Good old soap and water, for example, really don't do that well on jewelry of any sort. Soap leaves a film that can become apparent after several washings with it. Even if you don't notice it the first time, it's there. If soap and water is all you have, use a very, very small amount of soap, and dry the piece thoroughly. Many vintage pieces are subject to rust if left damp. Some stones may also be damaged by moisture remaining on them.
A polishing cloth, gently used, can be a much better choice. You can combine this with a soft, clean brush such as an unused makeup brush, to get into the crevices of the jewelry. It can be amazing how much dirt these simple tools can remove.
If your vintage jewelry piece is not silver or gold, or is plated, use these with caution. A polishing cloth can be a bit abrasive for some materials. On the plus side, even when they look filthy they keep on cleaning.
If the polishing cloth and brush aren't enough, a bit of Windex on a very soft brush can work wonders. This is a trick I learned working in a jewelry store, and it works well on old and new pieces. If any of the stones are glued in, or if the piece has enamel, you do need to be particularly careful about how you do this. The moisture can loosen glued down stones.
Before trying any of these tips, however, you need to be sure that it will stand up to that kind of cleaning. Wonderful as Windex can be for some pieces, it can be damaging to others. Pearls, opals and rhinestones, for example, can be very sensitive.
The nice thing about vintage jewelry is that a certain amount of dirt becomes the patina, and improves the overall vintage look of the piece. Don't overdo your cleaning efforts if you want your jewelry to have that vintage look. Even gentle cleaning can damage a vintage piece.
And perhaps as important as cleaning your vintage jewelry well is storing it carefully. Keep it neatly in your jewelry box, and not rubbing against other pieces of jewelry. Scratches are far harder to get rid of than dirt and can ruin a piece of vintage jewelry.
The Fun Of Collecting is in the Hunt for Beautiful and Affordable Costume, Vintage Treasures from Bygone Years. Know that in Whatever Direction your Collecting passion lies, Whether it be a Signed or Unsigned piece of Costume Jewelry or Vintage Piece, You MUST like the Piece you are Purchasing. The FUN part of Collecting is to OWN pieces you like and pieces you are proud of.
There are several Clues to collecting.Vintage Earring Hardware Clues...* Screw-back type earrings were patented around 1894, and were popular into the 1950's. * Clip-on type earrings were patented around 1934, and were popular in the 1950's & 1960's. * Fish-hook type earrings were used before 1900, and are still used today. * Kidney wire type earrings have been in use since 1870. * Threaded Stud type earrings have been used since 1890, but, are uncommon today.
Pin Clasps Hardware Clues ...* Locking C-Clasp, patented in 1901. Widely used for jewelry in 1910. Remains Popular Today. * Plain C-Clasps, uncommon today. Similar to the Locking-C, but, no spinning locking mechanism. * Tube Clasp, patented in 1850, used for jewelry only until after World War II.
Quick Tips For Purchasing ...* Be sure all the fasteners are original and are in working order. Look for older Screw-back or Clip-on Earrings. * Plain C-Clasps and the Tube Clasps usually indicate that piece of Jewelry is an older piece. * A long Pin Stem is often an indication of an older brooch or Pin. Vintage Pins sometimes have rivets holding the different layers together. * A Copyright Symbol usually dates the Jewelry piece after 1954. * So, shop, compare and beware.
Vintage Signed pieces of Jewelry are fun to look for. One even might find a booked piece that could be worth a lot of money. It can be time consuming researching a piece, but, in the end there is satisfaction, by being able to add a piece of vintage jewelry to your new collection or add to an existing collection, or, resell. One never knows what you may find. Whatever type of jewelry your looking for, you can find it...almost anywhere, yard sales, estate sales, even on Ebay. Have Fun and Happy Searching!
Both Stephanie Foster & Arthor Pens are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Stephanie Foster has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, Shopping and Pets. Stephanie Foster runs for people interested in buying vintage. Stephanie Foster's top article generates over 823000 views. to your Favourites.
Arthor Pens has sinced written about articles on various topics from Affiliate Programs, Pets and Pets. The author, Beth Hendrickson is a collector of . Collecting Vintage and. Arthor Pens's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.