Jewellery Buying Guide

The metal decides a piece's price, lifespan and care, and it is the most important thing to read in a product name. The word "karat" causes the most confusion: in solid gold it is the share of gold in the whole piece, while on a plated piece it is the karat of the thin plating layer alone, not of the piece.

Below are the common metals, each described in general terms. A piece that names more than one metal is grouped by its base: gold-plated silver is silver, and plated steel is steel.

Figures as of 4 November 2026

925 means the piece is 92.5% silver, with the rest usually other metals added for strength, since pure silver is soft. The number is usually stamped inside a ring or on the clasp. "Italian silver" mostly refers to where or in what style it was made. Silver may be plated with gold or rhodium to take on its colour, and stays silver at its base.

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A piece of a base metal such as copper or brass with a thin layer of gold on top. The "18K" in its name is the karat of the layer alone, so it costs far less than gold and suits trend pieces that are changed often. The layer fades with friction, perfume and water depending on its thickness, and anyone allergic to metals should check the base metal in the product description.

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An alloy of iron and chromium that resists rust, so it does not easily change colour and handles daily wear and water. It comes in its own silver tone or plated in a gold colour, and that plating may thin over time. Anyone allergic to metals should check the steel grade named in the description.

4 products · 1 store · From SAR 92

Karat is the share of gold in the whole piece: 24K is about 99.9%, 21K about 87.5% and 18K about 75%. Lower karats are harder and last better in everyday and stone-set pieces. Gold is usually priced by the gram at the day's rate, plus a making charge, and a karat stamp and an invoice showing the weight are worth asking for.

Nothing listed in this group right now.

A natural stone is mined from the earth; a lab-made one usually has the same composition at a lower price; an imitation, such as glass, only looks alike. The product description says which one it is, and a gem lab certificate is worth asking for on costly pieces.

Zircon, a natural stone, is often confused with cubic zirconia, a bright lab-made stone that is sometimes labelled "zircon". Swarovski stones are polished, high-sparkle glass crystal, not gemstones.

A carat is a unit of stone weight equal to a fifth of a gram, and it is not a measure of quality on its own: colour, clarity and cut set a stone's value as much as its weight. Some stones are soft or porous, such as turquoise, opal, pearl and dyed agate, and need more care away from perfume and cleaners.

Stones sold on their own by the carat, to be set in a ring or pendant by a jeweller. Weight, colour, clarity and cut matter, as does whether the stone is natural or treated, and a certificate is worth asking for on costly stones.

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Ring sizes are usually given in the US system or as the inner diameter in millimetres. The easiest way to measure is a ring that already fits the same finger: its inner diameter is measured and compared with the store's size chart.

Fingers swell in heat and late in the day and shrink in the cold, so measuring at a mild time is better. A wide band usually needs half a size larger than a thin one. The product description says whether the size is adjustable and whether the store accepts a size change.

Silver darkens over time as it reacts with air and moisture; this is its nature, not a flaw. It is polished with a dedicated cloth and kept in a closed pouch away from moisture.

Plated pieces go on after perfume and creams, not before, come off for washing, showering and swimming, are wiped with a dry cloth, and are stored apart so that rubbing does not wear the plating. Stainless steel needs the least care: washed with soap and water and dried.

Each piece is best kept separately, since hard stones scratch softer stones and metals.

The movement comes first: quartz runs on a battery and is accurate and low-maintenance, while an automatic winds itself with wrist movement. Then the glass: hardened mineral glass (including Hardlex) is cheaper, and sapphire resists scratches far better. Water resistance is given as pressure: 3 ATM for splashes and hand washing, not swimming; 5 ATM for light swimming; 10 ATM for swimming.

19 products · 2 stores · From SAR 220

Prayer beads are made from natural stones such as agate, onyx and tiger's eye, or from vintage resins prized by collectors such as Bakelite and Catalin, two of the first synthetic plastics of the twentieth century, whose older pieces are valued for colour and weight. They usually have 33 or 99 beads, and the material named, the head piece and the tassel are worth checking.

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