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Guest post is provided by Cynthia Findlay Antiques, a dealer specializing in antique rings and collectables. Please visit the website for more information.

With the new film The Great Gatsby picking up enormous steam; you’ll be seeing more 1920’s fashion becoming a trend in the next few years. Mock jewelry can be found in many different fashion stores, but if you want the real antique rings to make your look more authentic, consider buying some of your jewelry from an antique shop. Antique shops appeal to both young people and to vintage collectors.

So just what makes a great accessory inspired from the roaring 20s? Costume jewelry was all the rage back then. The fun and flashy culture fueled the desire to wear expensive looking jewelry. However, although the economy post-WWI allowed for a higher standard of living, the use of plastics, platinum and non-precious stones like opal, coral, jade and onyx were more fashionable. Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli were considered the trendsetters of the era for vintage jewelry.

A string of pearls also works well with a 1920’s inspired outfit. When Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922, the artifacts inspired all of the Egyptian motifs you see in 1920s fashions. You will see prominent circles, arcs, squares, rectangles, triangles and other bold shapes that draw inspiration from the archeological finds. Jewelry was the centerpiece of 1920s fashion. Low cut necklines and shorter sleeves allowed women to show off their pearls and costume jewelry around their necks and wrists, whereas clothing beforehand during the Victorian era, for example, was designed to cover as much skin as possible. Estate jewelry from this era can be found at vintage antique stores.

Looking for vintage jewellery is both fun and rewarding. Who could complain about weekend mornings or afternoons dedicated to finding spectacular treasures? Well, maybe those who can’t quite forget the dusty surroundings of their foraging when visiting estate sales or flea markets. But even these anti-dust folks have plenty of opportunity to hunt down amazing Art Deco rings, brooches, and necklaces in more pleasant environments — they can go to high-end antique shops or browse online.

If you choose to conduct your treasure hunting through a computer or smartphone, you can easily bypass any unpleasantness related to old storage containers. Plus, you won’t have to maneuver your way around decades-old boxes of black-and-white family photographs. Needless to say, the pictures that you do want to see, close-up images of your potential purchases, will be available. To enjoy all the thrill of the hunt for antique rings and other jewellery without getting dusty, try going to www.cynthiafindlay.com.

Located in Toronto, Canada, Cynthia Findlay Antiques has added an exquisite art nouveau ring to its collection of estate, vintage, and antique rings. The Art Nouveau Ring features a unique floral motif decorated with nine round brilliant cut diamonds (0.32) and three emerald stones (0.12 carats) set in a 14 karat yellow gold setting.

This new addition to Cynthia’s assortment of art nouveau rings and estate jewellery captures a woman’s desire to stand out from the rest of the crowd with brilliant emeralds and diamonds. The art nouveau ring is the latest to enter her elite collection of fine jewellery worthy to be collected, worn, or placed on display. Purchase this ring for your personal pleasure or surprise the one you love. Intrigued? You can find this ring at Cynthia Findlay Antiques in Toronto Canada, or on her website.

Whether you’re searching for art nouveau rings or art deco rings, you can be sure to find a collection of rare and beautiful jewellery at Cynthia Findlay Antiques. Cynthia accepts only top-quality pieces, and analyzes all aspects of her collection, including cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Her collection also features fine antiques, including antique décor and dining pieces, prop rentals, and rare collectibles such as perfume bottles, opera glasses, and cow creamers.

Founded in 1978, Cynthia Findlay Antiques operates in Toronto Canada and through her website and reaches an international clientele, including designers and celebrities. She also provides a wide range of personalized concierge services.

While on the prowl for some vintage jewellery, we found ourselves at Cynthia Findlay Antiques, a retail store in Toronto, Canada, that sells a surprisingly large selection of estate, vintage, and contemporary jewellery. Of course, we were visiting the shop’s website, and we able to peruse the collection of rings, earrings, and necklaces from the comfort of our own home.

While her entire collection of estate jewellery was impressive — unique and beautiful enough to belong to Elizabeth Taylor – what really grabbed us was a set of very old, and very unique pearl earrings.

