jewelry

Why Jewelry is Fun!

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Written by our sales lady, Ashley Stone.

 

I love jewelry! Matching my jewelry with my day to day outfits is so fun! Adding that pop of color to a simpler outfit makes that statement I am going for. I also get enjoyment when I wear my diamond cross pendant with a simple, elegant white gold chain. Expressing my religion is very important to me and an important part to who I am as a person, therefore it brings me joy wearing those pieces of jewelry.

I love how jewelry is an expression of oneself and really has no right or wrong to it, because everyone is different and has different tastes. From the trends of layering multiple chains together, to stacking rings on the same finger, jewelry is meant to be a reflection of who you are! For instance, when i wear my pearl necklace with my white gold and diamond dangle pearl earrings it makes me feel sophisticated and classic! Others may say, “pearls are so out of style” but that is just another example of how jewelry unique to each individual. I am more of a subtle jewelry wearer because thats the kind of person I am, quiet and traditional. I do not care for large, gaudy cocktail rings, or large colored gemstone rings….and yet still love my diamonds and amethyst dangle earrings. Others love that big, loud style and it looks great on them…more power to ya! =)

Most importantly, Jewelry also often has a lot of sentimental attachment- more than likely many of our customers have seen me wear a yellow gold omega chain. I love that chain because it was given to me by a special family member, and jewelry is unique in that often its a gift that someone can keep their entire life if they take care of it. There aren’t many other things you can give a high schooler that they will still love when they are 40. I love my iPad and my iPhone, but in 5 years they will be completely obsolete and practically worthless. The jewelry I’ve been given will last me my whole lifetime, and then I hope to be able to pass them down!

I hope you enjoyed this lil article, I promise to write you guys something again soon!

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Identifying Quality Jewelry

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Quality jewelry is jewelry that lasts, that looks good throughout the years, and that doesn’t fall apart when you wear it every day. With so many jewelry products available to buy, how can a normal person know which ones are quality? Fortunately, even if you aren’t a gemologist, there are many easy ways to tell if a piece is worth your money.

Don’t trust the mall, the TV, or places you visit on a cruise to sell quality jewelry!

Most major “rip-offs” in jewelry come from two places, mall chains and TV sales channels; with cruise ships easily being third. The majority of pieces that they sell are either grossly overpriced, easy to break and virtually unrepairable, or not what they claim to be.

Stay away from hollow!

Some retailers sell pieces that are comprised of hollowed out metal. This is a dishonest way for places to make it seem like they are charging less for the same product. While it saves cost in metal weight, hollow pieces are extremely easy to break and very difficult or impossible to repair. Hollow chains and bracelets might cost half of what the same size piece would cost, but will likely fall apart before a year passes. At Silver City we carry only solid pieces that should last you a lifetime.

Plating never lasts!

There are many examples of pieces being plated in the jewelry industry. Gold plated silver is sold as a cheaper alternative to yellow gold. Sterling silver is sold with rhodium plating that makes it look whiter then sterling’s natural color. Some white or yellow gold pieces are sold with plating in areas that show designs or make it look fancy with two colors. All plating will come off quickly and is impossible or extremely cost inefficient to redo.

Be wary of tiny diamonds!

Many popular styles of jewelry include lots of tiny diamonds in a large cluster. This allows retailers to claim that the piece has a high total carat weight while saving themselves cost. Often these stones are supported by very little and will fall out constantly with wear. Even if you like the cluster style, buying a piece with fewer, larger diamonds will normally result in a piece that stays together better.

Magic/illusion set rings are big trouble!

Magic or illusion set rings are where manufacturers set many smaller stones together to make it appear like one larger stone. These stones put together with each other like a jigsaw puzzle and can easily fall out. If one of the stones does fall out, the ring can be entirely ruined with no way to repair it. At Silver City we refuse to sell magic set rings and advise people to never buy them.

At Silver City we only sell pieces that meet our high quality standard!

With over 150 years of combined jewelry experience, we only sell pieces that know are well made and that we are confident will last. Come see our selection today!

