The Difference Between Vintage & Antique Jewellery

What Is Vintage Jewellery?

In the jewellery trade world, ‘vintage’ means a piece that was made between 50-100 years ago. Although, anything after 20 years can be considered to be vintage, such as certain eras with distinct styles. This is because of the mass appeal during that era. Currently, some defining eras of vintage jewellery are the Art Deco (1915-1935), Retro (1935-1950) and Modern (1950-1980).

Vintage jewellery doesn’t just have to describe how old the piece is, but the style. Vintage style jewellery are those that may have been made recently, but in the style of a certain era, such as the 1960’s style rings.

How Old Is Antique Jewellery?

Antique jewellery is anything older than 100 years old. Antique jewellery passes the vintage mark, and although they are similar, antique pieces tend to be rarer and therefore more valuable. These hold a lot of history, and you may have some antique pieces which have been passed down for generations through the family.

Today, The Victorian Era (1837-1901), The Edwardian Era (1871-1914), The Georgiann Era (1714-1837), and the Art Nouveau Era (1890-1910) are some of the most popular antique jewellery eras.

What’s Estate Jewellery?

Estate is another term in the jewellery world used to describe old jewellery and overlaps both vintage and antique. Estate jewellery is just those that are previously owned from any given time period. Often pieces that are passed through generations, bought at an auction, or those that are repurposed to bring into a modern style. While some jewellers refer to estate jewellery that is second-hand and was made in the last 30 years, it’s not always the case.

Period Jewellery

This is another term that can cross over both vintage and antique time periods, and doesn’t necessarily have to describe when the piece was made. Period jewellery is those that are defined by characterises from a place in time. Whether it’s something that is created in a certain era, or a modern piece with clear design inspiration from that era. Such as an Art Deco vintage ring, or a new ring in the style of 1920’s. With this in mind, you can find various newer pieces in a vintage style to define a specific era.

Why Do I Need To Know The Difference Between Vintage And Antique?

It’s important to know the difference between antique and vintage jewellery to understand not only where your piece came from and the history behind it, but also how valuable it may be. Whether you’re digging out some old jewellery and wanting to know how much it may be worth, or shopping for second hand pieces. Knowing the difference can also save you some money if buying online, vintage and antique jewellery relies on trust, education and a Ramsdens expert’s help.

What Is More Expensive: Antique VS Vintage Jewellery?

Shopping or selling your unwanted jewellery, both vintage and antique pieces hold their value over time. But since antique jewellery is much older and therefore harder to come by, these are usually more expensive to buy and more valuable to sell. While both have earned a reputation for being timeless, they have higher-quality materials and are more detailed, holding more value.

Read more: How To Tell If Your Old Jewellery Is Valuable

How To Tell The Difference Between Vintage & Antique Jewellery

Whether you’re shopping for vintage or antique jewellery, or wanting to know what your piece is, there are a few indications to look out for to know what your piece is considered as.

1. Look at hallmarks or signatures: These can be found inside the jewellery and have numbers, signatures or symbols which may indicate the era and place, metal type used or any verification. For more, check out our Hallmark Guide for specific examples.


2. Wear and tear: Natural wear and tear is to be expected with older jewellery such as vintage and especially antique, but this doesn’t mean it’s not worth purchasing or not held its value.


3. Knowing era styles: A good way to determine if your piece is vintage or antique is through the style and design of a specific era. While some modern pieces can be made to imitate a certain style, the hallmarks can easily show if it’s a vintage style, or a truly authentic period piece.


4. Pay attention to craftmanship: Antique and vintage jewellery are often handcrafted and high in quality, that’s why they last so long. From more elaborate, intricate designs, with hand-cut gemstones on antique pieces, to the appearance of more factory work of specific types of hardware on vintage pieces.


5. Ask a jewellery expert: Knowing the difference between vintage and antique can be difficult, when in doubt head to your nearest Ramsdens jewellery store and ask an expert. They can access your piece and are qualified to see how old your piece is, and can even tell you if it’s a newer piece just in a certain style.

Here at Ramsdens Jewellery, we have expert jewellers and gemmologists on hand which can expertly access your piece for you. Whether you are wanting to know how old your jewellery is, or wanting expert opinions when shopping, pop into your local Ramsdens Jewellery store, we’d love to help!

Is Restored Jewellery Still Antique Or Vintage?

Many pieces on the market today might have been restored, repaired or repurposed to some degree. While this can lead to questions on whether it’s still considered a vintage or antique piece, restoring a piece so that it can be appreciated, worn or still used today is accepted. But, if restored or revived jewellery doesn’t have at least 50% of the original piece, it’s no longer credible to be called vintage or antique, no matter when it was produced.

Choosing Vintage And Antique Jewellery

There is a lot of attraction around buying something that is second-hand, from the history of the piece, uniqueness in design and quality, or even the sustainability factor of keeping older pieces in circulation rather than buying new. You can also find pieces to pass down through generations. While buying preowned is often the cheaper option, it can be more expensive if choosing an antique piece. Choosing the right piece for you all falls down to personal preferences and what styles you prefer.

At Ramsdens Jewellery we have a wide range of Second-hand jewellery that contains everything from estate jewellery, period style pieces, vintage and antique jewellery pieces. We even have pre-owned watches or vintage watches on display, so you’ll be sure to find the perfect option for you that will stand the test of time.