Selling and buying and maintenance of jewelry is a big business in today’s economy, and you can either benefit from it, or you can lose out. Whether you are interested in a private collection, or are looking to make some money, how can you be sure that you are making the best choices? Here’s some useful advice that can help you to do well.

Designer jewelry can be pricey and not affordable to someone on a budget. Luckily, there are quality replicas available, and for a price almost anyone can afford. These replicas resemble the real jewelry but without the huge hit to the wallet. You can have the luxury of wearing it whenever you’d like, instead of just on special occasions. They are truly a fashionable, affordable, alternative to designer name jewelry.

If you have a round face, stay away from long dangling earrings. Such earrings generally make your face look rounder and draws attention away from great features you may have. Instead, opt to purchase small dangling earrings or stud earrings for a look that enhances your round face and features.

Buying used jewelry can be a great way to expand your options without spending a lot of money. Look for estate sales or yard sales. Depending on where you live, prices may be lower than antique stores (which use the name “antique” to charge a bit more). Browsing in person can be a fun way to find things you might not have thought to go looking for.

Jewelry can come in sets that include multiple pieces. Matching earrings can be worn with a matching necklace, but if your set includes more than two items, it might be better to only wear one or two at a time. Wearing too many similar items doesn’t look at good as one or two complimentary pieces.

Essential to anyone buying jewelry for reclamation purposes is a pocket-sized gram and carat scale. While a scale can’t determine the purity of the gold and silver you encounter in your jewelry hunting, a pocket scale can at least give you a basic starting point to determine fair pricing and valuing of your jewelry finds.

When purchasing a silver plated piece of jewelry, immediately paint it with a coat of clear nail polish. Doing this will extend the life of the piece. It can also prevent those tiny scrapes and scratches that are so easy to get. Re-paint the piece once every few months for best results.

Navigating all the options that are open to you in the area of jewelry can be a minefield. However, if you are well-informed you can make good decisions and end up with a nice, and valuable, collection.