Lexi Webster
Austrian jewelry has a rich history, with the Austro-Hungarian Empire establishing itself as a hub for high-quality jewelry craftsmanship during the Georgian Period. Vintage Austrian jewelry is often associated with Swarovski, known for its high-quality machine-cut stones. However, the specific manufacturers of many attractive pieces marked Made in Austria remain a mystery, apart from those bearing the crown mark of Schoffel & Co. When it comes to identifying the value of vintage Austrian jewelry, hallmarks and stamps are crucial. These markings indicate the purity and fineness of the precious metals used, such as gold, silver, or platinum. Additionally, vintage Austrian jewelry often features elaborate metalwork combined with shimmering pastes, semi-precious stones, and brightly colored enamels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hallmarking | Indicates the fineness of the precious metal from which the piece was made |
| Provides information about the producer, model number, or inspection points | |
| The higher the stamped numerical value, the greater the percentage of gold, silver, or platinum | |
| In Austria, precious metal items must bear a hallmark of fineness with an indication in parts per thousand | |
| Gold jewelry in Austria is usually made of 14-karat gold | |
| Gold alloys below 585/1000 may not be sold as gold jewelry in Austria | |
| Hallmarks on rings and bangles are usually found on the inside | |
| Hallmarks on pendants or earrings are usually on the back | |
| Hallmarks on gold and silver chains are found on the clasp or last link | |
| Hallmarks on watches are usually found on the back of the case or inside the cover for pocket watches | |
| Vintage Austrian Jewelry | Brooches, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, pins |
| Rhinestones, crystals, semi-precious stones, seed pearls, enamels, gold, silver, platinum | |
| Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Georgian Period, Austro-Hungarian Empire, mid-century | |
| Schoffel & Co. (manufacturer from the 1930s to at least the 1960s) | |
| Christian Dior, Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston, Chanel, Miriam Haskell, David Webb, Georg Jensen, Bulgari, Dorothy Bauer |
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What You'll Learn
- Vintage Austrian jewelry is often stamped with a hallmark
- The stamp indicates the fineness of the precious metal
- Gold jewelry in Austria is usually made of 14-karat gold
- The stamp may also indicate the producer, model number, or inspection points
- Schoffel & Co. is an identifiable Austrian jewelry manufacturer
Vintage Austrian jewelry is often stamped with a hallmark
Vintage Austrian jewellery is often stamped with a hallmark, which can indicate the types of metals used in the piece and the purity of the metal. The higher the stamped numerical value, the greater the percentage of gold, silver or platinum. For example, sterling silver may be stamped with 925, AG925 or STER.
Austria has a Hallmarking Act, which states that precious metal items manufactured or sold in the country must bear a hallmark of fineness with an indication in parts per thousand. This should be clearly visible and easily recognisable. The act applies to items made of gold alloys with a fineness of 585/1000 or higher, platinum with a fineness of 950/1000 or higher, and silver with a fineness of 800/1000 or higher.
Vintage Austrian jewellery is often of "'designer'" quality, and pieces can be found with marks from Schoffel & Co., which was an Austrian jewellery manufacturer in business from 1930 until at least the 1960s. The company used a crown as its mark, which may be accompanied by an "Austria" or "Made in Austria" mark. The crown may be found in inconspicuous places, such as the base of earring clips.
Vintage Austrian jewellery can be found on sites like Etsy and 1stDibs, with pieces dating from the 1930s to the 1960s.
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The stamp indicates the fineness of the precious metal
Jewellery is often stamped with a variety of symbols, numbers, or letters that are used to identify different features of a piece of jewellery. These stamps are commonly referred to as hallmarks and can indicate features such as origin, age, metal type, and the fineness of the precious metal. The stamp indicating the fineness of the precious metal is composed of strings of three numbers without decimals, with specific exceptions depending on the precious metals used. Each precious metal is assigned a specific shape in which a three-digit code is stamped to identify the metal's purity. For example, a 925 stamp on silver jewellery indicates it is sterling silver, which is 92.5% pure silver. Similarly, gold jewellery advertised as 18-karat gold may have a 750 purity code, as "18 karats" means 18 parts (75%) pure gold and six parts (25%) base metals.
Other purity stamps include valuable information such as the metal content, the purity percentage, and the fineness. For instance, a GF stamp means the jewellery piece is gold-filled, whereas an RGP stamp indicates that the piece is coated in gold plate. Jewellery made of stainless steel will usually have a stamp that begins with the letter A. Additionally, a diamond stamp inside a ring means that the ring's design includes a gemstone, which may or may not be a diamond.
Fineness marks are also used to identify the type of precious metal used in jewellery and the purity of the object's special metal content. These marks are commonly seen on jewellery, such as gold rings or silver necklaces. Silver items, for example, feature an oval symbol, with common silver purity codes including 800, 925 (sterling silver), 958 (Britannia silver), and 999 (three-nines fine silver). On bullion bars, such as gold or silver bars, stamps typically feature plain letters like "Silver" or "Fine gold" alongside a fineness mark. On bars, purity codes may feature decimals, such as a bar of fine silver with a purity code of 999.9, indicating 99.99% purity.
