Selecting and Caring for Antique Jewelry

For any item of jewelry to be considered Antique jewelry it is usually expected to be an item of jewelry that is at least 100 years old. There is always some confusion between antique and vintage jewelry. While vintage jewelry can be often be quite old it is usually defined as jewelry that wass made after 1920. There are a many places where you can find stunning pieces of antique jewelry to wear though they are not commonly available in the high street stores, Before you start your search for antique jewelry, it will be helpful to know more about the different eras and types of jewelry you might come across. Here is a quick rundown of the different jewelry eras:

The Late Georgian (1760-1837)

When the necklines were often low, necklaces would be designed to flatter the wearer. Very often, necklaces were multi-tiered designs featuring diamonds and gemstones. Cameos and other pendants were a very common accessory as well, with rows of draping chain in between. An unsuaul material for jewelry is known as Berlin Iron. Patriotic citizens who donated their gold for the war effort were given ornate replicas crafted from this iron. There were lots of miniatures available as well. The minitures were similar to lockets we use today, containing photographs, but in those days the likeness was painted instead of photographed.

Victorian (1837-1901)

The Victorian era is a very popular era for antique jewelry collectors. A range of ornate gemstone jewelry, cameos, and shapes such as hearts and flowers were extremely popular and serpents were another rather surprising motif. The serpent was considered to bring good luck and was a favorite of Queen Victoria. Diamonds had started to become more accessible due to the discovery of new diamond mines. So there was a great deal more Victorian jewelry available with many diamonds included. Onyx and jet were popular as well, and were often worn as mourning pieces.

Art Nouveau (1890-1915)

The Art Nouveau period emerged in Paris during the last years of the reign of Queen Victoria. During this era of jewelry making the jewelers focused more on the style and form of a piece rather than the materials the jewelry was made from. Some of the popular materials included at this time were horn, bone, shell, ivory and glass. Semi-precious stones were very popular as well, as were enamel and styles like cloisonne and an Asian theme for jewelry was popular as well. You will even find some opal and moonstone featured in jewelry from this period of time.

It would be unlikely that anything crafted after the Art Nouveau period would be classified as antique jewelry and is more likely to be considered vintage jewelry. When you are shopping for antique pieces, a good place to start is at estate sales. Auctions are also often great places to find antique jewelry from many different time periods. Take some time and do your research before shopping so that you know what to look for and ask to ensure you know what denotes a piece as authentic.

Copyright 2006-8 Tina Gold - All Rights Reserved

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