The Scoop on Aurora Borealis

Aurora Borealis (or AB for short) is a name given to a glass or crystal bead that has been treated with a metalic finish, rendering an iridescent play of colors.

First developed in the 1950s by Swarovski, AB is a reliable indicator for dating costume jewelry. Bottom line: if the piece contains AB - and you believe the AB to be original to the piece - it can't be accurately attributed as dating to a pre-1950s era.

Happy Hunting,
Terri

Karats, Carats & Carrots

Confused about /ˈkærət/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kar-uhts]. Here's the long and short of the jargon we hear tossed around as if everybody, but everybody grew up in the jewelry trade.

Carat: A unit of weight used to measure gemstones. There are 5 carats in a gram, so a 15 ct gemstone will weigh 3 grams. A 6.5mm round diamond generally weighs one carat. Other gemstones of the same size will vary slightly in weight due to variations in their specific gravities.

Karat: A unit of measure that indicates the purity of gold. Gold is a soft metal, so pure gold (refered to as 24K gold) is generally not durable enough for use in jewelry. The lower the karat rating, the more other metals (alloy) have been been added and the lower the percentage of pure gold. Here's how it works:

18K = 18 parts gold; 6 parts of alloy (75% gold)
14K = 14 parts gold; 10 parts of alloy (58% gold)

Carrot: That would be those yellow veggies we munch on when we're dieting, toss into stew in the winter, and give our kids when what they really want is a chocolate chip cookie.

Happy hunting.
Terri

Finding a Costume Jewelry Bargain

You've heard it said before.... A bargain is only as good as the value you walk away with. So how do you know for sure if that "find" at an estate sale or thrift shop is really an over-looked treasure?

I can’t help with the “sure” part, but in addition to looking for pieces in tip top condition, looking for the not-so-little extras can tilt the odds in your favor.

1) Extra flourishes. Relatively few jewelry makers invest the extra labor and materials into adding unnecessary flourishes. Miriam Haskell pieces are an excellent example. Notice the backs of these earrings. How many people will ever see those dainty little leaves and flower petals? Only the one who really matters – the wearer. These earrings would be gorgeous without those extra details, but Miriam Haskell wanted more from her jewelry. A piece displaying this kind of extra care and attention, whether it is signed or unsigned, has a much better chance of growing in value over time than its plainer counterpart.

2) Prong-set rhinestones. Some very fine pieces from highly desirable designers contain glued-in rhinestones, so the lack of prong setting does not necessarily indicate a poorly made piece. But again, because of the extra manufacturing expense, this little detail generally indicates that it was made with extra care and attention. This unsigned set includes 140 hundred prong-set rhinestones.


3) Rhodium plating. Even if you never knew what it’s called, I’m sure you’ve seen rhodium. It’s that really shiny, whitish/silver metal coating on some of the best costume jewelry (and some fine jewelry, too, I might add). Rhodium is in the platinum family and, although plating uses a very, very small amount of it in each piece, it’s quite expensive – for the material itself and for the equipment and labor to produce these pieces. The rhodium plating on this Boucher piece will keep it looking like new through decades of wear.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Terri

Technology - update

I mentioned in a previous post that my old scanner died and I was in the process of trying to find a new one. Four purchases and three returns later, I finally have one (an Epson V350) that works wonderfully.

I learned a few things in the process, which I thought might be helpful to share if you're planning on using a scanner to document your collection.

• The easiest and safest bet is to look for a model that boasts the ability to handle three-dimensional (3D) objects. I found only a handful under $200 price range and not all of my local retailers carried them.
  
• Unlike computers, printers, and monitors, you'll find that scanners generally can't be test-driven in the store. If you can't find one that clearly states it will do the job and you want to experiment, make sure you're buying locally and from a retailer that won't charge you a restocking charge if it doesn't work out for your purposes.
  
• To keep from scratching the glass with hard metal and sharp stones, invest in a package of plastic sheet protectors. Cut one apart and lay one of the two new sheets on the glass. When it gets scratched simply replace it with the other half.
• Forget about trying to keep your glass clean with a "dust free cloth." I'm not sure such a thing actually exists, anyway :) Instead, pick up a package of anti-static wipes for cleaning electronic gear like computer screens. They work great for removing dust and finger prints from the glass. Between scans, try brushing a clean Swiffer duster over the plastic sheet protector.
  
• Experiment until you find a background to lay against the piece while scanning it that will really show it off. For items that will show up well on a black background, try turning off the lights in the room and scanning the piece with the lid open.
  

Good luck. Happy hunting - - and scanning.

Terri

Is a synthetic stone a fake?

In my last post I talked about synthetic gemstones and how they're not all that uncommon in old jewelry. The discussion brought to mind the question about fakes. More specifically, is a synthetic stone a fake? Most people in "the business" would say no - as long as the seller accurately represents it.

