In recent years, vintage jewelry has seen a resurgence in popularity, as more consumers are drawn to its timeless charm and craftsmanship. Beyond its history, vintage jewelry often holds its value and boasts a one-of-a-kind character that’s hard to replicate. These five small businesses are sharing the beauty and unique nature of vintage jewelry from decades past.
Wilson’s Estate Jewelry
A first-generation estate jeweler, Brad Wilson is the Owner of Wilson’s Estate Jewelry in Philadelphia. Specializing in Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, Retro, and Contemporary jewelry, Wilson’s buys pieces directly from consumers, giving them the ability to offer fair prices and one-on-one client care.
Brad Wilson started out by purchasing costume jewelry at local auctions and slowly graduated to acquiring fine jewelry, gems, and diamonds. In 2009, Wilson turned this into a business. With an inventory of pieces spanning the last 150 years, Wilson’s carries timeless brands such as Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and Bulgari.
The small business also provides some educational materials on its website to guide customers and make them more knowledgeable about buying or selling jewelry. Such references range from the history of gemology to the “four c’s” to consider when purchasing a diamond—color, clarity, cut, and carat.
Abbott & Oaks
Wanting to counter the rise of fast fashion, Austin Schoellkopf co-founded The Silver Trade Route in 2009, selling over 30,000 pieces of fine jewelry and antique sterling silver. He has continued to incorporate sustainable, technological, and marketing advancements into the secondhand jewelry market ever since.
On a mission to revolutionize the jewelry industry, Schoellkopf established Abbott & Oaks in 2022. This small business restores and even reimagines estate, antique, and vintage jewelry to appeal to modern tastes. An alternative to buying new, Abbott & Oaks touts sustainability by not contributing to the environmental impacts of mining for new precious metals or gemstones. All pre-owned pieces undergo rigorous testing to ensure purity and quality of the materials.
Specializing in Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, Retro, and Contemporary jewelry, Wilson’s buys pieces directly from consumers, giving them the ability to offer fair prices and one-on-one client care.
Boylerpf
Alicia Boyler once created a couture jewelry line for Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Though it was successful, she went against the grain, collecting bohemian pieces when they were out of style and forged her own path.
Boyler has been an online seller of fine antique and vintage jewelry since the mid-1990s. Thirty years later, her company Boylerpf is still going strong out of Ellendale, North Dakota. This collection includes period pieces dating back to the 1830s. Through several selling venues, Boylerpf has found a home for thousands of heirloom pieces. An expert in the field, Boyler has given lectures on the art of identifying and collecting antique jewelry.
Reluxe Vintage
A refurbisher of vintage design, Reluxe Vintage was established in 2020. The North Carolina–based consignment business reworks pre-loved brand named pieces, aiming to make luxury adornments more affordable and accessible.
Reluxe Vintage is a female-owned and -operated small business repurposing Prada, Gucci, and Dior tags and bag charms to create unique necklaces, bracelets, and more. Gently used designer bags and jewelry are also offered at a sizable discount.
In addition to its efforts to make fashion more sustainable and environmentally sound, the company donates 10% of all profits to nonprofit organizations working to combat human trafficking and domestic violence.
Ashley Zhang Jewelry
Driven by ethical design and making strides to better the jewelry industry as a whole, Ashley Zhang is dedicated to finding and creating pieces made with recycled, sustainably produced, and fully traceable raw materials. She melds timeless vintage and modernity through careful curation and her own creations.
The assortment of fine treasures offered by Ashley Zhang Jewelry encapsulates prominent styles such as Art Deco or Art Nouveau while also maintaining a strong level of cohesion. The vintage and antique collection almost appears to be part of one brand despite being hand-picked. In addition to curating an impeccable selection of secondhand pieces, Zhang also has her own line of pendants, engagement rings, one-of-a-kind necklaces, and other everyday wearables.
Located in Manhattan, Ashley Zhang Jewelry doesn’t have a storefront; however, interested buyers can see any of the pieces listed online by making an appointment.
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