What is Vintage Jewellery?
Vintage is a generic term used to describe old jewellery, but how old is old? Etsy would tell you that anything 20 years old is vintage – it does not belong to this generation – so it is vintage. Others would tell you it is 50 years. Both of these have their merits and we are happy with either, but given that the hallmark system changed in 1973 and that was the end of the Retro Era– we are going to look at pieces before this date (which is incidentally just over 50 years ago). Antique jewellery is easier to define – most people would agree – it is pieces over 100 years old – so basically the anything Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Victorian or older. For the purpose of this blog, we will be sticking to just Vintage in the blog – and the reasons will become clear – especially for the novice collector.
Why would you want to own Vintage Jewellery?
It is unique
One of the things we love most about vintage jewellery is that it is unique – there are not lots of the same piece and they are often hand-made or from a short run, meaning you are very unlikely to see someone with the same jewellery as you. It also allows you to love the piece for what it is – the colours of gold are not all the same, and stones glisten differently – so a certain piece might just sing to your soul.
It is sustainable
The creation of new gold is a huge environmental and social issue, and recycled gold (although better) is not without environmental issues of its own (we did a whole blog on this – read it here). So the chance to rescue a piece that was unloved and look at it with fresh eyes is often all these pieces need.
It is often better quality
Due to the rising cost of gold – a lot of modern gold is hollow backed – a design to give prominence, but not use as much gold. A lot of pieces are also mass factory produced. Vintage jewellery as well as often containing more gold has lovely handmade features – carved and pierced galleries (the basket under the stones) and shoulders.
You will own a part of history
We love the stories of old gold – and the clues that these craftsmen and women have left – be it: in the hallmarks, the stone choice, the metal choice – all of these factors play a part in determining the age and story of the piece. Don’t believe us – well let’s have a little look:
- The Victorian Era was about yellow gold and star set stones,
- the Edwardian Era introduced platinum,
- the Art Deco Era was about stylised shapes and bold styles,
- the Art Nouveau Era was about the delicate asymmetric floral world.
- Then came war, so the platinum was in short supply, jewellers used palladium,
- then came the big and bold styles of the Retro Era.
Add to this the vast array of hallmarks used globally – their location, their style and what they tell us – these pieces often have an amazing story to tell.
It is often better value for money
Vintage gold is a better investment because you tend to get more gold for your money than modern jewellery. Now this is not a blanket rule and you of course have to do your homework – but it does really pay to look at the weight of the item and consider what that would get you as a modern equivalent.
Things to consider when buying vintage jewellery
They are sometimes a more delicate piece or style
It is better to run before you walk with vintage and antique jewellery – one of the reasons we feel you should start a collection with vintage over antique is the care required for older jewellery. Victorian women were dressed by maids and wore jewellery over gloves and only when going “out”. A lot of this jewellery (foil backed, made from hair etc) cannot get wet – a thing not common for modern jewellery – so let’s just start with the vintage. So carefully consider styles, speak to the seller and consider if the piece is right for you. Our advice is start with the hardier stones - consider pearls, enamel and all things hair carefully. Incidentally, when it comes to cleaning these pieces our rule of thumb is:
- only gold, diamonds and sapphires can go in ultrasonic cleaners,
- warm water, dish soap and an old toothbrush and elbow grease go a long way (no boiling water please)
- don’t clean the house in any jewellery (the chemicals are not good for them)
- don't go to the gym or do weights in jewellery - rings get out of shape so fast with these pressures on them
- enamel, emeralds and pearls require particularly delicate care.
Your choice of stone
There are a lot of stones to pick from, so we have focussed on 4.
- Transitional Cut Diamonds
Diamonds become the dominant choice for jewellery and particularly engagement rings following the 1947 “Diamonds are Forever’ advertising campaign by De Beers. It literally changed the face of the jewellery industry and to a large extent, this trend continues. Diamonds are an obvious choice – they go with everything; they are the hardest of all the stones and the have the most fire or lustre. But if you are going vintage – why not look for a piece with a transitional cut diamond.
Diamonds were cut by hand and in what we call Old Mine Cut, Old European Cut and Single Cut stones. However, in 1919 Marcel Tolkowsky’s PhD thesis declared that the perfect diamond had a mathematical formula of proportions that would give 58 perfect facets. This changed the face of diamond cutting (if this interests you - read all about this awesome man in this article here). For a very short period between the old cuts, and the modern brilliant there was 30 or so years of transition – and in this were the transitional cut diamonds – where people tried to get to grips with this new design. Identified by their checkerboard appearance and open culet – these are a fantastic stone for any collector.
