1. Shop around and do your research. If you are interested in buying gold, sterling, or even brass, understand each metal and the costs – the research will be worth it!

　　逐店选购，货比三家。如果你想购买黄金、纯银制品甚至黄铜，就要了解每种金属以及它们的价格——货比三家比较划得来！

　　2. Do the “snag” test. Run the piece of jewelry over your stockings, blouse and skin to make sure the prongs or metal don’t tear your clothing or skin。

　　“划伤”测试。将首饰在你的袜子、上衣和皮肤上划一划，以确保首饰上的爪镶或金属不会钩破你的衣服或划伤皮肤。

　　3. Do the scratch test. Gently scratch your nail over the item to make sure that it won’t scratch or peel. Sometimes inexpensive jewelry looks like gold or silver but it is actually just paint over inexpensive metal。

　　刮擦测试。轻轻地用指甲刮首饰，以确保不会有划痕或者掉皮。有时候一些价格低廉、看起来像金制或银制的首饰其实只是在便宜的金属上加了涂层。

　　4. Test the prongs. If you can lift a prong with your finger nail, chances are that the gemstone it is holding will fall out and the piece will be worthless。

　　检查爪镶部位。如果你能用指甲将爪镶部位抬起，很可能它所镶的宝石会脱落，那么这件首饰就没有价值了。

　　5. When buying fine jewelry, make sure that wherever you purchase from has a money-back return policy. You should have anywhere from 14 to 30 days to get a full refund on your purchase. If not, go to a store or retailer who will allow you to return if you change your mind。

　　当购买好的首饰时，要确保你买首饰的地方有退款政策。你应该在保证14天到一个月内可以全额退款的地方购买首饰。如果没有这项政策，那么就去允许你改变主意后可退货的商店或零售店。

　　6. Wear and love your jewelry and don’t save it for a special occasion. With proper care, your jewelry should last a long, long time and every day should be a reason to celebrate!

　　要舍得戴首饰并爱惜它们，不要等到特殊场合才戴。只要保养得当，你的首饰可以佩戴很长很长时间，每天都应该值得庆祝！