| Silver has come back into style these days, which | | | | again, the internet wholesaler has an advantage over |
| makes economic sense, as it is much cheaper than | | | | the local jewelry store. Just as you have a wide |
| gold, and can look just as beautiful. You can of course | | | | choice of sellers, so they have a wide range of |
| buy jewelry from reputable jewellers, and this would | | | | manufacturers, who may be in a different country. |
| be the safest option. However, for sheer volume of | | | | There are lots of highly skilled silversmiths working in |
| choice, you cannot beat the internet. Here the whole | | | | third world countries for much lower wages than a |
| world becomes the marketplace, and you can find the | | | | local craftsman would command, and this helps to |
| best deals without leaving your armchair. However, | | | | drive the retail cost down even further. |
| you will be parting with good money, and giving it to | | | | If you are satisfied that you have bought sterling silver, |
| someone you do not know, so there is much more risk | | | | the only thing which should now concern you is the |
| than if you buy from a physical shop: you can always | | | | quality of the setting. Unfortunately you cannot check |
| go back there and complain, whereas with internet | | | | this before you receive the piece, so minimise your risk |
| purchases you will probably only have an internet | | | | by doing some normal diligence on the person from |
| address. | | | | whom you are buying. Has he been in business long? |
| The trade off for this risk is of course the fact that | | | | This doesn't mean in the internet business, this means |
| you will get your jewelry much cheaper than from a | | | | in the jewelry business. Does he have a list of satisfied |
| jeweller's shop. They have got physical premises to | | | | customers? Type his name into a search engine and |
| maintain, staff to pay and expensive inventory to keep. | | | | see what comes up. |
| The internet wholesaler probably has his own jewelry | | | | One big drawback with sterling silver is that it tarnishes |
| maker, and will only get pieces made when he gets | | | | easily. If you watch historical dramas on TV you will |
| the order. This "just in time" inventory system allows | | | | remember that one of the parlourmaid's jobs was to |
| him to have virtually no overhead costs to maintain. | | | | clean the silver cutlery. This was an almost daily chore, |
| Dell computers have built a huge computer business | | | | and while it may not be a daily job for you, it is still a |
| using the same principle. | | | | job which needs to be done on a regular basis. Use a |
| If you do decide that the lower price is worth the risk, | | | | retail silver polish: there are many available on the |
| make sure that the silver you buy is sterling silver. You | | | | market, or your local jeweller will certainly have one. |
| can tell this from the markings on the silver: sterling | | | | To summarise, buying your sterling silver from the |
| silver will nearly always have the mark of '925', | | | | internet will be a risk, just like buying anything from the |
| signifying that this silver is of the highest quality. There | | | | internet. It is more so with jewelry, as jewelry is more |
| is only one grade of sterling silver: it is either sterling | | | | expensive than most other things. It is up to you to |
| silver or it is not. | | | | keep this risk to a minimum by doing your homework |
| The main cost of sterling silver jewelry will be in the | | | | on the seller before you get seduced by the low |
| making of the piece, especially if it is hand made. Here | | | | prices. |