Prices for vintage jewelry have soared 80 percent over the past 10 years, Rapaport News reports.
In fact, many people in possession of such jewelry have no idea of the true value of their items, according to the website, which cites a new report from Bonhams auction house in the United Kingdom.
Pieces that have climbed the most in value include those from the Belle Epoque era, which lasted from 1890 to 1915. Art Deco jewelry has also increased steeply in value.
Prices get a boost when the item carries the mark of a famous brand such as Cartier. And sometimes those marks are hard to spot on older jewelry.
Emily Barber, department director of Bonhams London, was quoted saying: "To find an original, intact, surviving jewel from a particular period in history, with the added bonus that it was made by a master jeweler, makes it an incredibly rare and valuable work of art."