If you enjoy collecting jewelry with personal significance or giving it as gifts, consider Italian charms! They are the most affordable way to create a personalized bracelets with unique meaning. And, there is an amazing variety to choose from.

Whether you love dogs, cats, or want something signifying your family or hobby, it’s all there! And, unlike their classic dangling counterparts, Italian charms link together to form a flat bracelet; for a more sophisticated look enjoyed by women of all ages.

It’s no surprise, then, that tens of thousands of women each year collect Italian charms and give them as gifts. How to get started?

Easy! Whenever buying for yourself or as a gift, the first thing you need to do is get a “starter bracelet” containing blank links. Then, get an additional 4-5 charms to start the bracelet. The recipient can easily replace blank links on the starter bracelets with the charms you give them — and any others they get in the future — to develop a unique bracelet over time.

The Secret to Selecting Quality Italian Charms

When looking to buy Italian charms, it’s important to consider quality. Indeed, there are so many places selling these things that sometimes it’s difficult to separate the good from the bad.

Here are some things to watch out for:

* Make sure they are made of stainless steel (the place where you buy them should say that.) If you really want to get technical, ask them what grade of stainless steel their charms are. They should know, especially if they claim to sell “direct”, because on the manufacturing end stainless steel has exact grades. Usually, it’s a number (like 304) followed by a letter. You’d see them labeled as 304L or 316.

* Charms marked with a logo or brand-name on the back are considered higher quality. You never know, but generally avoid links that are “blank” / have no logo on the back. What about charms that say “Stainless Steel” on the back? Well, I’ve seen a few that were definitely NOT stainless steel… so use caution.

* Make sure the site you’re ordering from has a money-back guarantee and check any customer comments posted on there.

* It’s important to order charms that are covered with protective epoxy. Otherwise they’ll rub off! If the site doesn’t state whether they are or not, ask them.

* You’ll find that many site sell “18kt gold” Italian charms. Well, with very few exceptions, it’s a gold-tone and not sold 18kt gold. Just make sure that if you’re paying 18kt gold prices ($18+ per charm) that you indeed getting 18kt gold. Again, nearly all sites sell 18kt gold-tone (or gold accented) charms. Why pay $18 for the same product if you could get for under $3… and even for $2, and sometimes $1/charm?

* A note about care: Even stainless steel charms can change color when exposed to chemicals, cleaning solutions, and solvents. Avoid chlorine and any harsh chemicals.

What about the Chinese-Made Italian Charms?

Yes, a lot of people ask that question. Very few merchants admit it… but, nearly all Italian charms sold on the Internet are manufactured in China.

Now, what about charms that say “imported from Italy?” Well, that’s nice, but did you know that many of these places simply buy Chinese-made Italian charms through an import company in Italy. So, yes, they’re “imported from Italy” but if you think you’re getting a handcrafted Italian product… think again! They’re still manufactured in one of the three main factories in China.

Which Charms are Great For Gifts?

Well… really, all of them! Charms that are especially popular are, in no particular order: 1) Heart charms, 2) Ribbon (esp. pink ribbon) charms, 3) American flag, 4) Flowers, 5) Family and I love my kids-type charms, 6) Birthstones, 7) Various words and phrases… like “DREAM”, “Family of 5″, “Child of GOD”, etc. Religious charms, like crosses, etc.

As you can see, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

Ways to tell if your diamond is real or fake.

1) Never look at a loose diamond on a white jewelers’tray. Always look at it on a piece of newspaper or printed material. If the diamond is real, you won’t be able to read the newsprint through the facets; if the diamond is fake, it’s just like looking through, well, glass.

2) One of the best test is thermal conductivity. Diamonds are extremely good conductors of heat and most jewelers have a small instrument that can measure this. No other material will match a diamond in this test.

3) The fog test. This test I like a lot. Put the rock in front of your mouth and fog it like you would try to fog a mirror. If it stays fogged for two to four seconds, it’s a fake. A real diamond disperses the heat instantaneously so by the time you look at it, it has already cleared up. (Sometimes oil and dirt on the stone can effect its reliability and the test is not accurate at all on doublets where the top of the stone is diamond and the bottom is cubic zirconia epoxied together.)

4) Under the loop test. If you own some sort of magnifying lens, there are some things you can look for on the stone that might give away its identity:

A. Look at the rock from the top and see how well the facets (cuts on top of the diamond) are joined. They should be sharp not rolled.

B. Look at the girdle and see if it is faceted or frosty (a clear sign it’s a diamond) or waxy and slick (an indication it’s a fake).

