If you are passionate about antique jewelry and you are thinking of starting a collection of your own, then you are probably wondering where and how to approach it. While watching specialized TV shows and reading magazines is useful, keep in mind that this is just the beginning. The best approach here is to educate yourself on collecting and appraising antique jewelry and seek out relevant sources of information that can to help you become a savvy collector.

The number one rule of collecting vintage and antique jewelry is to avoid getting overexcited about a piece and believe you are holding the rarest jewel in the known universe. While collecting jewelry is a wonderful experience, you can also make a profit out of it by learning about the important features. Still, before you can quit your day job and become a professional antique jewelry collector, you first need to learn the basics. Following is a list of tips and tricks to help you get started.

• Know where to look for them

Surprising as it may sound, the best places to find antique jewelry at bargain prices are the flea markets, real estate auctions and even some thrift stores. Moreover, you have plenty of websites specializing in buying and selling antique jewels that are also worth checking out. In case money is not a problem, then you should start looking for pieces to add to your collection at specialty vintage clothing stores in your area.

• Learn everything you can about markers

The easier you can find a jewel, the less precious it will be and the less value it will add to your collection. This is why you should educate yourself on how the vintage jewelry is stamped and learn all the rare jewelers’ names. Even though this is not a simple task, discovering that you just purchased a jewel carrying the mark of renowned jewelers like Sarah Coventry, Christian Dior or Ann-Vien will substantially increase the value of your collection.

• Is that patina or tarnish?

In the eventuality that you want to acquire silver jewelry for your collection, then you need to understand the difference between patina and tarnish. Tarnishing is the result of sunlight and air exposure, whereas patina refers to the soft layer of wear some pieces of silver jewelry get over time. The difference between the two is that some worn jewelry becomes incredibly attractive after a while and, because it gives the piece personality, it is highly sought after by collectors.

• Making your collection unique

If you are interested in increasing the value of your collection even further, then the best approach is to select an era and do your research on the jewelry crafted during that period. Research in this case refers to identifying the top designers of the time, the most common materials used as well as the variety of pieces available from that period. Armed with this information you can be sure that you will spot the right pieces to add to your collection. In addition, knowing how to identify valuable jewelry is also going to help you avoid swindlers.