Sourcing Antique Jewellery – What To Look For.

There is nothing more beautiful and special when it comes to jewellery than buying an antique piece. This is particularly true when it comes to a special occasion, like a birthday, or if you are looking for an engagement or a wedding ring. Buying an antique jewellery item ensures that the piece will be unique, and that it may have a fantastic story behind it.

If you are looking for a piece of antique or vintage jewellery in 2020, there are some things that you should consider in order to get the best value for your investment.

Find A Reputable Dealer

There are lots of eras of antique jewellery, including Georgian, Victorian, Art Nouveau, Edwardian and Art Deco, there are also pieces of more recent jewellery that fall into the Vintage category, including later 20th century costume pieces from the likes of Butler and Wilson, Elsa Peretti and Monet. This can make shopping a bit of a minefield if you are not sure what you are looking for. This makes choosing a reputable dealer like Carus Jewellery essential. They will be able to point you in the right direction, helping you find something that suits your price point and the recipients taste.

Look Out For Repairs

Shopping for antique jewellery can be difficult if you don’t really know what to look for. Knowing how to spot damaged or fake antiques could save you from purchasing a piece that is not authentic or is damaged beyond the acceptable.

Over the years there is every chance that a piece of very old jewellery has needed repairs, but you must ensure  that faulty repairs have not damaged the wearability of the piece. If you are looking at rings, for example, check the front and back to make sure that nothing has been done to the ring that would make it difficult to wear, or that would allow for the stones to easily fall out.

If you find a piece that needs to be repaired, look for a reputable jewellery repair shop which uses magnifying equipment from the Daylight Company – many repairs can be small and intricate, but need to be picked up in order to make it safe to wear your new pieces. You can source good jewellery repair shops on the internet quite easily, for instance, if you use a term like jewellery repairs Melbourne, you should be able to find help in the nearby vicinity.

For chains, you need to check the clasps and fastenings, and look at the links, particularly in larger chains to check they are all the same metal. On pendants look for missing or replaced stones that spoil the look of the piece.

Talk To The Jeweller

When searching for that perfect unique and charming antique piece for your loved one,  remember you can always ask your jeweller any questions or talk about any concerns. Find out about the terms of your warranty just in case the piece isn’t right, and if you are looking at a ring, see if it could be resized if it turns out to be not quite right in terms of fit.

There really is nothing as special as wearing a beautiful, unique piece of jewellery. Buying antique is the perfect way to let your gems stand out from the crowd.

*In collaboration with Carus Jewellery.

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