Vintage Buttons

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August 13th, 2008 admin Leave a comment Go to comments

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Vintage Jewel button? what could the gemstone be?

my aunt has a bunch of vintage buttons and there's this one that caught my eye. It's either a gold or brass button, i think it's brass. There's a gemstone set into it that is multi-faceted and when you look at it directly it's a light green color with a pink center but as you turn it it turns from green to pink to purple to blue. I've never seen anything like it. I don't have a picture, will take one tomorrow, but does anyone have any idea what the stone may be? the metal it's set in wraps up around the gem stone like petals on a closed flower. I'm trying to figure out how much it may cost.
no its not an opal. Opal's are usually a cloudy white-ish tint and this is crystal clear like a diamond but multicolored.

How old is vintage,60's,70's? Manufacturing of a button I would think it is some form of resin or plastic. I would not think it would be cut glass which like a crystal would give off the colours you describe. There have been reproductions of semi precious and precious stones, some very "realistic" but I do not think a real stone would be set into a button.

Once you are keen to find out answers to a question you start to see similar things to what you want to find. Browse a collectors market and ask about things. Maybe take one of the buttons along with you.
Sometimes auction houses sell collections of postcards,cigarette cards,buttons,badges etc... they are normally good about giving valuations and identifying pieces, where made, style, how old etc. You could ask but before you do so check out information on the net. You will make some great discoveries about how manufacturers made materials suitable for garments that could be washed regularly without harm. Imagine putting real items through the wash and how damage could occur so easily. Good luck with finding out!