Find an activity that you enjoy. Your colleague may insist yoga is best for relaxation but if you find it more stressful than relaxing to hold those poses, forget it. Think of concept of play or what best suits your personality. For me rollerblading on beach is most fun activity I can think of – I finish relaxed and with a big smile on my face. If you find running a 10K relaxing or T’ai Chi is your thing, great. The more enjoyable exercise, more effective. But whatever you do, just do it!

RESEARCH Head for your local library or heat up an Internet search engine! I can spend hours in my local library poring over books and books and more books. There are plenty of good jewelry reference books. Stop by your library or bookstore and check them out before buying. No sense in buying a book you will hardly use! If you choose library, bring your jewelry with you. You can also make copies of any pages you wish to take or check out book and bring it home. As with other research, libraries are extremely helpful. Searching on Internet is also a quick and easy way to get fast information. Some search terms to try are:

maker's mark vintage jewelry name of maker's mark you found on your piece decade i.e. "1930's jewelry" antique jewelry collectible costume jewelry

This will give you hours of research and hundreds of pages to sort. Look at anything relevant, look for similar pieces or styles. Visit online vintage jewelry shops. Look for forums where you may be able to post a picture and ask for identification help.

If you love to research like I do, this is right up your alley! It can take hours, days sometimes weeks to find out about a certain piece. As you go, you will gain more knowledge about old jewelry and hopefully you will be as enchanted as many other collectors and dealers. It's a fascinating world of "junky jewelry"!

We are always here to help you with your pieces, so feel free to send us an email if you have questions.

Junky Jewelry buys, sells and offers consignment options for vintage, antique and collectible costume jewelry. All their licenses are current in the state of FL. Receive Junky Jewelry updates and articles in their free newsletter by visiting www.junkyjewelry.com.