Learning how to authenticate antique jewelry is an extremely important skill for those who love vintage and antique jewelry. It is not easy, though. In this article, Afshin Shaddaie will teach you all the basic tips you’ll need to give an “educated guess” when encountering jewelry you’re unsure about.
- Part 1: How to Authenticate Antique Rings (+ General Information)
- Part 2: How to Authenticate Antique Earrings
- Part 3: How to Authenticate Antique Necklaces
- Part 4: How to Authenticate Designer Jewelry
- The Difference Between Vintage and Antique Jewelry
- Talk to a Diamond Expert
How to Authenticate Antique Rings (and Antique Jewelry)
If you’re an antique jewelry enthusiast, you’ll probably come in contact with many antique and vintage rings (and jewelry). In this section, we’ve listed our top authentication tips in order of easiest and most effective. If you follow the steps below, you should have no problem identifying 75% of the antique rings (and jewelry) you come in contact with. By the end of the article, you’ll be able to easily know how old a piece of jewelry is without asking a professional.
- Examining Hallmarks for Clues
- Dating the Age by the Design Style
- Predicting the Date by the Gemstone Cut and Shape
- Examine the Patina to Know the Age
- Dating a Ring Based on the Craftsmanship
- Trying to Guess the Age Based on Wear and Tear
- Provenance, Old Pictures, and Proof of Purchase
- Consult an Antique Ring Expert
1. Examining Hallmarks for Clues
A ring hallmark is a marker indented into a ring by the jeweler, seller, or government officials. The hallmarks on the ring will indicate the metal content, center diamond weight, country of origin, or the ring maker.
- The maker’s mark depicts the unique symbol or initials of the craftsman. In the case of jewelry, the maker mark can also tell you the age. Jewelers used specific stamps at specific times. You can easily compare the stamp against other jewelry to date a ring accurately.
- The metal and fineness stamp indicates the type and purity of the precious metal. For example, if you see that a ring is platinum, you know it is unlikely to be older than 1900. If you see white gold, it will very unlikely be crafted before 1930.
- Many commemorative and personal messages will indicate the wedding date, birthday, or gift. This will often give you a good idea of the ring’s age.
- Import and export marks will tell you the country of origin and date when comparing that mark against other jewelry.
2. Dating the Ring by the Design Style
Each antique style hails from a jewelry era, and by understanding the styles and fashion of the time, it can be quite easy to understand the date of the ring. Here’s a rundown of the historical design periods:
- The Georgian Period (1714-1837) features natural motifs, seed pearls, intricate metalwork, and semi-precious gemstones.
- The Victorian Period (1837 – 1901)
- The Victorian Romantic Period (1837-1888) features vines, snakes, semi-precious gems, and plastic ivory, turquoise, and coral.
- The mid-Victorian Grand Period (1861-1800) features vulcanite and jet rings with sunbursts, stars, and flowers.
- The Late Victorian Aesthetic Period (1880-1901) features florals, filagrees, and hand engravings.
- The Art Nouveau Period (1890-1910) is known for colored metals, natural motifs, and cameos set in enamel.
- Edwardian (1901-1910) rings introduced platinum bands with intricate filigree work depicting scrolls, bows, and garlands.
- Art Deco rings (1920-1940) featured geometric stone cuts accented with emeralds, sapphires, and rubies.
- The Retro Period (1940-1950) is known for“cocktail rings” and acrylic Lucite creations.
Read our comprehensive jewelry eras article if you want a proper understanding of the jewelry eras.
3. Predicting the Age by the Gemstone Cut and Shape
This technique requires you to look carefully at the gemstones in the ring (especially the diamonds) and determine if they’re antique.
Important Note: This may feel like a more advanced technique than what I should have put into this article, but over the years, I’ve discovered this technique to be very teachable.
Here’s what you need to know:
- If the diamond is a rose-cut diamond, check the diamond carefully. If it’s not perfectly round and the side of the stone has rough edges (instead of polished edges), you’re probably looking at an antique rose cut.
- If the diamond is an old mine, the diamond would have been cut pre-1920s and can be as old as the mid-1880s. The old mine cut can be identified by its irregular shape (between a round and cushion), large culets, small table, and high crown.
- If the center diamond is an old European cut, it will be dated from 1880 to 1950. Unlike the old mine cut, the old Euro is much more circular. It has a frosty girdle, a small table, and a large culet visible through the center.
- If the cushion cut, Asscher cut, oval cut, and emerald cut have a frosted girdle, a smaller table, and a visible larger culet, it can very likely be an antique diamond.
If you’ve tried to follow the tips so far, and you feel that you’re out of your depth, just leave us a message at the bottom, and we can try to help.
4. Examine the Patina to Know the Age
Patina is an aging effect that develops on metals over time due to oxidation. Examining the patina will not be the best method on this list to assess the age of a ring, but it will give you a quick indication if there is something amiss.
Gold develops a soft and warm patina after time. The patina of platinum produces a frosted and dulled look (which incidentally is a desirable color to antique enthusiasts). Silver patina develops after a few months, so it won’t help to see patina on silver.
5. Dating a Ring Based on the Craftsmanship
A great technique to determine the age of a ring will be to examine the level of craftsmanship and try to determine a few of the following.
- Is the ring machine-made or handcrafted? (If you see signs of machine-work you will instantly know that the ring isn’t antique.)
- What tools were used? (If you turn the ring upside down and look through the gallery, you may be able to see signs of the tools that were used to craft the ring.)
- Are there more than two metals in the ring? (It is very rare to see more than one type of metal in the same ring. If you see yellow gold and platinum in the same ring, there is a chance that you’re looking at an antique ring.)
- Are there any pave’ diamonds? (The pave’ style of setting smaller diamonds in rings is extremely popular now but didn’t exist more than 50 years ago)
- Do you see any modern stones? (If you spot any princess cuts, radiant cuts, or brilliant cuts, you can be certain straight away that this ring isn’t antique.)
6. Trying to Guess the Age Based on Wear and Tear
I put this option low on the list for a reason: it’s hardly accurate. I’ve seen rings that are two years old that were in dreadful condition, and I’ve seen rings from the Georgian Era that are still in mint condition.
That being said, usually, when you see a ring in mint condition, you are rather safe when you assume it isn’t antique. This is particularly true when you use that information in conjunction with the advice mentioned above.
Additionally, if you see a very worn-out ring, you can have a good starting guess that it may be old.
Expert Tip: The best place to check for aging in a ring will be in the ring’s under gallery.
7. Provenance, Old Pictures and Proof of Purchase
If you’re trying to age a family heirloom, sometimes the answer won’t be in the ring but rather in other locations. Checking the provenance of an antique ring requires a bit of detective work and patience. Here are some ways to trace a ring’s history:
- Procuring the receipt, bank statement, or certificate of authenticity
- Looking at old photos to see if that ring was on a finger
- Asking relatives and old friends
This is a rather crude method, but it works.
8. Consult an Antique Ring Expert
If all else fails, reach out to an expert antique jeweler. An antique jewelry expert will have many more tricks up their sleeves that will help them determine the age. Our list only included tips that we believe a layman could achieve without the help of an expert.
Also, remember that a regular jeweler who is not an antique jewelry expert will unlikely to be able to help. Antique jewelry is a specialty of its own, and if you’re not an expert in it, you’re unlikely to know much more than what is already mentioned in this article.
If you want to send us pictures of your ring, please message us using the contact form below.
How to Authenticate Antique Earrings
If you skipped straight to the earrings section without reading how to autheticate rings, please jump back and read it. Most of the important tips are in that section. In this section, we will inform you of the additional knowledge you’ll need for antique earrings, in addition to what was mentioned above.
Tips to Authenticating Antique Earrings Without a Professional
Here are some essential tips in addition to what was mentioned above that apply to antique earrings and not other types of jewelry.
- Compare Both Earrings to Each Other. One of the puzzling (and yet endearing) qualities of antique jewelry is that the tools weren’t as accurate as the ones we have nowadays. Modern jewelers can use advanced machines to enable both earrings to look identical to each other. Antique jewelers had to estimate and guess when comparing one earring to its pair. It is for this reason that genuine antique earrings usually have some differences when you analyze them carefully.
- Examine the Earring Backs. The design and mechanism of the earring backs can offer significant clues about the age of the piece. Antique earrings often have different backing types compared to modern ones, such as screw backs for earrings pre-dating the 20th century or lever backs common in Victorian and Edwardian jewelry. A detailed examination of how the earrings are secured can hint at their historical period, as newer fastening methods were not introduced until later.
- Evaluate the Center Stones’ Pairing. In antique earrings, it’s common to find that the center diamonds or gemstones do not match perfectly. Unlike today’s vast availability of gemstones, historical periods faced a much more limited supply. This scarcity meant that jewelers had to work with what was available, leading to the pairing of stones that might slightly differ in size, color, or clarity.
- Search for Hidden Marks. In antique earrings, hallmarks, maker’s marks, metal content stamps, and import stamps may be concealed in very discreet locations on either one or both pieces of the pair. These marks can be found in places such as the back of the earring, along the edges, or even inside the components of the earrings themselves.
How to Authenticate Antique Necklaces
If you skipped straight to the antique necklaces section without reading how to authenticate rings, please jump back and read it. Most of the important tips are in that section. In this section, we cover the additional knowledge you’ll need for antique necklaces.
