Category: Vintage Jewelry Talk
Vintage Charm Collector Spotlight – Sandy Weinstein
I’m adding a new component to my vintage charm bracelet collector’s blog. Every now and again I’ll be featuring a charmer who has been influential to me on my charm collecting journey. My inaugural article introduces Sandy Weinstein of A Genuine Find.
Charms To Collect – Why $449 ?
Does anybody know why this book is so expensive? I’ve been watching it for several years and it’s always been like this. It’s not even a hardback. Early on I saw it on Amazon for around $60 and I should have bought it but I didn’t.
Evil Eye Beads and Jewelry – History, Meaning, and Lore
There are many different colored evil eye beads used in jewelry, and they are worn as a fashion accessory as well as a good luck charm. Usually in the form of a single eye image set in a blue background, evil eye beads have a long history of protecting the bearer from jealous and greedy gazes.
The Beauty of Bohemian Garnet Jewelry
Bohemian Garnets are a unique type of gemstone which are mined almost exclusively in the mountains of the former Bohemian empire, now part of the Czech Republic. Valued for their fiery red beauty and clarity, Bohemian Garnets are used extensively in jewelry.
Snapeez® Magic Charm Bracelet Jump Rings – Are They Secure?
I get this question all the time from my ebay customers. And I always respond with the same truthful answer.
February Birthstones – Amethyst
February’s birthstone, the amethyst, is a form of quartz, which varies in color from pale lilac to dark purple. It is found in Canada, The U.S., Australia, India, Russia, and Sri Lanka as natural crystals within rocks. Amethyst has been a foundation of royal jewels throughout the ages, as intense violet is a associated with […]
January Birthstones – Garnet
Anyone born in January knows their birthstone is a warm deep red garnet. My first thoughts are of Bohemian garnets found in antique jewelry from the late 19th century. What most don’t realize is that garnets are found in almost all colors except blue.
Elco Enamel Travel Shield Charms
I’ve seen these vintage shield charms for years and always wondered what company manufactured them. They are little souvenir colored shields in a sterling silver frame. The mark on the back reads sterling and has a Trojan Soldier looking guy with a spear and armor shield with an E in the center.
November Birthstones – Topaz
There are three traditional birthstones representing the month of November, smoky quartz, citrine, and orange topaz. I have a November birthday and When I was growing up the topaz was considered the November birthstone and it’s still my favorite.
Vintage Nuvo British Charms
Nuvo was a British jewelry company that produced some of the most beautifully detailed and well crafted charms during the 1950’s through the late 1970’s. Their specialty was sterling silver three dimensional and moving charms, although they did make some 9K gold charms. Occasionally one can find vintage Nuvo charms containing colored crystals, like the frog charm in my photo.
Vintage Jewelry – Is It Real Gold Or Silver?
When buying vintage jewelry, the best and most surefire way to ensure the piece is truly the metal quality you are expecting, is of course to view a hallmark of the metal purity, such as 14K or Sterling Silver somewhere on the item. For those of us who buy collectible fine vintage jewelry that’s not intended to be heirloom or investment quality, there are other methods that are often used to establish the value of an item.
Sapphire Birthstones and September Birthdays
A deep blue sapphire is the traditional and modern birthstone for those born in September. Read more to find out about this lovey stone and the September born….
Gemstone Hardness and The Moh’s Scale
Diamond, which is the hardest naturally occurring substance, is highest on the scale, and talc, which can be scratched with a fingernail, is at the bottom. The position of a substance on the scale is determined by finding the hardest material that the given substance can scratch, and/or the softest material that can scratch the […]
Gold Fun Facts
A while back I purchased a diamond and gemstone testing machine from IGEM Instruments. Turns out it’s quite a handy and useful gadget. Anyway I must have signed up for their mailing list because this week I began receiving newsletters from them. Volume #1 was filled with a bunch of gold trivia and I thought I would share with you.
Vintage Beau – Beaucraft Charms
Beaucraft, Inc., known to many as “Beau”, manufactured sterling silver jewelry from 1947 through 2004 from its Providence, Rhode Island factory. The company was one of the leading producers of fine sterling jewelry for 57 years. They made popular mid priced pieces including charms, rings, necklaces, earrings, and brooches. Charms were their best selling category […]
“Charms and Charm Bracelets The Complete Guide” Book Review
This book is the essential guide for serious and casual charm collectors alike. Charms And Charm Bracelets: The Complete Guide is a hardback book published by Schiffer in 2005. The author, Joanne Schwartz, and photographer, Robert N. Schwartz have done a brilliant job of packing the book with charm bracelet history spanning the 19th century […]
Vintage Charm Manufacturers – Danecraft, Inc.
If you’ve been collecting vintage charms for any length of time you’ve probably run across old sterling charms with the Danecraft hallmark. The mark is very common on vintage charm bracelets and charms, as well as other pieces of jewelry. Danecraft sterling silver charms were some of the best manufactured during the period in terms […]
Vintage Charm Bracelets in Modern History
Charms and amulets of one sort or another have been around for thousands of years. They are well documented in ancient Egypt, Rome, and many other historical eras as talismans worn to ward off evil spirits or bring luck. For this article I’m focusing on the rise in popularity of charms and charm bracelets in […]
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