One of the fastest growing sectors in the vintage market today is vintage costume jewelry.
TV personalities, stars of stage and screen, politicians – men and women – are wearing beautiful vintage jewelry. Today, it's easier than ever to find fine vintage costume jewelry at all resale levels. With the enormous number of multi-vendor antique and vintage markets, auction sales, antique and vintage fairs, and of course Internet listings, there’s no shortage of wonderful vintage costume jewelry out there for collectors.
Collecting vintage costume jewelry should be fun and a challenge. For new collectors, however, it's usually more of a challenge than an enjoyable experience. There are several things to think about before making that first purchase. Whether it's an inexpensive market find or a haute couture designer piece, the aspects to consider remain the same.
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Before you buy your first piece of vintage costume jewelry, keep in mind that these items will have some visible signs of wear and tear. Typical wear and tear are acceptable, however damage is not.
It's easy to fall in love with a piece of jewelry when you see it in a showcase without realizing that it may not be as perfect as it appears. This is when knowing what to look for becomes the most valuable thing you can learn before completing that purchase.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Step one of becoming a confident collector of vintage costume jewelry is to make a good connection with a dealer you trust and respect. So, have a conversation and ask questions – and make sure that the person you’re buying from is well versed in his or her inventory.
A professional dealer should be able to tell you the age of an item, what the materials are, the type of construction and, in most cases, who the manufacturer or designer is.
When you inquire as to the materials and the dealer tells you “It’s blue glass in a metal setting”, that’s not the dealer you want to spend your money with. The answer should be, for example, “The stones are Austrian crystal, the setting is rhodium plate, and dates from the 1940s.” As a new collector, you may not know all of the variables which determine what a fair price is. If the dealer you're purchasing from doesn't know either, then it’s easy for him or her to overprice an item.
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A reputable professional dealer should be educated and knowledgeable about their inventory and be willing to share their knowledge with their customers.
Once you've made that connection with the vendor you have confidence in, then the physical aspects of collecting jewelry come into play.
Quality check
Just like any other consumer durable, costume jewelry has been manufactured over an enormous time span and by millions of different manufacturers. That means that the quality varies greatly between not only the companies who made them, but also the suppliers those companies used.
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Signed jewellery is always a good start. Companies who put their names on their inventory take great pride in it, and the quality is often better. However, it can also be more costly, so for new collectors, some brands are more affordable than others. For example, Coro, Lisner, Monet and manufacturer brands are less expensive than designer brands, such as Miriam Haskell, Hattie Carnegie, Hobe, Chanel and Dior. The importance of brands is a category in and of itself: this article focuses solely on how to start your collection while avoiding pitfalls we all often miss.
Damage, wear and tear, and inspection
With wonderful bright lights shining on a showcase full of dazzling jewelry, it's easy to miss the most common damage we see in vintage pieces today. For example, items set with tiny marcasite stones can often hide the fact that some tiny stones are missing. It’s therefore of paramount importance that you examine everything you’re considering before you make a decision.
There are several details to consider when looking at any vintage jewelry piece.
Rhinestone or crystals
The first relates to items which have rhinestones or crystals. Make sure there are no missing stones, then check to determine if any are chipped or cracked.
Over time this does happen when they are not handled carefully, or not stored properly.
Claw-set vs. adhesive
There are two basic methods of securing stones into any piece of jewelry, one is a claw set, and the other is the use of jewelry adhesives. Generally, jewelry which is claw set is higher quality than that using adhesives. When examining claw-set jewelry, make sure that all of the claws are intact and secure and that there are no breaks in the metal. If not properly closed, these claws can be pulled open and catch on things, for example, garments, seat belts and shoulder straps of bags. Because these are vintage pieces, the metal does become brittle. So, forcing a claw closed could cause it to snap off.
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Even one missing claw can result in the loss of a stone. If the stones are secured in place with an adhesive, make sure there is no residue around the outside of the stones or on the setting. If there is, that means that a stone has either been replaced or glued back in. If the glue is yellowed or discolored that's an indication that it is not a jewelry adhesive but something like an instant super glue and those are not reliable adhesives for jewelry, despite what they may claim on their labels.
Any piece of jewelry which has had stones glued back in is one that you should pass on until you find one that is in better condition. Equally, if the original adhesive is starting to deteriorate and stones are falling out, that is not a piece you want to buy.
Discoloration and ‘dead stones’
The next issue with rhinestones and crystals is discoloration or dulling of the stone. Rhinestones are coated with a foil backing, which when exposed to moisture overtime, will result in stones becoming dark, dull and cloudy. In the industry we refer to these as ‘dead stones’.
