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7 Tips for Choosing Antique Jewelry

7 Tips for Choosing Antique Jewelry

The trend of wearing antique, vintage or estate jewelry has caught on recently. But sourcing, buying and choosing antique jewelry is not as simple as walking into an antiques shop and picking up a piece. Here are a few tips you should keep in mind before picking up antique or vintage jewelry.

1. Verify the credibility of the seller

Your relationship with the seller and his or her credibility become critical factors while buying antique jewelry. There are a lot of fakes out there in the market because of which you could be easily fooled into buying phony antique jewelry which has no value. Whether you are buying online, from a vintage store or an independent boutique, make sure that your seller is trustworthy and has a reputed name.

2. Check the condition of the piece

Whether you are buying antique jewelry as an investment or for the purpose of wearing it to parties, the condition of the piece you buy must be decent. One of the obvious characteristics of vintage jewelry is that it doesn’t look new, but that doesn’t mean that it has scratches, missing gems or defective clasps. Don’t get so carried away by the charm of antique jewelry that you overlook even a slight defect.

3. Look for a marking, stamp or signature

All jewelry made before the 1950′s has been broadly classified as vintage or antique jewelry. Jewelry before this period is known to bear a manufacturer’s signature or a maker’s stamp engraved on the piece where as all modern jewelry made with advanced technology is known to make use of copyright symbols. Use a loupe to spot such a mark or get your antique jewelry checked by an expert to know whether it is actually antique or not.

4. Buy according to your choice and personality

One of the important tips you should follow while buying antique jewelry is to match it with the personality of the person who is going to wear it. Just because antique jewelry is trending, it doesn’t mean that it suits all dressing styles, body figures, fashion silhouettes and personality types. For example, if you like delicate jewelry, heavy Victorian pieces will not suit you and if your friend likes floral jewelry, geometric Art Deco pieces will not grab her attention.

5. Check the craftsmanship of the piece


Just like you check for good craftsmanship when you buy modern jewelry, you should check for the same while choosing antique jewelry too. The word antique is not synonymous with valuable. Just because something is from a bygone era, it may not necessarily be well crafted.

6. Educate yourself about antique jewelry


The more you know about antique jewelry, the less it is. There is much to know about vintage, antique and estate jewelry. Visit road shows, exhibitions and showings of antique jewelry in your city. Visit the antiques section of a local museum to get a feel of what antique jewelry is all about. Read online about the history of antique jewelry, its makers and their techniques. This will familiarize you with this fascinating world and you will be better equipped to make a decision while choosing antique jewelry.

7. Check for the location




Many antique jewelry pieces carry an engraved mark about the manufacturing location of a piece. It goes without saying that a mark which reads ‘Made in Italy’ or ‘Made in Belgium’ is likely to be way more authentic than ‘Made in China’.

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