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Jewelry - Mother's Day Gift Ideas
By Sam and Tami Serio
Morning Light
Jewelry
Jewelry can be the perfect gift for mom on Mother's Day, but there are
pitfalls, especially if you rush at the last minute. Procrastination and a
lack of knowledge can be rewarded with overpaying for a piece of jewelry
or even worse, being ripped-off.
A gift of jewelry can be expensive. Asking friends, family and co-workers
if they can recommend a website, brick and mortar store or local crafts
person can help. Checking with the better business bureau is also a
commendable approach.
When you are shopping, ask the salesperson to write down any information
you might rely on to make your purchase and before you buy, ask for the
store's refund and return policy. When ordering online, keep printouts of
the web pages with details about the transaction, including refund and
return policies if you're not satisfied.
Six Smart Shopping Tips for Mother's Day and Beyond
1. There's a big difference between 14 karat gold and gold-plated jewelry.
Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in
throughout with 10 parts of base metal. Gold-plated describes jewelry with
a layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal. Gold plating
eventually wears away, depending on how often the item is worn and how
thick the plating is.
2. If you're buying a watch, determine whether you want one that runs on a
battery or one that must be wound daily. Ask if a warranty or guarantee is
included, how long it lasts, and what parts and repair problems it covers.
Also ask how and where you can get the watch serviced and repaired.
3. Know the difference between laboratory-created gemstones and naturally
mined stones. Stones created in the lab are visually identical to stones
mined from the earth. The big difference is in the cost:
laboratory-created stones are less expensive then naturally mined stones.
But because they look must like stones mined from the earth, they must be
identified as lab-created. If you want a naturally mined stone, ask if it
has been treated. Gemstone treatments- such as heating, dyeing or
bleaching- can improve a stone's appearance or durability. Some treatments
are permanent; some may create special care requirements. Treatments also
may affect the stone's value.
4. Ask whether pearls are imitation or real. Real pearls are made by
oysters or other mollusks; imitation pearls are man-made. Cultured pearls
are made by mollusks with human intervention; and irritant introduced into
their shells causes a pearl to grow. Real pearls that are not cultured are
fairly rare and expensive. The cost depends on the size, usually stated in
millimeters, and the coating or "nacre" on a real pearl, which gives it
its iridescence.
5. When you're buying a diamond, consider four criteria: cut, color,
clarity and weight, usually stated as carats. Each factor affects the
price. Color is sometimes "graded" on a scale. However, scales are not
uniform: a "D" may be the best color for one scale, but not for another.
Make sure you know how a particular scale and grade represent the color of
the diamond you're considering. A diamond can be described as "flawless"
only if it has no visible surface cracks or other imperfections when
viewed under 10-power magnification by a skilled diamond grader.
6. One final tip, Mom's love longer (i.e. 24") gold or sterling chains
with gemstone pendants. And you can almost never go wrong with the very
popular omega-style chains in various widths in sterling silver or gold.
The Authors
of the above Article, Sam and Tami Serio have been passionately involved
with Jewelry and Gemstones for over fifteen-years. You are cordially
invited to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com for a wealth of
information about the fascinating world of Jewelry and Gemstones. Together
they also shelter 20 abandoned and abused dogs & cats. A portion of their
profits goes to the care and feeding of the animals.
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