When looking at a jewelry website or speaking to a jeweler it is common to see or hear terms such as ‘retro’, ‘antique’ and ‘classic’ used when describing items. To the beginner this can be confusing, and questions arise such as ‘What do these terms actually mean?’ and ‘Do these terms all mean the same thing?’

Here we provide a basic guide to jewelry terms such as these.

Antique

Antique is actually the only term that is defined by US law. With regards to jewelry it refers to any item that was created over 100 years ago. The term refers solely to age (Antique is Latin for the word ‘ancient’), and it would be mistaken to believe that anything of this age is necessarily valuable.

Beware: Antique is a term that is often misused in the jewelry industry, and it is common to see descriptions such as ‘antique-style’, which are non-descriptive and can give the impression that a piece is older than it actually is.

Classic

Classic can be another confusing term, as it relates mainly to the quality of an item rather than its age. Essentially, to be accurately described as ‘classic’, a piece of jewelry needs to exhibit all of the best qualities of a certain style.

In theory a classic item can be of any age, but in practice a style or artist would need to have developed a reputation over the years in order for a piece to be tagged a classic. You may also, for instance, see the tag used to describe a traditional item, such as a ‘classic diamond ring’.

Vintage

Vintage is a term more associated with the wine making industry, but is also regularly used in jewelry descriptions. Contrary to popular belief a vintage item does not necessarily have to be old, it simply has to be a high-quality example of a piece of its time. The last three words are of particular importance here as the item can be of any age; it is possible to have a vintage 1950’s necklace or a vintage 1920’s brooch for example.

Again, do not be confused by terms such as ‘vintage-style’, as this simply means the item has been created in the style of the timeframe in question, and is not necessarily from that era.

Retro

Retro is more of a slang term, and is used to describe a piece that is reminiscent of or associated with a previous era - usually in the recent past (i.e. the last 50 years approx.) Like antique, retro refers solely to age rather than quality.

The term is most descriptive when accompanied by a time period - such as a ‘retro 1980’s studded pearl earring’.

Period

There are several definitions of the term ‘period’, but in the jewelry world it generally refers to an item that is from a specific block of history, such as the Renaissance or the American Civil War. The term is mainly used by collectors who purchase items from that particular part of history, and ‘antique’, ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’ are more descriptive terms for the general public.

Simple Definitions

If you are (understandably) still confused, you can use these simple definitions:

• Antique: Over 100 years old, but not necessarily valuable.
• Classic: A fine example of an item of its type, though not necessarily old.
• Vintage: A high quality example of its time. Can be of any age.
• Retro: Associated with a particular time period. Does not reflect on the quality of the item.
• Period: From the time of a particular historical event.