DIFFERENT TYPES AND COLOURS OF MOONSTONE
Moonstone is the opalescent variety of orthoclase. Traditionally thought to be a good luck stone and linked to romantic passion, it was often offered as a gift between lovers. Moonstone can be transparent with a stong blue hue on the surface, or it can be milky with the appearance of inner light . It can have a striking cats eye or star effect.The hue is the result of the light reflecting off alternating layers of albite and orthoclase feldspar. The thin albite layers produce the desirable blue tone and the thick ort..
All about the Amethyst Gemstone
Amethyst is known to be a purple variety of the mineral quartz and is often used to make beautiful
amethyst jewellery including necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings. The name amethyst
comes from the Ancient Greek where it meant “not intoxicated”. This stemmed from the belief that
the stone would protect the wearer from drunkenness. The amethyst is a semi precious stone and
is one of several forms of quartz.
Colours of Amethyst and Where it is Found in the World
Amethyst occurs in ..

Interested in Danish silver jewellery? Check out our
illustrated guide to the top jewellery designers from Denmark
1) ANTON MICHELSEN
Anton Michelsen was born in 1809 in Vopenhagen, Denmark. His family had been metal smiths for
generations. He undertook a goldsmiths apprenticeship in 1939 before moving to Copenhagen
where he continued his training at J B Dalhoff's workshop. He was also a student at the Royal Danish
Academy of Fine Arts. In 1836 he travelled abroad and worked at some of the foremost gold smithies
in Paris, France and Germany. He ..

Interested in collecting vintage and antique jewellery? Check out our
illustrated guide to the top European costume jewellery brands to look out for..
1) CHRISTIAN DIOR
Christian Dior was a very prominent and influential designer of the 1950's. His fashion designs were
accessorised with opulent feminine jewellery, including asymmetrical crystal necklaces, animal pins
and tremblers specially commissioned for each collection. At first he created jewellery for specific
clients such as Bette Davis and Marilyn Monroe, however jewellery designs wer..
.jpg)
The Complete Guide to Vintage and Antique Bracelet Styles. Check out our illustrated
guide to help you identify the different type of bracelets.
guide to help you identify the different type of bracelets.

What is a Festoon, Riviere, Sautoir, or Lavalier necklace? Check out our
illustrated guide to help you identify the different types of necklaces.
1) LAVALIER NECKLACE
A lavalier is a chain type necklace that ends in one large size pendant or tassel.
Sometimes there may be additional smaller pendants dangling from the main stone.
In the 1600's the lavalier got its name from Louise de La Vallière , a mistress of Louis
XIV who often wore them.The lavalier was popular from 1900 to 1930 as the delicacy
of the lavalier was a perfect match to&nbs..
Share this Image On Your Site
<p><strong>Please include attribution to www.modernvintagestyle.co.uk with this graphic.</strong><br /><br /><a data-cke-saved-href='https://www.modernvintagestyle.co.uk/Key-tips-for-buying-vintage-items-of-jewellery' href='https://www.modernvintagestyle.co.uk/Key-tips-for-buying-vintage-items-of-jewellery'><img data-cke-saved-src='https://www.modernvintagestyle.co.uk/image/data/blog%20photos/infographics/key%20tips%20for%20vintage%20buyers.jpg' src='https://www.modernvintagestyle.co.uk/image/data/blog%20phot..

WHAT IS SCAPOLITE?
Scapolite is fairly unknown to jewellery makers, despite it having good
design potential. It can be used as a transparent faceted stone or as a transulcent cabochon and is becoming more widely available.
SCAPOLITE DERIVED FROM GREEK FOR "ROD" OR "STONE"
The name scapolite derives from the Greek words for "stone" and "rod" which in simple terms describes the shape of the scapolite crystals. Scapolite is also called "wernerite", named after the German geologist A.G.Werner.
SOURCES OF SCAPOLITE
Scapolite can be found in Brazil..

