Cause A Frockus

Essential Tips for Collecting Vintage Jewelry

Nov 27, 2013 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns

You may be asking yourself, what exactly is costume jewelry? Think of these pieces as more economical copies of their “real deal” counterparts. Costume jewelry first became popular in the 1920s and its following continues to grow; even to this day. Because it’s mass produced and inexpensive it is often thought of as disposable. (But any devoted collector will cringe at that line of thought!) Vintage costume jewelry could be found at all kinds of shops, ranging from low-end to high-end stores. The exciting thing about this type of accessory is that most of the designers came from the world of fine jewelry. (Like the fabulous Coco Chanel, for example.) They incorporated beads, rhinestones, faux pearls, and enamel to expand their creative visions. We love costume jewelry because it remains the best way to breathe new life into a tried and true outfit.

Things to keep in mind

• Contrary to popular opinion, jewelry doesn’t have to be signed to be valuable
• You’ve heard it before – buy what you love. Avoid getting caught up with trends. A silver lining to bucking trends: if what you love isn’t immensely popular it will be cheaper and easier to find.

Shopping checklist

• When you consider a piece, focus on the big two: condition and quality.
• Be on the lookout for troublesome signs of wear and tear:
  • Look at the metal – is it rusted or deteriorated?
  • Analyze the rhinestones – are they clear or cloudy?
  • Assess the stones – are any of them missing or cracked?
  • Take a closer look at the surfaces – look to see if anything’s chipped or tarnished
  • Remember that most scratches can be repaired, but other cosmetic damage isn’t fixable (like holes or severe cracks)
  • Check the hardware attachments – if you see soldering the piece may have been repaired and that can effect the value.
• Kick the tires (figuratively of course). If there is hardware, test it out. For example, can you successfully open and close the clasps?

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“Collecting vintage is the most sustainable way of consuming fashion – it’s a perfect example of recycling and a key to creating your individual look.” – Caroline Cox, Vintage Jewelry Design: Classics to Collect & Wear

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How to spot fake costume jewelry

• Look carefully at the settings. Older settings are typically smooth. It’s usually plated with a metal called rhodium. Rhodium is a white metal that is shiny and bright – think platinum. It should not be tarnished. If you are looking at an art deco-inspired piece and the metal is gray/white in color it is most likely chromium. Another popular metal for settings is known as pot metal. Pot metal is exactly as it sounds – a hodge podge of metals tossed in together. It is characterized by a dull finish.
• Closely assess the stones – spotting dust is a great indication of age.
• If the hardware looks too recent for the age of the piece, then it’s probably not an authentic vintage item.
• You will also want to familiarize yourself with the common designers of the day. Caroline Cox’s book is a treasure trove of information on this, you will find it for purchase at the end of this post. We guarantee you’ll find it an abundantly helpful guide.
• The most important thing to remember: always question things. Even though costume jewelry is a single component to your ensemble it can be a critical investment. Knowing the history and composition of your piece is exciting; vintage shop owners are great at helping you make informed decisions!

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Cause A Frockus would like to thank our tremendous resources: Wikipedia, Vintage Jewelry Design: Classics to Collect & Wear by Caroline Cox, and Vintage Jewelry: A Price and Identification Guide by Leigh Leshner.

For our readers:
What is your favorite costume jewelry piece and why?
What do you love about collecting jewelry? Tell us what you think!

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