I love them all. Silver, Gold, Beads, Crystals.
Bracelets, Neckpieces, Earrings

Trust me, I've learnt to distinguish between stuff that easily tarnish due to our humid weather and those that would withstand the harshest of weather conditions. For this category, your old reliable gold comes to mind. The higher the carat the better. Snag, however, is many see gold as an everyday wear type of accessory, and not 'showy' enough for some dress styles. Take for instance, you're dressed to kill for an owambe; what readily comes to mind in order to nail the hot look, is something catchy, e.g. costume accessory. Unless you can afford the very expensive large real gold accessory that would cost you an arm and a leg.

BRB!

Here we go again 

Gold
Yes, good old reliable gold. A treasure on the human body. Timeless.
For ages, it has been the standard of exquisite adornment. Kings and Queens used it. Peasants desired its great value.
Gold jewelry never goes out of style, and for good reason, because gold is as wearer-friendly as it is beautiful. Pure gold doesn't react with other elements to create tarnish, the residue that accumulates on some metals before transferring to your skin as a stain. Sometimes people have allergy or staining problems with metals that are combined with gold, but the gold itself is rarely a problem.

How Pure Is Your Gold Jewelry?

Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, 10K, 9K or 8K with the K standing for karat, the system used to describe the percentage of pure gold an item contains. The higher the karat number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry.

24K gold is pure gold.
18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 75% gold.
14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 58.3% gold.
12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 50% gold.
10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 41.7% gold.
9K  gold contains 9 parts gold and 15 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 37.5% gold.
8K gold contains 8 parts gold and 16 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 33.3% gold.

European Markings on Gold

European gold jewelry is marked with numbers that indicate their percentage of gold, such as:

24K gold is pure gold
22K gold is marked 916 to indicate 91.6% gold
18K gold is marked 750 to indicate 75% gold
14K gold is marked 585 for 58.5%
10K gold is marked 417 for 41.7% etc

Other Markings on Gold Jewelry

The karat marking on your gold jewelry should be accompanied by a hallmark or trademark that identifies its maker. The item's country of origin might also be included.
A supposed gold jewelry is suspect if there are no hallmarks, especially markings that indicate gold karat.

I must hasten to state here that this thread is open to all, and welcome every relevant contributions. Just about everything you know about jewelry. Pictures are also welcome. And questions open to all for answers. I actually opened this thread with the intent of educating some of us on what we all so love: jewelry. Women especially trip for a nice piece. Again, since I deal in jewelry and watches, I've had the opportunity to experience the awe and thrill often present in the emotions when looking at a nice piece of jewelry. So, let's have your own say as well.

Here are some pictures of gold jewelry. I'm d-r-o-o-l-i-n-g already!

9K Gold necklace

Shopping for gold jewelry has always been a tiresome job. Getting the right design, the correct purity and also taking care of your budget is always a matter of concern. All reputed jewelers now have a mark on their jewelry stating their label and the purity level of the piece. Branded gold jewelry has now entered the market in a big way. Thus the effort put in buying gold jewelry is fruitful if it is well preserved. Gold jewelry face wear and tear and the resultant erosion depreciates its value. Thus proper care should be taken to maintain the precious metal and retain its true worth.

There are simple methods to safeguard your gold jewelry. The first important step is to store your gold jewelry in the right manner. A box with satin or velvet inners is recommended as the friction is reduced and the jewelry does not erode. If several gold items are stored in one box then they should be individually wrapped in tissue papers to avoid direct friction with each other. Once they are properly tucked in, time to time cleaning is essential to maintain their luster.

Fine designs should be cleansed with a soft brush applying detergent free soap or gold cleaning solutions. Using warm water while cleaning is recommended to make them sparkle. Very importantly, use a polish cloth for your or gold. This is an invaluable investment where your gold/silver jewelry is concerned. And it comes cheap too. With proper care and maintenance you can preserve your gold jewelry for years and still pass it on to the future generations with the same glitter.

Contributions would be welcome please

The anti-spam bots keeps banning me; what's my crime?

Well, you should keep on mind that jewelry, like your nails or hair, needs to be taken care of. With this basic concept on mind, you could proceed to some details of the maintenance.Do not spoil jewelry on clothing. Do not wear your jewelry before dressing, and remove it first before taking off your clothes.

Very true SusanJoy. More details on jewelry maintenance to follow (i.e. if the anti- bot spam would allow me)

@ iice, it's true many women are lazy at taking special care of their jewelry. The truth here is if you could spend a small fortune acquiring them, then taking care of them should be an important part of the process; pretty much like safeguarding your treasures, (which they really are)! Even where it's not an expensive item, it should still be well taken care of to extend its usefulness. Learning these 'little' things will sure go a long way in preserving our precious ornaments.

A great difference could be made when we take the time to take care of our jewelry, just the same way we do our clothes and other valuable accessories. Taking care of our jewelry could take the form of using using polish cloths or an ultrasonic device.

