How Do You Know if the Jewellery Is of High Quality?

Jewellery prices fluctuate wildly. Items we hold in high esteem may only be worth a few dollars, while what appears to be a simple chain may be worth hundreds. Take for example the time you found a piece of jewellery on the ground or won a stunning stone at a yard sale. 

So you've probably experienced the thrill of wondering whether or not your shiny new treasure is actually worth anything at all. Before you pay over the cash and take your long-lost gem to a jewellery appraiser, there are a few things you may look for first.

What kind of metal is being used should be the primary concern. Some factories cut costs wherever they can in pursuit of higher profits. Plating metal is one such method. This means that only the surface of the jewellery is made of the real metal. Discover the perfect symbol of your love with Temple & Grace's exquisite collection of lab wedding rings, crafted with passion and precision.

On the inside, though, is usually some scrap metal that has no business being exposed to the elements. In the event that the plating on the metal were to ever peel off, the underlying metal would be in direct touch with your skin.

How to Determine the Value of Your Jewelry

Is it a respectable seller?

Be vigilant while bidding on online auction sites like eBay or Shpock, or looking through classified ads on sites like Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace. Even though you can save a lot of money using these sites, they are not monitored, so anyone can join and start selling. It's important to look into the seller and their past comments. Read up on what other people's experiences have been like on the sites you're considering using by looking up reviews. Check the listing to see if the product is brand new. Is a photo available? Is the merchant showing generic examples or your actual item? Always be wary when making purchases from unregulated marketplaces like this, as fakes may easily flourish there. A better strategy is to only buy jewellery from reputable retailers that can guarantee the authenticity of the pieces they sell.

If you buy vintage jewellery from just any store, whether it's online or in person, you're almost guaranteed to get fakes and overpay. For this reason, it's crucial that you identify and stick to the most reliable suppliers while shopping for vintage jewellery. Berganza's vintage rings are a fantastic example; they feature interesting and beautiful designs alongside useful contextual information like the year of manufacture. If you want to show that, say, a ring is vintage, you need to know that it was produced before the year 2000, but not all merchants will tell you that.

Check the branding

If it's a high-end brand, the logo or other identifying feature of the manufacturer will be included with the product. This is how you can tell if the designer's name is indeed on the item. Many manufacturers of counterfeit jewellery now include false hallmarks in their pieces. They may appear authentic at first glance, but upon closer inspection, red flags become apparent. Verify that the hallmark on your jewellery precisely matches the designer by paying special attention to typefaces, layouts, and spellings.

Check the quality

In most cases, you can tell right immediately if an item is fake because of obvious quality issues. Check the quality of the craftsmanship of your jewellery and make any necessary adjustments. Links in a bracelet or necklace shouldn't be tight or pinchy; instead, they should be smooth and substantial. If you own a piece of jewellery, such a ring, that features a stone, you should examine the mounting and setting of the stone to ensure its security. The stones in costume jewellery are often glued in place rather than being securely set, but a careful observer can spot the difference. All of these things may appear evident at first, but they are easy to miss when looking at a photo online or in a magazine.

Check the stones

Even while poorly made jewellery is usually simple to recognise, a fake can be tipped off by a stone that is too flawless. Natural inclusions within a gemstone are not flaws, but evidence that the stone is genuine. Diamonds are also generated naturally; however, their internal flaws are often only visible under a microscope. The extremely smooth surface of glass and plastic used to produce fake diamonds and other precious stones is a dead giveaway.

Did you receive certification and documentation?

Diamond jewellery purchases should always come with a certificate verifying the stone's origin and quality. The GIA, the IGI, or the EGL are all acceptable sources. Make sure to request certification when purchasing jewellery. Be careful to read any additional instructions, such as those pertaining to cleaning and maintenance, that may come with your jewellery purchase. It's important to keep an eye out for red flags, such as poor printing quality, incorrect grammar, and spelling, which could indicate that a product is counterfeit.

Examine the Jewelry Style

You can tell a lot about a piece of jewelry's authenticity and age just by looking at its design. This is due to the fact that jewellery, like other forms of apparel, has evolved to capture the aesthetics of various time periods. Silver, white gold, platinum, or at least a metal that appears like silver are all appropriate for jewellery from the 1910–1930 time period, which is when the trend towards white metal began. Despite its widespread use, gold was in short supply during World War II, thus jewellery makers often had to resort to bonding gold with silver. Keeping these things in mind while you browse for jewellery can help you choose authentic vintage pieces.

Look for hallmarks

When you get a new piece of jewellery, one of the first things you can do is inspect it for hallmarks. Usually, we can tell the piece's metal content from one hallmark, and its country of origin, designer, or maker from a second. You'll most often find these inscriptions on the back of a necklace clasp, inside a ring or bracelet, or on the back of an earring post. Every fine jewellery should be hallmarked, unless the piece is more than a century old or the hallmark has been worn away.

