Today’s blog is prompted by a question from one of my readers:  Hi there, Can you advise me on how to clean up an antique cut steel key belt?  Have you seen cut steel Jewellery. Its not made now but was very popular in Georgian times and  Victorian times as it sparkles like diamonds in candle [...]

Abalone shell is a most colourful form of mother of pearl which has become very fashionable in recent years for use in costume  jewellery as its colours are much stronger than mother of pearl from other sources.  Abalone shell for use in jewellery come in a range of iridescent pearlescent  colours varying from  a silver white [...]

Cameo Jewellery is back in fashion, for many years now it has been considered dated and Cameo Jewellery was something which jut sat in Grandmas Jewellery box. Now these pieces of antique and vintage jewellery are being brought out of the dark and show off again.  The range of antique and vintage cameo jewellery available [...]

Goldstone is a vintage jewellery material seen mainly in brooches of the later Victorian and Edwardian eras but seems to fade from popularity by 1920 – it surprises me that Goldstone was not used for longer as it really does sparkle wonderfully. It is actually a type of glass made with thousands of tiny copper [...]

About Jet Jet is a black material which was popular during the Victorian era for making jewellery. Jet is a actually a form of coal which has been formed many thousands of years ago from ancient trees. The most sought after form of jet vintage jewellery is Whitby jet which is made from jet found near Whitby [...]

Monet jewellery has been made since the 1930s and it is still being made today. It is a high quality costume jewellery most normally it is gold or silver toned metal in bold shaped or with lots of chains. The aim of the Monet company was to produce pieces with a high quality fine jewellery [...]

Strangely there is only one entry for AntiquesAvenue A-Z of  Vintage and Antique Jewellery materials. It seems that D has been reserved for possible the most sought after material of all Diamonds. Being one of the most popular and expensive gemstones you can read all about diamonds all over the Internet but most  are promoting large [...]

Agate is a colourful form of Quartz gemstone which can be cut and polished into Cabochons or panels and set into jewellery. There are lots of different decorative agates which have been used for hundreds of years but became particularly popular in the Victorian era as part of the Scottish trend. Many of these agates [...]

 Amber Brooches Popular nowadays, Amber is one of the materials used in brooches which has been used since the earliest prehistoric times.  Our ancestors in the Bronze age or possibly before, The Greeks, Romans and ancient Celts all treasured amber set jewellery. More recently into Victorian Jewellery, in the Art Deco era and of course [...]

Amber was one of the original jewellery materials used by our ancestors since the Bronze age or possibly before.  The Greeks, Romans and ancient Celts all treasured amber set jewellery. More recently into Victorian Jewellery, in the Art Deco era and of course Amber is very popular nowadays.  AntiquesAvenue takes a little look Amber and [...]

Is your vintage jewellery set with a purple or violet gemstone? If so there is a good chance that that stone is amethyst. The amethyst is a popular gemstone which varies from a light violet to a deep Royal Purple in colour . The amethyst is a purple form of quartz. The amethyst in history [...]

Jewellery set with agate panels was particularly popular during the Victorian era.  Queen Victorian had a passion for all things Scottish and set a fashion for jewellery from Scotland and set with Scottish Agate. I have recently acquired several pieces of Antique Jewellery set with agate. Agate is a semi precious hardstone and is prized [...]

Antique BroochThe Antique Brooch comes in many shapes, sizes and materials and a collection of Antique Brooches is often made along a theme. All Georgian Brooches, Mourning Brooches, Silver and Enamel Brooches for example. Vintage Brooches blog is taking a look as some of the more interesting themes you might like to consider for your [...]

Pure gold ( also known as 24 carat gold) is a bright yellow colour. This gold is quite soft and also very expensive. For most jewellery purposes 24 carat gold is mixed with other metals to make it harder ( more wearable) and cheaper too.   18 carat gold  is 18/24 pure gold with the remainder [...]

Does any one have information on Jewellery made by Askew London? I believe that this was made by Sue Askew and was made during circa 1980s. The jewellery appears to be vintage in style, there are some wonderful 1920s revival pieces of Egyptian style brooches and necklaces and I also detect Haskel style influences. Other than that her Jewellery appears to [...]

