Archive for Jewellery
Gold charms from the 1960s and 1970s
Posted by: | CommentsThe 1960s and 1970s are often considered to be when the best English gold charms were produced. These charms have great quality and there is a huge variety of shapes and sizes to be found.
The vintage charms vary in size from about 1 centimeters to three centimeters. Any more and the piece of jewellery is more like a pendant than a charm. English charms from this time are normally made of nine carat gold although you may find some of eighteen carat. Look for the hallmark on the charm to determine the carat gold. Most English gold charms dating from this time should be hallmarked but the hallmarks can be very tiny and often hidden in out of the way places. You can read the hallmarks with a 10x loup magnifier.
Gold charms make nice gifts as you can buy them to suit the interests of the recipient and add an extra charm to the collection every birthday, Christmas, wedding , Valentines day or other cellebration.
AntiquesAvenue offers a great selection of vintage gold charms which you cannot easily find elsewhere. Here are some recently added charms:
gold bell charm
A high quality vintage gold charm (9ct) in the shape of a hand bell. This bell rings nicely and so will add sound to your charm bracelet. This bell is large enough to be hung from a chin round your neck and worn as a pendant. The bell is fully hallmarked as nine carat gold and the hallmarks date it to 1977.
The 1970s are often considered to have produced the very best English charms and this one certainly is excellent quality. The gold charm measures about 2.5 cms high
wedding bells charm
What a wonderful romantic gold charm. Here is a pair of gold bells with heart shapes pierced into them. They hang from a gold bow. The bells are articulated from the bow so that they move whilst being worn. This gold charm is hallmarked as nine carat. It measures about 2 cms long including the hanging loop
emergency money charm
This vintage gold charm dates from the 1970s. It is a £5 emergency money charms. These charms came in all sorts of money denominations , you will find that £5 is one of the most rare. The case is hallmarked as nine carat gold. This charm measures about 1.4 cms long. The blue colour of the £5 note will add a splash of colour to your charm bracelet
Antiquesavenue also has an exclusive selection of original gold charm bracelets from the 1960s and 1970s .
Wear your sparklers for Bonfire night
Posted by: | CommentsNovember 5th the day we celebrate gunpowder treason and plot with things that burn, bang and sparkle. This years why not brighten you yourself for bonfire night with some wearable sparklers of your own? Bonfire night is a time for wrapping up warm with lots of layers so we need jewellery which is big , bold, colourful and not too expensive for the occasion. Here is a great selection of vintage costume jewellery brooches from AntiquesAvenue which will make you stand out on the night.
Vintage brooches
Costume jewellery vintage brooches in firework colours can be pinned to your coat or used to hold a scarf in place. Why wear just one? Several can be pinned to a hat or a bag. Suitable colours include red, yellow, crystal clear, green and blue. Perhaps not the occasion for black or brown jewellery as it wont be seen in the dark.
A huge and sparkling vintage diamante brooch .This brooch has the diamante prong set into it which is a good sign of age and quality as this method of production was very time consuming. There are three articulated tails hanging down. In total this brooch measures about 8.5 cms long and up to 6 cms wide. I believe that this brooch dates from circa 1930s to 1950s. It is in really excellent condition.
Bonfire night history.
Do you know why we celebrate Bonfire night every year? Most of use know the old rhyme from childhood
“Remember Remember the 5th of November, gunpowder treason and plot.”
It was on November 5th 1605 when a plot to kill King James 1st was foiled. The group of men who were plotting against King James had planed to use gunpowder to blow up the house of Lords whilst the king was there. Once word got out that the plot had been foiled the people of London lit bonfires to celebrate it and an act of parliament was passed to ensure the day was celebrated anualy ( is this still Law ?)
1970s vintage jewellery
Posted by: | CommentsThe 1970s are back in fashion with the high street being full of 1970s style clothes this Autumn. AntiquesAvenue offers a range of genuine pieces of vintage jewellery from the 1970s which would be wonderful to wear with 1970s style clothing.
What jewellery was popular in the 1970s? Well like most decades there was a range of jewellery popular at different times. Long strings of tiny glass beads worn with full length skirts, stylish Scandinavian silver, Wedgwood cameo jewellery, Silver ingots with oversize hallmarks. Lots of thin bangles worn together and charm bracelets full of lots and lots of charms.
