How to Recognize Antique Jewelry

Look at the clasps of necklaces. The circular clasps familiar to everyone from modern necklaces date back to after World War II. Before then, clasps had a variety of shapes, some screwing together, while the most common was a pin that fitted into a cylindrical chamber. The presence of such a clasp will thus place a necklace in the 1940s at the very latest.

Check the pins of brooches. As with clasps, pins were updated in the post-war era with modern safety fittings. A brooch where the pin slides under a simple hook will again be from the 1940s at the latest. As a general rule of thumb, the longer the pin in comparison to the size of the brooch, the earlier the piece of jewelry is likely to be.

Examine a piece of jewelry for a hallmark or maker's name. A British hallmark, complete with a date letter, can tell you exactly when a piece of jewelry was made, while a maker's name can also be researched in any good jewelry guidebook and, depending on how long that maker was in business, might pinpoint a particular time of manufacture. Also look for pieces marked 14 karat. This particular caratage was largely phased out in the 1920s except in the U.S., and would hence suggest an earlier date.

Consider the color of gold jewelry. Examples from the Victorian period often have a reddish tinge because they are made from rose gold -- that is, gold with an admixture of copper. Rose gold is comparatively easy to spot and a strong indicator of age.

Look at the style and function of the jewelry. From the 1870s until the 1950s, brooches, necklaces and bracelets were all very popular, while in the earlier part of the 19th century, the trend was for jewelry worn in the hair. Jewelry from the 1880 to 1910 period is desirable for its elegance and use of trembling, spring-mounted decoration.