Antique Jewelry

There's something about a piece of jewelry from another era that reaches out and asks the admirer to think about the first person who wore it. Did she have a happy life? Who gave her this piece? And depending on the age of the piece, is she still alive? A truly beautiful vintage piece can almost transport you back in time to the day it was made.

The jewelry of the 1920s included Egyptian motifs after the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1923, as well as Art Deco and oriental motifs.

Costume jewelry became quite popular during the Great Depression, as people couldn't afford fine jewelry, and though everyone was hurting financially, women tried to lift their spirits with inexpensive baubles made with base metals and paste jewels.

If you like the look of antique and vintage jewelry, but authenticity isn't important to you, you can also find reproduction jewelry that suits your taste.

Entire jewelry boxes full of vintage jewelry are often placed on auction websites for sale as a lot. If you know what you're looking for, or if you just feel like taking a chance, you could end up with some valuable pieces for a fraction of their retail value.

Pawnshops are an excellent place to mine for vintage treasures. With jewelry prices at 50 to 70 percent off retail, you really can't go wrong picking up a piece or two here. Pawnbrokers usually have a jewelry expert on hand to verify whether a piece is genuine, and usually you're only paying for the gold or the gemstone - not the setting.

And if you find a gemstone you like, but the setting isn't right, or vice versa, you can always have a jeweler reset the piece. Not only will you have an antique jewel (or setting), but you will also have made the piece your own.

Another thing you may want to consider is getting an antique jewelry box in which to keep your treasures. Look around your local flea markets and explore online auctions to find the best deals on vintage and antique jewelry boxes. Or, you can purchase an unfinished jewelry box from a hobby store and decorate it to your liking. Several websites also give directions for making your own ring boxes and earring display cases.

A recent trend in the celebrity world has been towards antique-inspired jewelry. Whether you prefer the inspiration or the real thing, jewelryaffordable.com can help you find the right piece.