20th Century Finds

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CARING FOR YOUR VINTAGE JEWELRY: STORAGE

If your jewelry came in a plastic bag, please remove it and discard the bag. It was only for shipping purposes. You should not store jewelry in plastic bags for long periods of time.

The white tissue paper we use to package some jewelry is a special non-tarnishing, acid free, and archival safe tissue. It keeps metal from tarnishing and is good to use for storage of your 20th Century Finds jewelry. Our purple velveteen jewelry pouches have an unlined, non-scratching interior made for jewelry. Our jewelry boxes include cotton packing that is safe for jewelry.

Store your jewelry in a cool, dry, smoke-free, and dust-free environment. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight and moisture. Do not store jewelry made from different types of metals and/or materials together. They may chemically react to each other and cause damage. Store larger items separately in a soft pouch or cotton-filled jewelry box.

CARING FOR YOUR VINTAGE JEWELRY: CLEANING

Please learn how to clean vintage jewelry before attempting to do so. Many current methods of cleaning contemporary jewelry can actually damage vintage jewelry. Certain methods can cause stones to fall off or become discolored.

Clean stones and settings with a small amount of glass cleaner on a soft cloth, just enough to dampen the cloth, and carefully dab the area to be cleaned. Do not use spray cleaners on your jewelry or sonic machines. For pearls, use a gentle pearl cleaner. NEVER submerge stones with foil backing in water. This method can easily damage the foil and cause stones to darken, discolor, and dislodge.

Be gentle when cleaning to avoid scratching the jewelry surface or dislodging any of the stones.  Dislodged stones are inevitable, however, at some point. They can be replaced using the proper adhesive (such as G-S Hypo Cement). Replacement stones can also be found through various outlets. After cleaning a jewelry item, please let it dry for a few hours before storing.

VINTAGE JEWELRY IS SPECIAL

Vintage costume and fine jewelry is beautiful and special. Many items we sell are rare, where other items may be more common because certain types of vintage jewelry have been cherished, handed down, and well cared for by generations.

Our items come from family, stores (vintage old stock), and estate liquidations. Items can be 20 to a 100 years old. Pieces will naturally show age, patina or wear. If you are expecting mint, brand-new out-of-the-box, or cookie-cutter jewelry, you have come to the wrong place.

Some items are signed and others are not. Just because an item is not signed does not mean the piece does not have value. It was not common for many jewelry companies to place a signature on their jewelry.

Please take a look at the pictures so you understand the condition of the item you are purchasing. You can click on each small picture to see a larger size.

Some jewelry items are made of several pieces where adhesives were used. Over time, these pieces may naturally require reinforcement or reattachment as stones and beading may eventually become dislodged. We carefully package each jewelry item in jewelry bags and boxes to avoid damage during shipping. On rare occasions, if a vintage item is shaken enough during shipping a glued part can become dislodged. This is not damage or a defect of the item. It is part of the course of purchasing and owning vintage jewelry.

WEARING VINTAGE JEWELRY

Avoid jewelry contact with perfume, hair spray, or makeup. Always put jewelry on last.