Page 4, Aug. 04, Instyle Magazine, "Jewelry with a Past"

Page 4, Aug. 04, Instyle Magazine, "Jewelry with a Past"

what to collect next
Flowered brooches are this season's must-have embellishments. Here's what else experts predict will be popular in the near future:
* Eighties power jewelry. Look for pieces that scream status, excess and glamour. A designer name (Chanel, YSL, Givenchy) ups the ante. "They're the most iden­tifiable with the period and give the most bang for the buck," says Decades' Cameron Silver.
* Jumbo sizes. "Scale is going to go very big," says New York City dealer Ellen Carey.”Look for earrings, long pendants, chunky cuffs from the 1930S and 1950s-either wood or metal snake shapes-and enormous cocktail rings from the 1940s."
* Mexican and Native American silver jewelry. These belts and cuff bracelets are the perfect combination of ethnic and oversize and were the highlight of the Ralph Lauren fall 2004 show. "It's highly collectible right now," says LA. Dealer Connie Parente. "Look for pieces from the thirties up to the sixties."

Top: 1980s crystal-and-faux-pearl necklace, Chanel, $1,850; Left: 1980s crystal earrings, Yves Saint Laurent, $650;

what's old is actually new

Avid collectors live for the thrill of the hunt for the perfect vintage piece. But if you're more interested in just getting the look, take an easier route. Some of the biggest names from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, including Chanel, Miriam Haskell and Kenneth Jay Lane, continue to produce pieces in their signature styles (in fact, many of them are reproductions of old designs). But remember that the new pieces are fashion items, not in­vestments. "If you want your jewelry to keep its value, the originals are a much better bet," says Judith Miller, author of Costume Jewelry: The Complete Visual Reference and Price Guide. In terms of quality, she says, "Older jewelry, ,especially the Miriam Has­kell pieces, are phenomenally well made."

Left: Crystal drop earrings ($190) and necklace of glass pearls and Austrian crystal ($150), Miriam Haskell;. Right: Faux-coral ring ($63), faux-jade, -coral,-turquoise and -pearl necklace ($250) and faux-turquoise earrings with rhine­stones ($80), Kenneth Jay Lane;