Heres a few of the 1970s pieces of jewellery which are available from www.antiquesavenue.co.uk
1970s glass neckalces
Here’s five vintage glass necklaces from circa 1970s with all the beads being joined by metal chains. Three strands are 110 cms long, one is 92 cms long and there is one strand at about 72 cms. These glass necklaces were worn with the gypsy / hippie fashions of the 1970s and would suit today’s boho look
1970s neckalces
1970s silver charm bracelet and charms
Heres a charm bracelet which was originally made in the 1970s with the silver hallmarks dating to 1978. This silver charm bracelet has lots of vintage silver charms attached which include a hedgehog, a dice, a bell, a policeman’s helmet. There is also a pair of love birds on a swing, a bunch of grapes, a wishing well and an opening lobster pot made by Nuvo.
As you can see in the picture there are also two enamel travel shields, a filigree slipper and a shamrock. The charm bracelet has a chain with double links. There is a heart shaped lock and an attached safety chain. This vintage charm bracelet measures about 9.5 cms long
1970s silver charm bracelet
Silver ingot penadant or fob
Here is a silver ingot pendant with huge hallmarks dating it to 1977. These ingot s can be worn as a pendant or a fob. This one measures about 4 cms long
1970s silver ingot
Antique brooch diamond eye agate boxed
Posted by: | CommentsFrom AntiquesAvenue’s wondeful collectionof Vintage brooches:
A very special antique brooch made with central eye agate surrounded by a ring of old cut diamonds. This brooch comes in its original box. The central diamond and agate ring measures almost 2 cms long with the brooch being almost 5 cms long in total.
Vintage diamond brooch
Eye agate is agate banded with white so that it has the appearance of an eye
Mappin and Webb diamond white gold necklace
Posted by: | CommentsMade by the quality Jewelers Mappin and Webb, this necklace is in art deco style. The necklace is white gold and there are 15 real diamonds set into it. The pendant measures about 2.6 cms long and the necklace will hang at about 46 cms long in total. This lovely piece of jewellery is stamped with the Mappin and Webb makers initials as well as full nine carat gold hallmarks. Just one of the wonderful range of vintage necklaces currently available .
Mappin and Webb necklace
Vintage diamond engagement ring
Posted by: | CommentsA diamond set vintage engagement ring from circa 1920s or 1930s. This ring is set high with a nice solitaire diamond. The shoulders rise from the shank of the ring and up to the diamond. Whilst the shank of the ring is 9 carat gold the shoulders and the setting are topped in platinum to show the stone off to its best advantage.
Vintage diamond engagement ring
The diamond in this ring measures about 3 mm diameter about 1/8 carat. The diamond is nice and white and clear and sparkling. Inside the shank of this ring is stamped as Plat&9ct. This vintage engagement ring is UK finger size M.5, USA just over 6.5. This would be suitable for you to have re-sized one or two sizes up or down if required.
This ring is available exclusively from AntiquesAvenue with only one available. Price £125
Vintage ring review
Posted by: | CommentsToday I’m looking at vintage rings as recently I have added quite a few to AntiquesAvenue vintage jewellery shop . There are lots of pages of rings to look through with general gold and gemstone rings on the first page and then collections dedicated to cocktail rings, engagement rings, silver rings, costume jewellery rings, Antique rings and Victorian rings. I will be combining the antique and Victorian rings sections into one when I get the time .
Vintage ring
Vintage rings and antique rings represent great value for money as they are often much cheaper than you can buy new and there is a huge range of different rings to choose from too. Remember that I give the ring size on each one I have for sale. Many can be re-sized by your local jewlers quite cheaply. Please do ask me before purhase if the particular ring you are interested in is suitable for re-sizing.
Here is my guide to ring sizes:
As with most other things, rings are measured differently depending which country you live in. I provide UK and USA sizes in all my ring descriptions. There is a different sizing system used in Europe. You can buy ring sizing gauges but if you don’t have one handy you can estimate your ring size. Take a piece of string and wrap it around the widest part of your finger (possibly the knuckle joint?) – you can now measure the string in millimetres and use the chart below. If in any doubt please do ask before buying.