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How to Clean Jewelry

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At Silver City we are always happy to offer free jewelry cleaning if you stop by during regular hours. However, if you need to clean your jewelry at home, it’s a simple and easy process. First, get a cleaning solution that works for your metal; gold and platinum use the same cleaner while silver uses a stronger liquid. At Silver City, we sell a few different cleaning solutions for about $7 each.

For gold and platinum, the goal is to remove any dirt or residue that has gotten behind stones or in small openings in the metal, and you’ll want to soak your jewelry in the solution anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours. It may be helpful to use a toothbrush to brush around the stones. After removing the jewelry from the liquid, inspect it to make sure that you haven’t lost any stones in the cleaning solution, rinse it with water, and dry it off.

For silver pieces, the cleaning solution is much more powerful and designed to quickly remove any tarnish. Dip the silver piece in the cleaner and then take it out after a few seconds, look to see if there is any more tarnish that the cleaner has failed to remove, and if so, then dip it again. If the piece is clean, then rinse it with water. If your sterling piece is now nice and white, but lacks shine, you can use a polishing cloth, which you can buy at Silver City for about $7, to polish the piece until it is nice and shiny.

IMPORTANT-What not to do while cleaning!

Never mix metals in a cleaner! You can clean multiple pieces of gold but never pieces of gold and silver at the same time.

Never let pieces sit in silver cleaner for a long time! The silver cleaning solution is a very mild acid that can harm your jewelry after a few minutes.

Be safe with the chemicals! Make sure to minimize any contact that your skin has directly with the cleaners. They won’t hurt you just by accidently getting on your fingers while dipping your jewelry but prolonged exposure should be avoided. And, like most household cleaners, jewelry cleaner can be harmful if ingested or if it gets in the eyes.

If these cleaning methods fail to achieve the desired results, bring us the piece, and we can professionally polish, steam, and use an ultra-sonic cleaner to make it look brand new.

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Gifts for Her

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If you are looking to buy jewelry as a gift for a wife, girlfriend, or mom, it can be difficult to choose. Jewelry comes in many shapes and sizes, and there are many options to choose from. If you come to Silver City, our jewelry specialists will help you choose a great gift. If you can’t come in or you’d like think about it ahead of time, this is a quick guide to get you on the right track.

Yellow or White Gold?

Most women either wear only yellow or only white gold. If you aren’t sure which one she likes, look at the jewelry she’s wearing next time you see her. If she wears no jewelry at all or you can’t figure it out, today’s most popular choice for women is to wear white gold.

Birthstones or Diamonds?

If you are looking for a nice piece of jewelry without breaking the budget, a piece with a birthstone is always the first place we recommend. Birthstones are thoughtful, traditional, and sentimental. At Silver City, we have a huge inventory of birthstone jewelry, with genuine and lab-created varieties available. If you want a custom approach instead, we can make a piece to your exact specifications. If you don’t know that she loves her birthstone, or you want to make a bigger statement, diamond jewelry is always a winner. There are diamond pieces of all kinds available at many price points. You don’t have to spend a fortune to buy a nice diamond piece!

Earrings, Pendants, Rings, Necklaces, or Bracelets?

Earrings are a piece of jewelry that most girls can never have too many of. A nice pair of birthstone earrings is always a solid, affordable choice if you aren’t sure what she likes. Rings are the next most consistent choice, if you know the kind of ring she likes. Some women love large stones, and some prefer subtle, petite rings. Like earrings, women can always have more than one ring! If you know that she has a nice chain to hang it from, then pendants are also a lovely gift. Pendants, like rings and earrings, have the advantage of being useful to women for matching specific outfits. If you know that she doesn’t have a nice chain, then that may be the best answer for you. Women’s chains are usually one of the cheapest jewelry options, and you may have enough money left over to buy her a pendant too! Finally, if none of these options sound like the right answer, there are bracelets and gemstone necklaces available. Bracelets and necklaces usually have much more metal in them than other pieces, which can increase costs, but they are also often more impressive.

Still not sure? Come see us!

Our staff are expert jewelry professionals, and we will go through our huge inventory with you to find a piece you (and she) will love!

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