Buyer’s Guide What To Collect
While periods are key to some collectors, others prefer to collect by theme. If you love nature you can soon assemble a stunning collection of jewelled flowers, birds or butterflies.
For those with a romantic nature, jewellery featuring hearts and bows (symbolic of love and marriage) are found throughout nearly all eras. You could also concentrate on a certain technique such as enamelled jewellery or, of course, the classic cameo.
Others become captivated with a certain stone and often collections are built on a passion for a particular gem. From the dramatic ruby to the timeless diamond, many find themselves repeatedly drawn to their favourite.
Birthstones are also key to many people, as they create a direct link between the piece and the owner. No doubt many
will have heard the age-old wives tale about opals being bad luck unless they are your birthstone, but don’t believe all you hear!
With Christmas on the horizon, the gift of an antique or vintage piece of jewellery is the opportunity to give something with history as well as romance and the enduring quality of an antique piece only adds to the beauty of the item itself.
So next time you think about buying or investing in a new little gem, just take a look at what can be found outside your usual comfort zone.
• Look out for corroded or worn plating, missing or cracked stones and chipped enamel. Scratches in the metal mounts can be polished or restored, as can worn stones, however this can be costly dependent on the level of wear. Avoid pieces with excessive solder or poor quality repairs.
• Don’t lose your new piece! Fastenings should always be tested to see if they still work effectively. Also it’s worth considering having extra safety catches applied, especially to expensive pieces. Ensure that you take a moment to look at the style of the clasp, over the years there have been countless different types which can be a small help towards dating a piece.
• Check for any dust and dirt around the stones that could indicate age, as most ladies wear their rings day in and day out meaning a gradual build up of dirt! A good clean can transform the brightness, colour and clarity of a stone set piece.
• Invest in books! These will help you learn not only the key manufacturers’ marks, but also educate you on styles.
• When buying a diamond always remember the four ‘Cs’ – colour, cut, carat and clarity. Some buyers would always rather buy a small, but more perfectly formed stone, while others would rather opt for the ‘more flash than cash’ option!
• Real diamonds do not sparkle with a spectrum of colours, overall their tone is a light grey to white tint. Also a little tip, breath on the surface of the stone, the mist created should disappear instantly, if it lingers you have a fake stone one your hands.
• Stone set jewellery should really be stored individually as even the hardest stones can wear and chip! If you’re prepared to invest good money in a new ring or brooch, spend that extra few pounds and purchase some soft cloth pouches or a good jewellery box to keep your treasures safe.
• Pearls should be held under a bright light and checked for variations in colour and iridescence. Avoid regular and even pearls, which would indicate simulated or fake examples. Also a little tip, take the surface of the pearl to your teeth, a natural pearl should have a rough, gritty feel.
• Pearls are delicate and prone to damage, particularly from cosmetics and perfume, so make sure they are the last things you put on before heading out. Keep them clean with a gentle wipe from a soft cloth and leave them behind when you go on holiday! Pearls hate heat, chlorine and sun cream!
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