You may appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of the quality gemstones sold at fine establishments. If you don’t necessarily appreciate the price tag that accompanies it then vintage jewelry may be your answer. Unique, well-made and interesting pieces of vintage jewelry can be acquired at a fraction of the cost of what you would find at expensive jewelry stores. The price range in vintage jewelry will range from costly to cheap. You just need to know how much you are willing to spend and where to look for it.
-Style and Shopping for Vintage Jewelry
If you are willing to take the time to look for it you will discover many classic and funky pieces of vintage jewelry that will suit your sense of style. One of the best things about vintage jewelry is that it is a great expression of your individual personality. Since vintage jewelry covers a huge time period you have the option to choose among different time periods, art styles and cultures. Your trip through a vintage jewelry shop is apt to turn up creations from some of the most distinctive art movements from the 1930s on. Here are a few ideas of what you can locate.
-Your Own Era in Vintage Jewelry
The Art Deco Jewelry style was popular in the days of Flappers and Prohibition, with multiple necklaces worn at once. Perhaps you remember seeing pictures of your grandmother in one of those fantastic short dresses with lots of fringe, and a bevy of bright necklaces “tied” in a loose knot near the end of the strands? New plastics, enamel accents and amber, along with bright colors are characteristic of the time. Chokers were another popular jewelry item.
The 1940’s brought the Retro style, snapped up in Hollywood society. Large rings with large stones, precious or not became all the rage. Necklaces, bracelets and watches were large, elegant and flashy, a good backdrop to the sleek and tailored styles of the day.
In the post-World War II of the 1950’s, costume jewelry provided a practical but glitzy alternative to their 1940’s counterparts. Rhinestones took center stage, the faux diamond of the day, made of quartz mined from the Rhine River. Rhinestones replaced diamonds, appearing in abundance and decorating necklaces, pendants, bracelets and brooches. Gold plating meant a more affordable piece, and non-tarnishing Rhodium plating was used on silver colored pieces.
The 1960’s ushered in a period of handmade jewelry by individual craftsmen, ranging from inexpensive but unusual designs of hammered over sized brass and silver earrings to Renaissance style ornate pendants and rings. Lost-wax casting was also a popular technique.
-Culture and Quality in Vintage Jewelry
It is always exciting to find vintage jewelry pieces that are influenced by other cultures. The vintage jewelry of French costume jewelry designer Lea Stein came on the scene in the late 1960’s. Her designs included fanciful felines, musical symbols, floral expressions and the animal kingdom all expressed through her unique cellulose creations. Once the hottest item around, these collections are a vintage jewelry find. And this is just one example among the thousands of vintage jewelry items out there. So start your vintage jewelry search in antiques shops, estate sales, yard sales or online searches. Your discovery of a classic brooch, whimsical pin or fun bangle could be the vintage jewelry find that makes your outfit your own!
Technorati Tags: vintage jewelry
Post a Comment