Synthetic gemstones contain the same chemical and crystal structure of the natural counterpart. So they will both have the same refractive index and specific gravity. But the process by which a synthetic ruby, for example, is made in a laboratory or manufacturing facility creates tell-tale flaws, called inclusions, inside the stone which are visible under a microscope. A good gemologist should have no trouble telling the difference between the inclusions in natural vs synthetic stones.

But what happens when you inherit the fabulous diamond and "emerald" ring Uncle Joe bought for Aunt Martha? At the time he bought it, the jeweler may well have fully disclosed the true nature of the stone to Joe, as he should have. If so, her new synthetic emerald made a perfectly fine affordable substitute for the gemstone Aunt Martha always dreamed of owning but never would be able to afford.

The problem arises if Uncle Joe and Aunt Martha never told you it wasn't "real" and now you own what you believe to be a natural emerald ring. Imagine what might happen if someday you decide to sell it and represent it as a real diamond ring (as it actually is) with a flawless natural emerald. That would make it a fake and you a fraud, even if you are operating in good faith.

The moral of this story is threefold. 1) Respect every piece of jewelry for what it really is. Natural stones are fabulous, but synthetics have their place. 2) If you're going to sell a gemstone, represent it accurately. That might mean paying for an appraisal. 3) If you own synthetic gemstones, store your documentation with them or where it will be sure to be found. That way your heirs never have to wonder.

Happy hunting.

Terri

Real or Fake?

Did you know that the first commercially viable synthetic gemstone dates to 1902? And that they were in common usage during the 1920s and 1930s? When I first started collecting vintage jewelry, neither did I. Back then, I typically used the "sniff" test to tell if a piece of jewelry likely contained precious gemstones.

No. That doesn't mean that gemstones -- or their fake counterparts -- actually have an odor. I'm referring to the same "if it's too good to be true..." sniff test smart people use to evaluate seemingly great deals every day of their lives. Here's how it works when it comes to jewelry -- and why it may not work quite the way I used to believe.

If it looks to good to be true...

What jeweler or business person in his or her right mind would use a genuine ruby in a base metal setting (brass or pot metal that has been plated to give it a "goldish" look, for example)? So the first thing I've always done - and continue to do -- is to check to see if a piece feels and looks like costume jewelry or fine jewelry. What's the difference? Gold, platinum and silver are a good starting point. In other words, if a piece looks inexpensive - it probably is. But if you've stumbled onto a precious metal find, your new-found treasure deserves a little more investigation.

How old is it?

At one time, I believed that creating synthetic rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and alexandrites was a relatively new process. Therefore, if a piece bore hallmarks predating WWII or thereabouts and was made from at least 14k gold I assumed the stones were either paste or real. Period. Glass and colored rhinestones are pretty easy to tell from the real thing so one would think the odds were pretty good that I was accurately separating the chaff from the wheat, right? Wrong.

Knowing that synthetics date all the way back to 1902 presents a third possibility. That delectable little 18k gold pin studded with ruby-red "gemstones" just might not be so rare after all, making it all the more important to nurture your relationship with a friendly local jeweler. One who has the ability to slip your fabulous find under a microscope and clear up any misconceptions.

Happy hunting. Here's to hoping you stumble on a "real" find.

Terri

P.S. Next time I'll cover the difference between synthetics and fakes. And why the two are not always synonymous.

Cleaning Vintage Jewelry

When is the last time you cleaned your jewelry? Not just the silver pieces that you buff with silver polish when they turn black. I mean the pieces set with rhinestones and semi-precious stones. Even plastic. We'll talk about silver, gold, pearls, and other pieces that require special care another day. For now, we'll address only costume jewelry. There are really just 5 things you need to know on the subject.

1. Never immerse foiled stones. The water will seep underneath, collect there and very likely discolor the stone. There's a term for stones this has happened to. They're called "dead" stones. You've probably seen an example of a dead stone at least once. They're dull, lifeless and decidedly "unsparkly."

2. Never immerse pieces with glued-in pieces. You'll spend hours re-gluing them. And trust me -- it's not as easy as it sound to get them back into place without leaving tell-tale signs of repair.

3. Immersing most prong-set stones is usually safe, but you probably don't need to, so why take the chance? There's a better way.

4. Wipe your jewelry periodically with a soft cloth dampened with window cleaner or a dilute ammonia solution. Gently scrub hard-surfaces with a soft brush to remove stubborn soil. Then give each pieces a quick swipe with a Sunshine Cloth. If you haven't discovered this little wonder yet, you're missing out. Look on ebay or ask your jeweler if they sell them. One of these day's I'll offer them on my website (www.roxxvintagejewelry.com) but until then, you might want to ask a local jeweler if they sell them.

5. Store your jewelry properly to keep it clean and scratch free. Keep the delicate pieces in individual pouches or jewelry rolls. Hang your chains or wrap them in a way that will prevent kinks and knots. Store the rest neatly in a jewelry box. If you don't have a jewelry box, use a drawer and lay a lint-free cloth over the top to keep out the dust.

Keeping your costume jewelry looking like new takes very little time and can up your enjoyment of it many times over.

Terri