Aventurine by chance Aventurine is a lovely green colour, the colour of jade or emerald. This gemstone is enhanced by flecks of mica or hematite which give a the polished surface a sparkling effect known as Aventurescence.  Aventurine can also be found in other colours such as grey or red / brown. Aventurine is found [...]

Vintage Jewellery A-Z continues with Bakelite. Bakelite is one of the most highly collected forms of Vintage Costume Jewellery. Bakelite is a form of plastic, in fact it was the first synthetic plastic and was first made in the early days of the last century. Bakelite was most popular for use in Jewellery between the [...]

Pearls, popular in jewellery for centuries, come in many different types and kinds. You hear about natural pearls, faux pearls , cultured pearls, Akoya pearls, SouthSea pearls and Baroque pearls. Do you know the difference between any other type of pearl and a baroque pearl? A Baroque pearl is a pearl which is not round, [...]

Rounding off  Antique jewellery and Vintage jewellery materials beginning with the letter B. As we all know vintage jewellery can be made of so many more materials than the precious metals and gemstones.  Today as part of my A-z of vintage jewellery materials I am rounding off the letter B with Berly, Bone, Bronze and [...]

Have you ever seen old jewellery set with a dark green stone with red flecks in it? This is known as bloodstone or sometimes as heliotrope.  This is a hardstone which was popular during the Victorian era for setting into fobs and seals however it can also be carved as a cameo or used in [...]

About Bog Oak Jewellery Bog oak is a jewellery material widely used during the Victorian era in mourning jewellery.  Today you will normally find that jewellery made of bog oak is antique jewellery over 100 years old. Bog oak is fossilized wood and is also sometimes known as bog wood.  Most bog wood is made [...]

I came across a very unusual piece of 1970s jewellery today, it is special because it is made of Britannia Silver. Britannia silver is something not common these days as it is only used for the best pieces of Jewellery. Britannia Silver was first used in England during the 1690s for coins and became a [...]

Here is a subject I find a little difficult – brooches made from butterfly wings. These were very popular in the art deco era, the wonderful shine on the bright blue looked beautiful set into silver. Above are a couple of examples of genuine vintage brooches set with butterfly wings. But what about the poor [...]

About Ceramic Jewellery Antique Jewellery and Vintage Jewellery has been made with ceramics for as long as clay has been used to make pots, since prehistoric times.  This picture shows a necklace made of long ceramic beads and pottery beetle shaped stones which could originate from any time from between the ancient Egyptian times and [...]

Chrysoprase a lovely apple green semi precious gemstone. This gemstone is part of the Chalcedony family, a variety of Agate. The green colour in Chrysoprase comes from the nickle in the stone. Personally I find it quite difficult to tell Chrysoprase from some other similar gemstones - Aventurine, New Zealand Green-stone and when chrysoprase has faded [...]

Have you seen vintage jewellery set with citrines? You often find it teamed up with silver either in a pendant, earrings or a ring. The citrine is a beautiful gemstone and quite sought after. The colour of the citrine varies from a pale lemon yellow to a reddish brown.  Many Citrines are not natural but [...]

Coin Jewellery We handle coins every day and rarely take a second glance at them except to see if we have change for the car park or can afford a small chocolate treat. Polished up coins make excellent jewellery and Coin Jewellery has been popular across the world for centuries. Many of the coinsin Antique Jewellery [...]

Coral forms in tree like structures in warmer waters such as the mediterranean and around Japan and Australia. This is the external skeleton of a tiny water polyp which when polished up makes a wonderful Jewel. Coral can range in colour from pale pink, red through to black. Generally we see the pinky / red colour [...]

Carnelian and Cornelian are the same name for a red variety of  Chalcedony which is one of the varieties of Quartz hard stones. This stone is sometimes found in antique jewellery and vintage jewellery Cornelian is probably the name most used these days. The red is a translucent colour and it can vary from yellowish [...]

