Antique and vintage jewellery posseses an allure all its own! Once you consider antique jewellery, you tend to think of the kind of thing that turns on the Antique Road Show, the Faberge jewellery that is valued in the 1000s of pounds, but of course the majority of vintage pieces tend to be more modest and affordable. I started in antique fairs some years ago, and jewellery was always popular, whether rings, brooches, or necklaces or bracelets.
Antique jewellery is generally defined as being 100 years of age or maybe more, lakshmi hara whereas vintage is usually defined as older pieces made after the Retro Modern period of the 1940s and around and including the 1980s. It is a very wide field, and usually the terms are interchangeable.
Indeed, for people on a budget, pre-owned, or pre-loved jewellery since the trade prefers to call it, is a superb alternative to purchasing new jewellery. I found 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 actually melted down due to their scrap metal value, leaving the greater pieces intact. The notion of owning an unusual gemstone or wedding ring that is vintage or pre-loved is something which can be viewed as as very often these rings is going to be cheaper compared to modern equivalent but just nearly as good quality or even better. I think that it’s nice to perhaps think on days gone by history of a classic piece and speculate on the history behind it!
So where do you will find antique and vintage jewellery? Some jewellery shops sell second-hand jewellery, and you should buy online. eBay is a well known source, but be cautious – it’s easy to obtain overly enthusiastic and bid more than you intended! And the rule of caveat emptor applies – which means ‘buyer beware’ and I find that if something looks too good to be true, then generally it’s!
When buying antiques, you need to make sure of what it’s you’re buying, so always get a proper receipt from the vendor which implies that them is genuine. It should state the gems used, and that any diamonds are genuine and not substitutes such as for instance cubic zirconium. Gold and silver ought to be hallmarked – all British silver and gold is, but foreign items such as for instance Indian jewellery might not be. An independent appraisal might be worth obtaining in the case of valuable items.
My advice to anyone thinking about buying antique or vintage jewellery is to learn 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’s been made in a retro style is also extremely 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 suit any taste, whether Victorian, Art Nouveau or Art Deco, so feel absolve to have a look, and remember, buying from these retailers is safe and easy.