Antique & Treasure Hunting in Southern California

A fun portion of my trip to California was spent antiquing.  We went to two areas–Solana Beach and Ocean Beach, both near San Diego, both totally different. Solana Beach was sort of in an upscale area, while Ocean Beach was right on the ocean and had more of a surfer-dude vibe. It is interesting to compare the two after spending a day antiquing in each. I thought I would be able to find more jewelry in Solana Beach than Ocean Beach–but I was wrong!

Solana Beach has its own “Design District” full of amazing shops and boutiques.  In Solana, we focused mainly on one large antique place since time was limited. It is called the Antique Warehouse, known to have over 101 vendors inside. The amount of items was overwhelming, but in a good way. They have about ten large glass cases full of fine, antique jewelry. At the time, nothing jumped out at me and items that I did sort of like were priced higher than I was willing to spend. I always make sure not to buy for the sake of buying when it comes to jewelry–I have to REALLY like something before I purchase. That is the biggest tip I have when it comes to antiquing.

After looking for a whole solid hour, I went back to this velvet jewelry box from the ’70s that I thought was so amazing. I like the color and especially the golden puma on top. I loved that the bottom had “Made in Italy” in gold written, which sealed the deal for me. My grandparents would be proud.

Antique Warehouse
212 South Cedros Avenue
Solana Beach, CA 92075

The final antique trip was made to Ocean Beach a few hours before my plane was set to leave. At this point I had not purchased any jewelry yet! Newport Avenue is full of antique shops and neat places to grab a bite to eat. We started with several shops, and left disappointed at each one. My departure was quickly approaching, but we were told that Empire Enterprises had “a lot” of estate and antique jewelry.

And wow, did we hit the motherload! I was in heaven and it was nice to find out that this place had been owned for over 30 years by the same people who enjoy buying and selling items people don’t want anymore. The neatest thing was something I spotted and had to ask about. It was a large treasure chest full of rings–just piles of them, about 200 I’m guessing. If a customer would like, they can go to town looking through the entire treasure chest and “treasure hunt” themselves. Each item in the chest was priced incredibly well. It took me about 15 minutes to go through all 200 rings, but I came out with three that I love.

[10k white gold onyx ring
14k yellow gold, filigree rhodolite garnet solitaire ring
18k yellow gold curved diamond band]

Empire Enterprises Antiques
4926 Newport Avenue
San Diego, CA 92107

My Jewel Box: My very own Serpent

I was running a few last minute errands before heading to California last week.  Stopped by Walton’s Antique & Estate Jewelry to get a few rings cleaned, trying hard not to look at the jewelry in the glass cases.  I had a plan to keep my eyes above the glass, but failed miserably.  Not only did I peek, but I also accidently saw a sign that advertised a small section to be 40% off.  And I had to open my mouth and state–”Wow, you guys never have sales?!”  Which was only then affirmed and made things that much more appealing.  Not sure what happened next, however I found myself driving home with this little guy around my neck!  Aye, forbidden fruit and temptation have won yet again!

[top photo: Victorian 14k yellow gold serpent pendant
converted from a stick pin, nestled on top
chunk of amethyst and herkimer diamond]

[bottom photo: special thanks to my dad
for letting me use his vintage Planet of the Apes
doll as a model]

Walton’s Antique & Estate Jewelry  ♦ 410 Main St. Franklin, TN  ♦ (615) 790-0244

“I could spend my whole life Goodwill hunting…”

Ok, so I know this has nothing to do with jewelry but treasure hunting is my favorite thing to do.  And although I usually only look for jewelry when I “treasure hunt, ” I spotted an amazing brass urn.  I am slightly obsessed with things that feature lion heads and this was brass–exactly what decorates my bedroom.  This item was found on my first ever trip to a local Goodwill.  As luck would have it, everything was half off!  Score!  A $3 find is always the best…take a look at this DIY.