Some common gold hallmarks include 18K, 14K, 10K, 750, 585, and 375. For example, 950, PLAT, and PLAT are all typical hallmarks for platinum. The numbers 925, Silver, 800, and Sterling are all typical hallmarks for silver. There are a wide variety of hallmarks, but the fact that your jewellery has one at all is generally indicative of its quality.

Get it appraised if you think it might be old but it doesn't have a hallmark. New jewellery without hallmarks is probably only costume jewellery.

Check the weight of the item.

In evaluating necklaces and bracelets, this is of fundamental importance. In general, gold and silver are more dense than their alloys, brass and pewter. An obvious telltale sign of false or hollow gold is a thicker chain that is noticeably lighter than others of same weight.

Pieces of jewellery made from solid gold are uniformly shiny, substantial, and smooth. An example would be a gold-colored chain that has worn darker or even silverier in spots due to heavy use; this is likely a gold-plated chain and not worth much. Any exposed metal in a piece of jewellery made of solid gold or platinum should maintain its original hue as it wears down. Fortunately, white gold is an exception to this rule.

Chains are normally more valuable if they are longer and heavier, so if you are shopping for gold or platinum, go for the heavier and longer options.

Inspect the prongs

The stones in most costume jewellery are set with glue, but prongs are used in other pieces. A cameo brooch with no visible prongs or other means of securing the cameo to the setting is likely costume jewellery and not worth anything. Except for pearls, all stones in fine jewellery will be set in elaborate bezels or prongs.

A piece of vintage costume jewellery with numerous sparkling stones set with prongs may be worth more than you think. In some cases, the value of these items can rival that of high-end jewellery. In addition to being old and in good condition, the piece should be brimming with sparkling, spotless stones of varying colours and be securely set in prongs.

No filler, please.

The usage of fillers is another hallmark of low-quality body jewellery. When real metal is combined with a lesser metal in order to reduce its weight, the result is disastrous. This practise is common in businesses that are trying to reduce production costs at the expense of worker health. Many people are allergic to nickel, which is the most frequent low-grade metal filler because it irritates the skin. Absolutely not safe. Don't even think about it.

High Quality Threading Only

The threading problem also has to be addressed. Despite appearances, the difference between exterior and internal threading is substantial. So, how do you differentiate between the two? Try to guess what will be protruding through the surface of the item you're looking at. This is quite perilous if that part must thread onto it. Whether putting it on or taking it off, you could easily cut or puncture your skin with the sharp object. As a general rule, the post of any body jewellery you wear should be smooth and round.

Sterilized for Wear

Sterilizing your fine jewellery is a must if you want to feel safe wearing it. High-pressure steam at high temperatures is the most effective method for this, as it is more than capable of destroying the germs and bacteria that can accumulate over time. Bacteria can easily proliferate on the object if you use a different approach, like boiling it.

A Mirror Finish

Top-notch body jewellery will have a reflective sheen. It will not only make your skin appear great, but it will also be quite kind to it. Over time, your skin can become inflamed and desensitised if it comes into contact with anything abrasive or uneven. The healing process can be slowed and additional scar tissue formed if you do this while your piercing is still fresh. Make sure your work sparkles like a real diamond. Or else you'll come to deeply regret your decision.

Always Long-Lasting

To a greater extent, your investment will be preserved over time, the more you spend on it. Poor craftsmanship and low-quality materials can quickly ruin a beautiful piece of jewellery. If you're going to invest in jewellery, choose only pure metals (gold is the best), make sure the stones are of high quality, and steer clear of acrylic. Complete perfection is required for an item to pass inspection. There shouldn't be any rough spots, chips, or flaws in the finish. To get the item fixed or replaced, return it if necessary. Always put your safety first.

Now, it's not exactly simple to look for these signs in the wild. Your best bet is to simply call or email the store you plan to buy from and enquire about the quality of their body jewellery. Finding out if the products they produce are of high quality and safe to wear is as simple as asking the questions we've been discussing. You can also enquire at a nearby piercing shop about the quality of the product. Finally, cost is a strong indication of value. Many shoppers, especially those who are less savvy, are drawn to inexpensive body jewellery because of its apparent allure.

Illegal Marking

Merchandise made of gold or silver will typically be stamped with a recognised hallmark that attests to the metal's authenticity.

Having a purity level of 92.5%, as shown by the 925 mark on silver, is an example of such a certification. Today, this is the American insignia most frequently seen on silver jewellery. A hallmark of genuine vintage jewellery is the letters "Ster," "Sterling," or "STG."

It's not silver if there's no hallmark on it, even if it looks like silver.

Sadly, dishonest people buy low-quality metals that pass for silver and then forge jeweler's marks on them. Anyone can buy one of these items on eBay or at a jewellery supply store.

The only way to tell if an item is genuine silver is to put it through an acid test unless you have a very good eye for it. I'll explain this approach in greater depth later on.

Fakes Will Fool You

It is possible to make fake jewellery look almost identical to the real thing. Similarly to silver, determining the authenticity of gold requires either a trained eye or scientific testing.

