Collecting vintage costume jewelry

Shiny gold, stunning silver, colored rhinestones that catch the light and dazzle the eye. Oh how I love costume jewelry! Particularly, when it’s vintage costume jewelry. It’s often unique. It’s often over the top. It’s always beautiful. It creates the finishing touch on the perfect outfit. In addition to being a fashion accessory, costume jewelry is becoming a highly sought after collectible. So, what should you be on the lookout for when collecting jewelry?

1.       Know the names.

Ok, you really don’t have the time, energy or cranium capacity to familiarize yourself with the several hundred name brands. However, you should know the biggies. Trifari, Boucher, Haskell, Coro (aka: Corocraft and Coro Duette), Weiss, Lisner, etc, etc. Different designers have “styles” and “looks”. So, it’s a good idea to study up.  Pick up some reference books, talk to knowledgeable collectors and use the internet.

2.       Look for signed pieces

Why signed pieces? They tend to be the ones that are the most collectible and liable to hold their value as well as, appreciate more. This doesn’t mean ignore unsigned pieces. If it’s lovely, in good condition and you love it…..buy and enjoy it!

3.       Dare to date it.

You can often date the jewelry by change in style, signature design or even color of rhinestones. If you can’t find a signature, look for a patent number. Big names may not have copyrighted earlier pieces but they still wanted their “style” patented.  This usually means that piece came from a good source. You can often use the internet and the patent number to find the maker and date of the piece. In addition, jewelry company’s copyrights only dates to the 50’s or later. So, if you see that copyright C you know it was made after that.

4.       The more, the merrier.

Yes, I know it seems like common sense. However, whole pieces and sets are worth more than those that are incomplete. Duettes, a style in which a broach was formed by two dress pins attached to a frame are worth twice (and sometimes three times) as much the two dress pins together. This is also true of demi parures. They should include all pieces; a necklace, earrings, bracelet, and broach, all matching.

5.       Beware of “Marriages”.

A so called marriage takes place when someone has a piece of this necklace and adds a piece of that earring puts it with a vintage clasp and creates a whole new piece of an indeterminable origin. Most people who collect jewelry as investments will tell you that these pieces are worthless. Technically, they’re right. In the collectible market they have no value. However, I call this up-cycling and I love it. It’s an ecologically sound practice. It also provides you with the opportunity to purchase a one-of –a-kind, truly unique piece, while salvaging jewelry that others might find unfit to collect.

6.       Hoard like a miser!

Don’t throw out broken jewelry or loose stones. Rhinestones can be replaced with new stones but, they tend to look…..new. Older stones will be a better match. In addition, beads and baubles broken off old jewelry can be re-purposed to create new jewelry.

7.       Tools of the trade.

Carry a loupe or magnifying glass while treasure hunting. This way you can actually see important things like signatures, copyrights, small missing stones and other flaws. Other good things to have for cleaning and repairs…..jewelry tweezers (with angled tip), a good adhesive (G-S Hypo Cement is awesome!), a soft baby’s toothbrush, white vinegar and Q-tips (all good for a gentle cleaning).

8.         Know your enemies.

When shopping be aware that these are older pieces so, there is bound to be small imperfections. Weither you are shopping for yourself or for investment piece you should try to avoid purchasing items with large, glaring flaws.

A.      Pitted or flaky plating.

Most people really don’t have the knowledge or tools to replate jewelry but, it can be done. If you can find a reputable craftsman to do this tricky repair you have to weigh the costs of the fix against worth of the piece. Usually, the repair cost exceeds the worth of the piece.

B.      Finish Wear.

If a piece has a little wear it’s a beautiful patina that adds character. If it’s extreme; it’s damage. What did we just say about replating?

C.      Rust.

Rust is a symptom of metal damage. Even if it can be cleaned off a piece the damage needs to be repaired in order to stop that rust from reappearing.

D.      That Green Yuck! (Verdigris)

This can be another sign of metal damage. Sometimes verdigris (like dirt) can be transferred from one piece to another. However, a gentle cleaning in white vinegar usually does the trick.

E.       Signs of painting.

Yup. Some people will paint over damage to hide it. Be suspicious of finishes that don’t seem to match consistently. Enough said.

F.       Loss of unusual or hard to find stones.

Rhinestones are fairly easy to replace. And for the most part this can be done without hurting the value of piece. However, if the uniqueness of the stones are what set it apart how available do you think replacement stones will be? Not very.

G.     Dead or discolored stones.

With glued rhinestones (paste) it can be a little tricky removing the dead ones depending on what adhesive was use previously. Replacing them is much easier. Just remember to keep your glue use to a minimum. Prong set stones will come right out once the prongs are bent out of the way. However, if the prongs have been bent back and forth too many times this weakens the metal. Look closely for tiny lines at the setting or base of the prongs. Are there tiny dents, scratches or dings? These are signs of past repairs and weaknesses in the prongs.

H.      Excessive or yellowed glue.

This is usually a fixable problem that involves removing the stone as well as the glue. However, the issue becomes one of time, money and effort. How much do you want to invest in this piece?

I.        Blackened or discolored string.

When shopping for beaded jewelry gently separate the beads and inspect the string. Black or discoloration is a sign that the string is rotting. If you have the time and tools it might be worth it to restring the piece. If not, don’t fear. Most bead stores and jewelry stores offer restringing services at inexpensive prices.

9.       The care and feeding of your shinies.

Vintage jewelry is older and needs a little bit of TLC. I try to avoid wearing perfume, hair spray and heavy make-up when I wear my jewels. All of these products cause horrific damage to jewelry. If you insist on wearing a little scent or you need a little hold for your hair remember the rule of “Last on. First off”. Your jewelry should be the LAST thing you put on and the FIRST thing you take off. Always wipe your jewelry with a dry, lint free cloth before putting away. This will help to avoid a buildup of body oils. I strongly recommend separate boxes or pouches for these pieces. This will avoid tangling of chains and damage that can be done to finishes. In addition, if a stone comes loose; you’ll be able to find it in the bottom of the bag/box instead of it being lost in the jungle of your jewelry box. Also think before you clean! Never put pearls of any kind (real, plastic or glass) in a sonic cleaner, as this can damage the finish. This goes for glass beads as well. It’s best to research chemical cleaners before using them. Remember this type of jewelry is plated. A harsh chemical may eat through the entire plating! I like to use white vinegar and baking soda. They’re gentle enough to clean almost anything! When cleaning foiled rhinestones avoid getting the foil itself wet. Foil is the gold plate or paint on the back of rhinestones. It tends to be very delicate. Also remember to make sure each piece is thoroughly dry before putting away. You don’t want to create rust or verdigris!

10.   Enjoy!

I cannot say this enough! Jewelry is meant to be worn. Jewelry is meant to be shown. Once you’ve done your homework and you know the piece will last you for years to come, start enjoying it now! It’s ok to show off a little. You’ll be surprised at how beautiful this fantastic jewelry will make you feel!