Every fashionista loves to spruce up her outfit with matching jewelry. Girls go gaga when shopping for jewelry, as there’s always one to suit every mood and occasion. Whether it’s a symbolic gift from a significant other or a special treat for yourself, it takes time to learn the criteria for buying all that body glitter. After all, acquiring jewelry is also an investment for most people and everyone wants to get the best value for their tiny jewels.

Here’s a quick rundown of the most popular and best quality jewels, for the prospective jewelry shopper:

Gold

The word gold itself is synonymous to 24 karat or 24k gold. Pure gold is not commonly used in jewelry as it is too soft and is usually mixed with other metals to increase its hardness and durability.

Among gold jewelry products, the most common mixture is 14k, containing 14 parts of gold mixed with 10 parts of base metals. Much of today’s jewelry items are gold-plated instead of being solid gold.

Diamonds

When getting a stone for your engagement ring, remember the famous four C’s when buying a diamond: cut, color, clarity and carats. Color and clarity are measured using a particular scale, which may vary from one grading system to another.

A diamond can be described as "flawless" only if it has no visible cracks on the surface or other interior imperfections when it is viewed under a 10-power magnification by a skilled diamond grader.

You must make sure to purchase from your trusty jeweler to get the most out of your stone. After all, diamonds are a girl’s best friend!

Pearls

Since natural pearls are very hard to find, cultured or imitation pearls are those which are mostly used in jewelry. The value of a cultured pearl is normally based on its size, which is measured in millimeters, and the quality of its nacre coating, which gives it luster.

Since cultured pearls are made by oysters and mollusks, but with human intervention, they are usually more expensive than imitation pearls, which are, on the other hand, man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials.

You should be informed by your jeweler if their pearls are cultured or imitation. They should also tell you if colored pearls are naturally-colored, dyed or irradiated.

Gemstones

Just like when buying pearls, there’s a big difference in the cost of laboratory-created gemstones and naturally mined stones. Each should be clearly identified as such by the jeweler.

The treatment or enhancement of gemstones refer to the process some gems are treated to improve their appearance, durability, or change in color.

Knowledge about these treatments is essential as some may put permanent changes to the stone. You would need to know how to take care of your gemstone to keep them looking great while likewise maintaining their value.

Before actually buying jewelry, check and compare prices either online or at your favorite jewelers. The more research you do before making a big purchase, the more satisfaction you’ll get afterwards. Be sure to inspect the reputation of the jewelry store in your area, assess the quality of their jewelry and ensure the services that they provide. Inquire about the store’s return and refund policy.

Ask for a sales receipt where every information you trusted on when choosing your jewelry is clearly stated, like the stone’s size or weight. At least you’ll have proper documentation when the need arises, since jewelries can be very expensive and is really an investment for most of us.