Nonna’s Treasures – Vintage Costume Jewellery Style Secrets
Vintage costume jewellery from nonna’s jewellery box or the antique market: how to spot a quality piece, how to wear it now and how to look after it.
Your nonna’s jewellery box is one place to find costume jewellery. The antique markets are another, and that is where I hunt for vintage pieces. The video below is about both: how to spot a quality piece, how to wear it now, and how to look after it.
The pieces in the video and in these photographs are not mine. They are from Nonna Donata’s wardrobe. Nonna Donata is 80, she is in Arezzo, she is huge on social media, and she has walked the catwalk at Milan Fashion Week.
I grew up in an Italian family, and all the jewellery I had as a child came from Europe. So for me these pieces are memory keepers as much as accessories. They start conversations too.
What do I look for? The design first, and then the details: the maker’s mark, the plating, the weight in the hand. A good piece of costume jewellery has some weight to it.
How to spot a quality piece
- Turn it over. Good costume jewellery is finished on the back as well as the front, and many makers signed their work on the clasp, on the back or on a small hanging tag.
- Check the stones. In the better pieces they are held by prongs. Glued stones fall out, and a gap is hard to fill.
- Look at the plating where it rubs: the inside of a bracelet, the back of an earring. A little wear is honest. Green or flaking metal is not worth the trouble.
- Try the clasp and the clips. They should close firmly.
Buying it second-hand is also the sustainable choice. Nothing new has to be made for you to wear it.
How to look after it
Keep costume jewellery dry. Put it on after perfume and hairspray, not before, and take it off before you swim. Wipe each piece with a soft cloth and store it apart from the others, so the plating doesn’t scratch.
Don’t bury your gold. Wear it.
