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The indications
of
QUALITY
in costume jewelry
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Vintage costume jewelry
varies widely in price and desirability. I am often asked what makes one
piece better quality, more expensive and more desirable than another, and below are some of the answers
along with examples.
Note: These items were
photographed from private collections and are for reference only.
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Quality of materials~
Jewelry manufacturers used different quality materials... this is evident
even in the pieces we see today. Quality in rhinestones is determined best
by brilliance and clarity. The lead content and cut of Swarovski stones, for instance,
makes them incredibly brilliant and clear. Good rhinestones, like good
diamonds, sparkle beautifully, and inferior ones are cloudier and less
brilliant. Inferior stones can be the result of poor condition,
but it can also be lower quality stones that were used in the jewelry
originally.
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Clear high quality stones with lots of sparkle and no foil damage
(darkening of stones). |
A variety of sizes and shapes of rhinestones increases design appeal and desirability. |
Swarovski stones have a first-class reputation for sparkle, quality
and consistency. |
Cloudy and/or grayed rhinestones devalue any piece of jewelry,
as do inferior quality dull stones. |
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WEISS necklace,
bracelet and brooch and earrings in dazzling clear rhinestones.
View
View
View
View
#W1824 |
WEISS clear
rhinestone brooch. View
#W20716 |
SWAROVSKI Christmas tree pin.
View
#K19156 |
CLEAR rhinestone simple floral brooch with a flat design and dim
stones . #Y20731 |
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Quality of design~
This may seem subjective but, just as in art, good design has quantifiable
elements: composition, use of color, use of material, attention to detail
and artistic merit of design. These pieces have it all!
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Intricate well-balanced artistic design |
Historic referenced design |
Colorful cheerful design |
Trifari "demi-lune" rhinestone pieces with detailed enameling. |
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DeROSA 3" fur clip marked R DeROSA with a peacock surrounded by magnificent detail.
View
View
View
View
#d18663 |
KRAMER regal brushed gold tone
winged crowned lion brooch with red cabochons and rhinestones, 3".
View #X21197 |
MB ENAMEL cherries
brooch with high quality enameling. View
#B16698 |
TRIFARI
wisteria purple demi-lune rhinestones 3-3/4" brooch (converted from a fur clip) #T18642
Violets
bracelet 7" by 1-5/8". #T18643
and violets fur clip #T21205. Backs |
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Creativity of motif~
Detailed hand work work,
craftsmanship, mechanical elements and complexity all add to the desirability of pieces
like these.
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Mechanical pieces |
Attention to detail |
Unusual use of materials |
Appeal of subject |
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Intricacy of construction~
Flat simple and common pieces with little dimension and design were
less expensive when they were originally made, and are not as
desirable to collectors now.
The three pictures below are examples of lower quality jewelry. They are
wearable, and may even be marketable, but not at high prices.
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flat design |
stringed rhinestones
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common brooch |
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Clear rhinestones floral brooch. #Y21211 |
RED rhinestones and
aurora borealis necklace, 14-15". View #Y21977 |
Clear rhinestones circle brooch.
#Y21055 |
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These pieces show
more complex design and use of color, and each is more rare. Prices for these
would be on the high end of the range of costume jewelry.
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Large amount of intricate hand work |
Creative use of stones
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Combination of layers and materials |
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HASKELL parure composed of purple faceted crystal beads,
chartreuse glass teardrops and poured glass leaves, it is enhanced by
rhinestones, artificial pearls and filigree work. The necklace is 14
inches long with a 3 inch pendant, matching 2-1/2" wide brooch 1-3/4" earrings. So typical of the things best about Haskell... the intricate
work, the wonderful colors, and the delicate detailing. View View
View View
View
View View
View View
View #H19083 |
DeROSA rose bud
fur clip, invisible set rose colored glass, rhinestones and faux pearl, 4"
tall. This is a large piece with unusual elements and three dimensional
design.
View
View View View
View
View
#d19517 |
FLORAL 3-1/2" brooch in the
style of deRosa, but with no signature. Lovely purple glass beads, green
enameling and rhinestones.
