Guide to Buying Estate Jewelry

Beladora's Guide to Buying Estate Jewelry

If you’re looking for an exceptional piece of jewelry, something special that sets you apart from the crowd, consider purchasing a piece of estate jewelry or antique jewelry. Unlike the mass-produced jewelry you will find displayed in most retail shops, estate jewelry or antique jewelry is often one-of-a-kind or extremely rare. Estate and antique jewelry pieces are unique in that each has its own rich history and symbolism such as Victorian snake jewelry, which symbolized eternal love. These pieces often display handiwork and design indicative of a specific period of time, such as the beautiful and highly desirable geometry of Art Deco jewelry pieces. Furthermore, when purchasing signed designer estate jewelry, you will often obtain high-demand pieces often at a price lower than retail.

Estate jewelry is jewelry that is purchased second-hand, and can refer to any period of jewelry history. The definition of antique jewelry is narrower – antique jewelry must be at least 100 years old. When purchasing a piece of estate or antique jewelry, there are a number of factors you should consider.

Condition.  As the majority of estate and antique jewelry has been previously worn, it is important to determine the condition of the item. Inspect for scratches and dents in metal, chips on enamel, and fractures in the gemstones. When purchasing online, look at the product description for information on the condition of the piece and take care to find out the seller’s return and exchange policy.

Cut.  The types of cuts you will find in gemstones varies with the period in which the piece was created. Advances in technology allowed for increasingly intricate cuts that more effectively refracted light and resulted in a more dazzling look. Many prefer the more subtle glitter of vintage cuts. The Rose Cut gets its name because it is shaped in a way that resembles the petals of a rose. This cut was popular in the early 20^th century. The Old Mine Cut was the predecessor of the modern Brilliant Cut, and is also sometimes referred to as Cushion Cut. Others prefer the modern Brilliant Cut, designed to maximize the amount of light refracted by the diamond giving it more “fire” than the more vintage cuts.

Karat.  The type of metal used in crafting estate and antique jewelry varies depending on the designer and design period of the piece. For example, Edwardian Period jewelry was often crafted in platinum, the only metal guaranteed to be strong enough to hold gemstones in the lace-like designs that were popular during this period. In contrast, platinum was not used in Retro Period jewelry due to war-time restrictions on non-military use of this metal. Instead, alloys of yellow, green and rose gold were often used in Retro Period jewelry. Pieces are often stamped to indicate the gold content. All else equal, aim to buy pieces in platinum or a high gold content to maximize the intrinsic value of the piece.         

Authenticity.  Unfortunately there are sellers who either intentionally or unwittingly sell unauthentic estate and antique jewelry. Therefore, it is important to purchase estate jewelry and antique jewelry from a reputable seller, preferably a seller where the jewelry is authenticated and appraised by a GIA certified gemologist with an extensive background in purchasing estate jewelry and antique jewelry.

Hallmark.  Signed designer estate jewelry pieces make great purchases as they retain their value and often become highly collectible designs. A designer hallmark is an indication of quality and authenticity, and if you choose to resell your signed designer estate jewelry you will find that potential buyers are willing to pay a premium for signed designer estate jewelry.

Glossary             

Antique - Jewelry that is at least 100 years old.

Art Deco - Jewelry created roughly between 1920 and 1935. Estate Art Deco jewelry is known for its beautiful geometric designs.

Art Nouveau - Jewelry created roughly between 1890 and 1910. Art Nouveau Period jewelry pieces often feature beautiful enameling with motifs taken from nature.

Bezel Setting - A setting where the gemstone is held in place by a ring of gold around its edge.

Bail - A ring or loop at the top of a pendant, allowing it to be strung from a chain.

Baroque - A pearl or stone with an asymmetrical shape or finish.

Briolette - A faceted pear-shaped stone.

Cabochon - A dome-shaped polished gemstone with a flat back.

Cameo - A carved shell or gemstone most often featuring a face in profile.

Contemporary - Contemporary Period jewelry refers to pieces created between roughly 1990 and the present and is the most recent period in jewelry history. 

Edwardian - Edwardian Period jewelry pieces were created between roughly 1890 and 1920, overlapping with the Art Nouveau period. Pieces from this period are often very feminine with beautiful filigree and lace-like designs using platinum.

En Tremblant - Jewelry where an element of the design is attached to a tightly-coiled metal spring giving the piece movement. Most often seen in brooches.

Estate - Estate jewelry is previously owned jewelry.

Filigree - Settings in which thin wire is shaped into openwork designs such as flowers and swirls.

Georgian - Georgian Period jewelry was created roughly between 1714 and 1837.

Graduated - A piece of jewelry where the stones or beads vary in size and are set from smallest to largest. In a bracelet or necklace, this is often a symmetric design where the largest stone or bead is at center and gradually tapes on both sides to the smallest size of stone or bead.

Hallmark - A mark on a piece indicating the manufacturer and/or metal content.

Hammered - A faceted finish achieved by hammering the metal.

Inlay -  When polished gemstones are set inside metal to be flush with the surface of the metal. Mother of pearl is often used in this setting.

Intaglio - A carved design on a gemstone.

Karat - An indication of the gold content of a piece. 24K gold is pure gold. To determine the percentage gold in a piece, you divide the number of karats by 24. For example, the purity of 18K gold is 18/24 or 75%.

Matte - Refers to a dull rather than polished metal finish.

Mid-Century - Mid-Century jewelry was created roughly between 1950 and 1965.

Modern - Modern jewelry was created roughly between 1965 and 1990. Designs from this period tend to be big and bold, often featuring highly textured gold.

Omega Backs - Earring backs shaped similarly to the Latin letter omega. Often found in clip back earrings but sometimes also combined with a post.

Pave Setting - When stones are set in prongs close to one another on a metal surface.

Pendant - A necklace where the decoration or charm is strung on a chain.

Prong Setting - A setting where the gemstone is held in place by small metal prongs that grip its edges. The number of prongs used may vary.

Retro - Retro Jewelry was created roughly between 1935 and 1950. Multi-colored gold was often used, and pieces from this period were large in scale and often asymmetric.

Sautoir - A long necklace of pearls, beads or chain often ending with tassels or a knot. This style of necklace was popular during the earlier part of the 20th century and is often associated with the flapper image.

Torsade - A necklace or bracelet in which strands of beads or pearls are twisted in an intertwined design.

Victorian - Victorian Period jewelry was created roughly between 1837 and 1890. Cameos were very popular during the Victorian period, as were Victorian snake jewelry pieces featuring a snake as the symbol of eternal love.

We at Beladora wish to make shopping for estate jewelry as easy as possible. Our team has a long-standing reputation for excellence in the field with over 80 years of combined experience in jewelry. We proudly stand behind the quality and authenticity of our items and offer a generous return policy as well. Beladora offers the best selection of estate fine jewelry available online and specializes in signed designer estate jewelry from the world's most famous fine jewelry designers.