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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;KSW, post: 3038429, member: 8708&quot;]I buy any cheap jewellery vintage or antique that looks interesting or that I don’t recognise or understand even if it’s broken or pretty much worthless.</p><p>I take them home and research what I can find out for myself and use my basic testing skills to ascertain materials.</p><p>I then stretch the patience of all the lovely people on here by posting pictures of all my waifs and strays.</p><p>Everyone has been incredibly tolerant explaining what I’ve got and send me on new paths to research. One thing I have learned is that it’s not just about the item itself and what it’s made of but why it was made, who for, where and when. I’ve learned more about other cultures, history and geography that I ever learned in school although there are still some howling gaps to fill!.</p><p>I’ve been lucky enough to find some lovely bits and pieces and been very surprised by some I thought were humdrum (like the Austro-Hungarian cross I was going to rob a pearl out of <img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/rolleyes.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":rolleyes:" unselectable="on" />, don’t worry I was halted in time by the assembled wise ones).</p><p>I have looked back on some of my posts and thought - ‘that was such a daft question, how did I not know that’ but I didn’t know ANYTHING so it has been a steep learning curve.</p><p>I find it very useful having a basic knowledge of materials, prolific manufacturers /designers and which findings were used in which era such as clasps etc. I test myself and I’m getting more accurate although occasionally my guesses need rounding up to the nearest century <img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/cool.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":cool:" unselectable="on" />.</p><p>My only issue is that I am now becoming more discerning which usually means more expensive. I buy reasonably priced lots that have&nbsp; interesting looking bits in them and snap up car boot bargains. It’s great to find something that has value but I don’t particularly like so I have no regrets selling it to fund my hobby. Once an item has released its secrets to me I move it on unless I love it!. Hence I have far far too many glass beads.</p><p>Even my OH is coming to appreciate what I do as he is starting to take an interest.</p><p>Sorry that turned into a mega ramble.....[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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