The average household can spend about $647 on jewelry and watches, which is significant on any limited budget. Almost everybody loves a beautiful piece of jewelry. Still, you don’t need to spend a fortune to have a piece of jewelry you can be proud of – especially not when it is possible to find top-quality pieces on a limited budget. So, are you worried about jewelry purchases wrecking your budget? Here are some tips for buying top-quality jewelry on a budget.
1.Know your precious metals
Before you visit any jewelry store, it helps to know what types of precious metals are available and what makes them different. Here are a few pointers to help you:
- Platinum: This is pretty much the most expensive material to look out for, with a cost exceeding gold by nearly 50%. Platinum is a strong and beautiful metal material that may sometimes include copper and palladium.
- Rose gold: Rose gold used to be the trendier and newer alternative to gold or yellow gold metal, although it comes with a different value. While its popularity has waned a bit, you should know it is still an option. It comprises pure gold mixed with some copper and silver.
- Yellow gold: Yellow gold also went out of style but now seems to be making a comeback to the modern jewelry world. This metal comprises pure gold with a blend of alloy metals like copper and zinc.
- White gold: White gold appears to have more popularity than the other morals already mentioned. Its ‘white’ nature is due to its combination of pure gold material and other metals like nickel, palladium, and silver.
2. Choose a piece that is perfect for you
Being mindful of the metrics needed to identify a quality jewelry piece is important, as it can help you save money on an affordable piece that is genuine and high-quality. Instead of visiting a standard jewelry store, you can shop here. The reason is that many small shops have jewelers that can customize a piece for you by making unique alterations that won’t cost you too much money. They can even help you with unique engravings that’ll quickly enhance the value of your piece.
Choosing a piece that is perfect for you also means opting for jewelry that carries a special meaning you can relate to. For example, Irish jewelry will offer a bit more significance for you if you’re Irish.
3. Understand the 4 Cs of diamonds
A good understanding of the 4 Cs of diamond shopping can be the difference between wasting your money and spending it on quality pieces. These four Cs stand for cut, cataract, clarity, and color. Karats refers to the weight of the diamond; clarity deals with the level of blemishes; color has to do with the level of colorlessness, and cut considers that way the diamond interacts with light to sparkle. The 4cs will help you determine if you’re paying a fair amount for a piece.