May dragonfly brooches

Jewels and Finery has added more dragonfly brooches to our dragonfly jewellery collection. These little guys appear in early summer of the month of June, flitting around the UK ponds and rivers. Here are just some of the brooch versions to attach to clothing or bags. Get summery....

This jazzy dragonfly brooch pin has glitter enamel that is covered with a clear enamel to preserve the colour. Wear this little fellow on a jacket, sleeve or hat.

This pretty white faux pearl dragonfly brooch will be added shortly. But remember we usually have just one available as we sell mostly true vintage or pre owned jewellery.

This sparkling dragonfly brooch is available in a few different colours. All with a sparkle that only comes with Swarovski crystal diamante.

Now we do have butterfly brooches and all sort of bug jewellery.

Celtic Penannular Brooches

A very popular design in Celtic jewellery is the penannular brooch. One original brooch was found in Ireland and was said to be from the Medieval period in history (6 - 7 AD). It seems that they were poplar in England, Scotland and Ireland during this period. But this shape brooch has been found in the Iron Age, Viking and Roman periods.

Originally the pin could move freely around the ring and was used to fasten cloaks and other loose woven cloth garments.  Unisex brooch that was favored by men on the shoulders to fasten cloaks and by women who wore this just below their neckline and in between their bosom. The pin part is worn facing upwards.

 

Today the penannular brooch is reproduced in one piece and represents the original brooch pin.  Made by many companies with the Mizpah signed ones most found for vintage designer jewellery. Who's designs are now owned by the company Miracle

Great Celtic piece of reproduction jewellery to wear on a coat lapel or a hat. 

Green Gemstone Chip Jewellery

Time to write a jewellery blog has been too little just lately, but this beautiful May Sunday morning is the exception. So today lets look at the vintage jewellery craze from the 1970s - green vintage gemstone chip jewellery, chip brooches, earrings, necklaces and bracelets were definitely in. The idea was that the green gemstone chips were fashionable Jade. But with the price of Jade, in many cases a lower costing gemstone was used in costume jewellery or even sometimes green plastic chips.

 Chrysoprase green chip vintage brooch

Jade was one of the favourite amulet gemstones used over the centuries. It is said to have the properties of stabilizing your aura and so getting rid of dysfunctional energy and promoting relaxation, compassion and contentment.

How do you tell what gemstone was used - with difficulty, we use a gemstone tester to verify what the gem is.
Mostly the gemstone Chrysoprase was used as a Jade substitute but also Aventurine.

 Green gemstone chip vintage bracelet.

Chrysoprase is an apple green semi precious gemstone, often seen with brown earthy coloured chips with it. Now very fashionable in its own right, it is said to have the properties to bring about good luck and success. It is also an earth gemstone that conveys the harmonious energy of nature.

Aventurine can be identified by its sparkly appearance with a green ocean colour. This stone is said to calm the emotions and stabilize them. It is also said to promote spiritual growth and increase your tranquillity.

 Multi gemstone chip locket vintage necklace

So with so many green gemstone chip pieces from the 70s still around and priced reasonably. They are great to collect and have a benefit when worn.