Posts Tagged ‘Buying’

Buying Gold as an Investment

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

Investing in Gold

Many investors see investing in gold as a good long-term investment because it is a stable investment, is a great means of having a liquid and material asset at ones disposal and historically, it has appreciated in value over time. Moreover, many investors wish to buy gold, because it has shown to be more stable than other investments over time.

Since the times of the Persians, Muslims have seen value in buying gold as a stable investment. The fact that there is no restriction under Islamic laws for Muslims to deal and invest in gold has made this as a popular investment instrument among Muslims, especially those living in the Arab world. Besides, the fact that economies and money markets can be very unpredictable and subject to sudden downturns has made many investors turn to buying gold.

Investors looking to buy gold as an investment can do so either via the open global gold markets or buy way of purchasing gold itself. Buying Gold itself is more common in the Middle Eastern countries, which have gold markets. Investors who are interested in buying gold as an investment, but who do not need to have the physical comfort of the gold’s actual presence, can purchase gold on the open market. 

Gold can be bought on the global markets either as gold certificates or gold exchange-traded funds. buying gold exchange-traded funds is like to investing in stocks and shares on any stock exchange and is a very convenient method for an investor to have an investment in gold without actually having the gold physically in your presence. Gold certificates allow investors to trade gold on a commodities market.

USGoldBuyers.com, BlanchardOnline.com, GoldOnline.com are sources you should look into to use for knoweldge on buying and selling gold. As in any form of investment, you should further research the market conditions fully as well as validate the sources before making any type of investments.

Currently the Perth Mint Certificate Program is the only government guaranteed program in the world. Buying gold as an investment in the open global markets is bought using the market spot trading price.

Stability and historical appreciation of gold

The spot price of gold is quoted in US Dollars Per ounce. Since 1975, the price of gold has appreciated considerably, making it one of the very profitable investments.

Waseem works for HilalPlaza.com, an

Islamic site
based in North America.

Tips For Buying a Wedding Ring

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Few men are experts on buying wedding rings. For most men, it’s a process of becoming educated quickly and then searching desperately for the right ring. The amount of money they’re expected to pay for the ring seems fluid, changing each year to accommodate retailers. At the same time, there’s a lot of conflicting advice. In an effort to help smooth the process, making it easier and less stressful, we’ll provide you with 7 quick tips for buying the perfect wedding ring.

Tip #1: Know Your Metals

In the past, most wedding rings were gold and had a golden tone to them. Yellow gold rings are still popular today, but there are other options available. White gold is becoming more prevalent because it allows the stone to stand out. On the other hand, platinum has become increasingly fashionable. It’s more expensive than yellow or white gold, but it’s also more durable.

Tip #2: Know Your Purity

If you plan to buy a wedding ring made from yellow or white gold, you’ll need to understand the purity of the metal. In most cases, gold rings come in 14k, 18k, and 24k. The greater the number of karats, the higher the purity of the gold. 24k gold is more expensive than 14k or 18k. It’s also softer and more prone to becoming scratched.

Tip #3: Know Your 4 C’s

Most wedding rings will have at least one diamond. The quality of the diamond is determined by what are known as the 4 C’s: cut, color, clarity, and caret of the stone. The stone’s cut is what allows the diamond to reflect light. The less color a diamond has, the more valuable it is. Clarity is a reflection of the diamond’s inclusions (or, flaws). And the number of carats is a measurement of the stone’s size.

Tip #4: Take Her With You

The wedding ring that you purchase for your partner will ideally last a lifetime. Many women have specific preferences for the style and design of the ring. Consider taking your partner with you. It may seem less romantic to do so, but it can help you avoid investing in a ring she doesn’t like.

Tip #5: Negotiate

Retailers’ prices for wedding rings usually include substantial markups. That means there is room to negotiate the price. The key is to be upfront and honest with the retailer. If you see the “perfect” wedding ring and can’t afford to buy it at the listed price, let the dealer know. Tell him how much you can afford to spend. Often, they’re willing to lower the price or offer attractive payment options to move the inventory.

Tip #6: Stone First

It’s likely that the wedding ring will become an heirloom, kept in your family for generations. If you’re struggling to afford an attractive ring, invest more in the diamond and less in the ring itself. The diamond often carries greater emotional significance over time.

