Vintage jewelry can be some of the most wonderful and timeless pieces in a person’s collection. Finding vintage jewelry, however, may not be the easiest journey – unless you visit Charles Schwartz & Son.
Types of Vintage Jewelry, DC
There are lots of different types of vintage jewelry. Vintage jewelry can vary in different eras and time periods. Jewelry that is considered vintage is typically over 50 years old, but less than 100 years old. When compared to antique jewelry, vintage pieces are often worn. This is because vintage jewelry is less likely to break due to its younger age.
You will notice that many vintage designs you see are still in tune with modern trends. Vintage jewelry is the ideal choice for making unique fashion statements or adding a different flair to your outfit.
There are two types of vintage jewelry eras. We purchase fine vintage jewelry from the Art Deco era and Retro era. The Art Deco era came during a time of urbanization and consumerism. Women celebrated this period of wealth with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphire jewelry.
The Retro era originated in France and began as a whimsical distraction from the war. This era is known to be big and bold to mimic the Hollywood lifestyle so many sought after. Gold jewelry grew during this era and you can often see retro jewelry referred to as cocktail jewelry. This originated in France via light, fun designs including birds, ballerinas, bows, and heart motifs.
Brands of Vintage Jewelry, DC
In the Retro era, popular designers included Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Bulgari, and Castelli. They were known for pioneering the unique style of Retro jewelry, which was then adopted by American designers. During this time Bulgari became well known for their famous animal jewelry, known as “animalier”.
In the Art Deco era, popular designers included Cartier, Tiffany & Co, and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Charles Schwartz & Son, DC Vintage Jewelry
Charles Schwartz & Son is the oldest jeweler in Washington D.C. We are based in the nation’s capital for over 100 years as we take pride in our name as arguably one of the most recognizable and finest jewelers in Washington. We take great care in meeting the jewelry needs of our customers. Whether refurbishing a family heirloom or finding the right gift for that special occasion we are here to serve you.
Vintage Jewelry Buyers, DC
At Charles Schwartz & Son we also buy vintage jewelry. The vintage jewelry experts here at Charles Schwartz & Son make the buying and selling process a breeze! Our vintage jewelry experts will evaluate your vintage jewelry and family heirlooms to offer you the highest possible price while treating each customer with the utmost care, professionalism, and confidentiality.
Jewelry has played a significant role in society, capturing the hearts of many with a wide variety of ever-changing trends, designs, and fads throughout history. The estate jewelry experts at Charles Schwartz & Son are well-versed in dating and classifying estate jewelry and are happy to answer any questions you may have about estate jewelry.
If you are wondering what era your piece of jewelry may be from prior to your consultation appointment, you may consider the following characteristics to help you determine which era your pieces may fall under:
- Metal(s): the type of metal(s) incorporated into the design of a piece of estate jewelry, along with the metal’s karat weight, can reveal a great deal about the age and relative origin of a piece of estate jewelry.
- Gemstone(s): although gemstones have been a staple of high-end jewelry design for centuries, the popularity of specific gemstones varied amongst eras.
