Fashion Jewelry – Pure Junk or Pure Fun?

Well you know how the saying goes - “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!”

Fashion trends come and go and jewelry boxes pile high with yesterday’s treasures that soon become today’s trash. Still, while diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, not every girl has the cash to afford them. So what’s the solution? First of all, keep your jewelry sorted. It’s better to have several small jewelry cases than one large one, unless the large one (bank vault size?) can accommodate several classes of pieces. Keeping your jewelry sorted helps you keep track of what you have and protects one piece from another.

Of course, within each case or compartment, be sure you have enough room to keep all pieces from rubbing elbows. It’s easy for jewelry pieces to rub each other the wrong way. Organic pieces like pearls, shells, and corals are particularly susceptible to damage, but even other hard gemstones can scratch or chip each other and the precious metal settings of their neighbors.

One way to categorize your jewelry

• Fine jewelry including any semi-precious or precious gemstones and all chains, bracelets, and rings fashioned from precious metals.
• Heirlooms such as Grandma’s rhinestone necklace, your mother’s (or your) wedding and engagement rings. This is also a good spot for not-so-expensive pieces that you receive as gifts from family (especially children and spouse) and close friends.
• Collectibles like antique store, flea market, and rummage sale finds that you keep “just because”.
• Current fashions or jewelry you bought to “go with” a particular outfit or because it was “in” at the moment.

Besides protecting your jewelry, categorizing it makes it easy to keep your jewelry cases from piling too high with pure junk. Clean out your jewelry box twice a year, the same time when you exchange your spring and summer wardrobe for your fall and winter styles.

NEVER THROW OUT YOUR FINE JEWELRY

! Even if you have lost one-half of a pair of earrings, the gemstone in the remaining earring can be reset into a pendant or ring. If you lose a stone, from one earring, consider having both stones replaced and the old stone reset. A professional jeweler or goldsmith can also repair most other types of damage to fine jewelry.

Of course, you don’t want to throw away heirloom pieces, but do check them periodically for damage and even if you don’t wear them, do keep them clean. When heirloom pieces show damage, even if they are fashion and not fine jewelry, do take them to a professional jeweler to see what repairs can be made.

If an heirloom piece is just not your style, consider wrapping it in velvet or other soft cloth and storing it in a safety deposit box or other location. This not only preserves the piece, but also frees space in your jewelry box for next year’s Christmas present from Aunt Mabel.

Sort through collectibles just like you do your heirloom jewelry with one difference. If you haven’t worn it during the last season, consider either reselling it or discarding it, depending on its value. If you’re in doubt about the value of a piece of jewelry, a professional jeweler may be able to give you an estimate. However if it’s vintage costume jewelry, you may want to consult with an antique dealer who specializes in collectible jewelry.

Finally, sort through fashion jewelry and do discard any broken or damaged items as well as any pieces that you haven’t worn during the last season. From the pile that’s left, decide what to store with last season’s clothing and what to keep in your jewelry box. You may wonder what the purpose of all this is. It’s simple. Once you’ve sorted through your old jewelry collection, you should have room to go treasure hunting again!