What Is The Best Way To Clean Vintage Jewelry?

Taking on the task of cleaning vintage costume jewelry can be intimidating! The delicate materials and intricate designs require special care to avoid damaging them. But with the right tools and techniques, you can restore the sparkle and preserve the beauty of your treasured pieces. In our latest article, we’ll guide you through the best methods for cleaning vintage jewelry, from rhinestones and enamel to plated metals and faux pearls. Whether you're dealing with a family heirloom or a recent flea market find, our tips will help you keep your collection looking its best for years to come. We also offer some suggested materials that you can find on Amazon. Check it out here: 

How to Clean Vintage Jewelry : Preserving Your Treasured Pieces

Exploring the Origins: A Look into the Early Days of Mexican Jewelry

Gerardo Lopez Taxco Cuff Bracelet

As we step into the realm of Mexican jewelry, our gaze naturally falls upon the charming town of Taxco, nestled amidst rolling hills merely an hour's drive from the bustling streets of Mexico City. Taxco, a haven steeped in the illustrious history of silver craftsmanship, beckons us to uncover the intricate tapestry of its artisanal legacy—a narrative woven with threads of artistry and tradition.

    

Casa Prieto Sterling Tribal Warrior Brooch

Within the gleaming depths of vintage Mexican jewelry lies a tale—a narrative echoing the aspirations of a nation navigating the tumultuous currents of the early 20th century. It embodies a fervent yearning to reclaim indigenous identity and shed the vestiges of colonial influence, drawing forth artists and intellectuals to witness the unfolding cultural renaissance firsthand.

Margot De Taxco Enamel Brooch

At the epicenter of this cultural revival stands Taxco, the majestic Silver Capital ensconced within the cradle of mountains—a sanctuary for artisans and craftsmen to breathe life into their creations. Here, luminaries such as Fred Davis and William Spratling etched their indelible mark upon the annals of Mexican silver craftsmanship, shaping its trajectory for generations to come.

Mexican Silver Color Change Sapphire Bracelet

Fred Davis, lured by the allure of Mexico City in 1910, immersed himself in the vibrant tapestry of the country's folk arts and crafts. Fuelled by the fervor of revolution, he embarked on a quest to redefine Mexican jewelry, infusing it with indigenous motifs and locally sourced gemstones. Through his visionary gallery and later alliance with Sandborn's Department Store, Davis became an advocate for Mexican artisans, propelling their creations onto the local and global stage.

Mexican Silver Hands Holding Pyrite Bracelet

In the mosaic of Mexican jewelry history, Davis and Spratling emerge as trailblazers—visionaries who transformed Taxco into a crucible of artistic innovation and self-expression. Their enduring legacy, immortalized within each meticulously crafted piece, serves as a poignant testament to the timeless allure of Mexican jewelry.

Mexican Silver Tribal Design Necklace

Source: "Taxco Silver Jewelry: A Monument to a Vision" Vintage Fashion and Costume Jewelry Magazine, Summer 2000" By Sheila Pamfiloff, owner of The Glitter Box. Sheila is a long-time jewelry historian and author with a wealth of experience and knowledge.

 Gustave Sherman: An Introduction To Canada's Icon of Elegance

Imagine stepping into a world where elegance, sophistication, and quality intertwine seamlessly. That's the essence captured in the phrase "Jewels of Elegance," adorning the paper foil tag of Sherman jewelry. Gustave Sherman stands as the pinnacle of Canadian costume jewelry.

From 1947 to 1981, in the heart of Montreal, Quebec, Sherman crafted a legacy of uniquely designed, high-quality jewelry, setting the standard for elegance in every piece. With a keen eye for subtle shades and a masterful balance of size and movement, Sherman's creations exuded unmatched allure.

Every aspect of his business bore his personal touch, from design and production to marketing. Over fifty years since its inception, Sherman's jewelry remains a hallmark of sophistication, easily recognizable even to novice collectors at antique shows or stores.

Using only the finest Swarovski crystals, and later on, unique art glass stones, Sherman spared no effort in crafting designs that demanded attention, often embellishing his pieces with an abundance of stones and finishing them with double plating for lasting brilliance. What's more, Sherman's commitment to customer satisfaction knew no bounds, offering a "no questions asked" free repair service for all his jewelry. Stories exist of Sherman going above and beyond, from completely remaking bracelets to repairing competitors' broken pieces out of sheer goodwill.

In every shimmering facet of his creations, Gustave Sherman's passion for excellence shines through, leaving an indelible mark on the world of costume jewelry and securing his place as a true Canadian icon of elegance.

Follow our blog for more information on Sherman jewelry, as well as a number of other designers and general vintage jewelry topics!

Exploring the Timeless Beauty of Sherman Rhinestone Jewelry: A Gallery Showcase

We invite you to peruse our extensive Sherman Jewelry Gallery, and embark on a journey through the illustrious history and captivating allure of Sherman jewelry with our vintage Sherman jewelry information article. Over the years, we've had the pleasure of curating a remarkable collection of these exquisite pieces, each one a testament to the enduring craftsmanship and timeless elegance of the Sherman brand.

