Hidden value of costume jewellery

Vintage Barbara Bui Maison Gripoix glass ring 1990s AU$2000
Costume jewellery, often dismissed, combines art and creativity without the high cost of fine pieces. Its value can stem from quality, history, and design inspiration from famous pieces. Recognition of value involves understanding its ties to fashion, with brands like Dior and Chanel producing collectible pieces. Designers like Mark Davis repurpose materials for unique creations, exemplifying costume jewellery's hidden value.

Hidden value of costume jewellery

This often-overlooked category of jewellery can be an irresistible combination of art, excess, imagination and ornamentation without the constraints of the expense associated with jewellery made of precious components. Costume jewellery can have a quality, history or provenance that makes it valuable, even if the components are not. Up until the 1930’s jewellery was most often what is considered ‘fine’, but the advent of mass production provided the opportunity to make jewellery to resemble or at least inspired by ‘real’ jewellery seen in photographs on celebrities and socialites.

Vintage costume jewellery

The term vintage when applied to costume jewellery means something of a bygone era but the exact time frame that defines vintage is open to debate. Some experts consider ‘vintage’ to be anything older than 20 years however some dealers and collectors consider only pieces from the 1960’s and older as vintage.

Recognition of value

To understand how to approach the recognition of value in costume jewellery it is important to understand the history and the link to the world of fashion. Costume jewellery is as relevant today as in the past with Dior, Chanel, Gucci to name a few, offering exclusive and expensive versions that are copied relentlessly. If these branded pieces are even ten years old or runway pieces and no longer produced, they will command a premium for collectability and would be considered contemporary collectable costume jewellery.

The material and techniques used to manufacture costume are vast and varied as the designer is not limited by the cost of the components and that fact that by their very nature, they are not often one only creations. The exception to this is runway pieces, special orders or exact replicas of a precious material item.

The value of costume jewellery is in some ways similar to fine jewellery, it is linked to workmanship, quality, provenance and condition.

Vintage redesigned

Mark Davis a Brooklyn-based designer sources and repurposes Bakelite from unusual antiques such as jukeboxes, lampshades, and kitchen utensils they are melted down and sculpted and are then inlaid with colourful mosaics, studded with precious stones, in gold settings.

Mark Davis vintage Bakelite bangles, 18ct yellow gold set with citrine, peridot and pink sapphire AU$5,300 – AU$16,500

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