Uncovering the Best Online Resources for Vintage Jewelry Lovers

A while back, I compiled my top ten vintage jewelry book resources. While these books are invaluable, they can be increasingly hard to find and expensive as many are out of print. Though I have a deep love for physical books, I often turn to online resources to research trends, maker marks, and increase my jewelry knowledge. After all, with a wealth of information just a tap away on my smartphone, I can quickly research an item to make an informed purchase decision—plus, it's free!

Here are my go-to websites for vintage jewelry, clothing, and collectible research, categorized into general research & trends, jewelry marks & makers, and unmarked jewelry.

General Research & Trends

I visit these websites to enhance my knowledge about vintage costume jewelry, gemstones, trends and vintage in general.  While collecting vintage costume jewelry doesn't require following current trends, being aware of them can help you understand styles that are becoming popular again as well as making educated purchasing decisions.

Costume Jewelry Collectors International CJCI

This site offers articles, guides, and forums on a wide range of topics. Learn about specific designers, identifying hallmarks, and jewelry care tips among other topics. Some of the most knowledgeable vintage costume jewelry collectors and sellers residing in the United States contribute to this site or attend its annual events.  The biggest con to this site is the frequency of new posts.  Visit www.costumejewelrycollectors.com

The Vintage Fashion Guild

Although not specific to jewelry, this site provides articles and guides on fashion timelines, vintage designers and . Featured is a directory of members and their specialties, a forum to ask questions, blog and articles on featured designers. Visit Home - Vintage Fashion Guild

Pinterest

Pintrest isn’t just for inspiration as there are many jewelry loving users who pin helpful information, vintage jewelry advertisements (helps in dating items) and more.  You’ll find countless boards dedicated to specific designers, eras, and styles.  Check out my Pinterest board on jewelry designers & makers.

Gem App

You can access Gem App from an actual app or online through a browser.  This app compiles listings from multiple reselling platforms based on your search criteria in an easy to view format.  Sounds a bit like Google?  Not so as google shows ‘sponsored’ items at top of the page.  Gems goal – per their app: ‘Gem brings all online vintage and secondhand into one search’.  Bonus you can set alerts from Gem App, so you don’t have to from each individual platform.  In addition, you can filter by price, size, location, decade, gender or date added.  Also featured are in depth articles called ‘Gem Stories’.  Visit www.gem.app

All About Jewels Glossary

This glossary is a handy tool for looking up specific jewelry terms, stones, and makers. Many glossary terms hyperlink to longer articles, providing a comprehensive learning experience. Visit All About Jewels Glossary: A enchantedlearning.com

Other Noteworthy Sites or Articles

• Gemstones.com: Offers facts, information, science, and videos on gemstones.
• Researching Costume Jewelry History, Jewelry Marks, Fashion Jewelry, Vintage Jewelry Research, Jewelry Signatures - costumejewelrycollectors.com
• The Jewelry Loupe (www.thejewelryloupe.com)
• Explore Vintage Purses at The Vintage Purse Museum
• Antique Ring Boutique Blog

Jewelry Marks & Makers

Identifying jewelry marks can be challenging, but these online resources can help not only identifying the maker yet aging the item.

Morning Glory Antiques & Jewelry

A fantastic resource for identifying and researching jewelry marks, with detailed information on a wide range of hallmarks and signatures. Visit www.morninggloryjewelry.com

Costume Jewelry Collectors International CJCI

CJCI offers a makers mark guide in alphabetical order.  Note – you need to select the letter of the alphabet in order to view the list. Visit Researching Costume Jewelry

Unmarked Jewelry

Unmarked jewelry can be just as valuable and beautiful as marked pieces. Here are some tools to help you identify them.  The following makers are examples that you'll find unmarked pieces:  DeLizza & Elster Julia, Schreiner, Miriam Haskell, Goldette, Whiting & Davis and Florenza.

Julia DeLizza & Elster (D&E) Jewelry

• Is it Julia? (Is it Juliana Jewelry?) A searchable list of verified Juliana (DeLizza & Elster) jewelry, allowing you to find matches by jewelry type, color, stone type, and more.
• Juliana Jewelry Blog by CranberryManor

Schreiner Jewelry

• Identifying Unmarked Costume Jewelry: Schreiner Brooches - costumejewelrycollectors.com
• Schreinery

Miriam Haskell Jewelry

• VeryVintage Article
• Haskell, Early Unsigned - Morning Glory Jewelry & Antiques

Interesting Article

How to Identify Unmarked Costume Jewelry - Antique Trader

All Around Best Online Resource Google Lens

It may be no surprise, yet my go-to tool for purchasing or pricing decisions is Google Lens. For me this is the best starting point when evaluating a piece of vintage jewelry.  While it's not perfect, it improves daily with AI advancements.  For the best experience, I recommend downloading the app.

Using Google Lens with a physical piece of jewelry

From the google search bar, tap the camera icon and snap a pic of the item to get started.  Within a second images that match the pic will appear.  If you find none really match you can ‘Add to your search’ key words to help Google get closer to a match. 

Using Google Lens from a photo or screen shot

For online purchases, simply take screenshot of the item.  I generally will crop the screen capture.  Note, you could take a picture and it works the same way.  On the Iphone you then select the up arrow (as if to send the image) and scroll down to the option ‘Search with Google Lens’ and ‘View results’.

From the results I can compare pricing, determine if the item is ‘hard to find’ or fake, and thus make a better purchasing decision. 

Conclusion

These online resources are a treasure trove for vintage jewelry enthusiasts and collectors, offering a wealth of information and inspiration. If you have a favorite online resource for vintage jewelry research, please share it in the comments!  Next up, we'll explore Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, podcasts, and other social platforms for research.