Vintage, antiques, second-hand ... Once upon a time, things inherited from previous generations aroused bewilderment at best, neglect at worst. But today the rules of the game have changed! Accessories and jewelry from the past have become the main trend of the present.
Remember your disappointment when, in your student years, your grandmother, instead of a "normal gift", handed you a set with a Baltic amberbought in the 60s? So, forget it! It's time to get this jewelry treasure from the bowels of your box, because from now on, the ability to wear retro jewelry is an indicator of your fine taste.
How to identify real vintage, antiques, rarities
First, let's understand the concepts, because vintage and antiques, it turns out, are by no means synonyms.
Vintage Jewelry - this is jewelry or bijouterie over 20-30 years old, which were popular in the era in which they were created.
Antique Jewelry - may not be younger than 50-60 years old. Such decorations are distinguished not only by their venerable age, but also by their artistic value and the high cost of materials.
However, depending on geo-location, definitions may vary slightly. For example, in Russia and Great Britain, jewelry over 50 years old is considered antique, in the USA - made before 1830, and in Canada before 1847.
There is another definition of antique jewelry - "rare".
Rare jewelry - these are the rarest, exclusive products, created either in a limited edition, or even in a single copy.
Each vintage or antique piece tells its own story, plunges it into a distant era. Such products have incredible energy and keep the mysterious secrets of the past.
What to look for when choosing vintage, antique jewelry
One of the main signs of the value of a vintage piece is its uniqueness and rarity. The explanation is simple: mass market technologies (that is, stamping of the same or very similar models) came to us relatively recently, which means that before, almost all jewelry was made in very small quantities or even by the piece. If in front of you is the same brooch in several versions, then most likely it is a fake for antiques. The older the jewelry, the more exclusive it is.
Price
Antique jewelry or vintage jewelry, by definition, cannot be cheap. The price of such products consists of several main factors:
- Decoration material. For example, plastics from the 70s are much better than modern Chinese plastics. In addition, there are metal alloys that manufacturers no longer use.
- Inserts. Antique precious and semi-precious stones increase in value over the years, especially if they have a rare cut or clarity. And even Swarovski crystals only become more expensive over time, due to their popularity and quality.
- Age. It is already clear here: the older, the more expensive. A couple of decades and a vintage piece of jewelry becomes antique, which has a noticeable effect on its price tag.
- Brand. The more influential, famous and more expensive the jewelry house that made the jewelry, the higher its value will be.
Jewelry price is one of the key factors when buying an antique piece. Yes, miracles do happen, and at a flea market in Paris, you can find a 70s Christian Dior bracelet in a pile of rubbish for 50 euros. However, truly valuable antiques will never be listed below the expert appraisal value.
Estimating the cost of a jewelry is a huge job, which begins with collecting all the information about the product, its creator, era, and previous owners. Yes, if the brooch you have your eye on was once worn by Grace Kelly, it will cost many times more. Buying an antique jewelry is a serious investment, because you are investing not just in an accessory, but in an art object that will only get more expensive over time.
Availability of the "book piece" status
Book piece jewelery is a piece published in the vintage jewelery catalog. Such marking on the product guarantees quality and eliminates the risk of buying a fake. Vintage catalogs publish jewelry that has passed a rigorous, expert selection. The most famous and authoritative of them include: "Warman's Jewelry: Identification & Price Guide", "American Costume Jewelry: Art and Industry". These books include a long period in the history of jewelry, descriptions of styles and trends. In addition, you can be guided by the catalogs of famous auctions Christie's or Sotheby's.
Pay attention to the term "costume jewelry" - this is a rare costume jewelry, which is especially highly valued and for many antique hunters is no less cherished prey than real jewelry.
Metal
To understand what color and quality of metal vintage jewelry has, you just need to compare it with the cheap Chinese mass market. You don't need to be an expert or a specialist to see the difference. Jewelry before the 80s is never bright yellow; their shade is more muted, light.
In addition, if the jewelry is light in weight, then this is a modern piece. Products created before the 90s are quite heavy, since certain metal alloys (zinc, rhodium and others) were used. Modern costume jewelry is lighter, usually made of aluminum.
Brand, marking, quality certificate
All vintage items have their own markings and brands. The most expensive and exclusive models are accompanied by a quality certificate, which reflects the cost of the jewelry and the presence of precious inserts. But the labeling rules apply not only to expensive jewelry, but also to jewelry.
The most famous example is jewelry from Chanel. Jewelry of the world famous brand is a tasty morsel for any collector, designer or stylist, which is why they are so fond of forging.
Alas, the very first Chanel jewelry collections were not stamped, and therefore it is rather difficult to determine their authenticity.
Since the 70s, the new owner of the Chanel house, Alain Wertheimer, has been puzzled by the issue of registering the CHANEL trademark. From the 70s to the 80s, all the brand's jewelry had a plate with the inscription "CHANEL" with copyright and registration marks, the famous CC logo and the inscription "Made in France".
