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Buying Antique Jewellery

Purchasing and obtaining antique jewellery  is like being able to have a little piece of history and always keep it with you. Some people choose to trade their jewellery in, others collect it, and others still might decide to wear it. There are a few things you might want to consider before starting to buy antique jewellery.

Tips

  • Determine Your Budget: Deciding how much money you want to spend ahead of time can help you avoid getting carried away and wanting to buy each new piece you find.
  • Decide What to Collect: Because there are vintage jewellery  pieces from so many different eras, it might be easier if you target which era you are most interested in and look for pieces from that time period.
  • Read Up: Do some research before you start collecting. Figure out what makes a piece more valuable and know which questions to ask about your purchase, such as whether your jewellery is set with the original stones or if some parts had to be replaced.
  • Where to Buy  Your Jewellery: You can start your collection by buying from a few different locations: estate sales,  antique stores,  flea markets,  and online.
  • Get in Gear: The most helpful thing you can have when going to look at pieces is a magnifying glass.  This will aid you in finding imperfections on the piece or other engravings or emblems that you might have missed.

Jewellery Eras

Antique jewellery pieces come from a few different time periods. Each era has a varied style and uses different gemstones for each set.

 

Georgian Jewellery : (1714-1837)  This jewellery is rare, as it is all handmade and from the oldest era of jewellery that can be collected.  Named after the time period where four different King Georges reigned in England, this jewellery was inspired by the Rococo, Gothic and Neoclassical movements. Popular pieces include cameos,  mosaics and designs with plumage.

 Victorian Jewellery : This can be divided into three sections.

  • Early Victorian : (1837-1850) Otherwise known as romantic jewellery, this includes designs etched into gold. Popular pieces were lockets  and brooches,  and many items from this period were often used to show affection for loved ones.
  • Mid-Victorian : (1860-1880) Also called grand jewellery or mourning jewellery,  as it was designed after the death of Queen Victoria's husband. Darker stones such as onyx   and jet  were used.
  • Late Victorian : (1885-1900) Also referred to as aesthetic jewellery, pieces from this period used brighter gemstones.  This period also included animal jewellery, which incorporated body parts of animals into the pieces.

 

Arts and Crafts Jewellery : (1894-1923) As the name suggests, this jewellery movement entailed a return to craftsmanship and featured simple designs that were mean to be abstract.  This jewellery is pricier as it was all handmade, and most of the time it was made out of silver.  Gemstones such as quartz crystal,  opal  and moonstone  were used.

 

Art Nouveau Jewellery : (1895-1915) Coming off the tail-end of the arts and crafts era which rejected industrialisation, this type of jewellery continued the trend of using natural designs that included nude female figures, animals and insects. Considered daring for the time, this jewellery has been widely reproduced, making it difficult to distinguish original from new pieces.

 

Edwardian Jewellery : (1901-1910) Named for the period when Edward became King of England,  this jewellery features the more coveted gemstones such as diamonds,  emeralds  and rubies.  New technology of the time produced more intricate designs and enabled mass production of many pieces.

 

Art Deco Jewellery : (1920-1935) This style used geometric shapes and bright colours to reflect the bold feeling of the times and the gaining independence of women.  Bangle bracelets,  cuff links  and costume jewellery  all became popular. Some pieces contained an Egyptian influence, as well reflected in the discovery of King Tut's Tomb  in 1922.

 

Retro Jewellery : (1940s) Continuing the dramatic effect of Art-Deco jewellery, retro jewellery was designed to make a statement and reflect the glamour of the era. Semi-precious  and synthetic stones  were used in this jewellery and charm bracelets  became popular at this time as well.

Related Guides

Charm Bracelets

Gemstones

Jewellery and Watches
 

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