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Buying Gold Jewelry: Where Do I Shop?
These days gold jewelry is virtually everywhere you look. You can buy gold jewelry at Wal-Mart or in a kiosk in the mall. You can even buy gold from a television infomercial or from some online source. With all of this availability, it is difficult to know where to shop. The first step in understanding where to go, though, is understanding what it is that you are shopping for and where you are most likely to find it.
Know The Rules
Who knew there were rules to buying gold jewelry? Well, just like buying a stereo or a car, there are things to definitely consider before buying even the simplest of gold bands. The first thing to know is that the federal government has dictated that all gold jewelry be marked with the amount of pure gold in it; for example, that ring that is stamped 18K is literally 75% pure gold. So, always make sure that you check for the karat weight stamp, as well as the manufacturer’s stamp so that you know exactly who made this piece of jewelry and with what kind of metal.
Know The Shortcuts
So, you are standing at that jewelry counter at your favorite catalogue showroom holding two gold chains. One is slightly heavier than the other; otherwise, they seem exactly the same length and millimeter size. Why is one more than fifty dollars more than the other? The answer to that is that the cheaper one is most likely made from hollow wire. It is vital to understand when you are buying gold jewelry that one of the industry shortcuts for making a usually expensive item less expensive is to create it out of hollow wire or tubing. So, be aware and know exactly what it is that you are buying before you spend your hard-earned money.
Know Your Stores
When you buy gold jewelry at a discount store then you are more likely to encounter things that are not made with high-quality materials. This means that you will really have to be aware of things like hollow metal, incomplete soldering lines and thinness. On the other hand, if you are choosy about the jeweler you trust to buy gold jewelry from, then you can be a little more at ease about the quality of the craftsmanship you will receive. The only other way that you can be more confident is to choose a custom design jeweler who will manufacture your piece of jewelry on premises.
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