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Unfortunately, when stones are dead there is nothing that can be done to restore them to their former glory. There is no way to clean dead stones. Jewelry with foil-backed stones are usually closed on the back so that you aren’t able to see the foil, and those settings hold moisture. Overtime, wearing earrings or a necklace or a brooch and spraying perfume or hairspray, or exposing it to moisture of any kind, will eventually impact the appearance of a vintage rhinestone. If the stones are dull or cloudy, they are damaged.
Clasps
it's just as important to look at the back of a piece of vintage jewelry as it is to study the front, so turn the item over.
With brooches, the pin and clasp are all-important items. Make certain that the pin is straight, and fits properly into the clasp. Test the clasp to make sure it closes properly and stays closed. Close it and pull the pin down gently. If it has a locking wheel and it opens, you will almost certainly lose the brooch.
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Many older brooches have open C-shaped clasp with no security lock. Those are never as reliable as the locking clasps.
On necklaces, check for spring rings and clasps. Open and close them to make sure they work well and won’t let go when you’re wearing the piece.
If a bracelet is your new treasure, try it on and check the clasp while you’re wearing it, move it around your wrist. Make sure it’s comfortable and secure and doesn’t catch on your sleeves. Bracelets are easily lost when the clasp catches on a sleeve. It’s devastating to lose a piece you love because the clasp wasn’t robust enough to protect it from daily wear.
Check the backs of earrings. Again, the clips should be tight, and fit closely to the back of the earring. No gaps, or the earring will fall off. Clip-ons can be very uncomfortable if you aren't used to them, so make sure you try them on for a few minutes while you are negotiating your purchase. Earrings, bracelets and necklaces often discolor due to skin contact. Slight discoloration is fine, on the back, however if it is visible on the front, choose something else.
Base metals
Costume jewelry is set in base metals with chrome or rhodium and various other plated finishes. Chrome can peel away overtime and is impacted by heat, body oils, perfume and other moistures. It will also become pitted and darken. It's best to avoid any jewelry with that condition issue. Rhodium is a platinum derivative and is more durable and does not degrade the way other finishes do, and is used in the higher-value brands.
Some minor wear and tear is fine, but peeling finish, missing enamel, rust or pitting is not. It will only become more noticeable over time.
Signs of repair
Make sure to inspect any potential purchase for signs of repair: look for new shiny metal on the backs, for any type of solder or glue or anything else which indicates that a piece has been repaired.
After the purchase: cleaning, care and storage
Knowing how to clean your jewelry is just as important as knowing how to buy it. Vintage jewelry will last forever as long as you take care of it properly. Here are some helpful tips on how to keep your wonderful vintage pieces looking beautiful.
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Don’t use ultrasonic jewelry cleaners on items with adhesive set stones. Never wash or soak any jewelry with rhinestones or crystals that are foil backed, this will degrade the foil backing and create dead stones. Do not use harsh abrasive cleaners on any costume jewelry. Abrasive cleaner and a hard toothbrush are the same as taking a skate blade across an icy surface: it will leave lots of tiny surface scratches. This is particularly true in any stones which are coated with an Aurora borealis finish.
Do not use metal polishes on plated jewelry. Some jewelry is finished with a gold tone or silver tone varnish as opposed to a plated finish, and that can be severely damaged not only by the harsh chemicals but also the abrasive action of metal polishes.
It’s taken you a long time to find the wonderful pieces you now have in your collection, so it's important to store them correctly. Don't pile them on top of each other in jewelry boxes, don't store them in plastic lunch bags, which create condensation and moisture and will result in damage to any foil backed stones.
Don't wrap silver or silver-plated jewelry in plastic wrap, for the same reason: it also promotes tarnish. Lay necklaces and bracelets flat when storing in jewelry boxes so that any links or joined areas are not subjected to pressure or bending which could cause them to break.
Make sure to check your garments before you put them in the laundry – it’s too easy to leave brooches pinned on a garment.
Costume jewelry should be worn and enjoyed. It should be fun to wear. You can look like a million without spending it! That’s the joy of vintage pieces.
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Article by Val Hammond
Val Hammond has been an antique and vintage jewelry dealer since 1985. She develops courses and does guest speaking across Ontario, Canada, and conducts interactive workshops on antiques and collectables for organizations, clubs and libraries. She is a contributing writer to numerous antique journals, is an online appraiser and supplies props and jewelry for television commercials and film. Val was also the Poet Laureate for the city of North York, Ontario from 1981-83, and the first female Poet Laureate in Canada.
