Antique Jewellery: The Pieces Are Worth The Money

Many of the older jewellery styles have been passed down from generation to generation, while others have become a part of popular culture, becoming antique jewellery in today’s sense. Some pieces of antique jewellery are so beautiful and rare that they can fetch quite high prices at auctions, while others are kept in jewellery boxes as the owner had no intention of selling them due to damages or being no longer fashionable.

Identifying Authentic Antique Jewellery

Before you can start looking through the antique jewellery available for purchase, you need to know how to identify authentic pieces. Some people may not know that all of the jewellery they have is considered antique jewellery and may not know what to look for when they are trying to buy a piece for their collection. If you do not know what to look for then you should consider taking a few courses in antiquities or reviewing some books on the subject so you will know what to look for. Getting a few tips should be a good start in being able to purchase your next piece without getting fooled into buying a counterfeit one.

What To Look For?

In order to be able to buy the best quality antique jewellery, you will need to know what to look for. First of all, check the stone. Every time you buy a new piece of antique jewellery you should have a gemstone or two to test it out to ensure it is what you are looking for. You should also check the settings of the piece, if it’s a ring. Each antique ring will come with a specific setting that will tell you the authenticity of the piece, so make sure you check these settings out as well so you do not get taken for a loop by a seller who does not know what he is talking about.

Verify The Authenticity

Another tip when purchasing antique jewellery is to look for pieces with the most authenticity. There are certain guidelines that must be followed in determining an antique jewellery item’s value. The most valuable antique jewellery are the ones that were made by famous designers such as Cartier, Chopard and Tiffany. You should also try to find out if the piece has been worn or is considered a collector’s piece. To start familiarising yourself with these pieces, you may want to check out a store selling antique jewellery in the UK or in your location, if you live elsewhere.

Fake Jewellery

If you are buying antique jewellery, you should always be weary of fake pieces. If the look is all what you’re going for, you may not mind getting a copy; still, the seller should be able to tell you that what you’re buying is a mere replica or new pieces made to look like antiques. You should also be wary of costume jewellery that looks too good to be true. Just because an antique jewellery piece may be expensive, does not mean that it is an antique that is worth paying top dollar for.

Restored Jewellery

Another thing the seller should be able to tell you is that whether or not there were any restoration or modifications done on the piece. Albeit a piece of original antique jewellery in mint condition would still cost higher than any piece restored with new parts, it doesn’t mean that the restored piece wouldn’t be valuable.

Look Past The Price Tag

When you are purchasing antique jewellery and are serious about being a collector, you should always remember to look past the price tag. In order to ensure that you are getting a high-quality antique jewellery piece, the source, the history as well as the craftsmanship of the piece should matter more.