As a person in my twenties, I have encountered a lot of people (both male and female), who do not like antiques (which they often condescendingly refer to as “old junk”). Although I have tried to take the time to understand why they feel this way, I simply can’t understand why they don’t see the value (both aesthetic and monetary) in antiques. The best assumption I can make is that they are simply misinformed, and they use the term “antiques” as a blanket statement to describe anything that is old. If this is the case, I can see why they wouldn’t be impressed by “antiques,” because there’s no denying that there are a lot of old things that are in terrible shape and very unattractive.

However, there is a big difference between antiques and run of the mill old stuff. A great example of this is antique jewelry. From brooches to necklaces, some of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry that I have ever seen in my life are antiques. Because they were made in the days before mass production, their handmade nature reflects a level of craftsmanship and refinement that is hard to replicate in today’s modern jewelry production environment.