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While some save for months to make a jewelry purchase, buying a bauble for that special someone doesn't have to be expensive.

Your budget will determine if you can purchase an entire jewelry "look," including a necklace, bracelet and earrings, or just one piece that can be built upon later. For those on a modest budget, consider buying a great pair of earrings now and the accompanying necklace or ring for a future gift-giving occasion.

Bonnie Kelly and Teresa Walsh, co-founders of Silpada Designs, a direct sales company specializing in handcrafted sterling silver jewelry, say it's possible to find something to fit every budget.

"You can buy without breaking the bank by investing in a few quality pieces of jewelry that she can wear in a variety of ways," says Kelly. "The easiest way to get that 'wow factor' is with a classic statement piece of jewelry that she can wear with a little black dress or a fitted T-shirt and jeans."

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a Jewelry Shopper's Checklist to help you make good purchasing decisions.

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• Ask about the refund and return policy before you buy.
• Check for the appropriate markings on metal jewelry. For example, .925 on a sterling silver piece of jewelry means it's the highest-quality silver you can purchase.
• Shop with companies you know or do some home work before buying to make sure a company is legitimate before doing business with it.
• Get the details about the product, as well as the merchant's refund and return policies, before you buy.
• Look for an address to write to or a phone number to call if you have a question, a problem or need help.

Birthstone jewelry is a perfect gift because it is personal and meaningful in nature. It is often thought that birthstones bring good luck to the person wearing it. Below is a birthstone guide that will make jewelry selection a breeze.

January - Garnet. A durable and brilliant semi-precious stone, garnet is commonly available in colors such as green, red and yellowish-orange.

February - Amethyst. A purple variant of quartz, it's available in colors from deep burgundy to pale lilac.

March - Jasper. An opaque stone with wide color variations. There are more than 50 different types of Jasper, categor ized according to pattern, including Dalmatian, Lemon, Leopard, Picture and Yellow Jasper.

April - Cubic Zirconia. A brilliantly trans parent, colorless or white substitute for diamonds. It can also be colored to resemble semi-precious stones.

May - Agate. A form of quartz that comes in many colors and patterns.

June - Pearl. Freshwater pearls occur naturally in mussels found in rivers throughout the world. Cultured pearls come from oysters that have been artificially stimulated to produce pearls.

July - Onyx. Known for its smooth, fine texture, onyx is almost always black, but can be a deep brown, tan or white.

August - Peridot. A volcanic gem with rich green colors.

September - Lapis. A natural and intense blue stone that sometimes has small, sparkling gold- or silver-colored flecks.

October - Faux Opal. A substitute for Opal, a gemstone that shines with a wide play of colors.

November - Citrine, Yellow Topaz. Citrine is a pale yellow or amber member of the quartz family. Yellow Topaz can range from bright yellow to golden brown.

December - Stabilized Turquoise. Natural turquoise that has been injected with a clear resin to improve color and hardness and to protect against fading.

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http://fashionnews99.blogspot.com/ If you are looking into purchasing cheap jewelry you have to be the judge as to whether the jewelry is real and how much you can get it for. With cheap jewelry, before buying, you must look at the markings on the piece of jewelry and make sure that it has a U.S. registered trademark of a reputable company or individual that will vouch that the piece is authentic. If the piece is sterling silver it must by law carry both of e types of markings.

Now when it comes to looking over it for its aesthetic reasons the piece should not be worn or chipping unless you are looking into antique or used jewelry.

If you want help judging jewelry you can shop for it through a jewelry store or, in some cases, discount jewelry departments in department stores. Especially in jewelry shops there will generally be an expert on jewelry and they can give you information on silver jewelry. If the piece that you are looking to purchase is expensive you can have a jeweler appraise the piece and see if it is worth what you are paying.

Many times though the piece is used or inexpensive and you must judge for yourself. The appearance of the piece is the most important thing so before purchasing a piece look over it thoroughly for nicks on the piece or discoloration from being worn. A great place to pick up cheap fashion jewelry can be garage sales and thrift stores.