Bag: Vintage jewellery collection
Vintage jewellery is right on trend so you'll love our huge collection of vintage necklaces, earrings and more. Most are around the £15.00 mark so priced better than down on Camden market - but having the coveted Karma brand. Psst .. thinking of buying real vintage jewellery? Click here for some tips.
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Buying vintage jewellery
If you love the vintage look but want the real thing, here are some tips to help you pick out vintage gems from junk.
A major consideration for buying vintage jewellery is its condition but if it's for you to wear, it comes down to what you're happy to accept. Sometimes a not-so-perfect look can be shabby but chic. However, if you're splashing out more than what you'd pay for our lovely vintage imitations above, you might want to check things a little more carefully:
- Look for damage and excessive wear, especially around clasps - test these and also test pins to make sure they work properly and aren't not broken. If they are broken, consider whether you could glue on a new finding (these can be purchased cheaply from jewellery / bead shops, haberdasheries, craft shops etc).
- Examine stones closely for scratches, cracks, chips and replacements. Again, it's down to what you're happy to accept but a cracked stone may fall apart later on.
- Look for stones that are no longer sparkley. These look this way because the foil on the back of the stone is degraded.
- If you discover a missing stone, consider whether you really want to buy the item of jewellery, especially if it's in a conspicuous spot, because stones are hard to replace.
- Make sure claws are intact (holding the stones in place).
- Look for quality. Claw-set stones are one indication of quality.
- Pick up the jewellery and hold it against you, at a different angle from the tabletop, to really get an appreciation for the light refraction.
- Find the best value at an antique shop or show. The antique stalls at London's markets can also be treasure troves for jewellery finds.
- If you buy a clock necklace, pocket watch or something with a clock face, make sure it works - if you want it to work!
When you've bought or found your perfect vintage jewellery, here are some tips to make it last:
- Don't get it wet!
- If rhinestone jewellery has no foil backing, it can be washed because it's glass and there's no finish to damage. Just make sure there is no foil.
- Keep perfume and hairspray away as they can cause damage.
- Don't scratch the coating with a brush - use a foam glass cleaner on a soft lint-free cloth. Don't use tissues or paper towel because those wood fibre-based products are scratchy.
- Store carefully. Put a layer between them to prevent scratches. Paper towels are OK to wrap jewellery in as long as you're not rummaging around in the collection.
- Don't store jewellery in sealed plastic bags for long periods.
Adapted from The Hamilton Spectator (Ontario, Canada), August 2, 2007