Six months ago, my younger sister married her best friend in a beautiful, church ceremony. I was one of the four bridesmaids in her wedding. The bridesmaid dresses were short and black. The shoulders and backs of the dresses were made out of black lace. Because my sister’s color scheme was red and black, she decided to purchase all of her bridesmaids a gorgeous, ruby necklace to wear with their black dresses. These sterling silver necklaces contained ruby beads and crosses made out of white topaz stones. On this blog, I hope you will discover the best kinds of ruby jewelry items to buy the bridesmaids in your upcoming wedding. Enjoy!
If you would like to start collecting antique jewelry, learning as much about it as possible is a good idea. Many people out there are making fake pieces that hard to distinguish from the real thing, so learning about the pieces you are primarily interested in is vital to finding worthwhile, valuable pieces of older jewelry. Follow these tips for helping you know when the piece of jewelry you are looking at is not a replica.
Know The History Behind Your Favorite Antique Jewelry
Knowing what time period certain types of jewelry were popular in can be helpful in distinguishing fakes from the real thing. For example, if you are examining a ring you think is an antique, knowing that during the Georgian era rings were made to fit the gems can be helpful to determine a fake. During the Georgian era, jewels on a ring could be several different sizes and shapes because during that time, stones were not cut and polished. Many of the rings from the Georgian era also carried stamps of bows, floral and scrolls motifs. A wedding ring from the Victorian era may have a birthstone like an amethyst instead of diamond while one from the Edwardian era may be made out of platinum with delicate and intricate designs.
The Difference Between Tarnishing And True Patina
When a piece of silver jewelry is tarnished, it simply means it is dirty from being exposed to the air and sunlight. Tarnish can be easily wiped off with a soft rag and jewelry cleaner. However, real patina comes from a piece being worn for many years. Areas that are worn have a dark appearance that renders some pieces of jewelry even more more beautiful than when they were originally made. When you go shopping for old, antique jewelry, having a soft rag and a bottle of jewelry cleaner on you is a good idea for those times someone is trying to sell you a piece with tarnish instead of patina on it.
Good Places To Find Real Antique Jewelry
You may find many websites offering antique jewelry for sale, but one of the best places to locate old pieces is at yard sales or thrift shops. Many people give away the property of deceased relatives to thrift stores, never realizing they were giving away a piece of old jewelry worth a great deal of money. Visiting yard sales can be fruitful as well because many people are not aware that some costume jewelry is considered vintage and antique.
Taking your time to learn about the jewelry you would like to collect can be a lot of fun. By investing your time in research, you can shop more informed and have more of an idea of what you are looking for. Contact a company like Jeffrey-Private Jeweler for more information.
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