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UK SIZE
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A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
F
|
G
|
H
|
I
|
J
|
K
|
L
|
M
|
|
USA SIZE
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0.5
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1
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1.5
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2
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2.5
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3
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3.25
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3.75
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4.25
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4.75
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5.25
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5.5
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6
|
|
SIZE
MM
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37.8
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39
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40.2
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41.4
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42.6
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43.8
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45
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46.2
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47.4
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48.5
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49.7
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50.3
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52.1
|
|
UK
SIZE
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N
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O
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P
|
Q
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R
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S
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T
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U
|
V
|
W
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X
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Y
|
Z
|
|
USA
SIZE
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6.75
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7
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7.25
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7.75
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8.5
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9
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9.25
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10
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190.5
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11
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11.25
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12
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12.5
|
|
SIZE
MM
|
53.4
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54.7
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65
|
57.2
|
58.5
|
59.8
|
61.1
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62.4
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63.6
|
64.8
|
66
|
67.2
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68.4
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Buyers guide to vintage brooches
Posted by: | CommentsI have always thought that the vintage brooch was one of the most versatile and collectable pieces of vintage jewellery. Brooches are without doubt available in a much wider range of shapes, patterns and colours that other jewellery. The brooch can be a statement piece, add a splash of colour, be a small point of interest or a bold fashion statement. A brooch makes an easy vintage jewellery gift as you do not have to worry about the size too much. This buyers guide to vintage brooches helps you to sort through the wide choices available and choose the perfect brooch for you.
costume jewellery brooch
What are the important things to look for in a vintage brooch?
A brooch is a decorative piece of jewellery, to my mind when choosing a vintage brooch we should look at its age, size, shape, colour, material and quality.
The age of a brooch
With a little effort you can buy vintage brooches from the early 1800s Georgian era and certainly brooches from the Victorian era are relatively plentiful . These antique brooches are wonderful for collectors of antiques and those with an interest in the past but perhpas they are not quite as wearable as vintage brooches from the 20th century. Georgian and Victorian brooches fasten with a C shaped catch which is not as safe as newer styles of catch. An added safety chain would make the brooch less prone to being lost but these are not original to the brooch.
Georgian brooches are usually quite small and plain, you can wear them on very light fabrics including cotton and lace. Victorian ones are much bigger and bolder and best used to heavier fabrics such as tweed, velvet or cord. The sentimental silver brooch from the Victorian era is lighter , these include Mizpah and name brooches as well as brooches decorated with hearts and flowers.
Edwardian brooches and up to circa 1920s are generally lighter in weight and form than Victorian brooches . You can find very stylish art nouveau brooches from this time which are now quite collectible.
Original Art deco brooches and through the 1930s , 1950s and 60s to 1980s are wonderful. Look out for costume jewellery brooches from this time they are most creative in there design and colour and materials.
Size of a brooch
Art Deco brooch
The size of a brooch is important depending upon where you want to wear it. A large brooch needs a heavier material than a small pins type. Some ladies like to place a large brooch to distract the eye from the neck or bust line or to pin together two halves of a gaping blouse. A small brooch may not be noticed immediately and so is best when a more subtle effect is required. Do not rely on a small brooch to keep two pieces of material pinned together , it will probably not be strong enough.
The shape of a brooch
The shape of the brooch is very much a personal choice. You can find abstract and figural brooches. Brooches in strong art nouveau, art deco or modernist styles. One option often suggested by antiques experts is to buy pieces which are typical of their era for example a strong art deco shape for a brooch from the 1920s or something space age from the 1950s.
Brooch materials
In general terms the material which a brooch is made dictates its quality and its price. A gold brooch is going to be more expensive than a silver brooch which in turn will cost more than a piece of costume jewellery. Of course there are exceptions to this where a desirable piece of named designer costume can be more expensive than a cheaper light weight gold brooch from the 1970s.
The material that your brooch is made of can also affect its durablilty. Silver and gold are both strong and long lasting but do take care with some costume jewelley brooches which may not stand up so well to getting wet ( in the rain?) or being dropped ( glass and hard plastics)
Quality
As with most things, a good quality vintage brooch will generally cost more than a lower quality piece. What do we mean by quality when it
Antique brooch
comes to vintage brooches? I think that its more than a designer name, some designer brooches are quite expensive but not good quality. Quality is to do with how well the piece is designed, put together. A vintage diamond brooch with a large poor quality diamond is possibly not as desirable as one with lots of good quality diamonds well designed and well set. With costume jewellery a brooch which has prong set stones is generally better quality than a brooch where the stones are glued in. Hand made pieces of jewellery are normally better quality than mass produced factory made pieces .