Tip #7: Size It Properly

Even though having a ring resized is relatively simple, try to have it sized properly by the time you offer it to your partner when you propose. If possible, borrow one of her other rings and present it to the jeweler for sizing. A poorly-sized wedding ring won’t ruin your proposal, but a perfectly-sized ring will help make it flawless.

Investing In The Ring

A common rule of thumb for pricing wedding rings is to allocate two months’ salary. However, that’s an arbitrary figure. Instead, focus primarily on finding a ring that will match your partner’s style and preferences. While your budget will play a major role in the ring you purchase, other factors are more important. Use the 7 tips described above when shopping. If you do, you’ll be better prepared to identify the right ring, confident that your partner will be delighted with it.

By Lawrence Reaves – Danforth Diamond provides fine engagement rings and other diamond jewelry. View our collection of engagement rings, diamond engagement rings, wedding rings, diamond solitaires, palladium jewelry, diamonds and other wedding jewelry.

Tell you some Tips on Buying Drop Pearl Earrings

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

A drop pearl earring incorporates the pearl’s quiet beauty to the drop design’s attention-getting look. It’s dressy and casual at the same time. It draws attention but in a quiet way.

While every woman can wear pearls, not everyone can wear drop earrings. Yes, jewelry does make a difference in how a woman looks but we must remember that they are accessories and their main purpose is to enhance or complement a look. We don’t dress up for the jewelry the jewelry dresses up for us. Here’s why:

The shape of the face
Earrings, regardless of design, bring attention to the face which is why it is very important to choose the right pair to wear. In the case of drop pearl earrings, the pearl as the focal point of the jewelry is either used attached to a stud or hung from a chain connected to a stud that pierces or hangs from the ear lobe. This design acts as a ~pointer’ and where does it point? Down, towards the chin.

Depending on the shape of the face, this design can either flatter or exaggerate. When using drop pearl earrings in a pendant design, this is a good thing to remember, since pendants can draw attention downward.

Why pearls are precious
Before the pearl got strung to hang from your drop earrings, it traveled some ways from the bowels of a mollusk to the hands of the jeweler. Pearls are as rare as they are beautiful and no two are exactly alike, which in part makes them a favorite choice for jewels.

Of the more than 8,000 different species of mollusks, there are only 20 kinds who can produce pearls consistently. That is why natural pearls are quite rare. They also are not always the ideal shape and size to use as jewelry that is why people have turned to artificial methods of producing pearls, also called cultured pearls. This method was perfected by Kokichi Mikimoto of Japan.

Cultured pearls are essentially artificial implants. This is a more ideal method of creating pearls because it affords a certain control over the size and shape. Natural pearls are formed ~naturally’ without outside help from humans.

That is not to say that cultured pearls are less valuable than natural pearls. Their only difference is that cultured pearls are produced differently.

Pearl quality
The focal point of a drop pearl earring is of course the pearl. If you’re planning to buy a pair, this is not only a beautiful addition to your collection, but is also a worthwhile investment.

The price of the pearl depends upon its quality which in turn is dependent on several factors: the color, shape, size, luster, nacre thickness and texture of the pearl.

Pearl color varies from the usual white, silver and cream to green, blue, gold and black. The color of the pearl depends upon the type of mollusk that produced it and water conditions. Sometimes, in the case of cultured pearls, the kind of nucleus used to stimulate the mollusk can also affect the pearl’s color.

Shape is one area where personal taste may be a high deciding factor. The most expensive kind is the perfectly round ones, because these are rare. Drop pearls are shaped like teardrops but their shape doesn’t mean they are not valuable at all. A lot of good-quality pearls are drop-shaped and are preferred after the spherical ones.

Generally, the larger the pearl, the more valuable and its size is measured by its diameter. It’s worth noting, however that size is not the sole determinant of value. It could be the size of a cherry but if it’s dull with lots of imperfections, it should not be worth much at all. Most pearls fall in the 6.5 to 7.5 mm range.

Nacre is the substance from which pearls are made of. This is the same substance that you’ll find inside the shell of a mollusk or oyster. Nacre affects the luster and color of the pearl and generally speaking, the thicker it is, the higher the value of the pearl.

