Antique and vintage jewellery has an allure each of its own! Once you consider antique jewellery, you tend to consider the sort of thing that turns up on the Antique Road Show, the Faberge jewellery that’s valued in the tens and thousands of pounds, but needless to say the majority of vintage pieces tend to be 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 even more, lakshmi hara whereas vintage is frequently defined as older pieces made after the Retro Modern amount of the 1940s and around and including the 1980s. It is a very wide field, and usually the terms are interchangeable.
Indeed, for those on a budget, pre-owned, or pre-loved jewellery while the trade prefers to call it, is a great 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 due to their scrap metal value, leaving the greater pieces intact. The notion of owning an unusual wedding ring or wedding ring that’s vintage or pre-loved is something which can be considered as frequently these rings will undoubtedly be cheaper compared to modern equivalent but just as good quality if not better. I think that it’s nice to perhaps reflect on yesteryear history of a classic piece and speculate on the real history behind it!
So where do you will find antique and vintage jewellery? Some jewellery shops sell second-hand jewellery, and you can buy online. eBay is a well known source, but be mindful – it’s easy to obtain overly enthusiastic and bid a lot 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 suitable receipt from owner which demonstrates 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 should be hallmarked – all British silver and gold is, but foreign items such as for instance Indian jewellery may not be. An unbiased appraisal may be worth obtaining in the case of valuable items.
My advice to anyone thinking about buying antique or vintage jewellery is to learn around you possibly can. Read up about this and get to learn everything you are looking for. Knowledge is power. It’s also fun!
Another idea is to take into account vintage-style. New jewellery that’s been made in a retro style can also 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 match 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.