Jewelry Quality

The quality of jewelry materials and construction is a vital consideration for any jewelry buyer, and is too often ignored.

One of the ways that the TV shopping networks and large chain stores can sell fine jewelry at greatly reduced prices is by cutting back on quality. Often their pieces are machine made in large quantities and assembled by low salary, semiskilled workers. The quality of their gemstones can be inferior as well, and gemstone quality will influence the value of an item more than any other factor.

Inspect the jewelry you are interested in with a magnifying glass to look for signs of rough and sloppy workmanship. Run your finger over a field of small diamonds testing for uneven settings and sharp protrusions. Expertly set stones will feel even and smooth. Inspect the stones under daylight conditions to see if they are well matched in color and clarity.

By shopping around and carefully inspecting the jewelry you are interested in, you will build up a better understanding of what is good quality construction. You will discover that you can find quality jewelry at fair prices that will retain its value.

Poorly constructed jewelry with inferior materials and gemstones will cost you more over the years than you appear to save in the beginning. Well made jewelry will last a lifetime and beyond, and go up in value over the years.