Are you planning a gift of jewelry for your belove girl or boy? The holidays mean so much too so many. Whether it’s for yourself or for someone you love, build in time to get a good background on the subject. The holidays are a time for all to reflect on the year that has so quickly gone by and most importantly, it allows us to show our appreciation to the ones we love by giving them a special gift. If you decide to order online, check on the reputation of the store with the Better Business Bureau or your local attorney general’s office. It means good-eating, cozy decorations, happy children and spending quality time with family and friends. Before you buy from a local jeweler, check prices online to find out what range is normal for the piece you’re looking at. If you’re auction shopping for fashion jewelry, get familiar with the safeguards to know before you by at an online auction. Learning more about jewelry is a fascinating subject even if you’re not in the market right now and the more you know, the happier you’ll be when it comes time to make a big purchase.

The more research you do before you make the purchase, the happier you’ll be afterwards. Make sure you know how a particular scale and grade represents the color of the diamond you’re considering. Ordering online? Keep printouts of the web pages and any receipts – including email messages – anything that has details about the transaction, including prices, refund information and return policies. Shopping for earrings is probably the most difficult of all jewelry purchases. Finding the perfect ring at the perfect price can be a daunting task, but don’t worry. A pair of earrings can change a woman’s look completely. Here are some tips to help you out. Honestly, you may misinterpret what is being said. Ask your salesperson to write down any information about the fashion jewelry. If you save these on your computer – make a backup copy on a disk! This is one stone that you should always make sure to purchase from a jeweler you trust. It marks a huge turning point in your life, and carries a lot of meaning and symbolism. When you’re buying a diamond, look for the famous 4 C’s: cut, color, clarity and carats (weight). If you’re not satisfied, you’ll need all of these to return your purchase. If you see it in writing you’ll be clearer and you also have documentation to back you up if there is a problem later. Even then, getting a certificate and having the stone appraised by another jeweler is a good idea. It can be done. Buying an engagement fashion ring is a major decision. 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. Each of these will affect the price. Any assurances that are not in writing are open to question. A “D” may be the best color for one scale, but not for another. Color is sometimes “graded” on a scale, but not every scale is identical. It can even change the shape of a woman’s face.

You also want to look for earring posts that are lead free.

Hoop earrings, oval shaped earrings and oversized earrings can round off a woman’s face. Cross necklaces and other religious pendant necklaces can express our faith and devotion. Jewelry truly understands the importance of a necklace. There are many types of costume jewelry necklaces to shop for and there are certain things to look out for in making sure that you are purchasing a higher quality piece. 1 inch to your measurement to allow for needed room. If this is a common problem, you should make sure earring posts are crafted from sterling silver. Many of us aren’t quite sure what size bracelet will fit our wrists, especially when shopping for sterling silver and costume jewelry bracelets online. Necklaces with sayings, horn necklaces and heart pendant necklaces can show off our sexy side. Chandelier earrings and colorful CZ earrings can bring a much needed brightness to our favorite black cocktail evening dress. Make sure to add ? So, if you’re looking for a complimenting necklace for a low-cut shirt or dress, you can pick one that is longer than 18 inches or if you are looking for a pendant necklace to sit properly with a high-cut shirt, blouse or dress you can search for a 16 inch choker necklace or 18 inch collar bone necklace. As a general rule, earrings less than 20 grams are pretty average and can be worn comfortably. Learn more about storing sterling silver and costume jewelry. Necklaces are jewelrysaga’s most popular category. With costume jewelry bracelets being so affordable, you can pick up all different styles and colors to pair with your outfits everyday of the week. You also want to look for earring posts that are lead free. However, you can simply measure your wrist with a string, mark it and then lay it next to a ruler or use a garment measuring tape in inches, since most bracelets sizes are shown in inches. All of Jewelrysaga’s necklaces offer detailed descriptions, including the length and type of closure. A linked watch can be adjusted easily by a local jeweler but bracelets often cannot. Another issue is sensitivity and allergic reactions to metal earring posts. Pearl studs and pearl dangling earrings can offer a sense of sophistication and confidence with a power suit! When shopping for faux gemstones and bead necklaces, you want to make sure that you avoid those that are crafted with plastic. Keep the beauty of your sterling silver bracelets and costume jewelry bracelets by storing them properly (our favorite- zip locks!) and keeping them away from any type of moisture from cosmetics to water and perspiration. The length of a necklace is just as important. We choose a style of earrings to work with our attire. One issue many of us have is the weight of a pair of earrings. Many of us wear a sterling silver necklace or costume pendant necklace as a way to express our personalities and to also enhance our look. Titanium posts are also a good option in avoiding allergic reactions. Sterling silver stud earrings may be the most glitz we can wear for a day at the office. It is uncomfortable for many to wear a pair of earrings that are heavy in weight.

Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of other metals, usually copper. In support of this he cites the fact that one of the first acts of the Normans was to restore the coinage to the consistent weight and purity it had in the days of Offa, King of Mercia. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the most plausible etymology is a derivation from a late Old English steorling (with, or like, a ‘little star’), as some early Norman pennies were imprinted with a small star. The British numismatist Philip Grierson disagrees with the “star” etymology, as the stars appeared on Norman pennies only for the single three-year issue from 1077 to 1080 (the Normans changed coin designs every three years). Their Kontor, the Steelyard of London, was called Easterlings Hall, or Esterlingeshalle. The claim has been made in Henry Spelman’s glossary (Glossarium Archaiologicum) as referenced in Commentaries on the Laws of England by William Blackstone. Fine silver, which is 99.9% pure silver, is relatively soft, so silver is usually alloyed with copper to increase its hardness and strength. In 1260, Henry III granted them a charter of protection. One of the earliest attestations of the term is in Old French form esterlin, in a charter of the abbey of Les Préaux, dating to either 1085 or 1104. The English chronicler Orderic Vitalis (1075 – c. The word in origin refers to the newly introduced Norman silver penny. Byzantine solidus, originally known as the solidus aureus meaning ‘solid gold’ or ‘reliable gold’. 1300) with the explanation that the coin was originally made by moneyers from that region. By 1854, the tie between Easterling and Sterling was well-established, as Ronald Zupko quotes in his dictionary of weights. 1142) uses the Latin forms libræ sterilensium and libræ sterilensis monetæ. Because the League’s money was not frequently debased like that of England, English traders stipulated to be paid in pounds of the Easterlings, which was contracted to sterling. Another argument is that the Hanseatic League was the source for both the origin of its definition and manufacture, and in its name is that the German name for the Baltic is Ostsee, or ‘East Sea’, and from this the Baltic merchants were called “Osterlings”, or “Easterlings”. Recent examples of these alloys include argentium, sterlium and silvadium. Such elements include germanium, zinc, platinum, silicon, and boron. The Hanseatic League was officially active in the London trade from 1266 to 1597. This etymology may have been first suggested by Walter de Pinchebek (c.

REX (“King Henry”) but this was added later, in the reign of Henry III.

This would have been perceived as a contrast to the progressive debasement of the intervening 200 years, and would therefore be a likely source for a nickname. In Colonial America, sterling silver was used for currency and general goods as well. Between 1634 and 1776, some 500 silversmiths created items in the “New World” ranging from simple buckles to ornate Rococo coffee pots. 3⁄4 pennyweights of alloy, with 20 pennyweights to the troy ounce. Although silversmiths of this era were typically familiar with all precious metals, they primarily worked in sterling silver. Stamping each of their pieces with their personal maker’s mark, colonial silversmiths relied upon their own status to guarantee the quality and composition of their products. REX (“King Henry”) but this was added later, in the reign of Henry III. 12th century in the area that is now northern Germany. A piece of sterling silver dating from Henry II’s reign was used as a standard in the Trial of the Pyx until it was deposited at the Royal Mint in 1843. It bears the royal stamp ENRI. Casting was frequently the first step in manufacturing silver – www.selfridges.com – pieces, as silver workers would melt down sterling silver into easily manageable ingots. Colonial silversmiths used many of the techniques developed by those in Europe. The colonies lacked an assay office during this time (the first would be established in 1814), so American silversmiths adhered to the standard set by the London Goldsmiths Company: sterling silver consisted of 91.5-92.5% by weight silver and 8.5-7.5 wt% copper.