What is costume Jewellery made of? When we are looking at vintage jewellery materials we see all sorts of lovely pieces, Necklaces, rings, earrings, bangles, brooches which are made of costume jewellery .  The term is used to cover all Jewellery which is not made of Precious stones and metals. Semi Precious Costume Jewellery stones [...]

Crystal Jewellery, what is it? Have you every seen that a piece of vintage jewellery which  is made of crystal or set with crystal? What is this crystal and what are you buying? The term crystal can be applied to several different materials and colours; Rock Crystal Rock crystal is a natural gemstone being the [...]

About Cultured Pearls Pearls have their own unique beauty which is popular in jewellery as the finish compliments and enhances the skin tones of the wearer. Vintage Jewellery set with pearls is  sought after and antique pearl jewellery can reach very high prices. Pearls can be worn with almost every outfit and most ladies like to [...]

Diamante Jewellery  is vintage  jewellery which sparkles and shine like diamonds but is very much more affordable than the real thing.  Diamante  are made of high quality lead glass  and can be varied in shape, size and colour to suit the jewellery designer.  In the USA diamante are known as Rhinestones. During the Georgian and Victorian eras the [...]

Have you ever seen antique or vintage jewellery with Egyptian motifs on it? If so there is a reasonable chance that the jewellery dates from one of the major Egyptian revivals. Egyptian revivals were the times when all things Egyptian came into fashion. The first main Egyptian revival took place in circa 1870 following the opening [...]

Emeralds are one of the loveliest gemstones, their green colour is reminiscent of spring and gardens. The emerald is a rare and valuable form of the Beryl family. They come in a range of shades of green from pale to dark velvet green with the darkest green being the most valuable. Used in jewellery since [...]

Enamel adds colour to jewellery. It is applied to the surface of a piece and gives a colorful glassy finish as it is made of a type of glass with added colouring. The enamel is melted onto the surface with heat. All sorts of materials can be given an enamel surface. In jewellery we see [...]

The Garnet was once a very popular gemstone with the deep ref variety being one of the main gemstones used during the Victorian era. Its blood red colour could be worn when a lady was first coming out of a period of deep mourning when black only was worn. The Victorians were not the first [...]

Taking a look at the Gemstones we find in Antique and Vintage Jewellery. Gemstones have always been popular in jewellery, the ancients collected and wore them – there is evidence of gemstone mining since the stone age.  I’m going to take a look at the gemstones we find in today’s antique and vintage jewellery that [...]

I’ve reached the point in my exploration of vintage jewellery materials when its time to look at Gold, one of the best loved jewellery materials of all.  Here are a tips which may be useful if you are looking at buying vintage gold jewellery. What makes gold Jewellery Special? Gold is one of the major [...]

I find myself using the term “hardstone” or “hard stone ” quite a lot when describing jewellery these days. It is a name which is used to cover a wide range of semi-precious gemstones which are used to decorate jewellery and are appreciated for their colour and finish rather than for being particularly valuable. Hard [...]

Hematite Jewellery.  Hematite ( also known as Haematite) can be polished into beads or cabochons and set into jewellery. It is a natural gemstone form of Iron oxide.  When Hematite is set into jewellery it has a highly metallic black or dark grey appearance. Hematite bring shiny and black was popular in vintage jewellery during [...]

Hroar Prydz Norwegian Silver Jewellery. I recently came across this lovely little silver and enamel butterfly brooch made by Hroar Prydz in Norway. Although I dont know much about this jeweller I was able to get a clear shot of the markers mark .  This mark is like a shallow V on its side. Ill [...]

The Jabot Pin,  A jabot pin is a special sort of vintage brooch which rarely seen or used these days.  The pin is worn at the neck to keep a jabot in place with a jabot being a piece of lace or other material worn by men instead of a tie.  The Jabot was worn [...]

Jade is a lovely gemstone which is not as appreciated here in the west as it is in China and other Asian countries. Jade is a very hard stone and comes in shades of green ranging from emerald green to quite a pale colour. Other colours are occasionally seen including lavender, orange, pink, black, and [...]