When it comes to jewellery design, pearls can stand alone; they usually don’t need to be enhanced by diamonds, and if they are, delicate detail is key — which is why we were blown away by this pair of 14 karat white gold antique earrings at Cynthia Findlay Antiques. A unique and detailed ribbon motif drop set, these earrings feature two cultured pearls of creamy color, surrounded by six round brilliant cut diamonds, and 195 old mine and single cute diamonds. Yes, that’s 195 beautiful tiny diamonds. The design is elaborate and simple all at once. It is classic and chic yet completely lavish and over-the-top. We know it doesn’t make sense, but it works. And that’s why we love these pearl earrings!

Where did these beautiful earrings come from? You will have to ask Cynthia Findlay. All we know is that these stunning pearl earrings can be yours for $9,000. And while you’re visiting her site, don’t forget to browse the rest of her collection of vintage rings and necklaces you won’t find anywhere else.

The traditional solitaire engagement ring is taking a back seat this year. Women are searching for one-of-a-kind engagement rings in 2013, such as unique antique pieces with atypical shapes, colors, and distinctive settings.  If you’re considering a proposal piece for the love of your life, Cynthia Findlay Antiques has the most beautiful and enchanting vintage engagement rings you will find, including elaborate Art Deco rings and vintage interpretations of the solitaire. Here’s a look at our favorite pieces featured at Cynthia Findlay Antiques.

If your bride-to-be wants a more elaborate interpretation of a solitaire engagement ring, she will be dazzled by the stunning 10 karat diamond engagement ring at Cynthia’s. Set in white gold, this vintage diamond ring features one 0.58 carat European-cut diamond surrounded by six 0.28 carat European cut diamonds. This halo-style vintage ring is part of Cynthia’s vintage and estate jewellery collection.

In addition to the 10 karat diamond engagement ring, Cynthia Findlay carries a wide variety of original and unusual engagement rings sure to please the discerning bride-to-be. If your special darling enjoys being different from the crowd, she might be the perfect candidate for a truly unconventional engagement ring. One of our favorite atypically-shaped rings is the Diamond Cluster ring, an eccentric engagement ring featuring one custom-made 18 karate white gold diamond cluster with sixteen old European cut diamonds. This ring is elegant and dainty, yet impressive enough to stand as an engagement ring. Cynthia also carries vintage rings with atypical colors, such as sapphire rings. To view these rings and other vintage jewellery pieces, please visit CynthiaFindlay.com.

Oh, the joy of vintage rings — well, the joy of vintage jewellery, in general, because who doesn’t like what’s beautiful and polished and sparkly all over? Yes, there’s bound to be a curmudgeon or two who enjoy going against the grain even more than the gleam of a gorgeously romantic gem, but most people show their enthusiasm for baubles without reservation. If you’re among the latter, which do you prefer, antique rings or the everyday fare of the local jewellery shop?

The truth is, vintage and antique jewellery have been popular for so long that contemporary pieces are most noted today when they hark back to bygone eras, or when they’re outright reproductions of vintage designs. Look no further than the biggest fashion houses of today to witness this phenomenon in real time.

However, if you’re looking for jewellery pieces that are more out of the ordinary, your best bet is to hunt around. A diverse bunch of sources have long been a fountain of joy for those with an eye for original vintage design. Premier among them: estate jewellery. Countless treasures pass through estate sales, but if you want to bypass the messy bits of this particular shopping experience, you can head straight to an online shop like Cynthia Findlay Antiques — there, you’ll see no dust, only treasures!

Even if you’ve lived in your neighborhood for as long as you can remember, you’d be surprised by the quality of the estate jewellery you might be able to locate by delving a little deeper into your own neck of the woods. Take your after-dinner stroll, or the morning walk you take the family dog on, as the opportunity to discover the slight local commotions — a block yard sale or a family moving out — that put outstanding articles back into circulation. These types of occurrences pose the ideal opportunities to find things like vintage jewellery. Articles such as these do not appear just anywhere. Finding similarly ornate styles is difficult in a modern jewellery store. Going online is one solution.

