Antique and vintage jewellery posseses an allure most of its! When you think of antique jewellery, you tend to consider the kind of thing that turns up on the Antique Road Show, the Faberge jewellery that is valued in the tens and thousands of pounds, but obviously the majority of vintage pieces are far more modest and affordable. I were only available in antique fairs some years back, and jewellery was always popular, whether rings, brooches, or necklaces or bracelets.
Antique jewellery is normally defined as being 100 years old or maybe more, lakshmi hara whereas vintage is usually defined as older pieces made after the Retro Modern amount of the 1940s and up to and like the 1980s. It is just a very wide field, and usually the terms are interchangeable.
Indeed, for people on a budget, pre-owned, or pre-loved jewellery as the trade prefers to call it, is a good alternative to purchasing new jewellery. I came across that vintage jewellery is usually well-made and attractive, especially since, with the rising price of gold and other precious metals, the more unattractive and/or damaged pieces are now melted down for their scrap metal value, leaving the greater pieces intact. The thought of owning a unique gemstone or wedding ring that is vintage or pre-loved is a thing that can be viewed as as often these rings is going to be cheaper compared to the modern equivalent but just nearly as good quality if not better. I think that it’s nice to perhaps reflect on days gone by history of a vintage piece and speculate on the annals behind it!
So where do you find antique and vintage jewellery? Some jewellery shops sell second-hand jewellery, and you can get online. eBay is a well known source, but be cautious – it’s easy to obtain carried away and bid more than you intended! And the rule of caveat emptor applies – meaning ‘buyer beware’ and I find that when something looks too good to be true, then generally it’s!
When buying antiques, you’ll need to be sure of what it’s you’re buying, so always get a suitable receipt from owner which suggests that the item is genuine. It will state the gems used, and that any diamonds are genuine and not substitutes such as for instance cubic zirconium. Gold and silver must certanly be hallmarked – all British silver and gold is, but foreign items such as for instance Indian jewellery might not be. An independent appraisal may be worth obtaining in the event of valuable items.
My advice to anyone enthusiastic about buying antique or vintage jewellery is to master as much as you possibly can. Read up about any of it and get to know that which you are looking for. Knowledge is power. It’s also fun!
Another idea is to think about vintage-style. New jewellery that has been produced in a retro style can be very popular and often good value. On my website, are many retailers who do lovely ranges of attractive jewellery and watches in traditional and antique styles to accommodate any taste, whether Victorian, Art Nouveau or Art Deco, so feel liberated to take a look, and remember, buying from these retailers is safe and easy.