As you peruse through our galleries, you'll discover a treasure trove of Sherman jewelry that we've had the privilege of showcasing. From dazzling vintage brooches to elegant necklaces, each piece has been presented to provide you with a clear view and help you identify your own Sherman treasures.

And if you happen to fall in love with a particular piece during your virtual journey, don't hesitate to click to shop our current inventory of Sherman jewelry. Who knows? You might just find your next prized possession waiting to be cherished!

Happy browsing!

 Come join us for our newly designed vintage jewelry website with updated reference pages!

 Our vintage costume jewelry website has a great selection of carefully curated vintage, estate, and antique jewelry, plus reference pages including a 1950s jewelry information page with original advertisements, a Sherman jewellery history guide, Sherman jewelry gallery pages, and an overview of the history of vintage and antique jewelry! Bookmark and follow us as we have many more jewelry resources coming soon!

Facebook Group for Vintage, Antique, and Estate Jewelry

It's been a while since my last blog post! About 5 years, by the looks of it...oops!

The reason for this is that I was working on our .com site and Etsy store, but also because our Facebook group that sells vintage, antique, and estate jewelry has been so busy, that other projects have taken a back burner!

If you love unique high-quality jewelry, you should stop by and check it out! We were doing local shows a couple of years ago when I met a vintage clothing seller who had a small selection of jewelry. Now, Amy (who used to own Buttons and Frills Vintage Boutique) has partnered with Vintage Jewelry Girl to form Vintage Jewelry Girls YEG on Facebook!

Here are some examples of the type of thing you'll find in our group. All items are in Canadian dollars and we ship orders to the US for $5 USD for multiple items! Hope to see you there! 💖

Creative, Interesting, and Totally Modern Ways To Wear A Brooch

Artistic, versatile, fun, and timeless. These are words to describe one of my favorite accessories...THE BROOCH!

You can buy new brooches at most stores that sell costume jewelry. Although once you've handled a lot of vintage jewelry, you may find newer pieces so lacking in quality that they aren't worth the investment. Often, stones fall out, metal becomes discolored within a few months, and the style is so uber-trendy that you can only wear it for a season anyway. That type of jewelry has it's place but vintage is, in my opinion, almost always the way to go. For example, the pieces in the Vintage Jewelry Girl  collection have retained their condition, beauty, and wearability for 50, 60, or sometimes even 80 years! A carefully chosen choice of designer or unsigned quality jewelry can elevate a simple or inexpensive outfit. You can take a look at one of our previous posts to see some of our favorite vintage brooches or as I like to call them, "outfit elevators." ;-)

But, as one fashionable, but brooch-naive friend of mine said at my most recent vintage jewelry party, "I like them but how do you wear them?" Due to the popularity of the brooch as a fixture on the upper breast of Grandma's best Sunday suit, it unfortunately conjures up an image that is a bit old, stodgy, and too traditional for a lot of "us" *ahem* younger folk. 

So how do you do it? How do you make the brooch a modern accessory? And how can you use a nice vintage piece to add some old-style class and individuality to your wardrobe? Here are some of our favorite ideas for you to try!

Source: Getty Images

Let's start with the classic option. The basic shoulder brooch, although it's done exceptionally well here! I almost prefer to call this the lower shoulder brooch because you'll see in later images some pins placed DIRECTLY on the shoulder. Regardless, this look, worn here by Dita Von Teese is made striking by her choice of size. Also, there is an interesting contrast between the clean lines of her dress and the texture of the flower. The gold metal also pops against the beautiful rich royal blue color of her dress! She successfully uses a vintage style in a completely modern and striking way.

Source: A Beautiful Mess

A more modern and less classic approach is to group brooches together on the shoulder. It's so cute how this girl pairs these vintage flower pins with her vintage style top!

Source: Teen Vogue

You don't have to be outrageous about it! Maybe you're into simplicity. You could give something like this a go. This little figural pin adds some character to the collar while complimenting the line of the garment. 

Image Source: Amazing Interior Design

Long flowy tops are really popular right now. Why not use a big brooch to pin it closed when you want a little extra coverage? For heavier fabrics, use a bigger brooch and for lighter fabrics, a smaller one.

Source: Vintage Jewelry Girl

The infinity scarf is often left to stand on its own. Why not add a touch of interest with a vintage brooch? 

Source: Nordstrom

You can also make use of well put together clusters to decorate the entire shoulder! You can change up your choice of pins so you never have the exact same look twice.

Source: Dolce Gabbana

Why not bring that same look down the page a little. Let your pins flow down your jacket for a really spectacular look!

Source: Vintage Jewelry Girl

Here's something you may not know about. You can use a brooch converter to turn any brooch into a gorgeous pendant! This one's from my personal collection. I love the little spokes of crystals around the piece and the texture is enticing.

Source: Street Scene

And since we're on the neckline, this has to be my absolute favorite way to wear a brooch! These 60s flower power brooches are so colorful when worn all together...on RED! So fun!