Shop transitional cut diamonds here
- Blue Zircons
Blue zircons are iconic from the early part of the 20th Century. Not to be confused with the cheap man made Cubic Zirconia, Zircons are a natural stone that come in a range of colours and their lustre or fire is the closest we have to diamond. Even better – these stones are found in our native Australia, so you could even fossick your own first.
- Soviet Made Synthetic Pink Sapphires or Rubies
Pink Synthetic Rubies and Sapphires in cocktail rings are iconic. A great article by "Russia Beyond" looks at how the creation of mass produced synthetic corundum (the scientific name for sapphires) happened in the Soviet Union in 1947 (earning them a state prize for releasing this information). The results were lots of amazing large, eye-clean bright fuchsia stones available – and these were set into jewellery that is now iconic with this time and place. (As a side note – rubies and sapphires are the same stone – just red ones are called rubies and all other colours are sapphires.)
Shop vintage Russian jewellery here
- Natural Sapphires
In Australia we are really lucky that a lot of Mid-Century rings have really great sized natural sapphires in them. Fossicked locally, these stones were much easier to find in large sizes and have been put into engagement rings, signet rings – you name it. These stones would cost an arm and a leg new, but in vintage pieces these can be really affordable due to their hand cut styles (that maximised the natural stone), the facet wear they have gathered over these years and because vintage is cheaper than new. Sapphires are the second hardest (and most durable stone) after diamond and come in a fabulous range of colours – so they really are a winner for everyone.
Shop natural sapphire jewellery here
Your choice of gold carat
Now this is where you can have some real fun! Although we think of gold as simply 9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 22ct and 24ct – this is not always the case. These are just measures of the gold percentage compared to the alloy – and this was standardised in 1973 to the “375” and “750” you will be used to seeing in modern gold. What these mean are simply that 37.5% and 75% of the piece is made of pure gold. However, in Germany the standard was 8ct gold, and in the Netherlands pre 1953 it was 583 parts of gold (it was standardised to the 585 of 14ct gold later) – but what we are saying is there are actually a huge variety of carats and colours of gold. Our personal favourite is 12ct and 15ct gold – because it was a standard used in the UK and Australia until 1932 and then discontinued. Collecting pieces with the “15ct” hallmark can be an excellent way to start a vintage collection.
The condition of piece
There is always a risk with buying vintage that the condition might not be great. Although we see gold as hard, we need to remember that gold does wear down – and we need to look for tell-tale signs that the piece still has lots of life left in it and has not been loved to death. So – here is our advice on what to look for:
- Claws – are they all there? Do they stick up a bit (not worn flat)? You need metal to hold your stones in – so you need to make sure some is left.
- Companion wear – this is exactly what it sounds like – wear from wearing another ring next to it. Check that setting, are there marks/ cutouts where another ring has simply worn away part of this piece leaving it fragile and in danger of breaking.
- Band width and thickness – similar to companion wear – is there enough gold left on the back of the band to give the ring strength and integrity?
When shopping for vintage Jewellery, here are some styles to consider:
This is a little run down of some vintage styles that are ideal for a novice collector.
Retro
These pieces are strong and angular – and you are in less danger of finding a piece that is too delicate. Often set with synthetic stones, these pieces have presence and great finger coverage without breaking the bank.
Art deco
Whether you buy an original Art Deco piece or a more modern in the style of – these are great pieces defined by their simple strong lines, geometric patterns and symmetry, often in platinum and white gold.
Mixed metal of the 1920s/ 1930s
Mixed metals are back in style, but they saw their heyday in the 1920s and 1930s. Platinum and White gold were new metals to jewellery (Victorians used silver on top of gold). The 1920s and 1930s used this mixed metal style is such a fabulous way – the white metal to hold the stones and make them glisten, and then the yellow gold base to highlight the richness of the piece. These pieces are still readily available – and if you can find one in good condition, we definitely see them as good investments.
Palladium (1940s)
We love palladium for its rarity – just like 12ct and 15ct gold. Palladium was used for a small window while platinum was required for war efforts – so if you come across a piece – you will know it by its hallmark, we would snaffle it up.
Orange Blossom bands
The orange blossom has been associated with weddings and that symbolic beginning, from Persia to China and even Ancient Greece. This pattern has been used throughout the last century as wedding bands – and with their integrated cultural and symbolism – these are a fantastic piece for all collectors.
Start your Vintage Collection here