History of antique and vintage jewelry

Jewelry always brings a spark in the eye of many a woman, be it old or new. And antique jewelry always has its share of buyers and followers. In fact, the antique jewelry is considered more precious and treasured down the ages to perfection. The history of antique and vintage jewelry can be divided into different periods that begin from 1836 and end in 1950.

Victorian Jewelry Period

This period marks the beginning of antique and vintage jewelry and started in the year 1836 and extended upto 1901. This is during the reign of Queen Victoria of Britain and all her crown jewels reflected a sense of romance and sentiments as she had a deep love for her husband and children. Most of the Victorian age jewels had been crafted with the designs of flowers, hearts and bows. Gemstones were also used to the maximum in this period.

Art nouveau Jewelry period

Starting in 1890 this antique jewelry collection marks the beginning of the modern age jewelry which was highly feminine and used soft curves, sinuous lines and pale colors. Gemstones like opal, amber, citrines, moonstones and peridots were made popular during this period. The ground breaking craftsmanship was evident with the free flowing asymmetrical lines of the jewels. This period came to an end in the year 1919.

Period of Edwardian jewelry

Lasting from 1901 to 1920, this fashionable antique and vintage jewelry collection was brought into existence by King Edward VII and his Danish bride Alexandria. Te most used material for the jewelry was platinum on which diamonds were studded in the most intricate designs of the era. Alexandria was said to have worn a choker type of necklace which was later made popular. Peridot, his gemstone for good luck gained popularity too. Antique jewelry making saw a new dawn with the emergence of new elegance and beauty of the jewelry.

Art Deco jewelry

The Art Deco jewelry which began in 1920 had the transmutation of the colors used in the antique and vintage jewelry collection. The soft colors were replaced by bold and bright colors. It was the time when the antique jewelry making department saw a number of Jazz and flappers being made. There was a huge Egyptian influence on the antique jewelry collection and the antique jewelry boxes too.

Retro jewelry period

The jewelry collection made in this period had squatty kind of jewelry and began in 1930 and lasted upto 1950. The antique and vintage jewelry of that age had heavy sized colorful gemstones. The most popular were the synthetic rubies and sapphires. The popularity of yellow gold too soared during the World War II as there was not much of platinum available.

How to buy antique and vintage jewelry

The antique and vintage jewelry are worth a fortune and getting an antique jewelry collection is never really a bad idea. It just takes a bit of effort in finding the right kind of product, similar to finding any other product in the market. There are many auction sites where many antique and vintage jewelry, antique jewelry boxes and antique costume jewelry go under the hammer. But it is upto you to stay away from being bamboozled into buying something that is not worth. One of the best ways to have an excellent antique jewelry collection with least expenses is to opt for estate and antique costume jewelry.

Before you buy the antique and vintage jewelry, it is important that you get an independent appraisal done. This is done to ensure that the whole antique jewelry collection is bonafide. But make sure you do not have the antique costume jewelry or any other antique jewelry boxes appraised by the seller. After the verification for authentication, look out for the makers of the antique and vintage jewelry because the ones with these marks are really worth a premium price. Also make sure that there are no repairs required else get the repair estimate written.

There must be a clear description of the antique jewelry collection on the receipt so that there may not be any confusion in the later stages. This may also aid when you claim for insurance. Get it certified from the Gemological Institute too if possible. Buy the antique jewelry from a reputable dealer.

For choosing good antique costume jewelry you need to first know about the different styles of jewelry as the value depends upon the art involved in the jewelry. The value for the precious stones studded in the antique costume jewelry is separated from that of the metal used in the antique jewelry making.

How to care for you antique and vintage jewelry

The antique jewelry collection you possess requires adequate care and attention. As these ancient jewelry is difficult to repair there must be extreme concern while wearing them. Do not wear them while performing household chores and other physical activities.

The antique jewelry must be stored in pouches that are soft with zips and placed into antique jewelry boxes so that they are safe from dirt and dust which may lead to abrasion. Always clean the jewelry after you remove them and before storing into antique jewelry boxes using special jewelry polishing cloth to avoid the accumulation of duct over the intricate designs. To remove the grime from the stones that are studded in the antique jewelry collection use a baby wipe or any other soft cloth. The antique and vintage jewelry must never be brought into direct contact with water. You can also make use of soft tooth brushes for the removal of dirt and dust from the jewelry.