Buying pre-loved jewellery is a guilt-free way to accessorise. There tends to be a lack of transparency around mining practices, from unsanitary working conditions to illegal mines and low wages. Therefore, for those wanting to reduce their impact on the planet, reusing gemstones that have already been extracted reduces the demand for newly mines metals. Not to mention, there is something very special about jewellery pieces being passed through many hands over hundreds of years.
Lillicoco is an independent antique and vintage jewellery brand set up by Stacey Lillico and her partner Simon. Coming from working in the jewellery industry on the high street, Stacey wanted to increase the amount of second-hand items available online. Investing in jewellery pieces that last is important to Lillicoco, and Stacey’s dedication leads her up and down the country to antique markets on the weekends.
We had the joy of interviewing Stacey for a discussion about antique and vintage jewellery.
What does vintage or antique jewellery mean?
“There is a bit of a discussion around vintage, because I think it means different things to different people. For me, vintage means something that is at least twenty years old and I think that is the definition on Etsy as well. For something to be antique, it has to be one hundred years old or more. If it isn’t one hundred years old, it’s just not antique”.
Are there certain types or antique jewellery that are hot right now?
“What’s hot right now? I would say that some things are just classics, that people will always love. Anything that has a heart shape, obviously it’s super romantic, it’s great for a gift. Lockets are wonderful and they’re kind of timeless because people put wedding photos in. What else is hot? Art deco jewellery, as antique jewellery has to be one hundred years old, anything from 1921 is now considered to be antique”.
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