Arriving With Something: Gifts for the Host, From Candles to Crystal
Gifts to take to a dinner or a weekend away: candles from Trudon and Aerin, glassware from Cabana, Lalique and Baccarat, Creed fragrance, and small leather and silver pieces.
Fashion /
Jewellery With a Past: How to Buy Pre-owned and Vintage Pieces Well
Pre-owned and vintage jewellery from Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Monet, Van Cleef & Arpels and William May, with what to check before you buy: hallmarks, carat marks, condition and fit.
By Taiwo AdedayoEvery piece here has been chosen by our editors. We may earn a commission on some products.
Every piece in this story has had an owner before, and most carry a decade in their name: 1970s Monet, 1980s Givenchy and Saint Laurent, 2010s Van Cleef & Arpels. They run from £155 to £6,515, and all are in stock now.
The 1980s 
Givenchy and Saint Laurent gold
Givenchy’s chain-link earrings date from around 1980: gold-plated clip-ons, graded in excellent condition. £495. The matching chain-link bracelet, with a T-bar fastening, is £425.
Saint Laurent’s 1980s clip-on earrings set a rectangular glass stone in gold-tone metal, also in excellent condition. £695.
Costume jewellery 
Monet and Lacroix
Monet’s 1970s tassel necklace is silver-plated, with a filigree openwork pendant, £425. Its 1970s clip-on earrings are triple gold-plated with a woven texture, £155.
Christian Lacroix’s 1980s cross brooch has a hammered finish and a bar-pin fastening. £205.
Solid gold
Rings and a heavy curb
William May’s pre-owned men’s bracelet is solid 9ct yellow gold with 9mm curb links, 9.5 inches long. £2,995.
Saint Laurent’s logo-engraved ring is 18kt yellow gold with a bezel setting, £1,900. Louis Vuitton’s Star Blossom ring claw-sets round-cut diamonds on a slim 18K yellow gold band, £2,648. Both are graded excellent.
The fine jewellery houses 
Van Cleef & Arpels
The Frivole bracelet is 18K rose gold with a prong-set ruby, listed with its serial number, £2,716. The Vintage Alhambra necklace pairs 18K rose gold with mother-of-pearl, £6,515.
The 1980s hinged cufflinks combine yellow and white gold. £2,529.
What to check before you buy
Marks. In the UK, gold over one gram must carry a hallmark; the fineness number tells you the carat: 375 is 9ct, 585 is 14ct and 750 is 18ct. Plating. Gold-plated and gold-tone pieces are costume jewellery, lovely to wear, but plating can wear with use. Condition. Read the grade and look closely at the photographs. Fit. Many vintage earrings are clip-ons, and a jeweller can resize most plain rings, though patterned bands are harder.
Watch: collecting antique jewellery
Every piece in this story
See everything in Pre-owned Jewellery.
Shop the Edit
Pre-owned Jewellery
Shop now →
The Journal
Keep Reading
Floor-length for the Season: Evening Gowns for Galas, Awards and Black Tie
Long evening gowns for the gala and black-tie season, from Costarellos, Jenny Packham, Elie Saab and Valentino, grouped by colour, with the clutch and sandals to finish.
Shoes for the Christmas Party: Velvet, Satin, Crystal and Metallic
Christmas party shoes in the four materials that suit December: velvet, satin, crystal and metallic leather, in heels from Manolo Blahnik, Aquazzura and Alaïa and flats from The Row, Valentino and Jimmy Choo.
