Vintage Costume Jewelry Novels & Stories

He reached down, flipping the dual silver latches, and slowly lifted the lid. Resting on a bed of faded, deep royal-blue velvet was a complete, breathtaking collection of antique jewelry. A magnificent, hand-wrought platinum choker necklace inlaid with flawless, cushion-cut Kashmir sapphires and brilliant white diamonds, matching drop earrings that carried the distinct, tiered Art Deco design of a bygone New York era, and a heavy, solid platinum cuff bracelet engraved with the original Hart family crest. It was the complete, signature estate collection of Julianne Hart—Lydia’s late mother.

"I thought you might have changed your mind or gotten too busy for the ceremony. You still want to do this, don’t you?" “I do,” he replies with quiet conviction, holding up the final piece—a headpiece adorned with fine, shimmering chains and moonstone droplets. Its intricate metal details catch the light as I take it from him. Once the bracelets are in place, I carefully position the headpiece atop my hair, the moonstones resting delicately against my shoulders. “How long have these been in your family?” I ask, tracing the chains with my fingers. “I’m not sure,” Vanda admits, unfolding a piece of fabric and draping it over my shoulders like a shawl. “A very long time.”

This outfit certainly didn’t scream “I’m a good time.” I flitted over to the jewelry box sitting on a shelf in the corner of the closet. I opened it, stunned at how many beautiful pieces the box was filled with, a lot of them looking older. I picked a few gold rings with assorted stones on them, and a gold locket with Silver Moon’s crest on it. I took another deep breath, preparing myself to guess my way through hair and makeup.

I wanted everything to be perfect for her return. Tonight, I opened her jewelry box, and with a delicate cloth, I began to wipe the treasures that had been stored away for so long. The garnet ring, the golden topaz pendant, the emerald bracelet, deep green like a forest lake, and countless other dazzling diamonds, pearls, and agates. Each one was a work of art, and I loved how they adorned the Princess, making her beauty even more radiant, enhancing her regal aura.

It’s too revealing. The top looks like a black corselet that supports my belly and isn’t too tight, but the cloth around my breasts is made of lace that almost shows more than it should, riding up on a strap with gold drops. It certainly matched the jewelry Cathy had also chosen, a vintage necklace with small diamonds. I told her it was too much, but she didn’t seem to mind.

In order for Chris to not realize that he had guessed what Chris was thinking, Assistant Jacobs added the last sentence with a smile. Chris's gaze landed on the photo. CC was a global jewelry brand. Every time there was a new release, it would always be a limited edition. Not a lot of people in the country would be able to buy jewelry from that brand. A lot of sons and daughters of affluent families would move mountains to get their hands on a piece of jewelry released by CC. This time, the necklace was a silvery white color. The pendant was made from a diamond. The shape was a crescent and the color would gradually change. The chain of the necklace had shiny stars attached.

It was a vintage Art Deco necklace, a delicate web of platinum set with emeralds and small, brilliant diamonds. I knew that necklace. I knew the weight of it in the palm of a hand. I knew the specific, tiny scratch on the clasp where I had dropped it on my eighteenth birthday. It was a family heirloom, passed down from my grandmother to me. It was supposed to be in my jewelry box, tucked away in the velvet-lined drawer of my vanity.

Liana was curious. "I got him an antique vase. I bet he'll like it because he's into antique stuff and porcelain!" Betty fiddled with the pink diamond ring on her finger smugly. "Oh. Which era is it from?" "It's a Victorian-era vase." "That's pretty recent. I'm not sure if that's good enough for a birthday gift." Liana blinked innocently at Betty with her carefully drawn eyes. Liana continued, "You know, Jasper spent four million dollars to win the bid for a set of Georgian-era porcelain drinkware at a charity auction! He'll gift them to Grandpa. Don't you think your gift will pale in comparison?"

First up, was Jenna and Zivon—who were standing side by side—who walked up to Ava before presenting a fine mahogany box to her. “This is a gift from me and Zivon to you. We hope you like it,” said Jenna as she slowly opened the box… revealing an exquisite-looking vintage ring inside! The red jade inlaid inside was large, round, and smooth. It had an excellent color as well! Even someone who knew nothing about jade quality would know that the ring was something incredibly expensive! Come to think of it, didn’t the ring look a little familiar…? It took Ava a second, but she eventually exclaimed, “That… Isn’t that the ring worn by one of the ancient royal ladies…?!”

She is the kind who would get something made ages ago, as long as it has good quality and appeal. The Pearl on her neck and ear also helps to emphasize that fact. It was something my grandma had and never joked with, before her death. And that jewelry was made ages before my grandma was birthed, so to see the same on a young lady like Iris served to prove she is a lover of vintage products. "Here" she says, offering me a glass of whiskey from her bar. She was making a statement, and the look on her face confirmed so. She wanted me to know that she no longer has to fit into being my woman. That now she has paid her debts to me and, this is who she is, a whiskey person not a champagne woman.