Source: Vintage Baubles and Bits

This is an interesting and creative idea! Layer some necklaces together and gather them with a big lightweight vintage pin. So much more interesting than the necklaces on their own!

Source: Dolce & Gabbana

And finally, here's another "embellish your accessories" idea. Isn't it stunning! You can pick up vintage purses with some wear or slight damage that you can cover with inexpensive gold-tone brooches...and voila! New beautiful purse!

Want to see more ideas on how to wear a vintage brooch? Check out our Vintage Jewelry Pinterest board and see the styles we're pinning! See you there!

Source: Fab Gabs

Oh...one more for the honorable mention!! I just came across THIS! Can I sneak this in the end here? An aged brass filigree pin holds her dress in the back. Stunning!

Happy pinning!

Win This Vintage Costume Jewelry Book in our Holiday Giveaway!

Contest on now for a limited time! Enter to win his gorgeous collector guide by Judith Miller FULL of amazing photos and great vintage jewelry and designer information! This is a Facebook only contest.

Click the image below to go to the contest!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Vintage Jewelry Girl!

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Vintage Jewelry Cyber Monday Sale!

Oh wow!

On Monday November 30th, 2015, Vintage Jewelry Girl is having a store wide Cyber Monday sale! From 12:00 am MST until 11:59 pm MST on November 30th, use coupon code CM30 to receive 30% off all jewelry AND FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING! This is a once a year sale folks! Don’t miss this opportunity to get yourself or someone you love a special a sentimental, true vintage, eco-friendly gift. We all need something special to wear around the holidays!

Jewelry Trend for 2015 and Beyond: The Brooch

Everybody's talking about it...the BROOCH! It's the "it" accessory for fall 2015 and I'm positive it will carry over much farther into 2016 and beyond.

Check out these recent runway looks:

source

From left to right: Fausto Puglisi, Edun, Balenciaga, Prada and Luisa Beccaria. Photos: Imaxtree

source

Dolce & Gabbana F/W15

source

Now, if this trend conjures up images for you of cute little circular conservative pops of sparkle, typically worn high on the shoulder, let me be the one to tell you, a brooch can be so much more! Once you spend some time really studying all the different aesthetic styles of this versatile piece of adornment and how it can be used in so many different ways, you may just be hooked for life! 

Take some of the pieces from our collection for example. Like this piece by Mazer with big glass "fruit salad" stones, clear faceted crystals, and some swirling metal elements that give it a highly feminine look. The glass stones allow the color of your garment to show through. Can we suggest pairing it with a tailored blazer, mildly distressed jeans and a pair of pumps?

Say, with something like this: 

Source unknown

Here's another example that would work great with this look. This is another vintage designer piece, this time by the well known company Boucher. Such nice depth in this piece and a great combination of fantastic design and a bit of sparkle. Not too girly but highly attractive!

Or, you could also go with something like this for yet a slightly different look with a bit of sentimentality. This piece is a traditional Norwegian silver Solje brooch. Typically given as wedding gifts, the gold colored metal "spoons" are thought to reflect evil away from the wearer. Some sources say they are possibly also a reflection of how many children a couple will have.

If you like dangles, here is a statement piece with a girandole like structure.

This piece is just amazing. Take a look at the side view. The emerald glass stones are raised off the heavy brass backing with large metal prongs.

Or how about something exceptionally interesting like this vintage frog brooch with little starfish for feet and peackock eye art glass eyes? Cute, isn't he? 

And here's a fun piece! This flower is in the Brutalist style. Likely a Canadian made piece, it is a rare example of jewelry made in this style that actually resembles a form. In this case, a flower. 

Want to add some femininity without going overboard? Here's a glass flower pin that is both a brooch and a pendant! And it's made by Trifari. A company known for quality and design. 

So pretty with your summer pastels!

Or maybe you prefer something a little more quaint like this sweet petit point pin.

If size and detail are important to you, you might consider something like this bold but feminine brass floral brooch with a twisted metal border. 

Here's how I chose to wear this one for a day out shopping on the Ave. 

If sparkle is your thing, you could choose to wear something like this 60's piece that resembles a leaf.

Or perhaps something outstanding like this unsigned 1960's glam designer piece from the Juliana line by DeLizza and Elster?

Of course you could always channel your inner mid-century modern style with something like this groovy wood and silver cat pin. 

And one more...just for fun! A great 1940's vintage piece by Coro. A magnificently designed piece with charm and sophistication. Just think of the personality it would add to that blazer and jean combo! Perfection!

The brooch. So many different shapes, styles, and finishes! And vintage is the way to go if quality and design are important to you. Whether designer signed or not, you're sure to find something that speaks to you. 

Which style do you like? Do you currently wear brooches? If not, do you think you might in the future given their current popularity? Tell us in the comments below!

Our next blog post will cover different ways to wear the brooch. Subscribe to this blog or join our newsletter for updates!

UPDATE: See our newest post on Totally Modern ways to Wear a Brooch.