I have recieved many comments as to what are the differences in the materials that i use, so here's a guide as to what goes into making a piece of jewellery and what you are paying for.
1.
Workmanship
The first thing to look at is the overall construction of the piece.
Does it look rough or more refined?
Does it look like it can be worn without breaking?
Please know that
all hand-crafted jewellery are more fragile than machine-produced pieces.
So treat your pieces with care and they'll last a lot longer.
Look for
neat wirework.
Think of sloppy wirework as loose buttons on a shirt -- they may look good on the surface, but sooner or later, your shirt comes apart.
Clasps should be sturdy.
Heavier pieces need sturdier clasps but delicate pieces do not need such chunky clasps.
No beading wire should stick out of necklaces or bracelets.
Even a tiny bit can irritate your skin.
In the case of handmade 925silver jewellery, make sure that there are no
sharp edges or jutting edges that may cut your skin or clothes.
Unless intentional, your jewellery should look clean and smooth without any form of "disfiguration" like holes or unpolished places.
2.
Natural stones, glass, crystal
Glass.
This form of beads are generally more afforable and comes in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours. Although only glass, there are some gorgeous lampwork and Venetian/Murano glass beads which are
works of art -- and that's reflected in their prices.
Look out for
imitation Venetian/Murano glass beads from China which have flooded the market. They're pretty too, but they are not Murano glass and so should not cost as much.
Stones/ gem stones.
Where stones are concerned,
natural or man-made also makes a difference.
And even with natural stones, there are
different grades/qualities, which are reflected in the price as well.
Oh, and there are lots of "
imposters" out there -- for example, I've seen dyed howlite masquerading as turquoise or lapis lazuli.
How do you identify them? Usually by their ridiculously low price compared to the real thing and their colour sometimes.
There is nothing wrong with dyed howlite as long as you know it's dyed howlite and you're not paying for something that it is "pretending" to be.
Also, all natural stones have their own "imperfections" and inclusions.
No two stones will ever be exactly alike, which is what makes them beautiful and unique. Man-made stones tend to have a more uniform look.
Gemstones- What to look for.
Clarity:
Usually,
the clearer the stone, the higher the price. Inclusions are common in gemstones. To find one that is flawless is very rare. Therefore, a clear stone will almost always fetch a higher price than one that has visible inclusions.
For example, you have two similar stones. One has less inclusions and looks clean and clear on the inside as compared to the other.
Which do you think is more "valuable" and thus costs more?
Type of Gemstone:
Some gemstones cost more than others too, even if they're about the same colour. This is due to rarity and the demand for them.
For example, both yellow topaz and citrine are yellow stones, yet topaz costs more than citrine as it is rarer, harder and highly in demand.
Cut:
How gemstones are
cut also affects their price.
Normal round cabachon gemstones (rounded top and flat bottom, no facets present) are generally cheaper than faceted gemstones, even if they're exactly the same stone and exactly the same size. Facets make a stone sparkle more.
Colour:
Colour also plays a very big part in the grading of gemstones. Usually, the more intense the colour, the more valuable it is. However, this may not always be true. Too intense and the actual colour may be lost thus making it invaluable.
Having said that, a lot of these rely on personal preferance. Some like it lighter, some darker.
So it really is up to you to decide if the stone is worth it.
All this said though, please don't look for perfection.
Natural stones have inclusions. If you want perfect stones, go to super high-end jewellers and with a fat bank account.
Crystals.
Swarovski crystals are known for their inimitable shimmer.
There are other types of man-made crystals out there, but I really like Swarovski.
I personally think that their colours are much richer and the sparkle is much better than the others.
3.
Metals
GOLD
- Gold-coloured = Coloured metal, no gold content at all
- Gold-plated = Base metal covered with one coating (or more) of gold.
- Gold-filled = metal core with gold permanently bonded over it, usually in 14K. Many say that gold-fill is as good as gold and I happen to believe so too, and its price is usually tagged to the price of gold. That is why it costs a lot more than gold-plated items ... but less than real gold.
- Gold = the real stuff. Legally, only 10K gold and above can be referred to as "gold"! (Found this out on a Discovery Channel program). Gold costs significantly more than gold-fill and real gold components for beading are very hard to come by and very expensive. For example, ear hooks can cost close to $100 a pair. If anyone knows of cheaper sources, please drop me an e-mail as I'm on the lookout.
Between gold-plated and gold-fill,
gold-fill tends not to tarnish and lasts almost as long as real gold if you take care of it properly. But you pay for it as gold-fill components can cost up to 10 times more than gold-plated components (it also happens to have about 100 times more gold!).
Gold-plated components -- especially the higher-quality ones -- can last quite a while too, and are a good choice for the price-conscious or when using gold-fill will just blow the budget. Just
avoid contact with perspiration and perfume and keep it dry and clean.
Real gold components cost the most. If you want an item made with real gold, your best bet is to visit a jewellery store or goldsmith.
Silver
Fine silver (or 999 silver) is seldom used because it
is too soft to be of any real use in jewelry making.
925 silver has some other metals (commonly copper) added to make it more sturdy.
I use 925 silver that i have personally mixed in my workshop on my silver jewellery to ensure that you get what you are paying for.
Silver tends to tarnish though, especially when exposed to the air.
So store them in a ziplock bag or away from the elements.
A simple buffing with a silver polish cloth or silver cleaning solutions gets rid of tarnish!
Just be careful when cleaning jewellery with natural stones set in them; the solutions may "eat" into your stones causing them to change in properties.
Rhodium From the platinum family and does not tarnish.
It is the most expensive precious metal, so many of the rhodium components you see on jewellery are actually rhodium-plated, which eventually wears away, but if taken care of properly, will last a long, long time -- often much longer than gold-plating.
Generally speaking, 925 silver components cost quite a bit more than rhodium-plated (commonly referred to as just plain rhodium) components.
So there you have it. A small buying guide that i hope will be able to help you make the right decisions as the whether the jewellery you are eyeing is worth your money.
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