Carrying a powerful, compact magnet and holding it near the object is a simple method. Neither gold nor silver can be magnetised. However, if an item has been severely plated, the test will be inaccurate since the plating will prevent accurate identification of the underlying metal.

Much like with silver, a counterfeiter would have little trouble forging a stamp on a product. There is no guarantee that a ring's 14k gold stamp is accurate.

Only by subjecting a suspected fake to an acid test can you be sure.

Keep in mind that the defining characteristic of vintage jewellery is its pre-1989 manufacturing or creation date. Used jewellery is defined as anything produced after 1989. If the jewellery was well-made, it should continue to serve its purpose even after many years. Thus, inspect it to ensure that there are no weak spots, the clasps close securely, and the chain is straight and unbent. In addition, any gemstones used should be securely set, polished, and eye-catching. Stones that are supposed to be transparent or white, for instance, should never come across as clouded, yellow, or even grey. Also, the plating should still be there.

Be cautious while purchasing antique jewellery, since many vendors try to pass off fakes as the real thing. You should familiarise yourself with the aesthetic of vintage jewellery and only buy from trusted sellers who can provide you with a firm year of manufacture.

Conclusion

The wild swings in jewellery prices make it hard to tell if an item is of good quality. There are a number of factors that go into establishing a jewelry's value, including the type of metal used, the reputation of the seller, the age of the listing, the availability of a photo, and whether or not the merchant is showing stock photos or the actual item. Shop only at reputable stores that stand behind the authenticity of the merchandise they sell. When searching for vintage jewellery, it is crucial to find the most trustworthy vendors and stick with them. Verify the jewellery's authenticity by looking at its certification and documentation as well as the quality of its craftsmanship, branding, stones, mounting, and setting.

Solid gold jewellery is uniformly shiny, substantial, and smooth, and it should retain its original colour even after extensive use. If you are looking for a gold or platinum chain, the longer and heavier the better. The cameo should be glued or otherwise secured in place in the setting before the prongs are added, and the stones should be clean and brilliant in colour. The use of filler is not recommended because of the potential for skin irritation and the lack of safety. When it comes to jewellery that is worn on the body, the issue of threading is a major one.

Identifying what will stick out from the item's surface is a good indicator of whether the threading is on the inside or the outside. Any body jewellery you plan on wearing should have a round, smooth post that has been properly sterilised and polished so that it sparkles in the light. Choose only pure metals, inspect the stones thoroughly to ensure their quality, and avoid acrylic if you want your jewellery to last. Put your safety first at all times. It's smart to contact the shop you want to buy from beforehand to find out what kind of quality assurance measures they have in place for their body jewellery.

Content Summary

• Jewellery prices fluctuate wildly.
• What kind of metal is being used should be the primary concern.
• This means that only the surface of the jewellery is made of real metal.
• Be vigilant while bidding on online auction sites like eBay or Shpock, or looking through classified ads on sites like Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace.
• Check the listing to see if the product is brand new.
• A better strategy is to only buy jewellery from reputable retailers that can guarantee the authenticity of the pieces they sell.
• For this reason, it's crucial that you identify and stick to the most reliable suppliers while shopping for vintage jewellery.
• Check the quality of the craftsmanship of your jewellery and make any necessary adjustments.
• Diamond jewellery purchases should always come with a certificate verifying the stone's origin and quality.
• You can tell a lot about a piece of jewelry's authenticity and age just by looking at its design.
• When you get a new piece of jewellery, one of the first things you can do is inspect it for hallmarks.
• Pieces of jewellery made from solid gold are uniformly shiny, substantial, and smooth.
• Any exposed metal in a piece of jewellery made of solid gold or platinum should maintain its original hue as it wears down.
• The threading problem also has to be addressed.
• Try to guess what will be protruding through the surface of the item you're looking at.
• Poor craftsmanship and low-quality materials can quickly ruin a beautiful piece of jewellery.
• Now, it's not exactly simple to look for these signs in the wild.
• Your best bet is to simply call or email the store you plan to buy from and enquire about the quality of their body jewellery.
• You can also enquire at a nearby piercing shop about the quality of the product.
• Finally, cost is a strong indication of value.
• A hallmark of genuine vintage jewellery is the letters "Ster," "Sterling," or "STG."It's not silver if there's no hallmark on it, even if it looks like silver.
• Sadly, dishonest people buy low-quality metals that pass for silver and then forge jeweler's marks on them.
• Anyone can buy one of these items on eBay or at a jewellery supply store.
• It is possible to make fake jewellery look almost identical to the real thing.
• Similarly to silver, determining the authenticity of gold requires either a trained eye or scientific testing.
• Only by subjecting a suspected fake to an acid test can you be sure.
• Keep in mind that the defining characteristic of vintage jewellery is its pre-1989 manufacturing or creation date.
• Be cautious while purchasing antique jewellery, since many vendors try to pass off fakes as the real thing.