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DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 553 — How to Tell If Your Old Costume Jewelry Is Worth Money
Costume jewelry—rhinestones, glass stones, Bakelite, lucite, designer fashion jewelry, and plated metal pieces—is one of the most misunderstood collectible categories. Many people assume “costume” means “low value,” yet certain designers, materials, stone settings, and eras now command strong resale prices. Estate sales, garage sales, thrift stores, and inherited boxes often contain valuable pieces hiding in plain sight.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 553 provides a complete, non-destructive workflow to help you evaluate old costume jewelry safely and accurately. This guide explains how to identify maker’s marks, evaluate construction quality, recognize collectible materials, study stone settings, determine age, spot valuable brands, and avoid common reproduction traps.
Inside this guide, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify valuable makers including Trifari, Coro, Miriam Haskell, Eisenberg, Weiss, Juliana (D&E), Hattie Carnegie, Monet (early), Lisner, Schreiner, and designer houses like Dior and Chanel
Evaluate construction quality using prong settings, solder points, metal weight, and craftsmanship
Distinguish collectible materials such as Bakelite, early lucite, glass rhinestones, foiled stones, enamel, and Gripoix-style poured glass
Recognize high-value stone-setting methods versus glued, low-grade modern settings
Identify age indicators including clasp types, screw-back earrings, patina, and open-back settings
Spot high-demand styles such as Art Deco designs, mid-century enamel flowers, rhinestone parures, Bakelite bangles, and 1930s–1950s brooches
Recognize reproduction red flags including incorrect hallmarks, modern clasps, lightweight construction, and too-perfect plating
Determine whether a piece belongs to a matching set and why that multiplies value
Research accurate pricing using sold listings, collector references, and auction archives
Apply a complete non-destructive evaluation workflow to determine collectible potential
Whether you're evaluating inherited jewelry, sorting estate boxes, browsing thrift stores, or preparing pieces for resale, this guide gives you the professional structure needed to determine if your costume jewelry has real value—or is simply decorative.
Digital Download — PDF • 9 Pages • Instant Access
Costume jewelry—rhinestones, glass stones, Bakelite, lucite, designer fashion jewelry, and plated metal pieces—is one of the most misunderstood collectible categories. Many people assume “costume” means “low value,” yet certain designers, materials, stone settings, and eras now command strong resale prices. Estate sales, garage sales, thrift stores, and inherited boxes often contain valuable pieces hiding in plain sight.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 553 provides a complete, non-destructive workflow to help you evaluate old costume jewelry safely and accurately. This guide explains how to identify maker’s marks, evaluate construction quality, recognize collectible materials, study stone settings, determine age, spot valuable brands, and avoid common reproduction traps.
Inside this guide, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify valuable makers including Trifari, Coro, Miriam Haskell, Eisenberg, Weiss, Juliana (D&E), Hattie Carnegie, Monet (early), Lisner, Schreiner, and designer houses like Dior and Chanel
Evaluate construction quality using prong settings, solder points, metal weight, and craftsmanship
Distinguish collectible materials such as Bakelite, early lucite, glass rhinestones, foiled stones, enamel, and Gripoix-style poured glass
Recognize high-value stone-setting methods versus glued, low-grade modern settings
Identify age indicators including clasp types, screw-back earrings, patina, and open-back settings
Spot high-demand styles such as Art Deco designs, mid-century enamel flowers, rhinestone parures, Bakelite bangles, and 1930s–1950s brooches
Recognize reproduction red flags including incorrect hallmarks, modern clasps, lightweight construction, and too-perfect plating
Determine whether a piece belongs to a matching set and why that multiplies value
Research accurate pricing using sold listings, collector references, and auction archives
Apply a complete non-destructive evaluation workflow to determine collectible potential
Whether you're evaluating inherited jewelry, sorting estate boxes, browsing thrift stores, or preparing pieces for resale, this guide gives you the professional structure needed to determine if your costume jewelry has real value—or is simply decorative.
Digital Download — PDF • 9 Pages • Instant Access