About Vintage Costume Jewellery and Its Cleaning

Like antique jewellery costume jewels are quite old dating back to the 1930s. Costume jewellery is also referred to as junk or disposable jewellery. Costume jewels are made of non precious materials and are disposed of after being used with a particular outfit. Since these articles are quite affordable, matching jewellery can be purchased with different outfits. Unlike antique jewellery, costume jewels are not passed on to generations. This fashionable jewellery comes in fashion for a period of time and then new designs replace the old ones. The designers of 1940s and 1950s have produced creative and eye catching designs of Vintage costume jewels for men and women and are relatively inexpensive yet fashionable and quite affordable.

The material used for making costume articles includes; cut glass, wood, leather, stones, and shells, plastic and other cheap metals. The use of cut glass became popular when the Romans imitated the precious gemstones by making cut glass stones. Wearing jewellery is a very old tradition and is a symbol of friendship, love and loyalty. The styles and designs of jewellery have changed. Vintage costume jewels have always been in fashion with bright and flashy jewel collection.

Vintage Jewels have unusual and beautiful designs. They are usually quite expensive but the gorgeous costume jewels are available at reasonable prices. Rhinestone and other non-precious stones are used in vintage rings, earrings, bracelets and other jewellery articles which makes them sparkling and more fascinating. The artificial stones are beautiful in their own way and they are quite similar to the real ones.

Vintage fashionable jewels can be highly valuable and so they can be a good investment for the collectors. The uniqueness, aesthetic value and superb craftsmanship make them popular collectible items. These jewellery items require proper cleaning and care. There are a plenty of products made for cleaning this type of jewelry. While cleaning your beautiful costume jewellery, you have to be very cautious. Using brushes with soft bristles or wooden toothpicks can be a good idea. Hair dryer, cotton swabs and towels can also be used to clean the costume pieces. Always avoid using water, vinegar or high concentrated cleaning agents. Water damages delicate stones and the polish. Prefer dry methods to clean the vintage costume jewels as it is quite safe. Use brushes to remove the dust from your jewels and to wipe away the fingerprints you can use a cotton swab with some mild cleaning solution.

Never use soap or water to clean vintage costume jewellery as soap makes the metal and the stones dull. If you don’t want to lose the shine of your jewels then do not leave the jewellery wet. You must dry and clean the pieces thoroughly before and after using them. Always store your jewelry in a dry place because dampness can cause rust and other damages to your precious jewels. Keep your valuable jewellery in a jewellery box and take it out carefully when you want to wear it. Avoid rubbing the articles against each other as they can lose their luster. To prevent scratching always store different jewellery items in separate jewellery boxes.