My Treasure Chest | Vintage Jewelry

Ok, so I'm going to nerd out for a minute. When it comes to antiques (basically anything pre-dating the 1970's by my definition), I go bananas. My eyes grow real wide and my mouth slides into a twinkling smile as I begin plotting how I will find the means to acquire the spoils and add them to my ever expanding collection. And unlike many collectors, I don't resign the precious pieces to a dust-free life in an airtight glass case, but instead pile them high in one of my countless jewelry boxes (or treasure chests, as I like to call them), picking through the pile as I deliberate over which prized item I will wear on any given day.

I recently expanded my vintage jewelry collection here in New York, digging through mounds of long-since-forgotten pieces to discover those few gems. And I just couldn't help but share a handful of my favourite finds...

2 of my new loves: metal flower earrings on the left and dainty plastic flower pendant on the right.

1960 Pastel Aurora Borealis heart jewelry set.

Dating back to the 1940's, this plastic piece is likely the oldest in the bunch. Drawing inspiration from Art Deco and the mastermind of French designer Coco Chanel who first introduced the idea of costume jewelry in her 1925 couture collections, its popularity grew in leaps and bounds during the Depression.

On the left, the 1950's Albert Weiss' Pear, Stawberry, and Apple/Blueberry (?) Austrian rhinestone brooches set in Japanned metal and complete with an enameled stem and leaf.

Again from the 1940's, on the left is the instantly recognizable "Black Magic" Jewelry.

1950's gold leaf sweater clip (left).

1960's Peacock Blue Aurora Borealis Necklace.

A delicate hat pin on the left and metal flower earrings dating back to the 1960's on the right.

I should make note of the stunning antique Belgian tin many of these pieces were found in.

A mixture of Rhinestone and semi-precious stones, these rings have already made their way into my everyday wear.