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How not to become a victim of fraud when buying jewelry
It’s no secret that fake jewelry is one of the most common and profitable counterfeits in the history of mankind. The modern jewelry industry is no exception: it is still easy to deal with counterfeit goods today. And if you are sure that you will not be fooled, and you can easily distinguish a fake from the original, then we assure you: You are mistaken. The level of modern counterfeits, especially jewelry with natural stones, is so high that a professional jeweler does not always at first glance confidently answer what is in front of him.
Rules for buying jewelry with natural stones
But fake jewelry is not only a matter of prestige and waste of money, but also the quality of the product, its service life and wear. How to recognize a product that will look great not only at the time of purchase, but also shine brilliantly for many years? There are several ways to protect yourself from the possibility of acquiring a fake.
Stylish jewelry with natural stones
The first and most important thing is to carefully choose the place of purchase of jewelry. Today, the main points of sale of jewelry with stones can be divided into four main types:
1. Non-specialized points of sale (markets, metro crossings, stalls, etc.).
Chinese Fake Jewelry Market
The candidacy of the first should be immediately discarded, as the main place of concentration of cheap fakes, they rarely bother to confirm the authenticity of the goods. The only dubious advantage of buying in the transition can be the price of jewelry, but, as they say, a miser usually pays twice, so do not be surprised if an almost brand-new decoration begins to peel off and darken almost immediately, and the “stone” on closer inspection turns out to be glass.
2. Branded and branded stores, boutiques.
Where to buy jewelry with stones
The best place to buy jewelry at first glance, has a number of advantages over others: it is the factory quality of products, and the possibility of conducting an examination of the stone, and a high sample of products, confirmed by a brand, or mandatory certification documentation. But there are also two significant disadvantages: the inflated price of products associated with high rent and labor costs for employees of an offline store, and the mass nature of jewelry, their standard forms: no one guarantees you that you will not encounter a colleague in the office or at a corporate party in the same necklace or earrings. Yes, and the original models of factory costume jewelry rarely pleases: in streaming production, classic lines and shapes are preferred, they are considered the most commercially profitable.
3. Specialized mineralogical fairs and exhibitions.
Gem Fair
The undoubted advantage of the range of exhibitions is the author’s works. However, in recent years, the artisanal filling of fairs has become increasingly scarce, being replaced by standard factory copies. With the originality of natural stones, everything is also not smooth here: several natural inserts account for a dozen stones of questionable quality.
4. Online stores.
In which online stores should you buy jewelry with stones
For a long time, our compatriots were wary of online sales, fearing fraud, but today the Internet service has stepped far forward, offering a variety of bonuses: payment upon receipt, free and courier delivery, a flexible system of discounts, the ability to try on jewelry before buying. A controversial point that confused most buyers – the inability to see the product before buying live, so safely resolved. Yes, and 3D videos and photos with high resolution and on a commensurate mannequin allow you to make a full-fledged preliminary idea of the decoration. Cooperation with craftsmen, the availability of quality certificates and gemologists ‘ opinions on the products sold, coupled with a pleasant cost due to the lack of need to pay for the maintenance of the demonstration area and consultants, bring online stores to a confident leading position in the reliability rating. However, this applies specifically to verified sites with an extensive list of services and services.
Where to buy jewelry with natural stones
But what if you have already purchased a piece of jewelry, and later doubted its authenticity? Most people believe that the jewelry should be attributed to a jeweler who is able to confirm the original origin of the stone in earrings or brooches. However, here we are faced with a certain limitation: most jewelers agree to conduct research only jewelry made of precious metals, that is, gold, silver, platinum. And even then, the examination carried out mainly concerns the probity of the metal, and not the naturalness of the stone. Where to turn in case of doubt, if you have become the owner of expensive jewelry with an insert of natural minerals? In this case, a gemological examination will help you.
How not to buy a fake with a natural stone
What is the difference between jewelry and gemological expertise?
Jewelry expertise is based on weighing the product, determining its probity, which in the case of non-uniform alloys and coatings made of ordinary materials becomes useless.
How to choose the right jewelry with natural stones
The jeweler can only check whether the surface of the jewelry is covered with real gold or is it just a gold-like material that will necessarily fade? You should know: high-quality jewelry made by electroplating is covered with gold of a much higher quality than standard gold jewelry. This is confirmed by the pure and bright luster, which, unlike jewelry, has jewelry with a gold coating. Therefore, such a thing is often marked ” 24K ” (carat) – the highest test according to the British carat system.
Gemological examination of jewelry inserts is the identification of precious and semi-precious stones.
How to recognize a fake natural stone
At the same time, you can explore both the individual stone itself and their complex without harm to the frame of the decoration. This involves the analysis of the physical and optical characteristics of the test sample, its purity, color and mass. In addition, the complex gemological study usually includes a trial study of the frame, since it will still be necessary for a more accurate examination of the mineral.
Gold-plated brooch with natural stone
Gemological examination can also determine whether the stone has been artificially refined and what its market and collateral value is. Modern technical equipment of laboratories allows to guarantee high result of the made research.
Bracelet with natural stone
The resulting conclusion of the gemological examination will allow you to permanently close the question of the authenticity of your jewelry and be sure that you are wearing a natural stone with all its properties and characteristics.