Texture is also a consideration, since pearls, unlike gemstones, are prized based on their surface. A clean and smooth surface is an indication of a good quality pearl. It should be shiny, reflective and without spots, bumps or discolorations.

Qifu Pearl Processing Co.,Ltd. combines the design with processing, domestic wholesale pearls and export of Akoya pearl cultivation, Akoya , South Sea Pearl freshwater pearl and pearl jewelry series of products. It is one of the earliest established and most competitive enterprises in domestic pearl process industry with over 20 years.

Buying Gold Bullion

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Before investing in physical gold there are a number of factors an investor should be aware of. What an investor is looking for in an investment is one factor. If an investor is looking to invest in as much gold that their money can purchase, buying gold bullion or investing in gold bullion is a good recommendation. Any gold coin or any gold bar that’s slightly above spot price is seen as gold bullion. The shipping and manufacturing cost of these coins and bars is one of the reasons why it is above the spot price. Though the price of gold bullion is usually above the spot price, the given spot price is usually the aspect that influences gold bullion prices overwhelmingly.

Numismatic gold is another form of physical gold an investor can purchase. Collectible gold coins and gold bars or also known as numismatic gold, is worth a lot more than the metal it’s made of, minting, shipping and handling costs combined. A number of things that may sway the price of numismatic gold are its age, how it was minted, how rare it is, and what circumstances the coin has been through. Numismatic and bullion coins are both influence by the condition they are in. The rarity or the circumstances a numismatic gold coin has been through; can make it worth a lot more than comparable bullion coins.

In a number of cases bullion gold coins can gradually become numismatic gold coins with time.  This can happen if a certain coin stops being manufactured. If this bullion coin is still favored by investors, with time its price will increase as it becomes less bullion and more numismatic. A number of producers that mint bullion coins may also produce a small quantity of proof coins. A proof coin is similar to a bullion coin but is made with a unique process that gives it a more reflective finish.   Proof coins are usually more expensive than the bullion coin it’s based on. When an investor is buying gold bullion, knowing gold bullion from numismatic gold is not only essential but also recommended. A good site to see more on this topic is Buying Gold Bullion, it’s insightful and also informative.

A good site to see more on this topic is Buying Gold Bullion, it’s insightful and also informative.

Have You Thought About Buying Gold Bullion Coins?

Monday, August 16th, 2010

In the current financial climate of weak currencies, inflation and general insecurity, many investors and ordinary families are turning to a reliable and time-tested form of wealth preservation – gold bullion coins. They feel better if some of their savings are in the form of gold, rather than cash, bonds or other paper promises. They also want to actually have their wealth in their hand – really in their possession.

So, what exactly are gold bullion coins, where do you get them, and how much do they cost?

Once upon a time, gold coins were actually in circulation as currency, and most countries issued them. In the USA, these were the famous and very beautiful quarter eagles, half eagles, eagles and double eagles, which were last issued in the 1930s, and are now sought after by collectors. After gold coins ceased to be circulated in the 30s, there was then a gap of a few decades before they were again re-issued. However, as gold had by that time become so valuable, the coins that made up the re-issuing were not entered into circulation as a standard form of currency.

When people talk about gold bullion coins, they mean the modern gold coins issued by governments in one ounce, or fractions of one ounce weights, which are not for general circulation, but for collecting or investment. They are intended to be an easy and relatively inexpensive way for citizens to own gold (inexpensive compared with larger and heavier gold bullion bars).

The modern form of gold bullion coins is largely the same, regardless of the country that they are bought from; however, they are given different names depending on the country. For example, in the USA they are called ‘American Gold Eagles’, in Canada they are called ‘Canadian Gold Maple Leafs’, and in China they are called ‘Gold Pandas’.

All the governments that issue these gold bullion coins use the same gold weighting scale, with them being available in the following values: one ounce, half an ounce, a quarter of an ounce, and a tenth of an ounce. The bullion coins can be either pure gold, or they may have a small percentage of silver or copper added to them to make more durable. Those which do have some other metal added to the gold are just as valuable as the pure gold ones though, as as they always have an ‘actual gold weight’ of one ounce of gold, or of one of the previously stated fractions.

