Beautiful vintage costume jewelry that was made in the old West Germany comes in a stunning variety of styles and designs. You can recognize this type of jewelry, as it is stamped “West Germany” on the back of the jewelry piece. Items were usually made from glass beads, plastic beads or glass stones, which were set into base metals. The following photos show some different types of signed ‘West Germany’ jewelry – I love how varied and beautiful it was ..
If you are interested in buying vintage jewelry made in West Germany, online auction sites and online vintage marketplaces are a great place to start; I’ve seen prices generally ranging from around £2 to £10 ($3 to $14) per item, though the odd piece of jewelry will sell for up to £50 (approx $70 USD) on occasion. I’ve also picked up some beautiful West Germany jewelry in thrift shops and flea markets for less than £5 (about $7 USD), so it’s definitely worth shopping around (all prices are my personal experience and are not to be taken as any type of valuation).
Whilst the quality and finish of West Germany costume jewelry is of a high standard, there are some things to watch out for before you make a purchase. Check necklaces for stringing quality, as the original old string may have become stretched/ worn and would now benefit from a more secure re-string. Look carefully at metal work – if you see any green patches or rust, this is a sign the metal is damaged, and in my experience this damage will only spread and get worse. Check all clasp mechanisms open and close properly by testing them a few times – I once bought a vintage necklace and the old clasp spring broke on my first wear! Finally, bare in mind that West Germany jewelry was sometimes made from Eloxal metal, which is an extremely lightweight type of aluminium metal; don’t worry if your jewelry feels too light or has no weight to it – if it’s signed West Germany the chances are it’s made from Eloxal.
Celtic inspired and Scottish glass agate costume jewellery is very distinctive , with the designs often based on earlier Victorian and pre-antiquity pieces. Made from glass stones (created to imitate the agates) which are set into non-precious mixed metal, they are a beautiful mix of intricate patterns and bold statement features.
Notable makers are Miracle and Heathergems (who ingeniously use compressed real heather found on the Scottish moors to create stones,) though collectors might also come across vintage producers no longer in business, such as Jacobite and Hollywood; look for ‘signatures’ and makers stamps on the back of the jewellery as often (but not always) jewellery might be signed.
Telling the difference between modern Celtic inspired and Scottish costume jewellery and older ‘real’ antique agate jewellery can be tricky at first. As a general rule, antiques tend to be more delicate and intricate in nature; look for fine etching, flush stone settings and top quality scroll patterns. T-bar pins and long pins are a sign of antique brooches too (see here for my guide to dating antique brooches for more info). Antique Celtic inspired and Scottish jewellery is made from real agates and gemstones.
More modern Scottish costume jewellery dates from circa 1950s to today, and is usually made from glass, enamel or other imitation ‘stones’. The pieces tend to be much chunkier, and often include thistles and Celtic knot work patterns (surprisingly, real Victorian antique Celtic and Scottish jewellery rarely shows thistles or Celtic knot patterns, instead using popular Victorian era scroll patterns of the time instead).
Here are some of my favourite Celtic inspired and Scottish costume jewellery designs: