3 Tips On Buying Vintage And Antique Jewelry

If you are looking to buy antique and vintage jewelry in California, you need to know your basics. There are many ways you can be duped or pay more than it is worth if you don’t know how to properly judge such jewelry. So, here are tips on how to buy vintage and antique jewelry.

The first tip is regarding the material of the jewelry you are buying. The worth of the piece will depend very much on what it is made of. Hence you need to check very well if the item at hand is silver or stainless steel! Thankfully there is the hallmark stamp that tells you about the purity of the metal of a piece of jewelry. All you need to do is search the internet for the various symbols and look for them when buying vintage or antique jewelry. If it is old and doesn’t have any hallmark, then you need to carefully look at the condition of the piece of jewelry. Real gold items will not tarnish over ages but those that have just a gold plating or some other material will wear off. If buying diamonds, do the fog test. Breathe on the piece of jewelry with a diamond, if it is a real one, it will clear immediately.

If you are serious about collecting vintage and antique jewelry, then you need to invest in some tools. The second tip is regarding that. You need to buy a type of magnifying glass called a jeweler’s loupe which is used to minutely look at a piece of jewelry. It is not that costly but will save you from getting ripped off. It magnifies the smallest details, and with time, you can easily judge the natural imperfections in gemstones and whether some part of the jewelry has been replaced or mended.

The third tip is regarding the origin of the jewelry especially if you are going to buy designer jewelry. Such jewelry will be more valuable than jewelry with the same type of metal and weightage. The best way to spot such a piece is by seeing the logo or signature. Designer jewelry will always have them. And you should know beforehand what an actual signature or logo looks like because such things can be faked. It is only when you know what to look for and see through a good magnifying glass can you know whether the antique or vintage jewelry is original or not.

So, these are some tips to keep in mind when shopping for antique and vintage jewelry in California.