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Gold jewelry in Austria is usually made of 14-karat gold
In the 1800s, the Austro-Hungarian Empire became a centre for glass artisans, producing jewellery of the highest craftsmanship. Austrian jewellers combined elaborate filigreed metalwork in silver and gold tones with shimmering experimental pastes (glass stones), semi-precious stones, seed pearls, and brightly coloured enamels in ostentatiously regal pieces.
Gold jewellery in Austria is usually made of 14-karat gold, which corresponds to a gold content of 58.5%. This is because, in Austria, jewellery containing less than 9-karat gold may no longer be sold as gold jewellery according to the hallmarking law. The minimum caratage for an item to be called gold varies by country. In the US, 10 carats is the legal minimum accepted standard, with 14 carats being the most popular. In France, the UK, Austria, Portugal, and Ireland, 9 carats is the lowest permitted caratage. In Denmark and Greece, it is 8 carats.
The karat number provides information about the pure gold content of a piece of jewellery and is, therefore, a decisive criterion when evaluating it. The higher the gold content of a piece, the more money it is worth. The unit of measurement, carat, indicates the gold content of an alloy in 1/24 parts. So, pure gold is 24-carat, with 24/24 parts gold by weight. In contrast, 1-carat gold consists of 1/24 pure gold, which corresponds to only about 4.167%. The specification of a carat number as the fineness is still common for gold jewellery, but the alternative specification of the fineness of the gold alloy in parts per thousand is also often found. A piece with 14/24 parts by weight of pure gold can, therefore, be hallmarked as 14-carat gold as well as 585 (585/1000 parts) gold.
Gold is often mixed with other metals to improve its strength and resilience. Fourteen-karat gold consists of 58% gold and 42% alloyed metals, offering more resistance to wear and tear than either 18-karat or 22-karat gold. It is ideal for everyday use and is the most popular choice for engagement rings and wedding bands.
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The stamp may also indicate the producer, model number, or inspection points
The stamp on a piece of jewellery can indicate more than just the type of metal and its purity. In addition to the fineness stamp, jewellery often also bears hallmarks that provide information about the producer, model number, or inspection points. These can include repunzes, official hallmarks, or control hallmarks.
The hallmark is usually found in inconspicuous places. On bangles and rings, the hallmark is usually found on the inside of the ring. On pendants or earrings, the hallmark is usually on the back, and on chains, the hallmark is found on the clasp or the last link of the chain. On watches, hallmarks are usually found on the back of the case or on the inside of the cover for pocket watches.
Hallmarks are a good indication of the alloy of the piece. The higher the stamped numerical value on the jewellery, the greater the percentage of gold, silver or platinum. For example, a stamp of 925, AG925 or STER indicates sterling silver. In many states, there are legal regulations regarding which hallmarks must be applied to precious metal items. In Austria, the Hallmarking Act states that precious metal items manufactured or sold in the country must bear a hallmark of fineness with an indication in parts per thousand in a clearly visible and easily recognisable manner.
However, it is important to note that not all vintage jewellery is marked, and the stamp on older pieces may not include the maker's name. Additionally, hallmarks are sometimes counterfeited, with cheap jewellery made of gold-plated brass being passed off as high-quality gold jewellery. Therefore, it is recommended to carefully examine each piece and, if necessary, perform a line test to verify the authenticity of the hallmark.
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Schoffel & Co. is an identifiable Austrian jewelry manufacturer
During the Georgian Period, the Austro-Hungarian Empire became a centre for jewellery, known for its high craftsmanship. Austrian jewellers were known for their combination of filigreed metalwork in silver and gold tones with shimmering glass stones, semi-precious stones, seed pearls, and brightly coloured enamels.
Schoffel & Co. is an identifiable Austrian jewellery manufacturer, marked by a symbol shaped like a crown. This mark is sometimes accompanied by an 'Austria' or 'Made in Austria' stamp and may be hidden at the base of earring clips. Schoffel & Co. is known for its colourful brooches, a variety of rhinestone necklaces, and sets with high-style dangle earrings. They also feature remarkable stones such as sapphirine and foiled cabochons, sometimes nicknamed 'cat's eye' stones by collectors. One offshoot of Austrian jewellery with its own following is the fruit brooch, which is affordably priced and makes for a lovely display when grouped together.
Austrian jewellery is often marked with 'Made in Austria' or 'Austria' to indicate the country of manufacture. However, these marks do not signify the manufacturer, as many different jewellers produced pieces in Austria. Vintage Austrian jewellery may also feature hallmarks that indicate the purity of the metal, such as "925", "AG925", or "STER" for sterling silver.
Vintage jewellery produced by notable makers such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston, Chanel, Miriam Haskell, David Webb, and Georg Jensen is often sought after by collectors.
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Frequently asked questions
The stamp indicates that the piece was manufactured in Austria, but it does not reveal the manufacturer. Most jewelry marked "Made in Austria" is of designer quality and features high-quality machine-cut stones.
Some examples of jewelry stamped "Made in Austria" include brooches, earrings, and necklaces. These pieces often feature gold, silver, rhinestones, and enamel.
To determine the value of your "Made in Austria" jewelry, you can look for hallmarks or stamps that indicate the type of metal and the purity. You can then consult trusted online resources or a certified appraiser to research similar pieces and their value. Additionally, the condition of the stones and the overall craftsmanship can contribute to the value of the piece.