The coins usually have the year of issue and the ‘value’ on them; for example, the one-ounce American Gold Eagle has a face value of $50. However, the value stated on them is not what they are actually worth, they are in fact worth much more than that. The price of a coin would be the current spot price of gold, plus a ‘premium’ determined by the market or by the dealer. So, a one-ounce American Gold Eagle is worth more than $1000 today.

So, where do you get these gold bullion coins? While you can still go to a dealer or a local coin store, the Internet has made a huge difference to the general availability of these coins, since you can view a huge selection of them anytime on online auction sites. In addition, many online-only coin stores exist which offer bullion coins of all types and weights at very fair prices.

To find out more about bullion gold coins, read about the types of coins available, and to check current prices, go to bullion-gold-coins.com and get the information you need to know before you buy. By Mark Walters.

Buying Gold Coins From Gold101.Com

Saturday, July 24th, 2010

Since the restoration of 1974, gold, as a method of trade, investment and expenditure has caught on amongst a lot of people. While this is largely due to the fluctuating value of the dollar and the fact that return over investment is quite huge on gold, it is also true that buying gold is not a joke and you must be very careful when investing in gold. There are a lot of things to consider like the cost at the time of buying, the prospects of a higher ROI, the type of gold, the dealer or person you are buying gold from and the method of transaction. Gold101.com, a premier site in all dealings with gold, which is being run by Superior Gold Group, is one of the most famous sites online where people from almost all walks of life go to buy gold. As their chief Bruce Sands puts it, the value of gold is on a steep increasing curve and this is the right time to buy gold. The site, besides offering you various options to buy gold in various forms also offers a lot of information for both the newcomer and the professional. Its knowledge base is quite huge and has all the information you would ever need!

Gold has become the next big thing when it comes to investment. These days people have realized the importance of gold being a very important and perhaps the most important investment opportunity. The reasons are quite simple – deteriorating dollar value, receding economy and high demand for gold. Add this with the high return over investment for gold, you get the best possible investment option you can ever have. To aid you in this process are sites like Gold101.com, which is run by Superior Gold Group. The company has been dealing in gold, selling gold and trading gold, and of course, providing extensive information about the market to all its visitors for a long time now and has thus established itself as one of the most sought after sites when it comes to trading in gold. Bruce Sands, the chief of the group, says that the demand for gold has gone up and as people realize the importance of the precious metal, the prices would keep going up. No need to say that the time is now for investment in gold. The company offers gold as bullions, as coins (like the Canadian Maple Leaf which is the most popular coin after the American Coins Of Eagle and Buffalo) and much more.

Buying White Gold Jewelry

Monday, July 19th, 2010

White gold is becoming one of the most popular metals used for jewelry and accessories in the market today.  Known for its diamond-like appearance, brilliance, durability, and of course luminescence, white gold is slowly becoming a favorite for many women out there who would want a great alternative to actual gold or diamonds since this kind of gold alloy acts as a combination of the two.  In fact, white gold is measured in karats just like real gold and is usually designed and molded in order to function as a setting for gemstones like diamonds, sapphires, and the like.  

Another interesting thing about white gold jewelry is that it can be used for all kinds of jewelry designs and for all kinds of women.  For Catholic women, for example, a beautiful piece of jewelry would be necklaces with white gold cross pendants, something that you don’t normally see in jewelry stores nowadays.  Cross pendants are nowadays being made with white gold with the most expensive usually adorned with diamond studs all over.  These kinds of pendants make great gifts for family and friends who are devout Catholics or who love cross designs for their accessories.  If you’re wondering where you can get white gold cross pendants, there are online jewelry stores that would normally sell high quality cross pendants and necklaces at cheaper prices.  This is interesting and a good idea at the same time since normally jewelry stores would charge higher prices for pendants that look exactly the same as the ones being sold online.
But of course, we cannot be quite confident about the safety and security when buying gold jewelry or any kind of jewelry online, so here are a few tips to remember if planning on buying white gold jewelry online:

•    Make sure that the online store you are buying from is reputable or if people have actually bought from that particular store before you.  This way, you will know that the sellers behind the store are trustworthy and won’t scam you for your money by sending you fake cross pendants for high prices.  