Hans Hansen - Denmark
Hans Hansen (1884-1940),was
the founder of the Hans Hansen firm which
became known for superb Scandinavian modernist
jewellery design. He was born in 1884, and started his
workshop in 1906 on the Jutland Peninsula
in Denmark. He made mostly holloware until
he was succesful enough to take a chance with
starting a line of jewellery.
Karl Gustav - Jewellery Design
In 1932 he asked his son Karl Gustav (1914 - 2002 ) who was an apprenctice in
his workshop to design a line for him called "Future". Karl designed..

Bent Gabrielsen Pedersen
Bent Gabrielsen Pedersen (born in 1928)
studied at the Danish College of Jewellery
and Silversmithing which produced all the
major artists in Denmark. He was one of the
first graduates from the college in 1953.
After he left college he was hired by Hans Hansen
where he took over the jewellery design
department from Karl Gustav in 1953. He designed
smooth silver "boomerang" type bracelets and
earrings and "atomic" jewellery with enamel for
Hans Hansen in the fifties.
L to Right -&nbs..

Elsa Schiaparelli
Elsa Schiaparelli was born in Rome
in 1890 to wealthy family. She was
rebellious from an early age and once
attended a ball wrapped simply in a
length of fabric that unwound as the
night went on, bringing shame and
scandal to her family. She married William
de Wendt and had a daughter, however
the marriage did not last leaving her a
single mother. She had a passion for
the arts and fashion, and determined to
suceed independently, she moved to Paris in
the 1920's. Here she met top designer Paul Poiret who introduced ..

Lisner
Lisner jewellery has only become
popular with collectors over recent
years, as the focus has been on
bigger names. However the company's
skilfull an attractive designs together
with relatively low prices have led to a
resurgence in their popularity with collectors.
Lisner Company Beginnings
The company was established in New York
in 1904 where it made its own good quality
unsigned jewellery and also distributed
pieces for others. In the 1920's it focused on well made jewellery marked
"Lanvin's Violet". Before the outbreak of the sec..

The Influence of the Bauhaus
At the Bauhaus a German design
school in existence from 1919
onwards, the application of modernist
principles to smaller scale design
took place. Under the management
of it director Walter Gropius it's stong
influence on the art and design world
continued even after the school was
shut by the Nazi's in 1933.
The Bauhaus ethos of "form follows
function" was applied to all products that emanated from this infuential school
of avant gard students and teachers.
Ergonomic Lines
Bauhaus design required to have a ..

Marcel Boucher
Marcel Boucher was born in 1898.
He was a French jewellery
designer who produced some
of the most flamboyant work
in the 1940's. He trained at Cartier
in Paris before moving to New York
int he 1920's. In 1937 he set up
his own business, Marcel Boucher
et Cie. His business partner Arthur
Halberstadt worked as the front
of house person in the shop, while
Boucher designed the jewellery.
The Cartier Influence
The influence of Cartier can be seen in the firm's designs of Rococo bows
and swags, however the traditional French style has been exaggerated to
ob..

Vivianna Torun Bulow-Hube
Born in 1927 Vivianna Torun
Bulow-Hube studied at the
National College of Craft and
Design in Stockholm, before
opening her studio there in
1951.During a trip to Paris in
1956, she was interested by
the early artifacts on display
at the Musee de L'Homme
and then designed jewellery
with Egyptian amulets.
Torun decided to remain and work in France. She married an
African-American painter Walter Coleman, and though him
became friends with the expatriate Black community.
She designed rutilated quartz silver necklaces and ..

Cartier
The idea for the clip pin apparently
came to Louis Cartier, the french
jeweller while watching a peasant
women hanging up her washing with
wooden clothes pegs. This then evolved into
a variet of clip types inlcuding the double
clip - this was two fur clips that could be
worn seperately or worn together attached
to a frame.
Coro and the Duette clip
Cartier patented this idea in 1927 and it
soon became very popular across Europe
.and America due to its versatility.
The most successful example was Coro's "'Duette" which was
patented by the ..

