When I was about 14 years old, I begin working at my aunt's antique store on Sundays for some extra money and to get experience working. I typically would help customers by getting antiques out of cabinets, pack customer's purchases and my favorite was to reorganize and arrange the antiques to make them stand out...I know, I'm such a Virgo! I get a thrill at organization ;)
I LOVED browsing the antique cabinets and finding treasures that were one of a kind! This began my affinity to vintage jewelry. Over the years I have grown an enormous collection, and I adore each and every piece. They all have a special meaning to me...I can remember where I was and/or how I came to find each item I have.
Renee's Vintage Jewels
Cameos- I'm not sure what at first attracted me to Cameos, but I became obsessed with them at some point. The thing about cameos is that not all the lady's faces are pretty...some are actually pretty ugly! It took me years to collect these cameos, which have very pretty lady faces.
Authentic Coral Necklace- this was one of my first purchases at the antique store. It looks great in the summertime against a white outfit.
Navy&White Plastic Necklace and Firestone Necklace- I bought the navy and white necklace at a tag sale in the Hamptons because it was so nautical and perfect for summer. The firestone necklace was a gift from my mom. It has a golden glow from within and is quite stunning in person (sorry for my bad photography).
Vintage Tiffany&Co- This was a HUGE tag sale snag that my mother bought me for my birthday this year. Isn't it divine?! Luckily, my mom is very active in the antique business in the Hamptons, so she always gets first pick of the goodies! Isn't it so surprising what people want to sell?
Vintage Rings- (from left to right) Yellow Bakelite ring, turquoise ring, amber ring, amethyst art-deco ring, turquoise ring and that small round pendant in the middle is a mustard seed. In tiny writing on the inside it says "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed"-it's a biblical verse that I've always loved.
Bakelite Bracelets- It's really so hard to say which items are my favorite because I love them all so much, but these beauties are definitely at the top of the list! For those of you who aren't familiar with Bakelite, it's an early plastic made from synthetic components. Bakelite was invented by a Belgian-born chemist in 1907! It's "retro" appeal has made Bakelite extremely collectible. Aren't the carvings magnificent?! LOVE!
Bakelite, Ivory & Jade Bracelets- (from left to right) Green Bakelite, Yellow Bakelite, Amber Bakelite, Carved Ivory, Green Jade. The 3 Bakelite bracelets were of my first Bakelite bracelets ever! I became hooked after these. The carved ivory bracelet was my grandmothers. I treasure this most! The green jade bracelet was unique, which caught my eye.
Stackable Bakelite Bracelets- I saved the best for last! I absolutely adore these bracelets, and for those of you who follow my on Instagram, you've probably seen me wear just the red bangles a few times. These were a gift from my mother, again! She knows me so well! :) What I love about these are their versatility. I love that I can mix and match the colors or color block these. They make a significant statement on my wrist because there are so many of them. Retro, fun, energetic...LOVE!
I love mixing my vintage jewels with current trends and fashions. It creates a uniqueness about what I'm wearing. I think having that uniqueness makes you, you!
Are you a collector of vintage jewelry? I'd love to hear about your collection!
xoxo
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