Vintage Costume Jewellery Earrings
Vintage costume jewellery earrings bring bold period character to an outfit, offering striking design without precious gem prices.
Vintage Costume Jewellery Earrings
Vintage costume jewellery earrings encompass non-precious decorative ear ornaments spanning the nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. When searching for vintage costume jewellery earrings, buyers encounter diverse forms ranging from twentieth-century drop designs to earlier screwback styles.
Pieces appear both as standalone earrings and as part of matching jewellery sets or parures. Forms include screwback fastenings, clip-on designs, and drops incorporating paste glass or natural amber.
How they were made
Maker workshops utilised metals such as silver, sterling silver, gold plating, and chrome alongside early plastics like bakelite and phenolic materials. These foundational elements were cast, pressed, or plated to create structured frames for decorative stones.
Vintage Costume Jewellery Earrings Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for vintage costume jewellery earrings among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Nineteen-fifties sets incorporate faux pearls and rhinestones within matched parures.
What varies in quality
Quality in these pieces rests upon the precision of the metalwork and the security of the stone settings. Better examples display crisp casting and secure claw or bezel settings rather than careless glue application.
The clarity and brilliance of paste glass or rhinestones dictate visual success, with higher-grade stones retaining sharp facets and bright foil backings. Material choice also influences longevity, distinguishing robust silver and chrome structures from lighter plated alternatives.
Christian Dior
The Vintage Costume Jewellery Earrings Glossary
- Paste glass
- Hand-cut and polished glass designed to imitate gemstones. It captures light differently than natural stones.
- Screwback
- A mechanical earring fastening utilising a threaded post and screw mechanism. This design allowed non-pierced ears to wear secure drop or button earrings.
- Bakelite
- An early thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin. It appears frequently in twentieth-century modernist jewellery.
- Parure
- A matched set of jewellery intended to be worn together. Typical combinations include necklaces, earrings, and brooches.
- Marcasite
- Small faceted pyrite stones set into silver jewellery. They provide a dark metallic sparkle reminiscent of steel.
Vintage Costume Jewellery Earrings: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I date vintage earrings?
Dating relies on material clues, fastening types, and stylistic motifs associated with specific decades. Examining construction methods reveals whether a pair belongs to the nineteen-twenties or later mid-century periods.
Screwback mechanisms often point towards earlier twentieth-century production, whilst clip-on designs became prevalent later. Comparing decorative styles against documented period aesthetics confirms the era.
Are screwback earrings comfortable?
Screwback fasteners allow the wearer to adjust the pressure applied to the earlobe. This ensures a secure fit without requiring pierced ears.
Finding the right balance prevents pinching during extended wear. Most people adjust to the feel quickly with regular use.
What is a parure set?
A parure is a matched suite of jewellery designed to coordinate perfectly. These sets typically include a necklace, earrings, and often a matching brooch or bracelet.
Wearing them together creates a unified look characteristic of formal mid-century accessorising. Individual pieces from a set are also worn separately for everyday styling.
How should I clean paste glass?
Paste glass requires gentle care to protect the delicate foil backings that give the stones their brilliance. Moisture can damage these backings if it seeps behind the setting.
Use a dry microfibre cloth to dust the surface and metal components. Avoid submerging vintage earrings in water or ultrasonic cleaning solutions.