Rosalie Sayyah Talks to Collector's Weekly about Repairing Rhinestone Jewelry

I get emails from viewers on my main website, Vintage Jewelry Lane, almost every week asking me how to repair rhinestone vintage jewelry. The questions range from which type of glue to use, where to find vintage rhinestones, and how to actually go about the process.

So, I was interested to read one of the recent interviews done by my friends at Collector's weekly. The interview is with Rosalie Sayyah, an appraiser on the famous PBS show, Antiques Roadshow and the owner of an interesting store in Seattle, Washington called Rhinestone Rosie.

Photo Courtesy Rhinestone Rosie Website.

In the interview, Rosalie talks about the most common types of costume jewelry repairs, her job as an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow, and the history of the use of rhinestones in vintage jewelry. She also discusses the use of Swarovski rhinestones, and some of the most famous designers who used rhinestones in their vintage jewelry designs.

One thing that Rosalie mentions, which I have also found, is that there is a real lack across the United States of people who actually do the type of repairs about which my customers are constantly inquiring. Her store actually specializes in this type of restoration. If you live in Seattle or any other place in the US, she would be willing to have a look at your piece. This wouldn't be feasible if your piece is a low end costume jewelry piece, but if you have a Haskell, Eisenberg or other famous designer piece which needs repair, you might consider giving her an email.

You can view her whole interview on this page of the Collector's Weekly website.