There are many kinds of vintage jewellery, including not only the necklaces, bracelets and rings like today, but also cuff-links, glasses brooches and hat pins. Vintage jewellery can be fun to collect, as you can imagine the lives of the former owners as you look at each piece. Who bought this one, and for whom. Was it passed down through the family as a values treasure, or did the second generation sell it as soon as they could? How many people have treasured it since it was first made/ And what about the craftsman and/or designer who made it?

One sign of how much is was valued in the materials it is made of. Obviously, vintage jewellery made from gold and precious stones was and is highly valued, but the more mundane jewellery also has its value to some. Beautifully carved natural materials like wood, coral and shell can make wonderful and valued pendants and pins. Even the old fashioned chains have their collectors. Look at the jewellery cases in the next antique shop you go to, and see what treasures are on display. Cuff-links and collar buttons from our grandfather’s day, stud sets from when men owned a tuxedo instead of renting one, tie clips from the last hundred years, bracelets demonstrating the changes in taste over time. There are many ways to explore the jewellery of the past.

If you do decide to seek out the less usual forms of jewellery, hat pins are one form that is definitely available but are probably not made anymore. You can find hat pins anywhere from four inches to six inches ling, and with good gem stones to glass to paste gems. As a side collection, you need to look at hat pin holders to hold and display you hat pins. There ceramic, vase-shaped pieces have an integral top with large holes. The hat pins are stood in the hat pin holder, keeping the pointy end safely out of the way of fingers and allowing the user to see the decorative end of the hat pin so she can select the best one for her hat.

Cuff links are still made and used today, but in substantially decreased numbers. All business and dress shirts used to require cuff links and collar buttons to hold the collar and sleeves on and closed when the shirt was being worn. Now, few shirts are made that require cuff links, and no shirts except shirts for tuxedos require collar buttons any more. These can make a nice collection that takes very little space to store. You can probably aslo not have to use any on them, so losses are minimal.

Glasses brooches were made to pin to a ladies clothing and provide a place to hand her reading glasses when she was not wearing them. There are still a few made today, but the majority of the ones on the market are from the past. You can also collect vintage glasses chains, lanyards used to hold a person’s glasses around the neck when they are not on the nose. There are a range of these items, sold at dime stores up to those sold at fine jewellery stores.

Vintage jewellery can be a fun, and occasionally profitable, collectible. Check out resale stores, flea markets, antique shops or anywhere previously owned materials can be found.

* * * New or vintage, amethyst necklaces are suitable for everyone. * * *

* * * Monet jewelry provides an opportunity to collect better costume jewelry. * * *

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