Tips for Buying Handmade Jewelry - as part of the Women's Style series by GeoBeats. Hi, my name is Katie Thompson and I am from KT Collection Jewelry in New York City. When you are shopping for a handmade piece of jewelry, my first advice is to go to a place where you can buy it directly from the artist. It just makes the experience so much better to be able to hear about the process. How it was made? Where the inspiration came? And then, it is something that, when you are wearing afterwards, you are going to remember that experience and just makes it so much more special. Something else that you would like to look for, as far as quality, is the wire work. To make sure that it is wrapped, everything is finished. That there are no jagged edges sticking out, which would maybe, not been completely finished correctly, as far as quality is concerned. And then, of course, always ask what the metals are and what the gemstones are because it is likely that you are going to be paying a little bit more for a handmade piece because somebody has put love and care into it. So, if you are going to be investing in that, it makes sense to then, also have a metal and a stone that is genuine. And sterling silver, gold filled or gold, which will also make it last forever. Buying a handmade piece is wonderful because you can also, then, continue a relationship with the artist. So, you also want to get the persons contact so that, if you lose, for example, a single earring, you can contact them five years down the road and have them make a match. And also, just continuing a relationship because it is likely, if you have found one piece that you love, you are going to find many more in the future, that they are going to create, as well.
