We buy signed designer costume jewellery — Miriam Haskell, Trifari, Coro, Coro Craft, Hattie Carnegie, Chanel, Christian Dior, Elsa Schiaparelli — as well as quality unsigned mid-century rhinestone sets, Bakelite, Art Deco paste, and Victorian gilt brooches. Designer attribution is verified before any offer is made.
The difference between a signed piece and an unsigned one can be ten-fold or more. We know the maker signatures, the period characteristics, the construction techniques that distinguish a genuine Haskell from a well-made imitation — and we document our findings in writing before making any offer. You never receive a number without a reason. Free insured postage. Written valuation. Paid in 72 hours.
Vintage costume jewellery spans an enormous range of quality and value. The categories below reflect the areas where we have genuine specialist knowledge and active buying interest. If your piece doesn't fit neatly into one of these, email a photograph first — the reverse of the piece showing any signature or mark is the most useful image to send.
Miriam Haskell (hand-wired baroque pearls and seed beads on Russian gold-plated findings), Trifari (rhodium and gilt pieces with crown hallmark, including the prized jelly belly figural range), Coro and Coro Craft (American maker with a wide signed range), Hattie Carnegie, Chanel (particularly 1950s–1980s signed pieces), Christian Dior (usually signed with year), and Elsa Schiaparelli (aurora borealis and unusual glass stones). Each maker has specific signature forms and construction characteristics we know in detail.
Quality unsigned rhinestone parures and demi-parures from the 1940s–1960s have a strong collector market based on stone quality, design, and construction rather than maker name. Aurora borealis (AB) stones, Swarovski crystal, Schreiner stones, and similar high-quality glass rhinestones are assessed differently from lower-quality pressed glass. We look for foil-backed stones in good condition, original prong settings, and coherent design with period-appropriate construction.
Authentic Bakelite (phenol formaldehyde resin, produced from the 1920s through the 1940s) has an active collector market, particularly for carved and laminated examples in strong colours — red, yellow, and green command premiums over brown and black. Bakelite can be identified by its warmth test (rub vigorously; the friction produces a formaldehyde smell) or Simichrome polish test. We distinguish genuine Bakelite from later Catalin and Lucite, which have different values.
Art Deco jewellery (1920s–1930s) in silver or white metal set with cut-steel marcasite, paste stones, or faceted glass has a consistent collector market. French paste pieces — hand-set stones in white metal, often with geometric designs — and German marcasite work in sterling silver are the most desirable. We assess the quality and completeness of stone settings, the integrity of silver mounts, and whether pieces are genuine period Art Deco or later reproductions.
Victorian and Edwardian gilt brooches — sentimentally designed pieces with paste stones, enamel panels, or seed pearl detailing — occupy a distinct category from their mid-century descendants. We assess period characteristics: c-catch pin mechanisms (pre-1900), specific stone types (foiled paste, garnet, seed pearl), and the quality of gilding. Mourning jewellery with jet or onyx inserts is assessed separately; see our dedicated jet jewellery page for that category.
A matched parure — necklace, brooch, earrings, and bracelet — commands a significant premium over individual pieces, whether signed or unsigned. The premium is highest for signed designer parures in complete, matching condition. We assess whether pieces in a set are genuinely original to each other (matching stone lots, identical construction, consistent metalwork) rather than later assembled from similar pieces, as assembled sets trade at different values from original matched suites.
Designer signature is the single most important factor in costume jewellery valuation. A signed Miriam Haskell necklace in good condition can be worth £200–£800 or more; an unsigned necklace of similar appearance might fetch £30–£60. The signature must be legible and correspond to known examples of that maker's attribution mark — we cross-reference against documented examples before confirming any designer attribution in writing. Condition of the signature cartouche itself matters: a worn or damaged signature tag reduces value but does not necessarily disqualify a genuine piece if the construction is convincingly consistent.
Beyond signature, stone completeness is the most significant condition variable. Missing rhinestones in prominent positions typically reduce value by 30–60% on signed pieces, depending on the piece and the stone's visibility. Plating condition — worn gilt or tarnished rhodium — is factored into our offer but is generally less penalising than missing stones. Completeness of sets adds meaningful value: keep necklaces, brooches, and earrings together when sending and note if any original box or card is present, as presentation packaging for signed designer pieces adds to collector value.
Email a photograph of the front and — critically — the back of each piece, showing any signature cartouche or maker's mark. For costume jewellery, the reverse image is often more informative than the front for confirming designer attribution before you send anything.
We send a free prepaid, tracked and insured label. Your items are insured to £5,000 from the moment the courier scans the parcel.
Your parcel is opened publicly on YouTube. Condition is documented on camera before any specialist handles your items.
Each piece receives a written offer stating designer attribution (confirmed or unsigned), condition assessment including stone completeness and plating, and valuation basis. Accept what you wish to sell; we return the rest free. Paid in 72 hours or +3%.
Call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk.
Get your free pack →Signed designer pieces — Miriam Haskell, Trifari, Chanel, Dior, Schiaparelli — command serious collector prices, often several hundred pounds for a single piece in good condition. Quality unsigned mid-century rhinestone parures also have a genuine market. Basic high-street pieces from the 1980s and 1990s are unlikely to attract collector interest. If you are uncertain, email a photograph of the back of each piece first — the signature area tells us most of what we need to know.
Designer signature is the primary driver, followed by stone completeness (all original rhinestones present), plating condition (worn gilt reduces value), completeness of sets (parures are worth more together), and design period (1940s–1960s is generally most desirable). Miriam Haskell pieces are particularly prized for their hand-wired, Russian gold-plated construction using baroque pearls and seed beads — construction that cannot be easily replicated.
Signatures are almost always on the reverse — on a small oval or rectangular cartouche on brooches, on or near the clasp on necklaces, and on the clip or post on earrings. Use a magnifier and good light. Common forms: 'Miriam Haskell' in script, 'Trifari' with or without a crown symbol, 'Christian Dior' with a date, 'Chanel' in block letters. Send us a clear photograph of the reverse before posting — it is usually the most useful single image.
Yes, meaningfully. A missing rhinestone in a prominent position typically reduces value by 30–60% on signed pieces. Less visible missing stones have a smaller impact, and the reduction is proportionally less on unsigned pieces. We state missing stones explicitly in our written offer and note whether they are missing originals or visible replaced stones of different character — both affect value differently and neither is hidden in our assessment.
A parure is a matched set of jewellery designed to be worn together — necklace, brooch, and earrings, sometimes with a bracelet (a grand parure). A demi-parure is a two-piece set. Complete sets command a meaningful premium over individual pieces: a full Trifari jelly belly parure or a Miriam Haskell necklace and earring set in matching condition is worth substantially more than either piece alone. Keep matching pieces together when sending — and include any original box or card, which adds value for signed designer pieces.
Within 72 hours of your parcel going live on our YouTube channel — guaranteed. If we miss that window, we add 3% to your total.
Designer attribution verified before any offer is made. Written assessment per piece covering signature, condition, and valuation basis. Open live on YouTube. Paid within 72 hours.