Jewelry Buying Guide Free consumer jewelry buying tips and advice on shopping for fine jewelry like diamonds, pearls, gold and more. Even better, get paid for every purchase you make. Join Memolink right now and earn cash and gift cards for shopping online! What To Know Before You Buy Buying Jewelry Online How To Buy a Diamond How To Buy Gold Jewelry How To Buy Pearls Selecting Quality Pearls How to Spot Fake Pearls How To Secretly Get Her Ring Size Shop Jewelry Now What To Know Before You Buy: What is the exchange and return policy? Do metal jewelry pieces have their appropriate markings? Are pearls natural, cultured, or imitation? Are gemstones natural, laboratory-created, or imitation? Has the gemstone ever been treated? Is the change permanent? Is any special care required? This and all information from the jeweler that influenced your decision to purchase should be written directly on your sales receipt. Back to Top Buying Jewelry Online Before you buy, make sure the site has been authenticated as a secure site. If a Website is secure, as you begin checking out you should see: A closed padlock or unbroken key at the bottom of your screen. Endorsements from Better Business Bureau, VeriSign, Hacker Safe or other consumer protection groups. During checkout, the URL should begin with "https"- not the usual "http". The added "s" stands for "secure." Back to Top How To Buy a Diamond: Know the Four C's Cut This is what determines sparkle; how well the diamond reflects light. A diamond cut to good proportions, reflects light throughout itself from one facet to another and out the top. Color Ranges from totally colorless to light yellow. The differences between one diamond color grade and another are very subtle and difficult to distinguish. Out of the 4 C's, color and cut are the two most important characteristics of a diamond. Do not compromise on color. An "H" color or better is usually best. Clarity The measure of a diamond's internal flaws and impurities. A diamond virtually free of interior or exterior inclusions (flaws) is of the highest quality because its reflection of light is unobstructed. Diamond clarity, is determined by a trained gemologist viewing the stone under 10 x magnification. Small inclusions do not inhibit a diamond's beauty or durability. A diamond can only be "flawless" if it has no visible surface cracks or other imperfections when viewed under 10-power magnification by a skilled diamond grader. Carat A diamond's weight is measured in carats. One carat is divided into 100 "points," so that a diamond of 75 points weighs 0.75 carats. Carat weight is the most obvious factor in determining the value of a diamond. But two diamonds of equal carat weights can have very different prices, depending on their quality. Diamonds of high quality can be found in all size ranges. Back to Top How To Buy Gold Jewelry Solid gold just means that the piece isn't hollow. Karat is a measure of gold's purity. Gold used in jewelry is mixed with harder metals so it is stronger and more durable. The higher the percentage of pure gold, the higher the karat. Tip: A karat marking is the imprint on gold pieces indicating its composition. If there are no markings, the piece is likely less than 10 karats and cannot legally be marked or sold as gold jewelry in the U.S. 24 karat is 100% pure gold; very soft, so it is impractical as jewelry. 18 karat is 75% gold; mixed with copper or silver, appears "lemony" in tone and is strong enough for rings. 14 karat is 58.3% gold; a lightly reddish hue comes from added copper alloys, which increases durability. 10 karat is 41.6% gold; this is the minimum karat that can be called "gold" in the US. Back to Top How To Buy Pearls: What are the different types of pearls? Natural Pearls Natural pearls are rare and expensive; most in today's market are vintage. When an irritant enters a mollusk's shell it forms continuous layers of nacre which grow like onion skins around the particle. The result is a pearl. Natural pearls have irregular shapes due to the shape of the particle. Cultured Pearls Cultured pearls also grow inside mollusks, but by human intervention. A shell is carefully opened and an object is inserted. Cultured pearls are sold by their size in millimeters. Saltwater Pearls Saltwater pearls come from saltwater mollusk. Saltwater pearls can be natural or cultured. Freshwater Pearls Freshwater pearls come from mollusks residing in rivers and lakes. Back to Top Selecting Quality Pearls To inspect pearls, place them on a flat, white surface directly beneath a light. Check the luster of each pearl individually. Lustrous pearls have a shiny surface, good contrast between light and dark areas, and strong, crisp reflections. Avoid dull, cloudy pearls that look like white beads. The 'orient,' of high-quality pearls should display an iridescent rainbow of colors. The 'overtone,' is a tint secondary to a pearl's main body color. Pinkish overtones are desirable while green or blue tints are not. Test the roundness of a strand of pearls by rolling them on a flat surface. Round pearls will roll more smoothly and evenly. Back to Top How to Spot Fake Pearls If you question a pearl's authenticity, run it lightly along the biting edge of your front teeth. Real pearls feel gritty or sandy while fake pearls will feel smooth. This is a widely practiced test that most jewelers should readily accommodate. Just be sure to ask first. Look at and feel the pearl. Absolutely flawless-looking pearls, as well as those that feel unusually light when you bounce them in your hands, are probably fake. Ask to view the pearl under a 10magnifier (a loupe). Imitation pearls will look a little grainy. Back to Top How To Secretly Get Her Ring Size Make an Impression If you have the chance, make an impression of one of her rings. You can do this by pressing it lightly in a bar of soap, a piece of clay or even a piece of bread.These all take a decent measurement. Trace It Trace the inside of the ring on a piece of paper which the jeweler can then use to determine an accurate measurement. Slip it On Try on one of her rings and push it down as far as it will go and mark the spot with a pen. Show the marking to a jeweler who can measure it for you. Bring One In If you can bring one of her rings to the jeweler without arousing any suspicion, this will probably be the safest course of action. Offer to take her jewelry to be cleaned and have the jeweler measure her ring at the same time. Back to Top Becoming a Memolink member is simple and takes less than a minute. Earn points for completing surveys and shopping online. Exchange your points for the reward of your choice - cash, gift cards, or donate them to a charitable organization. first name email address birthdate mm 010203040506070809101112 dd 01020304050607080910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 yyyy 19921991199019891988198719861985198419831982198119801979197819771976197519741973197219711970196919681967196619651964196319621961196019591958195719561955195419531952195119501949194819471946194519441943194219411940193919381937193619351934193319321931193019291928192719261925192419231922192119201919191819171916191519141913191219111910 password zip code Reputable Jewelry Retailers Ashford.com Shop Ashford.com for designer watches at great prices. They have top brands like Baume & Mercier, Tag, and more. Jewelry Television Jewelry TV offers fine jewelry, watches, loose gemstones, castings, jewelry-making tools and related books. Blue Nile A leading online retailer of certified diamonds and other fine jewelry. Education. Guidance. Diamonds and fine jewelry. Diamond.com Shop our secure site for diamond rings, engagement rings & fine jewelry. Diamonds International Shop Diamonds International -now one of the largest jewelry retailers in the world. Ice.com Save on diamonds, pearls, gemstones and more. Each purchase includes a free gift box, easy monthly payments, certificate of authenticity, and a 30-day money back guarantee. Limoges Jewelry Without expensive showrooms or other overhead costs, Limoges Jewelry offers one-of-a-kind, custom-crafted, personalized jewelry designs at prices that you'll love! Mondera Combining high quality gems and jewelry, exceptional customer service, and expert advice, Mondera is the online jewelry expert. Overstock.com Overstock.com offers savings of 40-70% off name brand jewelry and more. Ross-Simons Ross-Simons is the nation's leading value-priced retailer of fine jewelry, tableware, gifts, collectibles and home decor. 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