What to Consider Before Buying a Vintage Brooch

Brooches, often referred to as pins, are making a big fashion comeback these days. Women are discovering the beauty of antique and vintage brooches. I am delighted with this renewed interest! I've always been a brooch gal.

What are brooches used for?

Brooches are a classic accessory, worn for centuries. Today they are considered decorative items. But brooches were originally functional items, intended to secure pieces of cloth to the wearer.

The oldest brooches date back to the Bronze Age, made of thorns and flint and later of metal. It wasn't until the Romano-Byzantine period in the 3rd century that brooches took on a more decorative purpose - both men and women wore them to tie a scarf or shawl or to dress up a garment.

Over time, brooches have acquired symbolism through their striking design. From the 18th century, mourning brooches became a popular way to remember a loved one, often by incorporating hair into their design. Often, intricate images were set on a brooch under glass, depicting scenes reflecting death. They were often adorned with precious stones and metals, and were worn to symbolize intimacy in the heart of the bereaved.

These days you can find many beautiful vintage brooches at bargain prices at your favorite antique store or flea market. To get your hard-earned cash, remember the following:

1. Check the function

Pin shafts and clasps should be checked as follows:

Make sure the pin shafts are not too bent or corroded. If there is some rust, you can remove it with a cotton swab dipped in ketchup (the acid in ketchup works wonders on jewelry rust). Allow the ketchup to sit on the skewer for at least 15 minutes. Then remove all the ketchup with another cloth dipped in warm water. Be careful not to get ketchup on other parts of the brooch.

Make sure the glasses open and close properly. Make sure the clasp is secure on the back of the brooch. If it wobbles when gently pushed back and forth with your fingertip, it will break from the brooch unless it is secured with a screw, rivet, or pin. On genuine gold or silver brooches, a jeweler can re-solder the clasps. However, repairing brooches made of precious metals is usually not cost-effective.

2. Check missing/changed stones:

This is where a jeweler's 10X loop comes in handy. You can view the brooch under magnification with this handy tool.

If you're absolutely in love with a vintage brooch with missing stones, realize that if the stones are any color other than white, you won't be able to find replacement stones. Also realize that the best quality brooches will have prong set stones. There are tons of old beauties glued to stones, but you have to realize that the glue used to set them will eventually become brittle. This means that if you fall in love with a brooch with attached stones, wear it only occasionally or risk losing the stones over time.

3. Check Repair:

This is not a concern for expensive vintage brooches, as repairing them is not cost-effective for dealers. However, if you're paying more than $50, check the brooch carefully. If you notice different colored solder, messy glue bubbles, gold-tone or silver-tone paint, discoloration, or other irregularities, beware. If you want the brooch anyway, ask for a lower price due to the obvious repair.

4. Check for worn, cracked or flaking metal coatings:

On older brooches, the gold-tone or silver-tone finish often wears off or begins to crack or flake. This damage cannot be repaired. Proceed with caution. You wouldn't want to wear such a brooch on white or similarly light clothing, as it may discolor. There are many beautiful vintage brooches with this condition problem. I have several in my own collection. But I don't wear them with my light colored clothes.

If you keep these four tips in mind when shopping for vintage brooches, you'll be sure to get the best bang for your buck. Happy shopping!