The next time you go out shopping for a nice piece of jewelry you may wish to consult a jewelry guide. This article will list some quick and simple things to keep in mind when purchasing jewelry but its best to thoroughly do your research on a specific kind of jewelry you intend to purchase.

Precious metals are commonly sold in jewelry. You've got gold, silver, platinum, copper and even titanium. When purchasing gold or silver be sure to ask what carat it is. Gold is a soft metal and mixed with other types of metals like copper and silver to make it harder. The usual carat amounts for gold are, 10, 14, 16, 18 and 20kt. Ten carat gold is cheaper than twenty carat, but the higher carats will be softer and your jewelry can be easily damaged. Some gold chains are only gold plated and you'll want to clarify what you are getting before you buy.

When out buying precious or semi precious stones take your time to find out if you are getting the right thing for the right price. Diamonds are priced based on a system of grades involving, color, cut, clarity, and carat. You may be getting a really large carat diamond for a good price, but it may not have good clarity. Clarity is determined based on how many flaws can be seen in the diamond. A diamond with more flaws is less valuable and can even break easily.

There are other important guidelines you should look up for each type of jewelry and the materials it is made of before you buy. For example, it can be very important to make sure your ring can be altered in sized down the road because you may gain or lose weight.