Cleaning With Polish Cloth

Silver accessories, for example, must be cleaned ALWAYS after wear with a polish cloth. Please note the emphasis! Highly recommended for anyone wanting to keep jewellery beautifully clean and maintaining that sheen & sparkle. These cloths are impregnated with a silver cleaner & anti-tarnish agent. It will remain effective as long as it is not washed or submerged in water. Even where the cloth appears 'dirty', keep using it, until it becomes black. Tough work you may say, but well worth it considering the added length of life if gives your precious jewelry

Cleaning With Ultrasonic Machine

Ultrasonic Cleaner uses exactly the same technology a jeweller would use to ultrasonically clean your jewelry. It comes in different sizes and they are very effective in cleaning your gold jewelry. If you can afford one, go for the medium sized Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner which uses 42,000 Hz of ultrasonic sound waves and water (detergent is optional) to penetrate deep into crevices and safely and effectively clean intricate areas of bracelets or watchbands. Jewellery with glued-on precious stones is not suitable for ultrasonic cleaning as the glue might come off. If you are not sure if the stones are glued on please do not put your jewellery in the cleaner! Separate precious stones should also not be put in the cleaner to avoid damage.

I know someone who uses an 18K gold necklace, which she never takes off.

For me, I never take off my wedding band; it's just there, not in the least uncomfortable. But I draw the line when it comes to neck wears. I mean, I would definitely feel choked if I were to wear it all day, all night. It all depends on your tolerance level for 'foreign' object around your neck while in bed, I guess.

Of course there are other ways of cleaning gold without making a trip to your jeweler. There are home-made remedies that just about anyone could use to get the glitter back to your favorite gold. When authentic gold jewelry becomes dirty and dull, cleaning is required to restore its brilliant shine. Buying jewelry cleaner isn't necessary. Homemade gold jewelry cleaner is just as effective at cleaning and restoring the shine of beautiful gold jewelry.

While it sits on your finger or around your neck looking beautiful, your jewelry is secretly collecting oils from your skin, dirt, toxins from the air, residue from soaps and body lotions and overtime these affect the appearance of your gold jewelry.

When your ornaments start looking dull or grungy, there is every chance that you may be tempted to take it to a jeweler for a professional cleaning. But unless it’s scratched or seriously filthy, you don’t even need to spend money on commercial jewelry cleaner, because everything you need to give gold a good basic cleaning and shine is probably already in your home.

Here are some of the Home-made tips:

1. Liquid Soap Method

Put a few drops of liquid detergent in a bowl of warm water. Mix gently. Soak the gold jewelry in the solution for 15 minutes.Take a soft-bristle toothbrush or an eyebrow brush and scrub each piece of jewelry with it. Rinse each piece in warm running water. Blot dry with a soft cloth. If your jewelry is studded with stones, then wipe the jewelry with a cloth that's been dabbed in liquid soap solution. Rinse the jewelry with a cloth dampened with plain water. Lay the pieces upside down after cleaning so there is no moisture left.

2. Ammonia Method

Don't use this method too often but once in a while for special occasions you can try it. Mix one part ammonia to six parts water. Soak your gold jewelry in the mixture for just one minute or so and use a strainer to pulling it all out quickly at once. Rinse the jewelry thoroughly under running water and wipe dry using a soft polishing cloth.

3. Toothpaste Method

I'm sure this is what you're looking for @ iice

Gold jewelry can be cleaned using your old toothbrush and tooth paste. Gently scrub off grime using toothpaste. You can also apply the toothpaste to a cloth and hand polish your jewelry. Rinse in clean water. Use this method for gold items that you often wear.

From the foregoing, it must be pretty clear the indispensability of the soft polish cloth! From my readings on this topic, it has been a constant. Even where you cannot do the above, you could still give your gold a quick shine by rubbing it down with a polish cloth. You would see the dirt instantly on the cloth! Very useful indeed!!

LOL

Of course, I'm trying to bring out just how readily available your cleaning 'tools' are!
If you're ok with it, you could use a new toothbrush, but then be sure it's dedicated hence to the work of cleaning your gold.

Warning Regarding Gemstones, Pearls, and Lower-Quality Jewelry

Delicate stones such as opals and pearls should not be cleaned with homemade jewelry cleaner or any other jewelry cleaner containing ammonia or other harsh ingredients. Mild soap and water and a soft polish cloth are all that is necessary. Simply wash delicate pieces by hand, rinse momentarily under cool water, pat dry, and polish with a soft clean cloth.

Inexpensive gems are typically glued into settings, and adhesive can become soft when cleaned with products containing ammonia or rubbing alcohol. Consult a jeweler regarding the authenticity of gold and gemstone jewelry before cleaning.

I must state here that most of these findings are not solely mine; I do a lot of online research on jewelry, so here is the result. Other contributions are welcome.

lovely necklace omg chek out http://www.becauseiamfabulous.com/2011/08/fab-or-blah-etro-fringe-and-spear.html to see more pics

You bet it is, the polish cloth that is. And it is not expensive too. Some jewelry pieces actually come packaged with the cloth, but many don't just understand its usefulness.