4 Interesting Types of Costume Jewelry for Collectors

If you’re a budding jewelry collector, you need to know where to look to find the most interesting pieces.

When it comes to expanding your collection, it’s all about being open to new and different types of vintage jewelry. There are so many outlets for finding unique jewelry that you can get pretty much anything you could ever think up.

One of the more underrated areas for sourcing unique jewelry is the world of costume jewelry. This overlooked type of jewelry uses artificial stones rather than precious gems, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a valuable piece of your collection.

In this post, we’re going to talk about 4 interesting types of costume jewelry to add to your collection. Keep reading and you’ll see that thinking outside the box with your jewelry collection will reward you.

1. Nature Jewelry

Nature jewelry is exactly what it sounds like. It takes its design elements from the natural world, so you’ll see pieces that incorporate shells, leaves, and stones. Different types of nature jewelry might include elements of gold, silver, plastic beads, or rhinestones in addition to objects from nature.

In a way, nature jewelry harkens back to times of old. Older societies would’ve used the natural world as inspiration for their jewelry. You can see things like viking wedding rings sold here that use objects from nature, as well as gold and silver.

2. Hippy Jewelry

The hippy movement from the 60s was so incredibly influential on style at the time, but it continues to this day. It’s all about the bold colors that you’d see in pop art and flower power, especially with the work of artists like Warhol and the famous daisy motif.

Hippy jewelry usually consists of brooches and pins that people would attach to their dresses, pants, and jackets. Even high fashion saw a heavy dose of hippy themes, most notably through famous designers like Dior and Chanel.

3. Punk Jewelry

A decade or so later was the punk revolution. Things got a bit more rigid and harsh in style, with a big focus on metal and plastic rather than poured glass, feathers, and beads.

Punk jewelry went heavy on zippers, buckles, chains, spikes, and leather. As the late 70s turned over into the 80s, punk fashion started to hit the mainstream when the Cyndi Laupers and Madonnas of the world were seen wearing punk-inspired jewelry. To this day, punk jewelry is a staple for collectors all over the world.

4. Faux Fine Jewelry

Costume jewelry isn’t necessarily all about embracing the more derelict side of the fashion world. There are plenty of examples of finer-looking pieces of jewelry that were made of cheap rhinestones and enamel.

Don’t Shy Away From Costume Jewelry

Now that you know a bit more about costume jewelry, you can start scouring collectors’ shops and websites for unique pieces. These are just a few of the many different types of costume jewelry, but you can start here and see where your journey takes you.

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