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Jewelry Secret Reports!
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Buying Gold Jewelry Without Being Ripped-Off
By Sam Serio
Buying gold jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you’re considering a gift of gold jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here’s some information to help you get the best quality gold jewelry for your money, whether you’re shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online.
Gold
The word gold, used by itself, means all gold or 24 karat (24K) gold. Because 24K gold is soft, it’s usually mixed with other metals to increase its hardness and durability. If a piece of jewelry
is not 24 karat gold, the karat quality should accompany any claim that the item is gold.
The karat quality marking tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. The higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry.
Most jewelry is marked with its karat quality, although marking is not required by law. Near the karat quality mark, you should see the name of the U.S. registered trademark of the company that will stand behind the mark. The trademark may be in the form of a name, symbol or initials. If you don’t see a trademark accompanying a quality mark on a piece of jewelry, look for another piece.
Solid gold refers to an item made of any karat gold, if the inside of the item is not hollow. The proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry still is determined by the karat mark.
Jewelry can be plated with gold in a variety of ways. Gold plate refers to items that are either mechanically plated, electroplated, or plated by any other means with gold to a base metal. Eventually, gold plating wears away, but how soon will depend on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.
Gold-filled, gold overlay and rolled gold plate are terms used to describe jewelry that has a layer of at least 10 karat gold mechanically bonded to a base metal. If the jewelry is marked with one of these terms, the term or abbreviation should follow the karat quality of the gold used (for example, 14K Gold Overlay or 12K RGP). If the layer of karat gold is less than 1/20th of the total weight of the item, any marking must state the actual percentage of karat gold, such as 1/40 14K Gold Overlay.
Gold electroplate describes jewelry that has a layer (at least .175 microns thick) of a minimum of 10 karat gold deposited on a base metal by an electrolytic process. The terms gold flashed or gold washed describe products that have an extremely thin electroplating of gold (less than .175 microns thick). This will wear away more quickly than gold plate, gold-filled or gold electroplate.
About the Author
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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Online Jewelry Auction Sites
eBay Jewelry -
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ubid Jewelry - This site gets less traffic than eBay, so you can often find excellent bargains. Most auctions start at $1, and you can save up to 70% on jewelry.
Specialty Jewelry Retailers
Heavenly Treasures -
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Italian Charm Bracelets -
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Je Gem Artisan Gemstones -
Premier artisan gemstone jewelry specializing in modern and traditional birthstones, hand selected and handcrafted by gifted designers using techniques handed down for generations.
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Jewelry & Diamond Wholesalers
Jewelry Television™ -
Their mission is to open the world of fine jewelry and gemstones to everyone. Whether it’s a special gift, rare gemstone, or fast-paced auction that you’re looking for, Jewelry Television™ has it all!
Ultra Diamonds -
Ultra's buyers travel the globe to find the best deals in fine jewelry and then pass those savings on to you. They reinforce this philosophy with a "Lowest Price Guarantee" - if you find a lower priced identical piece, they will beat that price.
GoldenMine -
They offer the largest selection of gold jewelry at wholesale prices. Gram per gram, carat per carat, GoldenMine always offers the lowest prices on the web so you are guaranteed to save money.
Goldspeed.com -
With over 50,000 different items available for immediate shipment they are arguably the largest online jewelry retailer, earning the prestigious Yahoo! 5-Star Top Service Award each year since they began in 1999.
CZ Jewelry -
They are America's # 1 cubic zirconia jewelry manufacturer. Their jewelry is made so beautifully, and with such precision, it will look like you have been shopping at a world class diamond jewelry store.
Jewelry Avenue -
With over 30 years of experience, they offer high-quality diamonds and jewelry at outstanding prices, and are committed to providing customers with the best value, quality, service, and selection on the web.
Watches
eWatches.com -
They only offer name brand watches and watch lines of proven quality. Don't get scammed into buying a fake watch online. It's worth buying from a trusted source like eWatches.com.
FOSSIL - The maker of the popular FOSSIL and RELIC watch lines offers great deals online, and also a very cool build-your-own-watch online tool where you can design and order your own custom watch.
Don't forget to bookmark this page so you can come back whenever you need to find a great jewelry deal.
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