Vintage Costume Jewelry Identification. Is it the real thing?,

First and foremost I would like to send out a warning to buyers: there are ALOT of reproduction/fake vintage/costume jewelry pieces out there. Even worse: there are ALOT ( if not as many) sellers profitting from these reproductions. Some sell fake pieces unknowingly. Others...are pretty much hoping you can't tell the difference and will buy on impulse. The outrageous thing is how much reproduction pieces will sell for. It is one thing to ask and/or pay $10-$15 for a fake piece, but a completely other thing to ask and/or pay $200 for one.

I absolutely abhor reproduction/fake costume jewelry and as a result WILL NOT (knowingly) sell them. I spend hours at a time studying the differences and sifting through the “dirt” to find authentic pieces.

Unless buying a reproduction is of no matter to you feel free to skip the rest of the following. If, however, you do please read on. Because your time is limited and therefore valuable, I will try to keep my tips the most basic and to the point.

Tips for dentifying “reproduction/fake” vintage/costume jewelry. These tips apply to earrings, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, and lapels.

1. Backings: always look at the back of the piece for visibly striated (lined) texture. Authentic backings will be smooth.
2. Stamp/Hallmarks/Signatures: visibly molded (or cast) and raised. Authentic will have visible signs of an impression even if stamped on a plaque. These are changed from decade to decade within Brand names. They have always,however, remained “stamped”.
   
3. Size: much larger in size than an authentic piece, up to 3 times as large
   
4. Stones (pearls excluded): "murky", visibly glued, lacking prongs to hold in the stone inside its setting
   
5. Wear and tear: “too new, too good to be true”. Authentic pieces will always have some damage even if a little patina. Scratches, chipping, missing stones, discolorations...wouldn't be “vintage” without them.

REAL.
Tip # 3. Take a good look at the clarity of the rhinestones as well as the length and bending of the prongs. 



REAL.
Tip # 1. The back is smooth ( most likely Rhodium).
Tip # 2. Hallmark/Signature is clear and stamped or impressed onto the piece.
Tip #5. Piece does not appear to be in "mint" condition but rather worn with slight scratches, and some patina instead. 



 

 

 

FAKE.

Tip# 3. Look at the "murkiness" of the stones ( most likely plastic). Prongs are not purposed to hold in the stone because the stones are glued.

 

 

FAKE.

Tip #1. Back has striated (lined) texturing.

Tip #2. Hallmark/Signature has the appearance of having been molded, raised letters surrounded by an equally raised plaque. Letters are also not very clear.

With a little practice you will find it easier and easier to spot fakes. With this knowledge I hope you too will grow to hate reproduction vintage as much as I do.

Please enjoy my ever growing collection.

Happy hunting!