C. While you’re looking at your stone under magnification, look into your stone to see if you detect any flaws (carbon, pinpoints, small cracks). These are typically clear indications it’s the real thing since it’s very hard to put inclusions in a fake.

D. After examining the stone, focus in on the stamps inside the setting. A stamp of “10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat” indicates the setting is real gold or platinum which gives a better chance that the stone in it is real as well. While you’are looking at the interior of the ring, also look for any “C.Z.” stamps that would indicate the center stone is not a diamond.

Some of the most beautiful jewelry is made using semi-precious gem stones. A gem stone is a mineral, a rock or a petrified material that is cut or faceted and polished before it can be used in jewelry.

Some gem stones are fairly rare, such as amazonite, which is a bright green variety of feldspar. Formerly it was obtained almost exclusively from Russia, but recently it was found in Colorado and Madagascar. Its limited occurrence makes it prized as a gem stone.

Citrin, also called citrin quartz, is an amber colored gem stone.

Aventurine is commonly a green gem stone, but can be orange, brown, yellow or grey. The rarest is red and highly prized as a gem stone.

Cordierite is a magnesium, iron and aluminum cyclosilicate, the transparent variety of which is iolite, which is used as a gem stone. The name, iolite, is derived from the Greek word for violet.

Lapis lazuli is a stone which has been classified as a gem stone. This deep blue gem stone dates back to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt.

Jade is an interesting gem stone. The name is applied to two different silicate materials. It is a very tough material and was first used for axe heads, knives and weapons. It was only when other materials were found that could be used for these purposes that jade become a prized gem stone. Nephrite is either green or creamy in color, while jadeite comes in a variety of colors. In New Zealand, where nephrite jade is known as greenstone and not gem stone, the Maoris consider it a treasure. In traditional Maori designs, this gem stone is still widely used to make jewelry. Jade is the official gem stone of British Columbia. Many minerals are sold as jade. These can certainly be used as gem stones, but are not the real thing.

Turquoise is another gem and ornamental stone. The name is a very old word , probably derived from the French meaning Turkish stone, although turquoise was not found in Turkey, but was traded there. Iran and the Sinai Peninsula were sources of very fine turquoise. In the United States, the deposits were mined by pre-Columbian Native Americans. Nowadays there is some imitation turquoise, which is so good, that only an expert could tell the difference between the real stone and the fake!

It’s possible that rings and bracelets and necklaces made with these semi-precious gemstones may not be as valuable as say, gold or diamonds, but they can be exquisite and highly prized. Of course, if the diamond is flawed, it may be impressive to the friends and acquaintances of a newly engaged damsel, but is not of great value.

The value of sterling silver is rising. Although it is currently hovering around $8-$9 per ounce and once was as low as $4 per ounce in 2001, silver has shown the ability to earn as it once topped $49 per ounce back in 1980. There is a resurgence in the interest in silver jewelry especially as more manufacturer’s such as Tiffany $ Co. focus more attention on their silver product lines. The quality of silver when coated with rhodium, a precious metal, can rival white gold in shine and sharpness.

Silver has been used for thousands of years in dining utensils, ornaments and as coinage in numerous monetary systems. In fact, the word “silver” can be translated in 14 different languages as “money”. Silver has the highest electrical conductivity of all metals including copper. Its use is not widespread in all things electrical, however, due to its costliness and tendency to tarnish, although because of its high conductivity it is commonly found in computer parts. Silver has always played second fiddle to gold generally but there are a few societies in history such as ancient Egypt and the middle ages in Europe, where silver was considered more valuable than gold. Today’s state of silver is, however, a matter of popularity and not necessarily value.

In modern times silver is used most in the area of photography in the form of silver nitrate which is a corrosive light sensitive ingredient used in film. Silver is also used to produce the highly reflective surfaces of mirrors through a process called silvering. The practical nature and application of silver is apparent not only to industrial types but to the average consumer. Silver jewelry, given its beauty, quality and inexpensiveness has become a highly sought after commodity. Silver jewelry is usually produced with 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper as 100% silver would simply be too soft to use in usable jewelry.

The only drawback to silver is its tendency to tarnish. Tarnish is basically a layer of corrosion that naturally develops over silver as it is exposed to oxygen. Scientists have tried to prevent tarnish by adding different alloys which have helped decrease tarnishability. There are some new developments in this regard as scientists at Sheffield Hallam University have been attempting to produce a new type of silver alloy which will be more resistant to tarnish, called Carrs Lustre Silver. There are ways to prevent tarnish from occurring in caring for silver jewelry, including the use of low abrasive phosphate free detergent cleaner or chemically treated jewelry cleaning cloths. Some even use toothpaste although they may be left with perceivably dull scratches.

