4 TIPS FOR BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VINTAGE JEWELRY COLLECTION
Vintage jewelry collectors have several new resources available to them that were not there even 10 years ago. Online auctions, Instagram businesses and other internet resources have created new opportunities for anyone who wants an antique jewelry collection.
However, these options can have risks by making it easier to fall for scams or pay too much for items.
While mistakes are inevitable, there are ways to reduce their possibility. Here are four tips to help you find and purchase vintage jewelry:
Avoid limiting your approach
It is often tempting for new collectors to focus on one time period or style. This can be limiting as you learn and gain skills in jewelry collection. Unless you have a specific background that gives you special understanding regarding Victorian, Art Deco or any other periods or trends, start out with broad searches. Try out different styles and figure out what works best for you. You may find a rare piece when you least expect it or decide to specialize in several time periods.
Set realistic expectations
When you start out, seek the unique and authentic. This is not about finding the deal that is actually worth a year’s salary or more—it’s about finding what you enjoy and find aesthetically pleasing. If you seek merely high value, you will likely be disappointed. However, if you find and purchase items you will actually wear and enjoy, your disappointment should be minimal. As you indulge, you will eventually find big-ticket items, but that will not be your sole purpose in pursuing a vast collection.
Remember you can trade up
Your tastes and interests will change as you learn more about antique jewelry collecting. That is inevitable. Do not focus on whether you will love something forever or its investment value. Make decisions on what you enjoy now. Vintage jewelry, like modern pieces, is still about the here and now, not some nebulous future where you imagine ball gowns, million-dollar sales or early retirement. Enjoy this now, and know that you can trade up later.
Set a budget
If you approach this from a point of desperation where you spend as much as possible hoping something will be a big-ticket item, you will likely not only be disappointed but also broke. Again, stay in the moment, and that goes for budget as well as your current taste in jewelry. Set aside your “play money” each month and either use it to buy smaller pieces or purchase a larger, more expensive item. You will appreciate it more and still be able to pay your bills each month.
