How Is Antique Jewelry Different From Vintage Jewelry?
When one thinks of old jewelry, you may first think of antique jewelry and vintage jewelry. While both of these types of jewelry have been around for a long time, they are not exactly the same. It is easy enough to assume that because a piece of jewelry was made many years ago, it has to be an antique. However, this is not necessarily the case at all. These are some ways that antique jewelry and vintage jewelry differ.
Age
For any item to be considered an antique, it must be at least 100 years old. This is the same whether one is talking about jewelry, cars, furniture, or any item that has been around for this length of time. Although, some jewelry dealers or collectors also consider jewelry that is just a few years short of 100 years old as antique.
Most dealers or collectors consider jewelry to be vintage as long as it is at least 20 years old. Therefore, a necklace that was made in the year 2000 could be vintage but would not be nearly old enough to be an antique. Although, some who buy or sell vintage jewelry will only deal in pieces that were made at least 40 years ago.
Materials
Fine jewelry is made of gold or silver and may have genuine gemstones. Costume jewelry is not made of precious metal, and the stones may be glass or hard plastic. Antique jewelry can be either fine jewelry or costume jewelry. It may even be a combination of the two, being made of genuine gold or silver with simulated stones or vice versa.
Vintage jewelry is usually not made of silver or gold and does not usually have genuine gemstones. The metal may be labeled as gold-plated and have a base metal under the plating such as copper, aluminum, or brass. The stones may be rhinestone or another lab-created stone made to resemble genuine stones.
Cost
Another way that antique and vintage jewelry can differ is the cost. As long as a piece of antique jewelry is in mint condition, it may have a very high value and have quite an expensive price. Vintage jewelry is usually much less expensive because it is not made of high-value materials. In fact, it is not uncommon to find vintage jewelry quite reasonably priced in department stores or thrift shops.
When shopping for antique jewelry, it is a good idea to ask questions before you buy and be sure you are buying from a dealer. This will help ensure you are not actually purchasing vintage jewelry when you think you are buying antique jewelry.