•    The next thing you have to do is make sure that the jewelry piece you are buying online has all the characteristics of real white gold such as the rhodium plating and the sturdiness and durability that it is famous for.  You can tell if a white gold cross pendant for example is a fake if, after only a few months, the white gold starts to discolor, deteriorate, and would look really unattractive.  

•    Lastly, you need to make sure that there is a 100% money back guarantee behind the transaction and that there are safe payment methods that are available for you when buying white gold jewelry.  If the seller of a particular online jewelry store insists that you complete the transaction through wire transfer, leave that store immediately and go for another one that is safer, more secured, and trustworthy.  There are a lot of merchant websites out there so don’t be discouraged if the first shop you enter turns out to be a drag.

This article is all about Buying White Gold Jewelry.

Buying and Selling Gold Jewelry

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

For those of you who are thinking about selling gold jewelry, it is crucial that you understand fully how to determine the price for gold jewelry.  Not only this can help you to tell a good deal from a bad one, it also helps to analyze your competitors and understand the market better before you make any investment.

Gold price
The most important part of wholesale gold jewelry trading is to understand the breakdown of the cost of a piece of gold jewelry.  Let’s say the current good price is $500 per ounce. To calculate the cost of gold for a piece of 14 karat gold jewelry that weighs 3 gram without any stones, we first divide the price per ounce by 31.5, to get the price per gram, which is $15.87.  This is the price of pure gold.  To convert this to 14K gold, knowing that there are 24 karats in pure gold, we divide $15.87 by 24 and multiply the result by 14.  The price per gram for 14k gold is roughly $9.26.  Therefore, the total cost of the gold for a 3 gram ring would be $27.78.

Labor Cost
Another major part of the cost for a piece of gold jewelry is the cost for labor, especially for pieces set with precious stones.  Gold jewelry generally requires some filing and polishing after it is cast out of the mold.  The labor cost can sometime be as high as $2 per gram, depending on the origin of the jewelry and the style.  In addition, the cost of setting any stones on a gold jewelry can be over one dollar per stone.  Certain advanced setting such as channel set and invisible set cost even more because of the high level of craftsmanship required.

Markup of Competitors
A good way to analyze if a certain style of gold jewelry is profitable and beneficial for a business is to understand your competitors’ prices.  Since you already know how to calculate roughly the cost of a piece of jewelry, and therefore the price that you can get it, buy looking at the markups of your competitors, you may get an idea of how severe the competition is.  For instance, if the competitors are marking up the jewelry three times of the cost, the competitiveness of that style is not really that high.  On the other, if everyone has the same pricing and the markup is 50% above the cost, the style might have already saturated the market.

Volume trading
Another angle of looking at the pricing issue is that when the competitors are marking up at a low margin, the item is probably accepted by a lot of consumers.  The justification behind it is that when the profit per piece is low, and people are trading them actively, there probably is a high demand for it.  On short, the higher the profit margin, the low the volume of sales and the low the profit margin, the higher could be the volume of sales.  Another point that is worth noting is that the volume theory also applies to jewelry vendors.  If you buy in large quantity, pricing should go down automatically.  Therefore, running a successfully business involves getting the balance between all the factors within the resources and infrastructure you have such as employees and capital.

Closeout Jewelry
Since jewelry business is highly time-sensitive, styles that were once popular several months ago may not sell at all couple months later.  Therefore, when buying gold jewelry wholesale, you should estimate the monthly sales and stock according to the sale volume.  For example, you may want to stock a certain style for two months worth of stock and restock it when it runs out in order to minimize the closeout items in the inventory, which is sometimes referred to as inventory shrinkage.

By understanding the market and your competitors before buy wholesale gold jewelry, you can reduce the mistakes during your entrepreneurial endeavor, thus increase the chance of succeeding tremendously.

Learn about 401k penalty, coffee stain removal and other information at the Knowledge Galaxy site.

What You Need To Know Before Buying Gold Jewelry

Saturday, July 17th, 2010

Buying jewelry can be exciting and fun but also confusing. Whether for yourself or for that someone special, it is important to learn the lingo of the industry. Use this information to help you get the highest quality jewelry for your money, especially when shopping at your local retail jeweler.

The metal called gold is 24 karat (24K), which means if broken into 24 parts that all 24 parts are pure gold. Since 24K gold is too soft to be used for jewelry by itself, it is combined with other metals to improve its durability and hardness. If the piece of jewelry is not 24 karat, then the karat quality should marked along with the claim that it is gold.

