Buying Jewelry

Buying Gold

Before you look at anything else on a piece of gold jewelry, search for its quality mark. Nothing less than 10-karat gold can be legally marked or sold jewelry in the United States.

Pure (24-karat) gold is considered too soft for use in jewelry, so it is alloyed with other metals to increase its strength. In the United States, 14-karat gold is most commonly used in jewelry. Fourteen-karat gold in 14/24ths, meaning it contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. This means slightly more than one-half is pure gold. Jewelry of this fineness is marked "14k" or 585,: the European designation for 58.5 percent gold.

There's a big difference between 14 karat gold and gold-plated jewelry. Gold-plated describes jewelry with a layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal. Gold plating eventually wears away, depending on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.

Gold pricing is based on karatage, gram weight, design and craftsmanship. Karatage and gram weight tell how much gold is in a piece, but construction and design completes its value. Price based solely on gram weight will not reflect the work and artistry that has gone into the piece.

Look for quality construction by inspecting any piece of jewelry carefully. Pay special attention to fasteners or clasps, making sure catches work easily but are secure. Earring posts should be strong and firmly attached to the piece, and gold chain should lie flat.

Buying Platinum

An article made of platinum may be quality marked as "platinum", "plat." or "platine" providing its composition meets one of the following requirements: a minimum of 95% combination of platinum and ruthenium.

When iridium or ruthenium are present in the alloy, the platinum portion must be greater. For example, if an article is marked "PT900 PLAT", it means that it is composed of at least 85% platinum and 10% iridium or ruthenium. If you are unsure about the platinum content in an article, ask your jeweler for more information.

Buying Cultured Pearls

Ask whether pearls are imitation or real. Real pearls are made by oysters or other mollusks; imitation pearls are man-made. Cultured pearls are made by mollusks with human intervention; an irritant introduced into their shells causes a pearl to grow. Real pearls that are not cultured are fairly rare and expensive. The cost depends on the size, usually stated in millimeters, and the coating or "nacre" on a real pearl, which gives it its iridescence.

You need to balance pearl quality and size to get the best pearls in your price range. Start by evaluating them based on the following:

• Orient: The value of a pearl comes from the unique ability to absorb, refract and reflect light, imparting a distinctive quality (termed ORIENT) to natural and cultured pearls. This deep inner glow and shimmering iridescent is characteristic of pearls. The deeper the luster and iridescence, the more precious the pearl. When you go to purchase pearls, look for luster and orient in the shadow area of the pearl, not in the area where the light is shining.
• Surface perfection: The surface of a perfect pearl appears satiny smooth and has the absence of disfiguring spots, bumps or cracks.
• Size: It is more difficult for oysters to grow large pearls which means they are scarcer and tend to carry higher value. But two pearls of different sizes may be valued the same it the smaller pearl is superior in orient.
• Shape: Since cultured pearls are grown by oysters and subject to the whims of Mother Nature, it is very rare to find a perfectly round pearl. While rounder pearls are more valuable, asymmetrical, or baroque, pearls have a unique charm and are available at a more moderate cost.
• Color: Cultured pearls occur in color from rose to black. While color is a matter of preference, rosé or silver/white pearls tend to look best on fair skin tones, while cream and gold-tone pearls are flattering to darker complexions.

Purchasing pearls becomes easy when you know what to look for. One final tip with respect to purchasing a stand of pearls: they should blend well together, particularly with regard to luster, orient and color. Roll a strand of pearls along the counter to determine if all pearls are strung through their exact centers (all pearls should roll evenly).