Rhinestone Costume Jewelry 101 (for beginners!)

With such a huge selection of gorgeous jewelry available literally at your fingertips on eBay, it is a wise buyer who "has a plan"- Especially if you are just starting out.

First, what appeals to you PERSONALLY? This will help narrow it down a little. When you buy, are you looking for an investment only? Or, to wear and use? Or both?

Traditionally, known designers like Eisenberg, Weiss, Haskell, etc. are higher priced to begin with and are the "Blue Chip Stocks" of the Costume jewelry world. They will always have value, and that value will increase over time...they may hit a "lull" but will always have re-sale value. BUT...buyer beware...there are fakes out there....I have seen many, many Eisenberg fakes. Know your signatures.....if you are serious about getting into this hobby...purchase a good book with the KNOWN signatures of the designers in it! Such a book will also point our fakes. The cost of the book will make up for itself if it prevents you from spending a chunk on even ONE fake Eisenberg piece.

I recommend that newbies pick a designer and start from there. Weiss is an excellent choice, as this is high quality jewelry which can be purchased at reasonable prices still; but there are many to choose from!

So, you have your designer chosen. What to look for?

FIRST and FOREMOST: Damage, Damage, Damage!! AVOID pieces with missing stones...wear to the finish....broken, loose or even bent clasps. A Broken clasp on a pin or brooch can make a piece nearly worthless for investment or resale. A bent clasp can break or snap off when being straightened out! Extensive Wear to the finish can also be-and usually is-a death sentence. Pass on it. Even a little bit of wear can reduce the value. These things are difficult to repair correctly and often just can't be done PROPERLY. Examine the piece carefully for any repairs...or damage. Does the clasp look original? Test it to make SURE it works. Put that piece on and pull a little! Brooches: again, make sure that the pin-back works properly..that the pin itself is the correct length.....I once purchased a lovely pin and didn't test....when I went to wear it, the pin would not reach the locking mechanism! A costly but easily made mistake when purchasing in the "heat of the moment". Stones: Sometimes a stone can be replaced, this is true, but in the beginning go only for the good pieces with NO problems and you can't go wrong.

SECONDLY: Know the signature(s) of the designer you are collecting. Several designers have more than one style of signature, and you can often date a piece by the syle of the signature that is on the piece. 

GET A BOOK; or look on the web. There is a literal TON of info to be found. Just key in the name of the designer you are interested in and hit search! You might be amazed at what you will find.

THIRD: If the jewelry you want to collect contains stones; several rules apply. A) Clarity of the stones. You want to purchase jewelry with high quality ones! NO darkened, or cracked. Eisenberg is known for the clarity and sheer sparkle factor in their jewelry. B) Prong Set vs.Glued- Prong set jewelry is higher quality. Period. **Beginners look out....there is a lot of jewelry with stones that are made to look prong-set...but are actually glued.** The tiny prongs don't actually extend up and hold in the stones in place. A close examination will reveal this every time. Many pieces will have both prong-set and glued..don't let this deter you. If you love it, and nothing is wrong, feel free! C) A general rule about stone shapes: a pin with 3, 4 or more different SHAPED stones will be more valuable than say, a pin containing stones of only one shape. (like all rounds, etc.) If all are the same shape, it will increase the value if there are different SIZES of that same shape. D) Examine the stones and settings carefully....do any look "out of place"? They could be replacements. If you have a pin with all amber stones and one looks "a shade off" it could be a replacement. Examine that stone's prongs UP CLOSE to see if any manipulation of the prongs is evident. If so....avoid. Unless you just absolutely HAVE to HAVE it...and don't plan on reselling. A seasoned collector will see this disparity in a second and will be only too happy to point it out! and last E) are the stones PLASTIC? Check by clinking a small coin to the suface of the stone or even with your teeth! Don't bother with plastic rhinestones. There is too much truly beautiful, higher quality jewelry with colored glass or crystal stones. The cheap imitation plastic stones are just that. Cheap imitations.

FOURTH: Snap-decision purchases are a BIG no-no for a beginner. Hurried decisions can turn into costly mistakes! Thoroughly examine. Think. Check the signature. Think. How is the piece priced in comparison to other like pieces? If on eBay, comparison shopping is easy because you can usually find the same piece listed....in an ongoing or ended auction. Don't let the "sparkle factor"  rush your decision!

****Please do watch for sellers who only show a small portion of the piece in their picture. Ask for more pics...if they can't give you any, PASS.**** IF you see a piece listed that you might be interested in, always ask questions of the seller. Most are very reputable and honest. You have to keep in mind, tho, that many of them are not collectors of the jewelry, and may not realize that a lot of small factors are very important. Ask them to check the clasp mech, the pin back, go over carefully to look for wear to the finish, check the stones, etc. Don't be afraid to do it, either. The vast majority of sellers are happy to answer your questions, and it is your hard earned money you are playing with here! They do not want you to be unhappy with your purchase. Oh- and ask your questions EARLY! Don't wait until the last day to bombard them with your questions. Sometimes they can't get back to you in time, especially in the last 12 hours.  

A good general rule is to PASS on any item that you have newly found if the auction is in the final hour(s). You haven't had the time to examine the piece thoroughly. This can be very hard to do, but you should just pass on it, and try to find another just like it-with enough time remaining to examine the piece and ask your questions. It's eBay! There will almost ALWAYS be another one like it! It is a buyer's market- take advantage of that and buy smart! Not on impulse.

*So, what should you do when you are just getting started?*

• Decide what type/style appeals to you presonally
•  Pick your designer that most closely follows that style
• Arm yourself with knowledge about that designer
• Examine thoroughly, and ask questions
• Be choosy.....buy ONLY the pieces in the best condition
• Pass on damaged goods no matter how good of a bargain they may seem to be!
• Curb impulse purchases!

If you follow these basic rules, you will be well on your way to starting a nice little collection that you love; and hopefully will have avoided wasting your money on bad buys. After you have gained confidence and Know-how..."branch out!"

Thanks and I hope this has been of some help to you! Now get started!