Antique and vintage jewellery comes with an allure most of a unique! When you consider antique jewellery, you tend to think about the type of thing that turns up on the Antique Road Show, the Faberge jewellery that’s valued in the a large number of pounds, but needless to say nearly all vintage pieces are more modest and affordable. I started in antique fairs some years back, and jewellery was always popular, whether rings, brooches, or necklaces or bracelets.
Antique jewellery is usually defined to be 100 years old or even more, lakshmi hara whereas vintage is often defined as older pieces made following the Retro Modern period of the 1940s and as much as and such as the 1980s. It is really a very wide field, and often 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 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 better pieces intact. The very thought of owning an unusual wedding ring or wedding ring that’s vintage or pre-loved is a thing that can be considered as often these rings is going to be cheaper compared to modern equivalent but just of the same quality quality or even better. I genuinely believe that it’s nice to perhaps reflect on yesteryear history of a vintage piece and speculate on the annals behind it!
So where do you discover antique and vintage jewellery? Some jewellery shops sell second-hand jewellery, and you can buy online. eBay is a well known source, but be cautious – it’s easy to obtain overly enthusiastic and bid a lot more than you intended! And the rule of caveat emptor applies – that means ‘buyer beware’ and I find when something looks too good to be true, then generally it’s!
When buying antiques, you need to be sure of what it’s you’re buying, so always get an effective receipt from the vendor which suggests that that is genuine. It should state the gems used, and that any diamonds are genuine and not substitutes such as cubic zirconium. Gold and silver must be hallmarked – all British silver and gold is, but foreign items such as Indian jewellery might not be. An independent appraisal may be worth obtaining in the case of valuable items.
My advice to anyone interested in buying antique or vintage jewellery is to understand as much as you possibly can. Read up about this and get to understand 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 produced in a vintage style can be remarkably 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 take a peek, and remember, buying from these retailers is safe and easy.