Gem Tester and Vintage Jewellery

Mock Jade vintage Men's Cufflinks and Tie Pin signed Sarah Coventry


One of our most handy tools in sourcing and collecting antique vintage jewellery has been a gem tester.

It became obvious that we needed a way of testing some of the stones in the jewellery because although we could take an educated guess, we needed to be more accurate.

Vintage modern stone bead bracelet


Research showed us that one gem tester The Presidium stood out from others but we were unable to find a dealer in the UK. So we sent for the tester from the US and have been more than happy with the results.

We have tested all stones, even if we are fairly sure that they are faux ones.

Miracle vintage jewellery is usually made with mock quartz stones.
Exquisite the Solihull jewellery makers also used faux stones, but it is possible that some earlier pieces may have used actual real quartz so we always test.

Quartz stones are different in feel to glass as they have a somewhat cooler surface (ideal to wear in the summer)

Vintage Deco brooch with faux turquoise


One benefit is that if we say the stone is jade, then it is not a guess. As many pieces of jewellery from the seventies, when jade was very fashionable, were made of jade but there was also many mock jade imitations manufactured.



Vintage jewellery set Real jadeite chip necklace and earrings