Tips to Authenticating Antique Necklaces Without a Professional
Authenticating antique necklaces on your own can be a fascinating journey into the past, revealing the craftsmanship and beauty of bygone eras. Here are the essential tips for enthusiasts looking to explore the authenticity of vintage treasures without the immediate assistance of a professional.
- Examine the Type of Clasp: The clasp of a necklace can provide significant clues about its age. Early antique necklaces may feature simple hook and eye clasps, box clasps, or spring ring clasps that differ from modern mechanisms. For instance, the trombone clasp was predominantly used in European jewelry from the late 19th to the early 20th century.
- Consider the Length of the Necklace: The style and fashion of different periods influenced the length of necklaces. Longer, opera-length necklaces were popular in certain eras, such as the Edwardian period, while shorter lengths can indicate other specific times. Comparing the length and style of the necklace with documented historical trends can help pinpoint its era.
- Inspect the Details in the Motifs: Because necklaces offer a larger canvas, craftsmen could incorporate intricate motifs and design concepts characteristic of specific jewelry eras. The details in these motifs can reveal much about the period and craftsmanship. Jump back to the ring section for more info.
- Assess the Symmetry and Matching of Gemstones: Like with antique earrings, the gemstones in antique necklaces may not match perfectly due to the limited supply available at the time. Variations in size, color, and cut of the stones can suggest the piece’s age and authenticity.
- Investigate Hidden Marks: Don’t overlook the possibility of finding hallmarks, maker’s marks, and other stamps in concealed areas of the necklace. These may be located on the clasp, behind decorative elements, or on the back of pendants.
How to Authenticate Designer and Signed Jewelry
Unlike the previous section which focused exclusively on dating jewelry for age, this section is going to focus on authenticating a designer jewelry piece. Age has a little to do with this process, but much less than the previous sections.
If you want to determine if the designer jewelry is also antique, jump to the top of this article and read that section first.
Tips to Authenticating Designer Jewelry
Authenticating designer jewelry is essential for collectors and enthusiasts to ensure the legitimacy and value of their pieces. Below are expert tips, including critical factors to consider during the authentication process:
- Identify the Name of the Designer or Maker: The most straightforward indicator of authenticity is the designer’s name or the maker’s mark on the jewelry piece. Renowned designers and jewelry houses often have their signature or logo stamped on their creations. It’s crucial to familiarize yourself with how these marks look to avoid forgeries.
- Research Initials or Short Names: Designers and makers may use various initials, short names, or symbols throughout their careers. Investigate the different signatures used over the years, as these can significantly vary and are often detailed in collectors’ guides or the designer’s official documentation.
- Examine the Quality of Materials and Craftsmanship: Authentic designer jewelry is distinguished by high-quality metals, stones, and exceptional craftsmanship. The weight, finish, and feel of the jewelry should match the standard expected from the designer. Any discrepancies in quality can be a red flag for counterfeits.
- Verify the Design and Style: Ensure that the type of jewelry or style aligns with what the designer is known for creating. Designers often have specific themes, motifs, or techniques unique to their brand.
- Look for Documentation or Provenance: Authentic designer jewelry often comes with documentation, such as certificates of authenticity, receipts, or provenance history. While the absence of documentation doesn’t necessarily mean a piece is inauthentic, its presence can significantly aid in authentication.
- Consult Expert Resources and Authenticators: Utilize books, online resources, and experts specializing in designer jewelry for authentication. Many designers or brands offer verification services or can direct you to certified authenticators.
Authenticating designer jewelry requires a keen eye, attention to detail, and thorough research. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a newcomer to the world of designer jewelry, these tips will help you navigate the complexities of authentication and ensure the integrity of your collection.
The Difference Between Vintage and Antique Jewelry
The difference between vintage jewelry and antique jewelry is one of the most common questions that we get. Funnily enough, the answer is actually extremely straight-forward.
- Age. The item must be at least 100 years old to be considered an antique piece. On the other hand, vintage items are between 20 and 100 years old.
- Condition. Vintage items tend to be in better condition than antique items, as pieces over 100 years old often have missing parts or signs of repair.
- Vintage Styles. As mentioned above, the styles and motifs changed rapidly from decade to decade, creating big differences in the rings that are vintage vs antique.
- Materials. Antique jewelry will have a much more limited supply of gemstones and precious metals when compared to vintage jewelry.
- Craftsmanship. Usually, antique jewelry items will exhibit far superior craftsmanship than vintage jewelry.
There is much more to talk about when speaking about the difference between vintage and antique. We strongly recommend reading our complete article on the topic over here.
Talk to a Diamond Expert
To get your vintage or antique jewelry verified, contact Estate Diamond Jewelry, and we may be able to help direct you in the right direction.
If you have any questions about purchasing jewelry, don’t hesitate to reach out.
