Dr. Lori Verderame
By Dr. Lori Verderame
When it comes to dressing up, the cold weather offers opportunities to add accessories to an outfit like scarves, gloves, hats, etc. In winter, we tend to don our best clothes and jewelry to bring some sparkle to the somewhat dreary season. And when it comes to jewelry, albeit fine or costume, a big statement piece makes the outfit. While earrings and bracelets are must-have accessories, a brooch tops off any blazer, sweater, or winter coat.
When it comes to winter brooches, there are some aspects of the popular keepsakes that should not be overlooked. Gemstones like opals, diamonds, and aquamarines are often the choice of the season for their color when included in brooches. Precious metals like sterling silver and rose gold, yellow gold or white gold are always in fashion. In the winter months, silver, platinum, and white gold get the nod over other colored metals.
Settings
Blue and colorless clear set gemstones and pearls suggest winter in brooches. Photo credit: Staff of www.DrLoriV.com
The importance of a brooch’s setting –preferably in precious metals–should not be overlooked. Look for classic settings like circles, wreaths, snowflakes, or flower forms. Prongs are a quality indicator for both fine jewelry or costume jewelry brooches. Look for prongs holding in crystals, gemstones, or other cut stones and remember, the more prongs the better. Most faceted cut gemstones are set with at least four, but even better if there are six, prongs. Prongs should be curved and tightly set to secure the gemstone on a brooch. Pinback clasps can come in many types including c-clasps or rotating clasps to secure the brooch to the clothing garment or coat. These settings are important to value and the look of a brooch.
Styles
For seasonal brooches, some of the most popular styles are those that resemble poinsettia plants, evergreen trees, reindeer, wreaths, or other winter themes like sleighs, snowmen, or snowflakes, to name a few. Many collectors realize that brooches are making a big come back on the fashion scene and the bigger the better with statement brooches commanding high values on the market. Vintage brooches from the mid 1900s to the late 1900s enjoy a very active market online within active selling platforms like eBay.com, Etsy.com, Mercari, ShopThrilling.com, and Poshmark.com among many others.
Gemstones
The most popular gemstones used in brooches are white pearls to recall a wintery mood such as snowmen, snow covered trees, or angels. Diamonds or rhinestones are selected for brooches to give that look of snowy crystals, too. Blue topaz and aquamarines are usually paired with pearls in winter season brooches to give the feeling of cold, wintery weather, too. In addition to these precious gems, faux gemstones are integrated into brooch design like Austrian crystals or carved cabochon stones in clear, blue, etc.
When it comes to fine jewelry, look for high quality materials and stunning designs by some of the most impressive designers like David Yurman, Paloma Picasso, Chanel, etc. For costume jewelry collectors, brooches of the winter season by Hattie Carnegie, Miriam Haskell, Alice Caviness, and Ben Amun always hold their value for the long term.
Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning media personality, Dr. Lori presents antique appraisal events nationwide, appears on History channel’s The Curse of Oak Island and the new series, Pawn Stars do America. For appraisals, visit www.DrLoriV.com, www.YouTube.com/DrLoriV or call (888) 431-1010.