The karat quality mark indicates what proportion of the jewelry is gold versus other metals. For example, if it is 14 karat (14K) jewelry, it contains 14 parts of gold with 10 parts of another metal mixed in. The higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the jewelry.

Although not required by law, most jewelry is marked with its karat quality. Next to the karat quality mark should be the name of the company that stands behind the mark. Instead of a name, is could be a symbol or initials. If you don’t see the company with a quality mark on a piece of jewelry, don’t buy it.

Solid gold refers to a piece made of any karat gold where the inside not hollow. The proportion of gold in the item is determined by the karat mark.

Jewelry can be plated with gold in several ways. Gold plated refers to items that are either electroplated, mechanically-plated, or plated some other way to a base metal. Unfortunately, gold plating wears away eventually depending on how thick the plating is and how often the jewelry piece is worn.

Gold electroplate describes jewelry with a layer of at least 10 karats placed on a base metal through an electrolytic process. Gold-flashed or gold-washed describe jewelry that has a very thin electroplating of gold. These will wear out faster than gold plated, filled or electroplated.

Terms used to describe mechanically-plated gold jewelry are gold-filled, gold overlay and rolled gold plate. Each involves at least 10 karats mechanically bonded to a base metal. If the piece of jewelry has a mark with one of these terms, you will see it following the karat quality (for example, 14K Gold Overlay).

If you’re in the market for gold jewelry for yourself or that someone special, be sure to shop around. Come visit Marietta Jewelry to find out about Marietta Jewelers in GA.

Gold Jewelry Buying Tips

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Whether buying gold jewelry for yourself or a loved one, deciding what and where to buy fine jewelry can be a tough decision. Gold jewelry is an item you’ll cherish for many years to come – maybe even a lifetime! So, you’ll want to make a wise choice. Here are some quick do’s and don’ts to remember when buying gold jewelry.

Do Buy Gold Jewelry from a Company You Trust

When you want fine jewelry, choose a company or Web store that specializes in fine jewelry. Don’t expect to find the best of jewelry at a company that offers everything including the kitchen sink! A specialist can assist you personally and provide a wider variety of gold jewelry.

When searching online, be specific in your searches, and do research on the company before making a purchase. Check to see if the company is affiliated with a professional trade association such as the Jewelers of America (JA) or the online Better Business Bureau.

Do Look for Guarantees or Warranties

Before buying gold jewelry from a company (online or offline), get a detailed explanation of their return policy in case the jewelry is not what you expected or has a defect. Some will offer manufacturer’s warranties as well.

Do Shop for Quality, not Just Discounted Prices

It’s tempting to buy fine jewelry at a discount to get a great bargain. But, what are you really getting? With gold jewelry, for example, find the karat or quality mark on the actual jewelry to see if it’s real gold or not. And remember, the karats are an indication of what percentage of gold is in the jewelry piece. 24K is pure gold, 18K is 75 percent gold, 14K is 58.3 percent gold, and 10K is 41.6 percent gold. So, what is the other percentage? It is usually made up of alloy, or different metals that add form and strength to the jewelry item.

Don’t be Hasty

Look around at several gold jewelry pieces before making a decision. Consider the price of the jewelry as well. Ask about these factors to determine if the fine jewelry is worth its price: karat weight, total weight, engravings, design, look and feel, ornamental detail, and the finish.

Don’t Buy from Suspicious Companies or Persons

If you have an uneasy feeling about buying fine jewelry from a particular person or company, don’t do it. The jewelry could be stolen or fake. Either way, you’ll lose in the long run. Always choose a reputable company that specializes in fine jewelry and/or gold jewelry.

Don’t Forget the Clasp and Measurements

If buying for others, find out what size gold jewelry they wear, such as ring size, neck size, wrist size, or ankle size. Whether it’s gold necklaces, gold earrings, gold bracelets, gold bangles, or other types of jewelry, you’ll need to know the size and style that fits you or your loved one. Also, examine the clasp to be sure it’s easy to attach and of good quality.

Use these tips as a starting point to get the gold jewelry you need. The right gold jewelry piece can be worn for a lifetime!

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