Silver jewelry is gaining popularity with a consumer public which is interested in affordability, style and quality. When polished, silver shines as gloriously as white gold. Retailers find that consumers are buying silver engagement rings for daily use as they store their diamond and gold rings for special occasions. Young people who want to express themselves with jewelry are turning to silver as a suitable alternative to expensive gold jewelry. Online retailers like jewelrypayless.com, bluenile.com and tiffany.com are expanding their silver product lines in anticipation of more demand as the rise of the silver jewelry industry continues.

Caring for and cleaning jewelry doesn’t have to be difficult, but it is important that you do so carefully to prevent damage and possibly help to ensure a longer life. Well cared for jewelry will stand the test of time and have a much nicer appearance than jewelry that is generally left to collect dust and grime without being cleaned. The exact technique you use to clean and care for your jewelry will depend on the item itself.

Regardless of the type of jewelry you should obviously try to prevent it from being scratched, knocked or banged. Even if damage doesn’t appear visible immediately, knocking jewelry can often lead to unseen damage. Over time this damage will build up or progressively worsen until your jewelry becomes irreparable.

Should your jewelry suffer any damage you should have it seen to as soon as possible. Take it your local jewelers and ask their opinion. In most cases they will either be able to fix it themselves or send it away to be repaired properly. Super gluing any piece of jewelry yourself is a bad idea.

Many chemicals can damage jewelry and you should stay away from chemicals in general. In particular, cleaning fluids, chlorine and bromine can have a detrimental effect on some jewelry. Take off any rings or other items and leave them somewhere safe until you’re finished. Direct sunlight and extreme hot or cold conditions can also weaken the metal or jewel.

Use a jewelry cleaning cloth on metal jewelry and clean regularly using soapy water but ensure that you rinse it off thoroughly when you’ve finished cleaning. Use a very mild cloth to dab it dry and don’t rub it too vigorously. You should also take care when storing jewelry. If you don’t intend to wear it or show it for some time then place it in an airtight bag away from heating or particularly cold areas. These simple maintenance tips should ensure the integrity of your jewelry for many years.

Do you have a better way to accessorize yourself than with a nice piece of jewelry? The problem is that sometimes costume jewelry can also be extremely expensive. Nevertheless, you have another alternative to buying them you can make them. It is easy to learn how to create your own jewelry. And sometimes it is even better than buying them because you can make them to match your outfits and your personality. This way you are not only going to save money, you are also going to have fun.

Are you interested in making necklaces? The simplest way to do this is using beads. You will see that you can create a variety of beautiful necklaces just using some heavy string and a various beads of different colors. In the case you are going to cover the whole circumference with beads you may even substitute the heavy string by a dental floss. You should always bear in mind what are you going to wear the necklace with. This way you can compliment the color of the necklace with the color of the dress you are wearing. Once you know the colors, you should start thinking about the pattern, which can be achieved by alternating colors or shapes, or making all of the beads the same size and color.

The most important thing at the moment of making your necklace is to be creative. But you should not forget to keep the theme in mind when you start making it. When you go to buy beads you can buy the ones you always use plus some focal point beads that are bigger that the rest. These bigger beads can be use when you choose to employ wire instead of string for your necklace, just one or two beads for the whole piece are enough and the wire show through. Usually you can choose from a great variety of attractive beads, such as wooden, ceramic and glass pieces.

If you are thinking of making beads, you have a lot to do. You only need beads and wire to make a great variety of rings. What you have to do is to twist various strands of wire together making a circle that fits your finger. You have to remember to maintain the ends long in order to string beads on the edges. Just make a ball of wire to maintain the final bead on each strand in its place and then keep the beaded strands as individuals strands or twist them into a ball. And use it with whatever you want!

Another option is to make earrings. It is not difficult because the majority of craft stores sell earring components that can be used right away; the only thing you have to do is add the decorations that you choose. You can buy almost twenty pairs of earrings for no more than three dollars. You can also include some ribbons or a strand of beads. Just be creative and you will be able to attend any party.

Similar techniques can be used to create bracelets and anklets. You have just to twist together bare wire and beaded wire to make a nice combination or create attractive wire shapes with just a pair of needle-nosed pliers. You only need to include a nice object that fits and make some loops in the wire and create your own charm bracelet.

It does not matter whether you are a teenager or an adult, you can have a lot of fun making jewelry. It is also a great activity for whole families and a creative way to entertain girls at a birthday party. It is a nice way to create the pieces of jewelry that go with the things you wear. What is more important in creating your own jewelry is that it is a real expression of your creative side.