Here are a couple of tips I've learned for making my jewelry photographs sparkle:

1. Most importantly, please don't include your hand or neck or toe in any pictures of the jewelry. I really want to think of the item as never worn and, trust me, you are not a hand model (or a foot model...yuck!).

2. Photograph outside in the shade or on an overcast day. You can fashion a tent out of a white sheet or white umbrella for instant shade. Direct sunlight or a flash can give harsh shadows. If you use a flash, take your picture during the day in a well-lit room.

3. Don't move in too close or your photo will be blurry. Step back, shoot, then crop it later. And please do crop. A photo of a tiny ring with a whole lot of background doesn't let me see the true beauty of the item.

4. Keep your background simple. I favor black, but white also looks pretty. Other colored background can also make your listing stand out from the others; try red or purple.

5. If you take the picture straight on (where the lens is perpendicular to the background) you're very likely to get a strong reflection of the flash. Shoot at a slight angle.

6. Silver jewelry can sometimes look gold when photographed. You can dial down the saturation in your photo editing software to give a more accurate rendition of the object. If there are any colored stones, you may need to select just the silver parts before adjustments. This may seem like "cheating" but the goal is to accurately portray the item. Never ever use this kind of software to remove blemishes or flaws. That IS cheating. I use Photoshop Elements for cropping, saturation adjustment, and tone level adjustment.

7. If you're shooting digital, take lots of shots of the item from different angles so you can choose the best one. I use auctiva (it's free) which lets me post multiple photos of the item for free. If you can include any maker's mark photos, these are always useful.

Hope this is helpful. Check out my listings for great examples.