Necklace Buying Guide

Buying a piece of jewelry is never easy, especially when you plan on spending more than just a couple hundreds of dollars. Buying an expensive piece of jewelry is an investment that should last you for a whole lifetime. Being insecure about your purchase is completely normal. No one likes giving cash for the wrong item. The process becomes even more complicated when it comes down to buying a pendant. They come in all kinds of lengths, sizes, shapes, and materials.
So, whether you are buying it for a friend, a lover, your sister or as a way to treat yourself, you will have to make the right decision and buy the right pendant. Sure, any expensive one that you buy will make anyone happy, but taking the time to find the right one will definitely pay off, believe me.
However, picking the right brand, the right material and size can be pretty difficult. It becomes even harder to choose when the jewelry is not for you, but for someone else. You want to keep it as a surprise, but you are unsure what kind of colors or jewels they would prefer.
Don’t worry, we have made a guide to help you buy the best pendant in 2024.

Brands

Naturally, when shopping for a pendant, you will be looking at the most famous brands. Gifting someone a big brand shows how much you care, right? Well, not really. More famous companies already have their reputation built which means that you will not have to worry about them cutting corners when it comes to the quality of the items you buy. The rocks, jewels, and silver or gold will be the best possible always.
However, if you are working with a budget, there are a lot better options out there that may offer you the same quality at a lower price. It might be a bit risky to find the right necklace when browsing no-name brands, but you could get lucky and find a very high-quality necklace for only a fraction of the price when compared with famous brand jewelry.
In other words, don’t try to be loyal to a brand. They are a multi-billion dollar company, they do not need your loyalty. Just buy what fulfills your needs and what fits into your budget.

It does not have to be gold

For some reason, a lot of people are biased towards gold when it comes to buying jewelry as a gift. There is nothing wrong with buying necklaces that are made from other materials such as silver. In fact, silver can be combined with a lot more outfit styles than when wearing gold pieces.
The problem with gold is that it is sometimes too shiny. It is the first thing that pulls the attention of others which is good unless you have diamonds and jewels on it. You have paid thousands of dollars to get those diamonds only to be overlooked because of the golden link.
Another great thing about silver is that is a lot more durable and easier to maintain. You will notice a lot fewer scratches than golden pieces. If you are looking for a silver pendant to update your jewelry stash, check out valeriacustomjewelry.com.

Pearls are also a good option

While pearls may not have been the trendiest option these last couple of years or maybe even decades, they certainly are timeless. Diamonds and gold can sometimes be too expensive, so if you are looking for something that will look just as beautiful, pearls are surely the right choice.
When it comes to buying a pearl pendant, you usually have three types. You could go for natural which are the most uncommon ones and can be quite expensive which depends on where they have been imported from. Another option is cultured pearls which are farmed and cultivated, they are the closest to the real thing. And the last and cheapest option is to get plastic pearls. Naturally, the plastic ones do not even resemble the real thing, so unless you are buying these for yourself, we don’t recommend them.

Check multiple shops

When shopping for a pendant you should always check at least two or three different shops. You might find the perfect one in one place, but you might also find the same one at a much better price at another jeweler.
Make sure to mention that you are willing to check other places for a pendant because they might offer you a discount on the items you have been looking at.

Exchanging jewelry

If you feel like the price for a certain necklace is simply too big for you, some jewelers will give you the option to exchange your old one. Depending on the value of your old necklace, the price of the new one will be reduced.
Things to consider if you have set for a gold pendant
If you have finally decided that you are going to get a gold necklace, there are some things you will consider first before going all out with your wallet.

Weight

The math is simple. The heavier the item is, the better the build quality is or, simply put, a lot of gold has been used during the manufacturing process. Keep in mind, if the necklace is pure gold and it is quite heavy then you should definitely expect a hefty price.
Not only will a heavier piece of gold look better, but it will also be a lot more durable than other lighter chains. Also, ensure that the necklace you are buying is a hundred percent gold, as other materials might have been used to make it feel heavier.

Carats

You probably have heard this term be used multiple times in your life, but you have no idea what it means. It basically is a measurement to inform you how much gold has been used in a certain piece of jewelry. The higher the carat the more valuable the pendant it will be. The lesser carats, for example, 18 carats, is about 75% pure gold while the other 25% are different alloys to hold the structural integrity of the necklace.