Most people probably would take one look at this and walk away because of the incredible tarnish it was covered in.  I saw it, loved it, and immediately declared it as my little project.  Here is how I cleaned it up:

1. Take an old wash cloth and cut it in half. One half will be used with the cleaning solution, the other will stay dry and act as a buffer.

2. Buy some brass polish at a local store–I bought mine from Bed Bath & Beyond.

3. Scrub the tarnished brass using the one half of the cloth dedicated to cleaning only, using dime-sized amounts at a time. Then buff using the dry cloth. Repeat this as many times until you see a shiny, bright surface underneath. Be patient!

* I left a few spots, especially around the lion’s face, with some tarnish remnants–it is somewhat impossible to get all the tarnish off 100%. I think it gives the decor some character anyway.

Becoming a Southern Belle

Free days from work are few and far between, and I have taken advantage of those that seem to suddenly come up by antiquing and treasure hunting.  Can’t forget about a favorite that has become easier, at least for me, to scoop up a deal: eBay!  I’ve been spending nights lately looking for steals in the Fine subcategory of Antique and Vintage Jewelry.  

I came across this ring sold by seller name: jgoldilox and was so surprised that I was the final bidder at the last moment (I always lose!)  What is interesting about  a few of her rings is that they actually used to be antique stick pins.  The seller has turned them into rings by carefully bending the stick portion into a ring.  So clever!  I am wearing the ring on my middle finger in the photo below. Be sure to check out her jewelry she sells, she is great!

As far as antiquing, I’ve narrowed down the top places to find the best antique jewelry in the Nashville area.  Yes, they are ranked in order, #1 being the best.   If you have any suggestions of other places around here, let me know!

1. Walton’s Antique & Estate Jewelry, 410 Main St., Franklin, TN 

2. Steve’s Pawn Shop  113 E. Side Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130

3. Joseph & Company Estate Gold Jewelry featured at the Nashville flea market at the TN State Fairgrounds

4. Arbor Antique & Estate Jewelry, 202 S. Margin St., Franklin, TN

5. Lysbeth Antiques at the Factory in Franklin TN

6. Gas Lamp Antiques, 100 Powell Place, Nashville, TN

A Trip to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Flea Market

Summer is all about antiquing and checking out flea markets–but I was in over my head with the added summer heat. I checked out the flea market at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, in Nashville.  After enduring 95 degree haziness, lots of walking, lots of sweating, I spotted a beautiful antique brooch. The vendor was from Florida and had an amazing assortment of antique and vintage fine jewelry. Luckily his tables were extremely crowded, because when it was finally my turn to ask about the pin, he knocked $100 off of the pricetag!

My knowledge about jewelry led me to believe I got a really good deal, but to make sure I brought it to be thoroughly cleaned and checked out by a local antique jewelry shop. Turns out the brooch is circa 1890 and used to have a watch attached. It also has a folding bail that folds outward so a chain could be strung through, turning it into a necklace. Antique jewelry was often very versatile and came as 3-in-1, or 2-in-1.

A concern of mine before purchasing the brooch was the evident oxidizing of the gold. It almost looked dirty or tarnished. At first I was questioning the hallmark of 14k because I thought real gold never tarnishes. However, the antique jeweler informed me that because of its age, it had oxidized and most of it was removed after the brooch received a deep cleaning. If the brooch were 10k rather than 14k, the entire piece would have been blackened from oxidization.

Some interesting knowledge to pass on to my readers!

Treasure Hunting, Sans Hard Hat & Gem Mine

Treasure hunting is my absolute most favorite thing to do. Whether it’s at an antique shop, looking for gold frames and vintage jewelry, or at a gem mine, sifting through piles of gravel and dirt–I love the thrill of finding something to be treasured. The beach is one of my favorite spots. It is fun to be on the hunt for sea shells and sea glass. In the above photo, I am searching for sea glass in Southern California. Below are some pieces of jewelry with elements of raw mother nature. Not your typical, finely polished gemstone–just a smoothed beach stone, some quartz found in Central Park and some raw black diamonds. Enjoy!