Elis Kauppi
One of the most important figures in
Finish jewellery design Elis Kauppi’s
vision of a new jewellery style
inspired a generation of designers and
launched Finland onto the international
jewellery design scene.
In 1945, in Turku, Finland at the age of 24 ,
Kauppi started his renowned jewellery workshop
named Kupittaan Kulta. He was part of a young
group of makers which would forever change the
face of jewellery design. Kauppi's drive to innovate
originated from the difficult circumstances of the war and a desire to break out of the
usual standar..

Sweden and Traditionalist Design
Conservative tastes prevailed in Sweden
in the first two decades of the 20th century.
Innovation was not welcomed. Georg
Jensen was admired but from a distance.
The Art Nouveau and Art Deco influences from
Europe were not explored until Wiwen Nilsson
came onto the scene. The traditionalist design
ethos in Sweden was evident at the Paris Expo
in 1900, however by 1925 and the time of the
Arts Decoratifs Expo the beginning of modern silver
design in Sweden was evident
Wiwen Nilsson
Wiwen Nilsson was the catalyst for modern silver desi..

WHAT IS PERIDOT?
Peridot only comes in greens,
from pale yellow green, through
intense bottle green to vibrant
apple green. The best material
comes from Pakistan near to the
Afghan border. The large fine
deposit of peridot found there
have a beautiful deep colour
and sell for high prices. Peridot
is termed an idiochromatic gemstone.
This means that the colour comes
from the chemical composition of the
stone and not from impurities within which normally provide gemstone colour
STRUCTURE OF PERIDOT
Peridot is generally transparent but can contain a wide..

TYPES OF BERYL
The beryl species has a
great mix of gemstones
which are all viewed as
precious gems. They
include the following:
EMERALD -
The colour of emerald varies
according to its source and
location in the world.The most
prized colour is a strong slightly
blueish - green.Colombian emeralds
are pure green with a slight hint of
blue.They are dichroic which means that the colour will vary depending on
the position from which you look at it. Brazilian emeralds are slightly lighter
in colour and contain more yellow than Columbian stones. They sometimes..

WHAT IS TOURMALINE?
Tourmaline was first introduced
to the Western world when the
Dutch beganto import tourmalines
from Sri Lanka.It appeals to
jewellery designers due to it's
versatility and different colours which
include pastels, intense neons,and unique bi
- and tri-colours.The demand for the most
sought after coloursmeans that the price for
these colours has almost tripled in recent years.
STRUCTURE OF TOURMALINE
Members of the tourmaline family have the same crystal structure,
however, depending on what impurities they contain, different colours
..

TYPES OF CHALCEDONY
BLUE CHALCEDONY -
This is a very attractive
stone with different hues
ranging from lilac to periwinkle
blue to lavender. The great
increase in the popularity
of blue chalcedony over
recent years has pushed
its price up and good quality
strong blue material can be
moderately expensive.
CARNELIAN -
Carnelian has been a popular stone for many years. The colours range
from a pure and strong intense orange-red, to softer orange-browns and
reds. Top quality material is semi - transparent with a strong colour that
appears to glow. The col..

TYPES OF TOURMALINE
INDICOLITE -
Indicolite covers all shades
of blue tourmaline from blue-
green turquoise colours to
the strong blue of a sapphire.
A lot of blue tourmaline is dark
and inky. This is not popular
with buyers so as a result much of
blue tourmaine is heated to lighten it.
RUBELITE -
Rubelite is one of the most valuable and desired in the toumaline family.
The translation of rubelite is "red" and real rubelite shoud be a hot
pink to red colour with a blue to violet tone. There should be no yellow
or brown tones. The value of rubelite has increased ..

About Beryl Gemstones
One of the most glamorous
gems in the beryl species is
emerald. In addition to emerald
the species also includes aquamarine,
morganite and helidor.They are all
precious gems and are very popular
with jewellery designers.The main
feature that determines value of these
gems is the intensity of the colour
Sources of Beryl
Emerald - Best sources are found in Columbia, Zambia and Brazil. It is also
found in Australia, India, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, and United States.
Aquamarine - Brazil, Afghanistan, and Mozambique produce the best sky..

