Posts Tagged ‘rhinestone earrings’
Rhinestone Costume Jewelry
Rhinestone costume jewelry is the very definition of "bling". Most of the time, anyway -- there are pieces more subdued. But oh, the sparkle of the vintage rhinestone jewelry is what keeps us coming back.
What's Your Jewelry Style?
I did mention that there were costume jewelry manufacturers that had a more subdued sparkly rhinestone look. One example is Lisner; another is BSK. Florenza tends more towards a classic Victorian look as well, with less "bling".
But if you like lots and lots of sparkle, you definitely have a large selection to choose from! Kramer, Weiss and Eisenberg are three that immediately come to mind -- fabulous pieces! And if you want rhinestone jewelry to die for, Juliana will make your heart sing.
So deciding upon what amount of sparkle you want will help you to choose a manufacturer.
Rhinestone Costume Jewelry - What to Look For
The first thing you'll be wanting to check is that the stones have plenty of sparkle, and that there are no "dead" rhinestones. (Dead means dull and/or cloudy.) While one or two at the very back of a necklace might not matter too much, you're still better off having more sparkle.
Next, are the rhinestones pasted in or seated with prongs? Either can be beautiful, but pasted in stones can come loose and fall out much easier than prong-set rhinestones.
The good news is that pasted stones are usually easy to re-set with a little jewelry glue. The bad news is that sometimes the stones drop out without you knowing, and you may have to buy a replacement stone.
Which brings me to the other thing to look for -- missing stones. Once again, you can sometimes get a great deal on a piece of rhinestone costume jewelry that is missing a stone or two. And if it's in an inconspicuous place and easy to fix, it may be a deal.
But if the missing rhinestone is "important" (one of the main stones) or would be hard to match, you may want to pass on that piece of jewelry.
Rhinestone Costume Jewelry Online
My absolute favorite place to buy costume jewelry of all kinds is ebay. You can't beat either the selection or the prices.
If you've never bought on ebay before, you may want to check out my articles on buying costume jewelry on ebay. But in reality, it's very simple.
So here's a available, as well as the list below. As always, you can click on the items to get all the details (and see a larger photo).
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 VINTAGE LISNER GOLDTONE AB RHINESTONE FLOWER BROOCH PIN  US $5.50
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 VINTAGE WHITE ENAMEL RHINESTONE FLOWER BRACELET US $.99
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 VINTAGE RHINESTONE GOLDETTE NY BRACELET US $19.99
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 Vintage Trifari Gold Tone Pearl Rhinestone Necklace US $21.61
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 Vintage Signed WEISS Black CAT Face Rhinestone Brooch US $9.99
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 VINTAGE JOMAZ RED RHINESTONE STRAWBERRY PIN EARRINGS US $45.00
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 VINTAGE VAN DELL GREEN RHINESTONE FLOWER 12KGF BRACELET US $8.49
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 VINTAGE 3 LARGE WEISS RHINESTONE FLOWER PIN BEAUTY US $45.00
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 VINTAGE ESTATE CHUNKY RHINESTONE BRACELET EARRINGS 50 US $12.50
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Vintage Costume Jewelry Earrings
Are you on the hunt for costume jewelry earrings? It's fun, isn't it! But are there things you should know before you buy that pair you're eyeing? Yes indeed, so let's talk about it.
What Kind of Vintage Earrings to Buy?
As I mentioned in the costume jewelry brooch post, you first want to determine the "why" in buying them -- to wear, for an investment, etc.
Costume Jewelry Earrings by Lisner (Click to Enlarge)
Let's say you want to wear them, as well as keep them for an investment. The first thing to consider is that the vast majority of vintage costume jewelry earrings are either clipback or screwback -- not pierced.
It's really only the newest of the vintage costume jewelry earrings that are pierced. So if you want to stay in the 1940s through mid 1960's (the most collectible time period), they very likely will be clipbacks or screwbacks.
So with that in mind, you need to make sure that the clipbacks are tight and the screwbacks still have the threads in working order. Otherwise, you're just as likely to lose the earrings instead of safely wear them.
Also keep in mind if you have metal allergies, the possibility of irritation. Much vintage costume jewelry was made with "pot metal" or "white metal", which usually doesn't contain nickel (the most common metal irritant). However, unless you snag some from the 1943 through 1948 timeframe, they won't be sterling silver, either. Or karat gold.
Costume Jewelry Earrings Material
Rhinestone Earrings by Kramer (Click to Enlarge)
The next is what kinds of materials -- should you get pearls or enamel or rhinestones or...you get the idea.
As always, rhinestones lead the pack, as far as being collectible. The ones packed with "bling" are the most sought-after, but don't discount the ones with just a moderate bling quotient. They are collectable as well, and tend to go with more occasions.
Pearls are certainly up there in collectibility, although not as high as the rhinestones. Still, there are some absolutely gorgeous vintage earrings out there that feature pearls. And if you're a pearl kind of gal, then you will be in heaven! Just remember that the vast majority of pearls are faux pearls, not cultivated, when it comes to vintage costume jewelry.
Plastic (thermoset) earrings are also popular -- there were a lot made in the 1950's and 1960's. These don't command a high a price, but if you find the earrings, keep a watchful eye out for the matching bracelet, necklace and/or brooch -- a set is normally worth more than the sum of its parts.
Enamels are a possibility, but just be sure that the enamels are in excellent condition. The most collectible of the enamels are from the 1930s through 1950s.
Unadorned costume jewelry earrings (those without rhinestones, pearls, etc.) are the least expensive and easily found. If you go this route, look for sets instead of just the earrings. The unadorned earrings by themselves aren't terribly sought-after, except maybe if they are a book piece. However, they are useful for building your beginning collection!
Buying Vintage Costume Jewelry Earrings
All the usual places are spots where you can buy vintage costume jewelry earrings. Online, flea markets, garage sales, estate sales -- all are fertile ground. The trick is to both know what you're looking for, but to be able to recognize a real buy when you see it (like an old going for just a few dollars). This where you need some reference books, like the ones in the beginning your collection post).
Of course my favorite hunting ground is ebay, because I can find a wide array of earrings of all kinds at my fingertips. Below are just a few examples of some of the that are available on ebay. Enjoy the hunt!
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 Laurel Burch Tori Mon Pierced Earrings US $4.99
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 vintage Sarah Coventry Bird of Paradise Earrings US $14.95
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 Gold Tone Dangle Clip On Earrings Signed Sarah Coventry US $3.95
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 CHICOS Silvertone Bracelet Earring Set US $2.25
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 Vintage Classic Smart Lady Earring New Gift US $1.04
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 Vintage Classic Flower Earring New Gift US $.99
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 Vintage Classic White Pearls Earring New Gift US $.99
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 DEMARIO GREAT CRYSTAL BIB NECKLACE EARRING PARURE US $70.00
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 Vintage Classic Roses Earring New Gift US $1.46
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