I’ve been finding out about Majorica pearls today as I came across this most beautiful faux pearl necklace and I thought they were worth researching. Majorica pearls are made in Majorca, in fact I remember visiting the workshop where they are made about 30 years ago. At that time I thought they were truly wonderful [...]

Marcasite Jewellery  has been popular since the ancient Greeks who used Iron Sulphide crystal in its white form to add sparkle and shine.  The Georgians set the black form of Marcasite into silver jewels.  More recently, from the Victorian era onwards,  Pyrite or Fools Gold is used as this mineral is hardier than true marcasites. The marcasites normally have a [...]

Micromosaic jewellery ( or is it Micro Mosaic ?) is set with tiny coloured glass pieces to make up pictures and patterns. These tiny glass pieces are known as Tessarae. Micromosaics have been a popular decorative art in Italy at least since the Roman era and have also been made in other countries. Micromosaics were [...]

Another great piece of vintage pearls jewellery from AntiquesAvenue. This pearl ring is a super piece of vintage jewellery. The pear is in a decorative setting with the shoulders of the ring appearing to go right up the sides of the pearl. The pearl is about 6mm diameter. The inside of the shank of this [...]

Sorry about the title , I just couldnt resist . Today Id like to show you a few vintage pendants. Pendants are very attractive pieces of jewellery which are very versatile. The word pendant is taken from French and means “hanging” , in other words a pendant is a piece of jewellery which hangs. Depending [...]

Have you heard the term “Pinchbeck”  and wondered what it meant? Pinchbeck is named after its inventor Christopher Pinchbeck who was a London clock maker and  is thought to have lived 1670 to  1732 and invented this gold like material in  the 1720s. Pinchbeck is a metal alloy which consists of Copper, Zinc and Brass [...]

Saphirets are one of the most collectable of all glass costume jewellery stones.  It is thought that Saphirets were first made in Czechoslovakia in the Victorian era when real gold was added to a sapphire blue coloured glass. This mixture resulted in a stones which changes colour through a range of brownish purple blues depending on [...]

Vintage silver charms beginning with C, this concludes my look at charms beginning with C .  Comb charm not often seen on its own. Here is a vintage silver comb charm combined into a hairdressing set.    Church charm This vintage silver charm is in the shape of a church.The church opens at the base [...]

Silver Gilt is also known as silver gild, gilded silver, gilt silver or by its French term Vermeil.  What ever term it is know by the jewellery is made of silver and has a think layer of gold over it to give a gold appearance. Silver gilt has been used in jewellery since ancient times however [...]

The Belcher chain is a type of chain where the links are equally broad and long. These chains can be fine or quite chunky, worn with a pendant attached or they are decorative enough to be worn alone. The links on a Belcher chain are D shape in section and these can be solid or [...]

The word Penannular means almost annular or almost a full circle. Penannular brooches are round but have a gap so that they are not quite a full circle.  Brooches are the most commonly seen form of penannular jewellery but you can also find penannular rings and  earrings. Interestingly penannular jewellery has been used since very [...]

Glass is one of my favourite materials for vintage costume jewellery, it has a huge variety of shape and colour. Glass jewellery can be moulded, or hand made. Glass can be made into beads, moulded as a cameo or faceted as a gemstone. I have seen glass jewellery of every type: brooches, necklaces, charms, earrings, bracelets [...]

Working through the alphabet looking at vintage jewellery materials , there seems to be little for me to say around the letter F. Of course both Fur and Feathers have been used in vintage jewellery these are both natural materials which have disintegrated easily and there is very little vintage jewellery left made from these. [...]

So here comes the Letter C of antique and vintage jewellery materials. C is for: Ceramic, Cornelian/carnelian, Chrysoprase, Citrine, Coins, Copper, Coral, Crystal, Cubic Zirconia, Cultured Pearl and Cut Steel.

Today I’ve come across a piece of vintage jewellery from Wiener Werkstätte one of the great names in design and production from the early 1900s.  Pieces made by Wiener Werkstätte are very rare and desirable these days so I am very pleased to be able to show you this vintage brooch This brooch is made [...]