What is Labradorite?
Labradorite is part of the feldspar
mineral group. The feldspar
group has two different varieties,
the orthoclase (alkali) feldspars,
which include amazonite,
orthoclase and moonstone, and
the plagioclase feldspars. The
plagioclase feldspars include
labradorite and aventurine
feldspar.
Labradorite is a colourful and interesting stone which has a range of colours and
optical effects. It is popular with jewellery designers and buyers. It is named after
the source of the material - Labrador&nbs..

PRECIOUS WHITE OPAL
White opal has a light base and can
have strong colour play. Many white
opals can appear rather pale and they
need a closed back bezel setting to
maximise their iridescence.
PRECIOUS BLACK OPAL
Black opal has a dark background
which can be dark blue, dark grey,
dark green or grey-black . The
darker the background the greater
the value of the stone. Black opals
&nb..

OPAL - QUALITIES OF OPALS AND SOURCES
The different colours that can
be seen on an opal stem from
the diffraction of light from very small
silica spheres within the gemstone.
This is the reason the colours change
when opal is looked at from different
directions.Larger and more ordered silica
spheres within the stone result in a
greater range and intensity of colour.
This colour play and interference of light
is called iridescence. This is diferent from the opalescence seen within moonstones.
Most gemstones are facted or cut to calibrated shapes and sizes.,
however o..
AVAILABILITY AND SOURCING OF GEMSTONES
Due to the ongoing exploitation of deposits, the development of new mining technologies and the discovery of new sources, the availability of a wide range of gemstones has increased. Diamonds were once only sourced in India, however they are now sourced in quantity from Brazil , Borneo , and various African Countries, well as Russia, Australia, and Canada.
With the increased choice of gemstones, jewellers need to know much more about the sources and colours of gemstones. The popularity of gemstones are generally led by qualit..
WHAT IS FELDSPAR?
Feldspar is the most common rock forming mineral at the earth's surface.
The different stones in the feldspar species provide jewellery makers with some of the most visually appealing stones. It provides a great choice of natural colours, comes in large sizes and is good value for money. It also has some beautiful optical effects. The feldspars are often described as having "schiller" which is an opalescence or adularescence. These terms all refer to the effect that appears to sit just below or above the surface of the stone when it is placed or ..

Different types of Brooches and Pins, Rhinestone Crystal, Floral, Faux Gemstone Brooches
A wide variety of different types of brooches can be found when looking for vintage brooches to
collect or wear. Here are some of the key designer names and styles to look out for.
VIntage rhinestone brooches from Modern Vintage Style
Modern Vintage Style has a variety of rhinestone, flower, pearl and old gold and silver brooches for sale
Trifari Animal Jelly Belly Pins
Early on, the manufacturers of vintage jewellery understood the brooches powers..

CABOCHON CUT GEMSTONES
In countries such as Great Britain and
America,faceted stones are seen as
the most desirable type of gem, and
less value is attached to cabochons. In
Germany however, a strong tradition
of producing well-cut cabochons mean
that buyers really appreciate the qualities
of light, colour and texture.
Left to Right, Labradorite, Blue John, and Amethyst and Peridot Gemstone
Cabochons from Modern Vintage Style
The choice of material in the form of cabochons is much wider and cheaper, and it
lendsitself to greater flexibil..

ROSE QUARTZ GEMSTONE PROPERTIES
Rose quartz can be a beautiful gemstone and is often used in jewellery. The colours can range from pale pink to a deep peachy pink colour. Most rose quartz is quite included or cloudy and has a transulcent appearance. Clear "gemmy"material is limited and can be more expensive, especially the deeper colours. The lower grade material is more brittle and can be full of cracks and flaws.It is a good idea to be careful when buying cheaper material as cracks can open up when it is being set in jewellery or when being worn. Despite its bitterness, a ..

WHAT IS MARCASITE
Marcasite originates from a natural mineral called 'pyrite'. Iron pyrite has a metallic finish and bright sheen. Its innate hardness allows it to stand up well to scratches and dings over the years, and therefore, vintage marcasite pieces can be found in good condition many years after their creation. Pyrite is found in various parts of the world, but only a small element of it is suitable for the cutting processes necessary to create marcasite jewellery. Marcasite is both elegant and popular and it has been used in many types of jewellery as far back as&n..

