Antique and vintage wonders: be a custodian of a piece of history

There is always something mystical and romantic about wearing vintage jewellery. So let’s begin first by understanding the difference between vintage and antique jewellery:

VINTAGE JEWELLERY
Vintage jewellery typically refers to jewellery made after the 1930’s and includes the Retro Era, Hollywood-inspired 1940’s jewellery, the Jacqueline Kennedy inspired 60’s jewellery, and even the dramatic jewellery of the 70’s and 80’s.* Jewellery is considered vintage if it is more than 20 years old.

ANTIQUE JEWELLERY
The word antique denotes an item that is over 100 years old. Antique engagement rings and antique jewellery will be from the Georgian Era, Victorian Era, Edwardian Era, or Art Deco Era.*

Fine antique jewellery is becoming increasingly sought-after, largely because it is beautifully made and you are practically guaranteed that you won’t see anyone else wearing the same piece.

There is something very romantic about jewellery from another era, with a story to tell. With a piece of antique or vintage jewellery, we become the next chapter of its sparkling history.

If you are concerned about sustainability, we all know that it takes significant resources to mine gemstones and precious metals which makes it hard to produce jewellery in a truly environmentally friendly way. Buying antique and vintage jewellery makes you a conservator rather than a consumer.

Half the joy of buying and collecting vintage and antique jewellery is the hunt. Knowing where to look and what to look for. Learning to recognise old styles and techniques and understanding the context of each era is a rich, exciting experience in itself. A great source of this knowledge can be found in London at Bentley & Skinner, at 55 Piccadilly, along with a stunning array of vintage and antique pieces. You will soon find many of their gorgeous pieces available for Covett co-ownership.

If you need any extra incentive, buying antique, vintage and second-hand jewellery is VAT-exempt, which means you should automatically pay 20% less than the equivalent piece made new.

How to Find out More About Vintage and Antique Jewellery:

There are several good sources for learning more:

The Difference Between Antique and Diamond Jewellery.

Ten Reasons to Buy Antique and Vintage Jewellery.

We also recommend The Jewellery Editor, online magazine, who has numerous articles on antique and vintage pieces.

Antique sapphire, diamond and pearl pendant.

Currrently in the vault we have an amazing Bentley & Skinner Edwardian pendant, which is a the oval-cut faceted sapphire surrounded by diamonds and seed pearls (pictured) and then again by seed pearls. Find the details here.