Boston Gem Laboratory
Jewelry Classifications/Definitions:
Estate:
Estate jewelry basically defines "used" jewelry. It can be applied to any piece from a 1789 ring owned by George III to an Elsa Peretti bracelet bought at Tiffany & Company six months ago when it was sold as part of an estate sale.
Antique:
According to government guidelines the legal definition of a piece of antique jewelry is a piece of jewelry that is at least one hundred years old. Nowadays, in the jewelry business, they normally refer to an item that is antique if it is from the Art Deco period (1920 - 1935 or earlier). Authenticated jewelry from the 18th century is a true antique.
Period:
This is the official name for jewelry made within the last 100 years.
Vintage:
The word Vintage means from a bygone era (for example vintage clothes or cars). Jewelry which is termed "vintage" includes many decades or eras. Each era has many designs. These eras include Georgian, Early Victorian, Mid-Victorian, Late Victorian, Arts and Crafts Era, Art Nouveau, Edwardian, Art Deco and Retro. Vintage is applied to a piece of jewelry and associated with a specific era (year) it was designed and created. The vintage item should represent the quality of a specific era and be recognizable as a part of the era it was made.
"Jewelry is replaced by the description and not by the price on the appraisal."
List of Gemological Instruments