ENAMEL USE IN JEWELLERY DESIGN
Enamelling is an old technique in which powdered clear glass, or powdered colour glass that has been mixed with pigments, is applied to a metal object and then fired .The powder then melts, flows, and hardens to a durable, smooth vitreous coating which is in essence a layer of pure pigment on a surface. In jewellery this technique is used to make everything from flower petals on a vintage necklace, to a portrait on a old locket necklace, to the wings on an Art Nouveau dragonfly brooch.
 ..

A Scottish silver jewellery designer whose work is much prized today is Norman Grant. He was born in Forres, Scotland in 1943 and at the age of 18 started training at Grays School of Art in Aberdeen. Initially he studied graphic design before later moving into silversmithing . Having lived near the coast much of his jewellery designs reflected the natural shapes and details seen in the environment.
Flower motifs, trees, seaweed, fish, wave and cloud motifs featured in his work, as well as microscopic plant cell structures.
In the late sixties Norman Grant began to produce pieces of jewelle..
1 comments on this article - view comments

BERNARD INSTONE - EARLY LIFE
Bernard Instone was born in 1891 at "Neston Villa" in Kings Norton, Birmingham. In 1903 at the age of 12 he received a scholarship to attend the Central School of Art. His talent shone through and he received two further scholarships to continue his training. He studied jewellery and practical silversmithing at the Birmingham School of Jewellery in Vittoria Street from 1904 until 1912 where he excelled. While at the school he studied under the famous Arts and Crafts jeweller Arthur Gaskin.
After leaving Art School Instone began working at the stud..

SCANDINAVIAN MODERNISM
Although the 1950's was the decade of design glitz , it had the opposite effect in Scandinavia where a new design esthetic emerged which had a great impact on all areas of design including jewellery. Silver was the preferred metal of choice as Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark had centuries old tradition of silversmithing, and silver was malleable and easy to work with. This allowed designers to mould jewellery into strong angles and abstract shapes. There were political aspects involved too, as silver was cheaper than other metals. This more democrat..

ARTS AND CRAFTS JEWELLERS
A lot of the ideals of the Art Nouveau design movement were also shared by Arts and Crafts movement jewellers in Northern Europe, Britain, and the United States. Both movements had deep roots in mid-19th century Britain. Two leading British cultural figures, the philosopher and designer William Morris and the art critic John Ruskin wrote about the dissatisfaction of many craftsmen and artists with industrialisation and the low quality goods it produced. Morris and Ruskin romanticised the medieval handicraft organisations believing that these groups ..

DANISH DESIGNER NIELS ERIK FROM - EARLY YEARS
Danish jeweller and silversmith Niels Erik From ( N.E. From) was born in 1908 and opened his first workshop in 1931 when he was still only twenty-three .
Over the next forty years Niels Erik went on to become one one of the greats of Danish design, and created many works including floral-inspired designs often set with semi-precious gemstones. These pieces took inspiration from the Skønvirke style. This was a Scandinavian development that formed part of Denmark’s Art Nouveau and Arts and C..

What is Suffragette Jewellery?
As the 19th century drew to an end, women began actively looking for better rights, in particular to have their voices heard in government,and The Suffragettes were a group of women campaigning and protesting for the right to vote . This was born out of the Suffragist Movement which started in the 1860s.
Many women proudly wore jewellery expressing their support for the suffragette movement, which campaigned for votes for women and womens rights. Suffragette jewellery pieces were instantly recognisable because they were decorated with green, white, and..
Daniel Swarovski and Creation of Swarovski Crystals
Towards the end of 19th century, Austrian jeweller Daniel Swarovski created a foil backing that made his high-quality faceted crystals almost indistinguishable from real diamonds. Demand was so great for the crystals that in 1892 he patented a mechanical cutter so his “faceted stones” could be mass-produced.
Rhinestones named after the Rhine River
The family business was first located in the Gablonz area of Bohemia, however, in 1895 Swarovski moved it to Austria close to the Rhine River—his fau..
Beautiful lariat necklaces in gold vermeil and sterling silver from Modern Vintage Style..
Amethyst Crystal Quartz Rose Quartz
Citrine and crystal Delicate silver heart ..

