Category: Vintage Jewelry Talk
Mexican Silver Jewelry
Some of the highest quality and most beautiful jewelry of the 20th century was created in Mexico and the country is still producing exceptional pieces today. The hub of silver jewelry creation in Mexico was in the city of Taxco, where many fine silversmiths fine tuned their craft. Taxco is located between Acapulco and Mexico City, and is home to one of the oldest silver mines in the Americas.
Cini Sterling Silver Vintage Charms and Jewelry
The Cini Jewelry Company makes some of the most intricate and popular vintage jewelry available. I’ve started a collection of Cini Zodiac charms and I’ve also sold a few Cini vintage silver pins so I decided to see what I could find out about them.
July Birthstones – Ruby
For those born in July, your birthstone is a ruby, which is one of the world’s most prized gemstones. A ruby is also given to commemorate a 40th anniversary, and the deep red color represents everlasting love. It is one of the hardest stones with a measure of 9 out of 10 on the Moh’s scale.
Sunshine Polishing Cloth Is The Best Jewelry Cleaner
I’ve been using Sunshine polishing cloths for a long time and love them. They are gentle enough to clean the most precious charms but strong enough to get off really tough tarnish and grime. They clean all types of metal but I use them primarily for silver jewelry.
The Carl Art Jewelry Company of Providence RI
The Carl Art company, owned by Carl Schraysshuen, a German immigrant, and American businessman Arthur Loercher, was founded in 1936 in Providence, Rhode Island. Carl had previously been employed by the Speidel Company and is reported to be responsible for creating the twist-o-flex watch band.
Cultured Pearl Treatments
All cultured pearls are cleaned and polished to enhance the luster before being sold to jewelers. There are additional treatments that are applied to lower quality pearls in order to develop a marketable product. It’s always important to at least ask, and then obtain a guarantee when purchasing pearls, in order to be sure of the investment.
Cultured Pearls and Modern Pearl Farms
Almost all of the pearls sold today are cultured pearls grown on pearl farms. The techniques developed and refined over the last century have allowed modern pearl farmers to produce pearls that conform to specific standards. Natural pearls are less than one percent of those available on the market nowadays.
Cultured Pearls – Birth of the Industry
Pearls have long been a favorite as an embellishment for jewelry and nowadays almost all pearls coming into the market are cultured pearls. Cultured pearls are formed by intentionally inserting a foreign object into a mollusk, typically an oyster, and waiting for the natural process of nacre to build up.
“Antique Sweetheart Jewelry” – A Book Review
This book is the second one written by Nicholas D. Snider on the subject of sweetheart jewelry from WW I and WW II. It is a full sized soft cover book published by Schiffer and it includes a price guide in effect as of 1997. With over 200 color photographs of jewelry, compacts, fabric and paper collectibles, the book shows the human side of war via patriotic mementos exchanged by men and women separated by historic events.
Stanhope Jewelry And How To Care For It
Stanhope ChurchJewelry was a popular theme for Stanhope manufacturers in the 19th and 20th century. Tiny peep photos that one could wear on a neck chain or bracelet entertained people of the era. There were cross pendants and rosaries that held a pinhead sized picture of The Lords Prayer, or Ten Commandments. Churches were also a popular charm Stanhope piece.
Stanhope Lenses – What Are They?
I frequently get this question from readers and customers. The short answer is that a Stanhope is a tiny peep hole, called a lens, containing a micro photograph and inserted into a novelty souvenir. The photo inside these trinkets is the size of a pinhead and has to be held up to a light and close to one’s eye to view the image.
June Birthstones – Pearl
The traditional birthstone is Alexandrite but I’m not a fan so I chose to feature the modern June birthstone, which is a pearl. Pearls are formed of course when a tiny grain of sand or mineral gets into an oyster. The oyster responds by secreting a substance called nacre, which layers on until the pearl is created.
The Correct Way To Use A Jewelers Loupe
The proper way to use a jeweler’s loupe is straightforward and easy. Start with a well lit room or natural sunlight and a place to sit down so your hands will be steady. Make sure to clean the piece of jewelry and the lens with a soft cloth to remove surface dirt before viewing. Also put a cloth underneath the work area to keep items from rolling away if you drop them.
What To Look For When Buying A Jewelers Loupe
A jewelers loupe (pronounced loop) is a small magnifying glass that folds into a metal protective case. It’s used to view small jewelry pieces and gems to detect flaws and to read marks that can’t be seen using normal vision. There are several features to consider when purchasing a jeweler’s loupe depending on individual needs.
Stuart Nye Handmade Nature Inspired Jewelry
I’ve had quite a few pieces of Stuart Nye jewelry since I’ve been collecting. The problem with having Nye jewelry is that someone always wants to buy it from me. And I usually sell what I’m wearing for a tidy profit and forget about it until I see another piece that I can’t live without. […]
May Birthstones – Emerald
The beautiful green emerald is a traditional birthstone for the month of May. Appropriately so with green being the color of springtime and nature. Emeralds are a form of the mineral beryl which is durable and rare making it a favorite to use in jewelry.
“Mid-Century Plastic Jewelry” – A Book Review
Mid Century Plastic Jewelry“Mid Century Plastic Jewelry” is a soft cover book published by Schiffer in 2005. The author, Susan Maxine Klein, and photographer, Jori Klein, have done a remarkable job of packing the book with details of the evolution of plastic costume jewelry from its beginnings in the early 20th century to the present time. As the interest in costume jewelry grows I expect this book to be a staple in any collectors’ library.
Collecting Vintage Silver and Enamel Travel Shield Charms
Vintage souvenir travel shield charms are highly collectible today. Most travel shield charms have enameled pictures of landmarks, animals, flowers, or birds, along with the name of the travel destination on the front. They are quite inexpensive and it’s a great way to get introduced to the world of charm collecting.
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