The recent obsessions with vintage styles coming back have celebrities channelling the likes of Marilyn Monroe to Janis Jopin. People are just drying to get their hands on jewellery that is inspired by old Hollywood. But instead of leaving your Toronto Loft and going to H&M to buy the cheap plastic knockoffs, you should have a look in your grandmother's old jewellery box and dig out some valuable heirlooms.
As we all know, heirlooms are priceless items that have been passed around for generations. But, when it comes to jewellery, heirlooms are something that can hold significant monetary value or amazing accessorizing potential. You didn't have to grow up on a block full of Toronto Luxury homes to be able to recognize the full potential of vintage jewellery. It doesn't have to be made of rubies and pearl's to be considered a great piece. For example, I recently had the pleasure of going through my grandmother's jewellery collection and I found this old broach that was no more than a piece of brass in the shape of a flower with some red paint on it. She informed me that she got it from her great grandmother and passed the heirloom on to me. I wear the broach quite frequently and it is complimented all the time. No jewels. No platinum. Just dingy old brass.
On the other hand though, you would be surprised with how many valuables you can find when you sift through some family heirlooms. I was shocked when I found a string of pearls in the midst of countless necklaces and chains. I almost guarantee that your grandmother has some real pearls tucked away somewhere. And, let's face it; a string of white pearls will make any outfit more glamorous than using that necklace with your name on it to decorate with words. It doesn't matter if you are a Vancouver ACCPAC employee or an adolescent skateboarder, pearls can accentuate any outfit perfectly.
Another great thing about heirlooms is that they will always have a distinct look and texture versus the new knockoffs. Most vintage jewellery is made of brass, silver, platinum, and gold that gradually get an aged look to them. This is something that is very hard to recreate. Many companies have tried to produce heirloom inspired jewellery through creating new pieces and polishing them to look old, using older and rare gems, and heavy staffing. Ottawa's leading heirloom jewellery shops hold magnificent pieces of classic vintage jewellery and there is no way that recreating these pieces can compete with that.
Heirlooms are priceless, no matter what they are. But when it comes to jewellery, they are something that are in high demand and hard to find. Go have a look in your grandmother's jewellery box because just because her taste may be a little on the tacky side now, that doesn't mean that she wasn't a glamazon rocking beautiful jewellery in her twenties. Take pride in these pieces, they are one of a kind.
|