How can I tell if my jewelry is vintage?

Vintage or antique jewelry is generally discerned by its style and/or manufacturing process.  Some styles, like Art Deco or Art Nouveau, are more apparent, though pieces of jewelry in these styles may be reproductions.  In this situation, the mode of manufacturing and the style of the faceting of any diamonds are helpful in dating the piece.  Some styles from the 1970s, like rings and bracelets with a heavy yellow gold nugget design, are relatively easy to date.  Classic styles from the 1940s and 1950s can be harder to determine.  The appraisers at AIGR understand the processes of manufacturing jewelry and faceting gemstones, so they can often give an approximate date for when a piece of jewelry was made.