In the 80s, the Chanel management decided to add the date of manufacture of the jewelry to the disc, but the inscription “Made in France” disappeared. From the early 90s to this day, Chanel jewelry markings look like this:
The copyright sign and registration marks take their place next to the inscription "CHANEL", as well as the inscription "Made in France" located below, between them is the CC logo, surrounded on one side by two numbers that indicate the year, and on the other - by one letter , which denotes the season: P (spring) or A (autumn).
Important! Don't confuse Chanel jewelry with Chanel Novelty Company jewelry. These are two completely different brands! Later Chanel Novelty Co. were renamed to Reinad Novelty.
Decoration appearance
Every vintage or antique piece has a history that leaves its mark on. If you see a perfect piece of jewelry without scuffs and scratches, smooth and polished, then most likely it is a fake. Traces of time are the main distinguishing feature of antiques. Yes, the jewelry can be slightly refurbished (for example, the clips can be equipped with modern silicone pads on the closures), but in general, vintage jewelry looks old and feels rough and uneven to the touch.
The most famous and coveted "vintage" brands
The most famous “vintage” jewelry brands that stylists and collectors hunt for include: Askew London, Boucher, Carolee, Carven, Chanel, Christian Dior, Coro, Fendi, Givenchy, Hattie Carnegie, Joan Rivers, Kenneth Jay Lane, KENZO, Kramer, London, Miriam Haskell, Napier, Nolan Miller, Nina Ricci, Schiaparelli, Schreiner, St. John, Trifari, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace.
Each of the brands, in addition to the corporate markings and hallmarks, has its own unique handwriting and style.
Where to buy antique jewelry
You can buy antique jewelry in different places and specialized institutions.
Antique salon, vintage shop
The most common and easiest way to buy vintage jewelry. As a rule, antique shops care about their reputation and guarantee the quality and authenticity of the goods they offer. In addition, in an offline store, you can carefully examine the product that you are going to purchase.
Flea markets
Flea markets have their own romance. Going to such a place, you are like going out on the hunt for the desired prey. Flea markets in Europe are especially popular. Here, no one guarantees you the authenticity and quality of the goods, but if you are well versed in jewelry, you can buy jewelry from Christian Dior or Chanel at a good price.
E-commerce
Due to quarantine, offline stores and fairs migrated to Internet sites: websites, social networks. This has its pros and cons. On the one hand, you do not need to go anywhere, on the other hand, you cannot touch and examine the jewelry up close. When choosing a product on an antiques website, you should carefully study the information not only about the product, but also about the store itself.
Internet auctions
Over the past year, the popularity of online auctions has grown exponentially. The most famous of them are: Sotheby's New York, Sotheby's Geneva, Christie's Jewels Online Sale, Bonhams Luxury Online.
On these trading floors, you can buy antique jewelry from famous world brands such as Bulgari, Cartier, Boucheron, Graff and others.
Last April Sotheby's broke the world record at the cost of the jewelry sold online. So the famous Tutti Frutti bracelet from Cartier, created in the 30s of the last century, left for 1 340 000 dollars... This is the most expensive jewelry lot in the world.
Retro jewelry in modern looks
Vintage jewelry has its own unique style, reflecting history, traditions and culture. Usually, these are decorations in the empire style, art deco, art nouveau (modern), baroque, romanticism, surrealism and abstractionism. These styles are still popular with stylists and designers today.
Antique jewelry conceals a mystery, attracts attention, makes the image spectacular and special. How to fit second-hand into a modern wardrobe? First, master the tricks vintage recycling - creative combination of old and new in one look. For example, hang your grandmother's pendant on a trendy chain, add modern pendants to vintage earrings, or wear antique signet in combination with rings and signet rings from the latest collections.
Vintage brooches from different eras and periods look great together. The more there are, the more complex and interesting the image will be. Do not forget that brooches can be attached not only to the lapels of a jacket, but also to a shirt sleeve, headdress, belt, bag or any other wardrobe item.
Mom's voluminous earrings from the 80-90s give your look a wow effect when paired with modern puffy jewelry or trendy hair accessories.
A la vintage
The latest collections of world brands and leading jewelry designers are inspired by jewelry from the Baroque, Art Deco, Art Nouveau and even dashing 80s-90s.
Pay attention to the demi fine jewelry - the middle class between jewelry and bijouterie. Life hack: products made of high quality precious alloys will last longer, but stones can be replaced with semi-precious, ornamental or even crystals, thus adjusting the cost of the product.
Decorations in a pseudo-vintage style look more spectacular if made aged: deformed metal, worn textures, perhaps even scratches.
In addition, it is better to choose models whose design refers to the eras of the last century, no further. Hardly anyone would believe that the Egyptian style necklace you wear around your neck is real. But bracelets in the spirit of the 70s or earrings reminiscent of the 90s will not raise any doubts.