Scandinavian Jewellery, Pendants, Rings, and Bracelets influenced by Early Nordic Traditions
Although Scandinavia has produced distinctive jewellery since Viking times, the area’s jewellery industry didn’t come into its own until the late part of the 19th century. Before this time, jewellery from the three Scandinavian countries—Sweden Norway, and Denmark was mainly influenced by early Nordic traditions. Embellished pendants,rings and bracelets featured complex knotted designs and symbolic signs and animals . These pieces emphasized their metal materials, in ..
What is a "Parure"?
The term "parure" refers to set of jewellery, and to be a true parure the set must consist of three matching items. A set with only a necklace, plus earrings, a brooch or a bracelet is not generally considered a parure, but is called a demi-parure.
Complete Suites of Jewellery
The word "parure" comes from the Old French verb for “to adorn,” . Originally a parure referred to a complete wardrobe or suite of jewellery, generally designed to be worn all at once. The idea has its origins in the flamboyance of the Rococo and Baroque&nb..
What is Gold Vermeil?
We use a lot of gold vermeil in our jewellery collections as it allows up to provide precious gemstone earrings, necklaces and bracelets with a quality finish at affordable prices. But what is gold vermeil?
Above : Gold vermeil and aquamarine Necklace
from Modern Vintage Style gemstone necklaces collection
Vermeil is an alternative for the common term silver-gilt, or silver plated with gold. Vermeil pieces have the apperance of gold but are cheaper and..
Weiss Costume Jewellery
The Weiss costume jewellery company was founded by Albert Weiss in 1942.Before this Albert gained valuable experience as a designer for the company Coro during the 1930's. Weiss produced some of the most beautiful, if somewhat underrated rhinestone costume jewellery of the post World War 2 period.
Figural an Floral Earrings and Brooches
Weiss were know for their stunning floral and figural earrings and brooches, although the firm also made various styles of necklaces and bracelets .Although Weiss would never reach th..

Art Deco Style
In the middle of the 1920s, the Art Nouveau style gave way to Art Deco, which was very popular throughout the 1930's. Similar to Art Nouveau, Art Deco had a strong design roots in France, and the name is thought to have originated from L’Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Moderne in Paris. France in 1925. Though the phrase was not generally ascribed to the style until 1968, when an English art historian named Bevis Hillier wrote his definitive "Art Deco of the 1920s and 1930s."
Art Deco st..

Definition of Jewellery Terms D - F
What is Damascene, Double Clip, and Enamel etc?
Here is a short guide to common jewellery terms (D to F)
Damascene :
The process of applying silver or gold onto iron or steel to produce intricate patterns. Damascene jewellery often comes from Japan or Spain.
Diadem:
An ornamented band, often set with gemstones worn around the brow. More recent examples were made in the Art Nouveau style.
Diamante:
A diamond substitute made from rock crystal, ac..
Latest Articles
DIFFERENT TYPES AND COLOURS OF MOONSTONE
Moonstone is the opalescent variety of orthoclase. Traditionally thought to be a good luck stone and linked to romantic pa.. Read More
All about the Amethyst Gemstone
Amethyst is known to be a purple variety of the mineral quartz and is often used to make beautiful
amethyst jewellery including necklac.. Read More
Articles Menu
Articles Archive
- January 2019 (1)
- February 2019 (2)
- March 2018 (10)
- May 2018 (9)
- August 2018 (4)
- October 2018 (3)
- January 2017 (1)
- April 2017 (1)
- July 2017 (2)
- November 2017 (7)
- December 2017 (3)
- February 2016 (4)
- July 2016 (1)
- October 2016 (3)
- November 2016 (11)
- December 2016 (4)
- November 2015 (1)
- December 2015 (2)
- May 2014 (1)
- October 2014 (1)
- November -1 (1)