Don't Forget to Consider Comfort When Buying Jewelry

When most people go out to purchase jewelry, whether as a gift or as a self-purchase, they are focused almost exclusively on how it looks. Unfortunately, while this may lend itself to buying something you can be proud to gaze upon and show off, it may wind up being left on your dresser more often than not. That's because most people fail to consider comfort when making a purchase. If you're buying a necklace that you only intend to wear on very special occasions, that might not matter all that much. Certainly, people—women, especially—are accustomed to sacrificing comfort for style. But if it is something you want to wear more often, you should think about practical matters as much as appearance. Here are some things to think about.

Heavy Earrings

Nothing can get more uncomfortable more quickly than heavy earrings. This is where many people make a mistake—particularly men trying to pick something out for their wives or girlfriends. They choose something that looks expensive and weighty, failing to consider how that will feel dangling from the ear for an extended period of time. While this is important for all earrings, it is critical when looking at the ones that dangle well below the earlobe. Those can get downright painful if they are too heavy.

Sharp Rings

This is one of those tricky aspects to jewelry purchasing that, again, many men are going to fail to realize. This is because most men don't try on a ring they are buying for their significant other. Obviously, in most cases a ring isn't going to fit on a man as it would on a woman, but you should probably be able to slip it over the tip of your finger at least. This will be enough to get a feel for the band. Some manufacturers don't smooth out the edges of their bands, which can be very uncomfortable for the wearer. If you feel sharp edges, leave it with the store.

Difficult Clasps

Again, many people don't think about trying on jewelry before they buy it. For that reason, they don't realize that the clasp to that necklace is impossible to open and close without someone else's assistance. This effectively means that you are unable to wear the necklace unless someone else is there to help you put it on. You don't want to be limited by design in this way. Clasps can sometimes be replaced, but that's something you don't want to do unless you really love that necklace.