Best Antique and Vintage Jewelry Stores in Boston

The jam-packed interior of Brodney Antiques & Jewelry. / Photograph by Jenna Skutnik

For the Antiques Aficionado
Brodney Antiques & Jewelry
145 Newbury St., Boston, 617-536-0500, brodney.com.

It’s hard to know where to look first inside this third-generation Back Bay shop, home to eye-catching gilded furniture, 100-year-old porcelain vases, and working 19th-century clocks. If jewelry is what you’re after, stick to the glass cases on the first floor: Brodney’s ever-changing offerings, meticulously culled from private collections, span centuries and periods including Georgian and art nouveau. The 78-year-old store’s unique selection of filigreed engagement rings is especially popular.

Must-Buy: 18-karat-yellow-gold earrings with diamonds and sapphires. $6,500.

For the Treasure Hunter
Twentieth Century Limited
73 Charles St., Boston, 617-742-1031, boston-vintagejewelry.com.

Victorian cuff links, midcentury stud earrings, and contemporary rhinestone tiaras all have a place inside this overflowing Beacon Hill shop, which also stocks vintage handbags and framed artwork. The decades-old costume jewelry comes in just about every color, style, and material, so clear your schedule ahead of time—you’ll want at least an hour to dig through it all.

Must-Buy: Early-1900s art nouveau silver-tone necklace with glass beads and hammered medallion, $350.

An amethyst- and-pearl bracelet from E.B. Horn. / Photograph by Doug Finn

For the Estate Enthusiast
E.B. Horn
429 Washington St., Boston, 617-542-3902, ebhorn.com.

One of the region’s largest buyers of estate jewelry, E.B. Horn stocks bling from Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Bulgari, and other heavyweights. But the Downtown Crossing shop’s collectible pieces, most of which come from the Edwardian and art deco periods, don’t all come with a hefty price tag: Watches, rings, and bracelets range from a couple hundred dollars to a couple hundred thousand.

Must-Buy: Antique 14-karat-yellow-gold bracelet with amethyst and pearls, $2,250.

A ruby-and-diamond ring from Shreve, Crump & Low. / Courtesy Photo

For the Glitterati
Shreve, Crump & Low
39 Newbury St., Boston, 617-267-9100; 232 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, 617-969-6262; shrevecrumpandlow.com.

Launched across the street from Paul Revere’s silversmith shop in 1796, this swanky local institution has attracted a clientele as impressive as its provenance, with past patrons including everyone from members of the Rockefeller and Vanderbilt families to Elizabeth Taylor. True to form, you’ll find sparkling diamond art deco pieces on the first floor of its six-story Newbury Street location.

Must-Buy: Circa-1920 art deco platinum-and-18-karat-yellow-gold ring with diamonds and rubies, $30,000.

For the Vintage Virtuoso
SoWa Vintage Market
450 Harrison Ave., Boston, sowavintagemarket.com.

Walk just a few steps past SoWa Open Market’s seasonal artisan booths and tempting throng of food trucks, and you’ll encounter its smaller, vintage-centric counterpart, which operates inside a basement-level showroom year round. Stop in any Sunday for a smorgasbord of funky clip-on earrings, beaded necklaces, and wooden jewelry boxes to store all of your loot.

Must-Buy: Vintage freshwater-pearl necklace, $75.