The alluring seafoam green color of the chrysophrase beads goes great with the simple beach stone. This necklace is designed by Renee Garvey and can be found at Eliza Page. Priced at $375.

I love the concept of this necklace, along with some other pieces that match in BYLU’s Compass Rose collection. The quartz encased in the gold setting is found in Central Park, each is unique. The necklace is done in 14k yellow gold and is $550.

Maya Brenner has some great jewelry designs and this black diamond bracelet is a great example. The black diamonds are drilled so they look like beads, and the delicate 14k chain is perfect. Check out Maya Brenner’s website to take a look at her other designs. The bracelet is priced at $220.

Pawn Shop Treasure Hunting

The treasure hunting in the Nashville area is unreal!  There are so many great antique shops and flea markets.  The Tennessee State Fairgrounds has flea market event dates set for five times a year.  Here are the dates: 

November 21-22-23 Holiday Preview
December 19-20-21 Last Chance
January 23-24-25 Winterfest
Feb 27-28-1 Spring is the Air
March 27-28-29 Spring Fling

I have to admit, I’ve never been into a pawn shop before.  However, after stubbling upon one which had a large sign that said “Estate Jewelry” I was intrigued and decided to have a look.  The musty, old shop had two long cases filled with some amazing vintage finds!  I had fun looking through, and trying some pieces on. 

After admiring/wishing/wanting, I decided to purchase!  Check out the two rings I picked in the photo.  The Victorian, filigree ring on the left is set in 14k gold, with sapphires and diamonds.  This is a bold ring, and definitely makes a statement.  I like how it elongates any finger it is on, and feels delicate as well.  The other ring I purchased is a trendy panther ring said to have come from an estate in Louisiana.  The panther’s eyes are two tiny diamonds and its spots are black enameled. 

I was able to talk down the prices, and get a great deal since I bought two items.  Treasure hunting is definitely fun and you never know what you will find!  I will have to put my adventures on hold though, since I am all out of money!

Gem Mining in Pala, California

The west coast was nothing but fun, especially getting a chance to head to the Oceanview Mine in Pala, California. Known for housing an abundance of tourmalines (pink, green, and the combination of both known as ‘watermelon’), aquamarines, kunzite, morganite, quartz crystals and many others. The mine was even featured on Travel Channel’s Cash & Treasures.

Getting there was tricky–many curvy dirt roads and even going outside of the navigation system range. We paid a fee to sift through a gigantic pile of tailings from the active mine. Tailings are all the “leftovers” from blasting inside the mine. We got downright dirty and super sweaty, shoveling all we could into our buckets and then sifting through it all, using the screens. Our day pass got us 4 hours of digging and a tour deep into the mine–450 feet into the Earth!

I actually got extremely lucky, and stumbled upon a large chunk of Kunzite–about the size of my palm. And it was only my second bucket full! One of the owners of the mine came around to help everyone out and help identify what had been found. He was amazed by the deep purple/pink color of what I had found and its size. He guessed it to be worth anywhere from $400-600! I couldn’t believe it! Check it out below!

Kunzite was actually first discovered in Pala, California in 1902. It is interesting to think that my chunk of kunzite had been in the Earth for millions of years until a few days ago when I found it! With that in mind, and having the feeling of how exciting it is to have found something so rare, I knew I wanted to keep it instead of trying to sell it. All that sweating and hard work definitely was worth it!

If you want to try your hand at gem mining or just want to do something different for a change, I strongly recommend the Oceanview mine. You just have to call ahead of time to make a reservation and get the directions. Mining reservations can only be made on Sundays or Thursdays, so make sure to check the website. Pala, California is just 50 minutes outside of San Diego. It is exciting because you never know what you’re going to find! I ended up walking away with a $600 Kunzite!!