Art Summary: Vintage Vs. Antique Juewlery

Vintage or antique jewlery can add a unique and dazzling aspect to your wardrobe and has the ability to transport you to a previous era. One of the more exciting parts of acquiring these pieces is the stories behind them. However, many people are unaware of how to identify valuable pieces, what era they come from, and where to find them.

Vintage vs. Antique

Many people are confused about the difference between an antique item and a vintage item since both terms deal with items of considerable age and, usually, value. This confusion is especially pronounced in the world of jewelry collecting. According to those in the antique trade, an antique is defined as an object that is at least 100 years old or older. This definition means that over time, jewelry that is now considered vintage will eventually move into the antique category. Vintage, on the other hand, is defined as an object that is younger than 100 years old but is at least 50 years old. Vintage items are often young enough that they can still be used or worn in modern times. When it comes to buying, selling, and collecting vintage and antique jewelry, antique items are usually of a higher value. This is because the "antique" identifier
The average person can't usually tell whether a piece is vintage or valuable just by looking at it. However, there are a few key ways to identify a piece of jewelry as vintage.

Maker's Marks - Maker's marks are a simple concept. Pieces of jewelry, especially those made by companies with big names, would be stamped or otherwise marked with the signature of the company that designed them. Jewelry baring the signatures of the most popular companies, such as Tiffany or Van Cleef & Arpel's, are considered highly valuable. However, it's not always easy to find these maker's marks. Some makers had tiny identifiers, often hidden in hard to find