Antique Jewelry

     For jewelry to be called "antique" it should be at least 50 years old. More recent "pre-owned" jewelry is called "estate" jewelry. Recently, jewelry collectors have been finding that antique jewelry is much better priced and better made (i.e., higher quality and workmanship) than new jewelry. Jewelry that lasts for so long over the years is often of a higher quality and interesting in the history that can be seen in its design. As well, like fine art, antique jewelry gains a special quality from being owned by others over time. There are also factors of collectibility for some pieces.

Types of Jewelry:
     Older jewelry came in many of the same styles as today's jewelry (i.e., necklaces, brooches, and earrings), however it also came in some interesting types that we don't see too often these days:

Cameos:
     Cameos are carvings traditionally done on shell or stone. Motifs differ - you might see carved florals, a group of people, the head and shoulders of one person, or perhaps carvings representing figures from mythology.

Mourning jewelry:
     Jewelry commemorating people who had passed away was used to show that the deceased were loved and respected. All types of jewelry with loved ones portraits painted on them can be found from the last 400 years.

Related Link
antique-jewelry/classifications.html