View #Y20383 |
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Rarity~
Rare and/or
one-of-a-kind pieces are which are also well made and in good condition
command the highest prices of all.
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HASKELL/VRBA this fabulous
one-of-a-kind portrait pin was made for a Broadway play
by Larry Vrba when he was the designer for Miriam Haskell Jewelry. There was more regal-looking jewelry made for the same
play, and I dream of finding other pieces.
View
View
#H10012 |
ROSE aurora cabochons and blue
rhinestones unusual art
glass necklace, probably Austrian. View
View
View
View #Y15720 |
ROSENSTEIN
sterling vermeil enameled and rhinestone frog pins and earrings set.
Set includes 2-1/3" pin, 2" pin, 1-1/4" pin and 1-1/4" earrings.
From the 1940's, this set is not an easy one to find, especially with all
the pieces shown.
View
View #X23083 |
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Historical Interest~
Jewelry that has been featured in books and magazines or has been
prominently worn or owned by well-known people has a cachet of its own.
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BAKELITE heart and key brooch seen on the cover of
a 1940's Life Magazine |
"BOOK" piece... |
...as seen in Cera's "The Jewels of Miriam Haskell". |
FAMOUS PEOPLE |
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BAKELITE red heart and key pin.
View #B16689 |
HASKELL
early Hess unsigned dress clip. Note the cast metal flower petals set with
rhinestones. #H18844 |
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Ann Southern 1941
This brooch looks like the
STARET bleeding heart brooch circa 1940. #S18228 |
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Era or Maker Interest~
Jewelry that is strongly typical of it's era and style is always popular.
But conversely, this can also be true of jewelry that is very atypical of a
designer or era.
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TYPICAL OF ERA |
TYPICAL OF DESIGNER |
UNUSUAL FOR ERA and DESIGNER |
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DRAGONFLY and poppy
sash pin.
View #Q19163 |
HASKELL
lavender parure with glass beads, seed beads, petals and leaves.
#H19502 |
CARNEGIE
enameled cast metal angel child brooch, 4". This is a large and heavy
piece with lustrous enameling, and unlike any Carnegie I have seen before.
View #C23043 |
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Fashions and Trends~
What is on the TV stars, what is being talked about by collectors, what is
on the fashion run ways... all these influence what is hot and what is not.
And like apparel, jewelry fashions may come and go, with prices following
suite. Buying high quality, excellent condition, multiple pieces in a set
and/or unusual items is a good hedge against the trends of the times.
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PARURES |
JULIANA |
THE UNUSUAL |
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HASKELL
parure combines
pastel glass beads and faux pearls with pink glass flowers.
View
View
View View
View
View
View
#H10038/21192/22086/23028 |
JULIANA style grand
parure: necklace 14-1/2", round brooch 2-1/2", oval brooch 2-1/4" by 2",
round earrings on card 1-1/3", oval earrings 1-1/4". |
Lovely lady
brooch purple glass in an intricate and artistic setting. Exactly
when
and where she was made is uncertain, but she surely is a beauty. View
View View
View View
View |
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Personal Preferences and
Associations~
In spite of all other factors, personal taste,
sentimental associations and general eye appeal count. Personal associations
and preferences often over rule all the other decision making points listed
above, so as is often said, "Buy what you like"!
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Sentiment.. a piece reminiscent of
an special event. |
Personal Tastes |
Eye appeal |
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SWAROVSKI red glass grapes and pave leaves brooch, a sentimental
favorite of mine as it marked a special occasion.
View
#K20104 |
Signed
R DeROSA on each piece,
peacocks with enameling, faux pearls and rhinestones. A 6-1/2" by 1-1/4"
bracelet View View
and matching 1-1/8" by 1" earrings and 3" by 2-1/4" dress clip View
#d18666 |
ENAMELED
huge 5" floral brooch with rose colored cabochon centers.
View
View #Y23057 |
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Note: These items were photographed from private collections, and are for
reference only. Jewelry that is available
for sale can be accessed at the links below.
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JEWELRY AVAILABLE FOR SALE accessible below. |
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