Atlanta Antique Gallery - Jewelry - Estate and Fine

Jewelry has been a part of every culture. It is a way of displaying wealth, power, or love of beauty. Antique jewelry items were treasured and handed down as heirlooms from generation to generation. It is easiest to find antique jewelry dating after 1830. In the US, antique jewelry is any jewelry at least 100 years old, a definition linked to US Customs law. Pieces that do not meet the antique criteria but are at least 25 years old are called "period" or "heirloom/estate" jewelry. The names of historical periods that are commonly used when describing antique jewelry are as follows: Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Retro Modern and Post-War Modern. The value of a piece of antique jewelry is derived from several criteria, including craftsmanship, scarcity, and the current value of precious metals and gemstones. Antique and period pieces should be set with stones that were cut in the manner in use at the time the antique jewelry was made. Antique jewelry is not comparable to contemporary pieces set with modern-cut stones and should not be appraised with the same standards. The antique pieces described herein that are listed as antique or period, represent fine and/or estate jewelry, i.e., made from gemstones and/or precious metals.