Although many call Estate Jewelry “antique”, it is not always the case. Anything you purchase from an “estate” is estate jewelry. Most dealers of Antique jewelry are known to sell Estate jewelry as well, as it is often from one family, though not all pieces are actually old enough to be classified as Antique.
An actual Antique piece of jewelry requires that the piece is at least 50 years old. Funny that this year, 2012, that means that a piece of jewelry made in 1962 is considered Antique! And in 1962, jewelry made before 1830 were the only pieces considered a true antique! It goes to show that with our short supply of true antique jewelry left on the market, the bar has been lowered to accommodate the collectors.
In our showcases, we highlight jewelry from the late 1700′s forward. Since many of the really old pieces did not survive after years of wear, I can say that the majority of our inventory will date from 1880-1960, with an occasional “estate” piece in the crowd!