10 Vintage Jewelry Pieces I Hope to Find This Year
One of the best parts of sourcing vintage and estate jewelry is that you never really know what you’ll find.
You can have a wish list, of course. I always do. And I also have my eye peeled for a specific this or that that I know will resonate with my TIC Muses (is that a good name for you? You tell me!)
But then some piece appears that I never could have imagined - tucked into the bottom of a tarnished silver dish or tray, misdescribed in an auction listing, or sitting in the back of a dingy case waiting for the right person to recognize her.
Still, I do have my dreams.
Here are the ten pieces I would love to find this year for The Inheritance Collective. They’re aspirational, yes, but not impossible. These are the kinds of treasures that still surface if you know what to look for, if you’re patient, and if the jewelry gods decide to flirt back a little on a Saturday morning.
1. A Victorian snake ring
A good snake ring is always on my list. I’m not looking for something costume-y or overly polished. I want one with soul. A coiled gold serpent, maybe with ruby or garnet eyes, maybe a little worn from being loved for over a century.
Snake jewelry has always carried such powerful symbolism: rebirth, protection, transformation, eternity. To me, the right snake ring feels less like an accessory and more like a talisman.
2. An antique locket with real engraving
I want a locket that feels really personal and intimate. Initials. A date maybe. A tiny inscription. A love note. Something that suggests a whole life behind it.
Lockets are one of the most romantic categories of antique jewelry because they were made to hold what mattered: a photograph, a lock of hair, a secret, a devotion. I love when they still feel personal, even if the original story has been lost. Trust me - I can dream up a romance all on my own!
3. A chunky gold charm bracelet
A charm bracelet is one of the best forms of wearable autobiography. I would love to find a solid gold one that already has a full life on it - travel charms, lucky symbols, maybe a tiny heart, a house, a fish, a coin, something strange and specific.
The best charm bracelets are not perfectly coordinated. They are accumulated. They say: I went places. I loved things. I remembered my life through gorgeous tiny objects.
4. A turquoise cocktail ring
I am always looking for turquoise, but I especially want a bold vintage turquoise ring this year. Not dainty. Not shy. Something with presence.
Turquoise has that incredible ability to feel earthy and glamorous at the same time. It can lean Southwestern, bohemian, 1970s, or old-world depending on the setting. The dream is a substantial gold ring with a beautiful natural stone and a setting that feels confident without trying too hard.
Technically I have one already - it’s the Temple Sky Ring and it was the first piece I ever bought specifically for TIC. So many people have tried her on and gasped at how beautiful she is - and maybe a little at the price tag, too - but she is really something very, very special. So, if I have one, why am I still looking for another? Because a part of me knows that ring isn’t meant for me. It’s meant for the person who just can’t tear themselves away from it - and I know that’s not me so it deserves better, if that makes sense. Plus when I acquired it (again - the first piece ever with the intention of selling it) i wanted it to belong to someone who would treasure it and really embody the spirit of TIC. Someone who really knew what it means to wear her legacy and to live a big life out loud without asking for permission.
5. A starburst brooch
I know brooches are still overlooked by a lot of people, which is exactly why I love them. A starburst brooch in gold, pearls, diamonds, or colored semi-precious stones would be such a find.
There is something so cinematic about a starburst. It belongs on a coat lapel, a velvet blazer, a silk scarf, or pinned unexpectedly at the waist of a dress. I love jewelry that lets a woman style herself like she has somewhere important to be, even if she’s just going to dinner. Every day is the right day to get “dressed” and your life is worth celebrating!
6. An Art Deco dinner ring
An Art Deco dinner ring is always worth hunting for. I’d love to find one in white gold or platinum with filigree, geometric details, and either diamonds or a deep colored stone at the center.
This is the kind of ring that instantly changes your posture. It has architecture. It has glamour. It has that very specific 1920s/1930s confidence that says, “Yes, I dressed for the table.” Gosh, I swoon at art deco rings. Pure magic.
7. A vintage signet ring
I would love to find a beautiful signet this year, especially one with initials, a crest, or an unusual shape. Oval, shield, cushion - I’m open. I just want it to feel substantial.
Signets are interesting because they sit somewhere between identity and mystery. They were historically about family, status, and belonging, but now they can be reclaimed in such a personal way. You don’t need the original lineage to wear one. You can decide what legacy you’re carrying. Plus, they feel right on a variety of people - they show a bit of drama without feeling so over the top - which is important for some people (like my wife, for example) - I, however, don’t know anything about that. 
8. A pearl piece that doesn’t feel polite
I love pearls, especially really, really long strands, but I am especially drawn to pearls that have a little je ne sais quoi (lol I really wanted to say that). A pearl ring with a bold setting - ooh la la! A baroque pearl pendant - oh, my! A necklace that feels less “ladies who lunch” and more “woman with secrets.” Yes, please!
The right vintage pearl piece has softness, but it also has nerve. That’s my favorite combination. (Sound familiar?)
9. A bracelet with serious weight
There is nothing like finding a vintage gold bracelet that feels good the second it hits your wrist. I’m hoping for one with real substance this year - maybe a link bracelet, a woven bracelet, a cuff, or something with sculptural lines.
Bracelets are tricky because the great ones are often kept, not sold. But when you do find one, it feels like discovering treasure in the most literal sense. I am bidding on one in an auction right now and I am checking my phone on the hour to see if anyone has surpassed my bid. I freaking love this bracelet - so calling all the Jewelry Gods to be on my side for this one.
10. A piece I cannot predict
But at the end, I want a piece I don’t know anything about yet and that’s the most important thing on my list.
Every year, I hope to find at least one piece I never would have known to ask for. A new designer or brand - or at least new to me. Something strange. Something beautiful. Something that makes no sense until I see it, and then suddenly I can’t stop thinking about it.
That is the real magic of vintage jewelry. The best finds are not always the rarest or the most expensive. Sometimes they are the pieces that seem to call out from across the room and suddenly all the hair on your arms is standing at attention.
And that is what I am really hoping to find this year: jewelry with a pulse. Pieces with story, weight, beauty, and a little bit of mystery.
Because that is what The Inheritance Collective is built on. It’s not just about pretty things. It’s the evidence of a life well lived that I’m after.
Won’t you join me?