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  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..

The Complete  Guide to Vintage and Antique Bracelet Styles.  Check out our illustrated
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..

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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..

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..

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..

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..

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 ..

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 ..

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..

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 ..

  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 ..

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..

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..

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..

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..

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 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..

  Moonstone has been highly prized for many years  especially by royalty. Currently, its popularity is probably highest in Scandinavia and the Germany, where it is preferred over alexandrite and pearl as the birthstone for  June. It's typical phenomenal effect called adularescence, is named after a mining site at Mount. Adular in Switzerland. (Moonstone is also sometimes termed  “adularia”). Adularescence is created by the diffraction of light as it hits thin, alternating layers of albite and orthoclase inside  the gem. Oftenmoonstones are cabbed with qui..

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..

RAINBOW MOONSTONE PROPERTIES The scientific name for rainbow moonstone is labradorite, and depsite the name it is different from true moonstone, which is called orthoclase. They are related however, and look similar. Both types appear to give off an internal glow, and their benefits are very similar. Left : Rainbow moonstone cabochon showing colours  Top - Rainbow moonstone necklaces from Modern Vintage Style Moonstone Collection How is Rainbow Moonstone Formed? The particular colour an..

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 ..

MOONSTONE - 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 o..

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.     ..

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..

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..

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..