Dating Jewelry Tips

Dating Brooches

Dating by Rhinestones

  • Aurora Borealis coating invented by Swarovski in 1956

Dating by Signature

  • When was the company in operation? Find out in Marks & Designers
  • Many companies changed signatures over time, when was yours used?
  • Jewelry marked with the copyright symbol was probably produced after 1954.

Dating by Metal

  • Most jewelry with rhodium plating was produced after World War II, helping determine the age.
  • During WW2, many jewelry designers used sterling silver to make their jewelry as other metals were needed for the war.
  • Jewelry between 1906 and 1961, jewelry may be only marked '925' or 'sterling'.
  • After 1961, jewelry should also have a makers mark.. but it should be noted that not all manufacturers didn't follow the law and some later pieces are simply marked 925 (when sterling silver).

Dating by Clasp

  • Fold-over clasp - First used in the 1940s.
  • Hook and Tail - Popular in the 50s and 60s
  • Lobster Claw - Widely used since the 1970s
  • Hook and Box - Used mostly in the 1920s and 1930s

Dating by Decade

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License