Buying Vintage Jewellery – what to look out for
Vintage is a real buzz-word right now and the vintage style has never been more popular. But, whilst the term vintage is nowadays used to describe anything that is pre-used or second hand, real vintage fans know it’s about a lot more than that.
Vintage collectors come from all walks of life and collect vintage pieces from a wide variety of media. Film, music books, furniture, fashion are all popular areas, each with their own highly-prized pieces and favourites. Vintage jewellery however, tends to have a fan-base that is a little different. Some vintage jewellery, from the prominent haute jewellery houses, changes hands for vast sums of money, even millions, far beyond what an average person would even consider paying for something brand new. There are some names which automatically add many zeros on the end of the price tag; Cartier, Dior, Winston, Tiffany, Fabergé, Boucheron, and Garrard to name a few. And of course, anything that was own by a celebrities, especially those from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, when the glitz and glamour of Hollywood was at it’s pinnacle, is even more sought after and thus, more highly valued.
But don’t despair, there is still a huge amount of vintage jewellery out there that is within your grasp. During the 20th century there was a huge boom in the number of designers and artists working as or with jewellers across a vast number of genres and styles. And buying vintage has never been so popular, due to the modern appreciation of recycling and the constraints the economic picture places on our wallets.
As with buying anything second hand, look for items that are of good quality and in good condition. Even the most covetable piece will be worthless if stones are missing and the chain is broken. Check that fastenings still work and try and see if you can spot any obvious repair work. These are areas of weakness that can cause problems later down the line.
Check online or in local city newspapers and magazine guides for vintage jewellery fairs and flea markets. Charity shops can be a good source of vintage jewellery at bargain prices, but many have cottoned on and anything that is deemed to be of high value is usually taken out of your local store and sold through other channels for a higher return.
Spotting a fake can be hard and the best thing to say is if you are not sure, walk away. But look for a quality, smooth finish, even on the reverse of an item. Does the quality, cut and colour of all the stones match? Do all the elements of the piece look similar in style and age? For example, a shiny new clasp on a dusty chain should sound a warning bell. With diamonds, look at the setting. Diamonds are extremely expensive; no jewellers worth his name would showcase such a prized gem in a poor quality setting. And if you are thinking of spending a lot of money, ti is worth getting a reputable expert to look at your find first.
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