The Modern Guide to Vintage Jewellery

The Modern Guide to Vintage Jewellery takes the reader on a tour from the 1930s through to the early 1980s, showing how to identify gemstones, materials, styles and much more.

The Modern Guide to Vintage Jewellery takes the reader on a tour of the finest jewelry from the Art Deco glamor of the 1930s through the Retro pre-war and war years, the cocktail suburban lifestyle of the ’50s, the rebellious ’60s, the glitter and glamor of the ’70s disco era and, finally, to new ’career-woman’ style of the ’80s. Through each period, jewelry historian and collector Beth Bernstein shows how to identify the most popular gemstones, materials, styles and collectible pieces on the market today, as well as divulging invaluable information from dealers and experts.

The book also features stars from Hollywood’s Golden Era and beyond, and the renowned jewelers who designed for them and became legends in their own right. Whether you are a novice or consummate collector, a starter vintage dealer, shop owner, burgeoning historian or student, this book is a must-read for all enthusiasts of vintage jewelry.

Beth Bernstein has over 20 years of experience in all facets of the jewelry industry. A jewelry historian, author and journalist, her books include If These Jewels Could Talk (ACC Art Books, 2015), Jewelry’s Shining Stars (Fine Points Publishing, 2013), My Charmed Life (Penguin, 2012), and Jewelry’s Shining Stars: The Next Generation (ACC Art Books, 2014). Bernstein has contributed to many magazines, journals and publications including The Plunge.com, Accent, Forum, Departures, Newsday and The Huffington Post, and was senior editor for two national jewelry magazines. She launched her own online jewelry magazine in 2017, Bejeweledmag.com. Bernstein lectures at, runs and participates in seminars at various jewelry fairs and educational events.