But don’t lose out on the treasures you can chance upon by not paying close enough attention to the stirrings about. Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to your own neighborhood, or even to your own town. You can also pay attention to the goings-on in the lively online communities you’re already a part of. One of your Facebook friends just might point the way to great vintage rings that are being sold online, or they might recommend you go to an Internet shop like that of Cynthia Findlay Antiques.

Once again, Cynthia Findlay Antiques is in the media; but this time the online retailer’s estate jewellery is not what’s garnering all the attention. Instead, the spotlight showcases a selection of Cynthia Findlay’s décor and dining pieces, ranging from brass candlesticks to vintage Wedgwood vases, all of which have been hand-selected for their beauty and value in the vintage market.

The October issue of House and Home features beautiful, one-of-a-kind collectibles from Cynthia Findlay Antiques, a well-known and respected estate and vintage jewellery retailer headed by Cynthia Findlay herself, an expert in antique jewellery and decorative arts. The items were used as props in a two-page spread; the first page features 12 items, including several Pewter pieces, black Wedgewood pieces, a set of five purple stems, and a Depression glass bowl, to name a few. The second page features large sterling candlesticks, and two small pairs of candlesticks, creating an eye-catching dining room display.

Although Cynthia Findlay is well known for her vintage and estate jewellery, including vintage rings, her décor and dining pieces have been featured in numerous magazines, including Arabella and Style at Home. At her 6,000 square foot retail space in Toronto, Canada, visitors can view her extensive collection of items and take advantage of her personal shopping services.  If you don’t live in the area, no problem. You can easily view her collection of jewellery, Art Deco rings, home décor items, dining pieces, and prop rentals by visiting www.Cynthiafindlay.com.

Buyers of vintage jewellery often ask themselves who the previous owners were of the pieces they’ve just bought. Sometimes sellers can fill shoppers in on the details of provenance, sometimes they cannot. Given how extensive the vintage jewellery shopping scene is these days, it’s more common to hear about sellers having a hard time pinning down the exact origin of their vintage rings, bracelets, and other jewellery. But, usually, merchants can tell buyers the country a piece comes from, if not the state, or even the city.

Unless you’re directly inheriting a relative’s vaunted gem heirlooms, it’s difficult to get a clear picture of the personages who once draped those vintage baubles that are now yours. When choosing antique rings, some folks think that it’s just the same, not knowing, because they’re more interested in making their “new” old antique rings completely their own. They don’t care about the personalities of previous owners because they plan on imbuing the jewellery with their own modern-day personality. But not matter where you fall on that spectrum, if you’re wondering about how to begin your search for vintage jewellery, know that trying Cynthia Findlay Antiques is always a good idea. You’ll find that shopping online is not just convenient, but that it also gives you an exceptionally wide range of choice.

Shopping for estate and vintage jewellery can be exhilarating and worthwhile; but it can also be tricky, especially if you’re searching for jewellery made in a certain style or from a specific time period. This is often the case when hunting for genuine Art Deco rings, necklaces and earrings. So what is Art Deco and how do you know if you’re buying an authentic Art Deco piece?

Introduced in the 1920s, Art Deco is a French art movement categorized by geometric designs and bold colors and outlines. This popular style influenced everything from architecture and interior design to jewellery. The Art Deco movement ended around the 1930s, which is why genuine Art Deco jewellery must be made between the 1920s and 30s.  Most authentic Art Deco jewellery features onyx, sapphire, or emerald gems with luxurious designs.

However, since the style was so popular, buyers might also come across Art Deco “style” jewellery. Art Deco style jewellery is modeled after the same style but created after the 1930s. For example, the Art Deco style came back into fashion in the 1960s and 70s, so it’s possible to find estate jewellery in Art Deco style made in the 1960s. These replicas might also be called “Art Deco reproductions.”

The best way to determine whether you’re buying an authentic Art Deco piece is to ask the retailer or owner. If you’re buying from an experienced estate and vintage jewellery retailer such as Cynthia Findlay Antiques, you can rest assured the item is authentic and in good condition.