It Was In Everyone's Jewelry Box In The '30s — Now It's A Valuable Thrift Store Find

Securing a valuable find while thrifting is a rush like no other. While some items can easily be identified as something rare or high-quality through its label or feel of the material, others require insider knowledge and a keen eye to discover. Take the imperial jade white gold brooch pin, for example. As one of the most valuable vintage finds, the Art Deco brooch is a coveted item by collectors and thrifting enthusiasts alike.

According to Antiques Know How, there are a few ways to identify whether a pin is a real imperial jade white gold brooch. Dated between the 1890s and 1930s, these rare pins feature two untreated green jadeite stones between white gold bands. Authentic brooches are hand-chased (which means their carved designs have been punched by hand rather than by a mass-production machine), have their joint seams visible on the back, and close with a C-clasp single pin back — one of the most popular brooch closures of the time period. Because of their age and overall rarity, a real imperial jade white gold brooch can be worth up to $82,000. While brooches have gotten a modern makeover as they've re-emerged as a jewelry trend, quality pieces have a timeless finish that we adore. Even if you can't find (or afford) an authentic imperial jade white gold brooch, use the aforementioned tips while thrift shopping to ensure that any vintage pin you find is actually from the time period. 

In addition to the gorgeous, yet now rare, Art Deco imperial jade white gold brooch, there are many valuable pieces of vintage jewelry that you should keep an eye out for during your next thrifting adventure. Minimalist pieces are one of the jewelry trends that are firmly outdated in 2026, so it's only fitting that you explore vintage maximalism. Brands like Bvlgari created bold statement pieces for celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, who walked red carpets in the 1950s and '60s donning flashy brooches, diamond-encrusted necklaces, and bold teardrop earrings. Vintage jewelry from Bvlgari is considered some of the most valuable you can find. 

However, if you're looking for something even more retro, look no further than respective designers Joseff of Hollywood and Hattie Carnegie. Both of these brands created pieces for some of the biggest starlets of cinema's early to late Golden Age; Joseff of Hollywood designed jewelry worn by Vivien Leigh and Marilyn Monroe, while Hattie Carnegie's pieces were worn by Joan Crawford and Tallulah Bankhead. Joseff's designs are dynamic, with gold metal twisted into distant and unique shapes. On the other hand, Hattie Carnegie's pieces featured abstract designs depicting animals, swirls, florals, and even fruit (though some of her earliest pieces were simple brooches made of gold vermeil). The common thread through all of 2026's biggest jewelry trends is rule breaking, something vintage jewelry designers did quite often. If you're looking to add some retro intrigue to your jewelry box, keep these brands in mind during your next antiquing crawl.