Maybe I am just an old fuddy-duddy. I just don’t see the beauty in body jewelry! Now of course I am not talking about pierced ears. (That is, unless I see someone with an overabundance of holes in his or her ears. Or they are wearing those special rings that create a gaping hole in an innocent ear lobe.) Nope, not crazy about that look.

Many otherwise attractive young men and women have self-mutilated themselves. Do they never think they will age? How will that young thing look as she approaches 50 with a giant ear hole, nose ring and tattoos covering half her body? Personally, I don’t think the Apocalypse is coming that soon. (The only reason I can think of mutilating a fresh young body is the idea that they will never see 50 anyway.)

Just had to vent a little.

If you are looking for some costume jewelry, are you better off with gold-filled jewelry or gold plated jewelry?

Well, here are some things to consider. Gold-plate is created using  an electro-chemical processes. Gold filled jewelry is created by a bonding process using heat and pressure. It will bond a thin layer of gold to a core made of brass. Gold plate wears off fairly quickly, whereas gold filled is the way to go if you plan on wearing the jewelry often.

And what about vermeil? This is a specific thickness of gold plated over any sterling silver jewelry or any other silver item. Would you like my opinion? Save your pennies and get yourself an actual 14K or 18K gold pendant, brooch or charm. As time goes by, you will be glad you have the real thing!

The first rhinestone jewelry was created from actual rock crystals found on the Rhine river. These were quickly depleted, (used as diamond substitutes), and artificial rhinestones were then created from faceted glass.

In the 18th century, a French jeweler named George Frederic Stras had a brilliant entrepreneurial idea. He coated the backs of clear crystals with a metal, forcing the reflection out through the stone itself, creating the sparkly bit we know now as rhinestones. Later, Daniel Swarovski utilized a technique used in cutting gemstones, and the best crystals of today are often thought of as Swarovski crystal.

I personally have nothing against rhinestone jewelry; I think it is fun, and useful for everything from children’s ballet performances to the dancers in Las Vegas. No one today mistakes it for diamonds, and everyone has a right to sparkle!

Gemstones are normally thought of as being in an unpolished state, but not always. The word Jewel, on the other hand most often refers to a piece of jewelry that has been set. In other words, a ring, pendant, earring and so forth. But sometimes these words are used interchangeably. I don’t worry a lot about the nomenclature of things. Plain old easily understood English is the thing for me.

But in some circles, you might have to be very careful about calling something a gemstone or a jewel.

My favorite place to view gemstones in their natural state? The Smithsonian in Washington D.C., of course. Have you ever been there? It is truly a jewelry/gemstone lover’s dream!

I think children’s jewelry is so precious. My little grandniece is not yet one, and her mother (my sister’s daughter) had her ears pierced when she was only 3 months old. Now some people may find that cruel, but Alicia never cried, and she looks so adorable in her little sapphire earrings. (Given to her by her old Uncle Robert, of course. Only the best for my family!)

I think kids should have real jewelry. What I mean is, forget the plastic throw-away, non biodegradable junk that passes for little girl’s jewelry these days. Give your child something that she will be proud to wear, not just as a child, but when she is older as well. Of course a child’s pearl bracelet won’t fit an adult, but she can have it restrung at some point, with pearls added. And it will always have meaning for her.

You may say "What does Robert know, he’s not a dad!" And they would be right in that. But one thing I can say is that children are capable of taking care of quality things, and they will have more meaning for them than junk jewelry. So purchase children’s jewelry that is beautiful and long-lasting.

What do you consider affordable jewelry ? To me, it is when the beauty of the piece is more than worth the price paid for it. I have always loved handmade jewelry. To me, the intrinsic value is in the artist’s work itself. There is something precious about a piece of jewelry that was crafted by an individual, over a period of time.

Now of course, every piece of jewelry has had the human touch applied to it in one way or another. But not all jewelry seems to carry forth the personality of the artist. This site I have linked to has always done that for me.

And over the years, the prices have remained in a range I have always been able to afford. Affordable jewelry? Ah yes. But so much more than that.

If you don’t know someone well, choosing a gift of jewelry can be a bit daunting. My honest advice is "If you are worried about giving a jewelry gift, it is probably better to stick to a gift certificate." Of course your Sweetheart will love most anything you give her, and the sentimental value outweighs whether or not it is something she would have chosen for herself. At least most of the time.

But unless you are choosing a "fun" necklace or pair of earrings for a child, try to get your intended "giftee" to tell you what he or she would prefer. Especially if you are spending over $50.00. An expensive jewelry gift hidden in a  drawer is worse than useless.

I love engraved jewelry. I still have my great-grandfather’s wedding ring, with the engraved name of him and my great-grandmother, and the date of their wedding. June 19, 1882. There is something magical about that flowery script, hand engraved so many years ago. It is the ultimate way to personalize a piece of jewelry. Engraved gifts will always be popular, but to me, a piece of jewelry is one of the most personal gifts you can give. And the story it can tell through generations; precious beyond words.

Consider an engraved piece of jewelry as something to give your closet family members the next time gift-giving time arrives.

I just had to share this silver polishing anecdote, even if it does expose me as a bit of a buffoon.

A year ago a good friend of mine showed up at my doorstep practically in tears. It seems the Celtic knot ring her boyfriend had given her had turned  black! "No worries," I said, looking for my polishing cloth. So I rubbed. And I rubbed. Nothing. The black part just got shiny black. Great!

I said to her, sadly, "I’m afraid this may not be sterling silver after all." She was crestfallen. She replaced the ring on her finger and departed. The ring was a very special one to her. Her beloved was serving in Iraq, and it was an important physical connection to him.

Well, just a few days ago she called me. "Robert, you won’t believe this! But that ring of mine is sterling silver after all. I just decided to try out your suggestion with the baking soda, and lo and behold, it took off all the tarnish!"

It pays to pay attention to your own advice!

After I wrote my last tip, I realized I forgot one of the most important rules of all! To keep your silver jewelry relatively tarnish free, keep it in a small ziplock plastic jewelry bag when not wearing it. I have some pieces that I seldom wear, and as long as they aren’t exposed to the air, they remain almost completely tarnish free.

Of course when it’s time to put it on, you might want to give it a little polish, but it will be very easy to do since the tarnish you will have to remove will be so minimal.

Silver tarnishes because of sulfur in the air. And I have heard tell that because of all the pollution in our modern civilization, there is a lot more sulfur to be exposed to. Stands to reason. So keep those pretties protected from tarnish with this simple little hint!