You don't have to be Queen Elizabeth to wear and love broaches.
I remember my grandmother always having a brooch on her coat, dress, sweater, or jacket, not only when she left the house, but around the house! She also wore false eye lashes into her 90’s, and I never saw her without lipstick, so maybe that’s where I got my fashion gene. She was also known for wearing high heels at the beach when she was young so I don’t think there is any doubt she was a true fashionista.
It seems people will start their jewelry collections with rings, then bracelets, and necklaces. People tend to venture into brooches later in life, if at all. When you see someone wearing an owl brooch with an Emerald, you can bet that their jewelry box is full of lots of pieces. Once you have everything, an owl doesn’t seem odd.
Vintage Chanel brooches have gone up in value 7 fold in some cases. What was $200.00 is now several thousand depending on the piece. Some with matching earrings like shown above.
Van Cleef & Arpel brooches are also highly desired for both new and resale. At resale, often a ‘bargain’ can be had, but you don’t get the experience of going into the store and carrying out the famous Silver bag.
Brooches can range from $50.00 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Macy’s has gold tone brooches perfectly suitable for mothers day or gift for teacher. At the other end of the scale are designer brooches from David Webb, Gucci, Tiffany & Company, Cartier, and alike. It all depends on budget.
Brooches are also being used in the hair, pinned to a strand of pearls, or worked into the design of a gown. There are people who exclusively collect brooches so if you have a brooch or brooch collection, make sure you seek the assistance from a professional before selling. You could have a designer piece from yesteryear and not realize it’s worth.