in the aviation industry. There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment to which the material will be subjected in its lifetime.

Common uses of stainless steel are in watches, cutlery, and jewelry. Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by amount of chromium present. Carbon steel rusts when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide. Stainless steels have sufficient amount of chromium present so that a passive film of chromium oxide forms which prevents further corrosion.

Thus it is extensively used in heavy gauge welded components such as jewelry. 316L stainless steel offers higher creep, stress to rupture and tensile strength at elevated temperatures. Therefore, ensures that all our stainless steel jewelry will never warp even if you run over it with a car!

.925 Sterling Silver

.925 sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925 when used for jewelry. Fine silver (99.9% pure) is generally too soft and malleable for jewelry; therefore, the silver is usually alloyed with copper to give it strength, while at the same time preserving the ductility and beauty of the precious metal.

Other metals can replace the copper, usually with the intent to improve various properties of the basic sterling alloy such as reducing casting porosity, eliminating fire-scale, and increasing resistance to tarnish. These replacement metals include germanium, zinc and platinum, as well as a variety of other additives, including silicon and boron.

A number of alloys have appeared in recent years, formulated to lessen fire-scale or to inhibit tarnish, and this has sparked heavy competition among the various manufacturers, who are rushing to make claims of having the best formulation.

Online stores sell wholesale jewelry for all tastes.

Changes in fashion no longer have a minimal influence like they used to a few decades ago: on the contrary, nowadays clothing and jewelry items reach the market very soon after they have been created by international designers. In other words, the distance between high-end and local urban cultures has greatly reduced, thus intensifying the exchange of styles and themes from one area to another. In jewelry, this is very noticeable once you get into a store in a larger city or if you are visiting online wholesale jewelry stores. Facing an ever changing demand, the supply adjusts equally rapidly. Wholesale fashion jewelry stores sell all kind of accessories.

Beyond the materials they are made of, necklaces with additional decorations are very fashionable, as they are ideal both for a simple outfit and for evening gowns. Amber, associated with fine and complex silver workmanship, has regained the attention of many designers, certainly because of the depth of these stones undergoing, in an elegant way, almost the entire grid of colors and shades, from the splendid, copper-colored, classic amber to azure blue and black. Besides the quality of accessories, necklaces have earned a special autonomy, particularly detectable in workmanship on gold. Such a necklace can eclipse any other piece of clothing, offering unrivaled brilliance and importance.

The combinatory technique has reached the universe of fashion rings; they are very varied and combine several metals and many models in a single mount. The main combination starts from silver and uses gold just additionally, but simpler and equally chic rings, made of stainless steel or copper, are equally well seen. Their meaning is complimented by the softness of stones, be it expensive diamonds placed in the center of the mount, or gemstones that receive the finesse through their metal texture.

The rings linked to bracelets have a very rich history in Europe in the last twenty years; these jewels are still the centre of attention: focus on models that exhibit as much as possible the stone color, but remember that they highlight your wrist. The larger the jewel is the finer and more delicate your hand will look.

The traditional theme today no longer refers to a specific area, but to a multitude of traditional trends through which you can express your personality simpler and more elegant. Before you purchase wholesale jewelry, you have to consider that these jewelries are designed as urban solutions for street wear and they barely fit into the context of an evening outfit. In addition, it is a good idea to try to find out what their theme is, because behind these jewelry lies almost every time a specific symbolism. Product descriptions when you choose to buy wholesale fashion jewelry online will help in this direction, giving you the chance to choose according to your suitable needs and beliefs.

Changes in fashion no longer have a minimal influence like they used to a few decades ago: on the contrary, nowadays clothing and jewelry items reach the market very soon after they have been created by international designers. In other words, the distance between high-end and local urban cultures has greatly reduced, thus intensifying the exchange of styles and themes from one area to another. In jewelry, this is very noticeable once you get into a store in a larger city or if you are visiting online wholesale jewelry stores. Facing an ever changing demand, the supply adjusts equally rapidly. Wholesale fashion jewelry stores sell all kind of accessories.

Beyond the materials they are made of, necklaces with additional decorations are very fashionable, as they are ideal both for a simple outfit and for evening gowns. Amber, associated with fine and complex silver workmanship, has regained the attention of many designers, certainly because of the depth of these stones undergoing, in an elegant way, almost the entire grid of colors and shades, from the splendid, copper-colored, classic amber to azure blue and black. Besides the quality of accessories, necklaces have earned a special autonomy, particularly detectable in workmanship on gold. Such a necklace can eclipse any other piece of clothing, offering unrivaled brilliance and importance.

The combinatory technique has reached the universe of fashion rings; they are very varied and combine several metals and many models in a single mount. The main combination starts from silver and uses gold just additionally, but simpler and equally chic rings, made of stainless steel or copper, are equally well seen. Their meaning is complimented by the softness of stones, be it expensive diamonds placed in the center of the mount, or gemstones that receive the finesse through their metal texture.

The rings linked to bracelets have a very rich history in Europe in the last twenty years; these jewels are still the centre of attention: focus on models that exhibit as much as possible the stone color, but remember that they highlight your wrist. The larger the jewel is the finer and more delicate your hand will look.

The traditional theme today no longer refers to a specific area, but to a multitude of traditional trends through which you can express your personality simpler and more elegant. Before you purchase wholesale jewelry, you have to consider that these jewelries are designed as urban solutions for street wear and they barely fit into the context of an evening outfit. In addition, it is a good idea to try to find out what their theme is, because behind these jewelry lies almost every time a specific symbolism. Product descriptions when you choose to buy wholesale fashion jewelry online will help in this direction, giving you the chance to choose according to your suitable needs and beliefs. Fashion jewelry trends tend to change rapidly, according to designers and seasons. But there are some things that will never change regarding jewelry, so if you have found your style you should stick to it. When you buy wholesale jewelry, even wholesale fashion jewelry, you should consider both the general trends and your personal opinions.