7 Actionable Steps To Change Your Life And Travel The World

How to Change Your Life and Travel The World

Changing your life is on your mind huh? There are a ton of reasons why you might want a change. Honestly. I believe that most people want to change their lives.

Some people hate their jobs and the stressful schedules that come with them. Other people feel like frauds, living lives that society chose for them rather than thinking more about their choices.

And others, they feel stuck; trapped by their choices and prisoners of self-doubt. 

I believe that most people feel this way, but that they never do anything about it. They feel too beaten-down and scared of losing security that they never make a change.

This is sad. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The change that you want to make could be anything.

A popular one, is the desire to travel the world.

It’s a favorite fantasy but most people don’t know how to change their life in order to make this happen.

Photo: Atlas Green via Unsplash

Traveling the world is possible. I’ve done it. I know a lot of other people who’ve done it too.

And, if you really want to change your life and travel the world, you can.

 

So, here is a guide that will explain, step-by-step, exactly how to do that.

 

And no, it won’t be the standard, ‘sell your stuff, book a plane ticket, and pack your bag’ kind of post (although some of that is part of it.)

 

NOTE: I’m writing this guide based on my experience as well as the experiences of other travelers who I know. Your experience may be different if you have children, health issues, a disability, or other challenging situations. But, while ALL of this guide may not apply to you, much of it will.)

Here we go..

1.) Decide If You REALLY Want to Travel The World

A life of travel sounds romantic, and fancy, and adventurous.

 

But it’s not for everyone.

 

In fact, world travel is a certain kind of hell for some people.

 

You need to decide if you’re one of those people.

 

Honestly, don’t let the allure of travel sway you to dismantle your life and hit the road.

Marvin Meyer via Unsplash

Don’t travel the world because a million blog posts say that you should.

 

Don’t travel the world because you think it’s the only way to change your life.

 

It’s not.

 

This thought process isn’t much different than blindly following society into student debt, a cubicle, and a mortgage.

 

World travel is a beautiful way to spend your time. And, it’s a fantastic way to change your life.

 

But, it’s also a lot of other things.

 

Here are a few undesirables that come with world travel:

 

• It’s Not Easy

 

Honestly, it can be more difficult than your typical work week, household chores, and daily responsibilities.

 

You’ll be faced with challenges every single day. There will always be a new language, custom, societal norm, and new place to navigate.

 

• You’ll Be Moving Around, A Lot

 

If you love stability, you might not love world travel. Sure, you can put down roots for a few weeks or months, but you’ll be packing and unpacking your bags more than you think.

 

Be ready for lots of airplanes, trains, motorbikes, and buses. Long travel days are necessary and they can be unenjoyable.

 

• You’ll Be Stressed

 

World travel looks a lot different in real life than on your Instagram feed.

 

Drinking out of a fresh coconut on a Thai beach will probably happen for you.

 

But getting sick from that sketchy Pad Thai is a reality too.

 

You’ll lose track of your wallet. There will be times when you get extremely lost. And, there will be days when you get swindled by corrupt police.

 

There is stress in life no matter where you are.

 

Trading your life for world travel may mean that you don’t have the stress of commuting to work or paying the water bill.

Daniel H. Tong via Unsplash

But, you’ll have different things to worry about:

• Meeting And Leaving People

 

This will be constant while traveling.

 

If you hate the idea of meeting new people, you may not like the traveler community.

 

And, if the thought of leaving new friends makes you sad, you’ll need to make peace with that.

 

Long-term travel will introduce you to amazing people who you will need to leave on a constant basis.

 

It can be pretty heartbreaking.

 

• You’ll Be Uncomfortable, A Lot

 

If you’re a creature of comfort, travel can be really difficult to handle.

 

World travel is uncomfortable, in nearly every sense.

 

Physically, you’ll have to endure cramped transportation, unfamiliar climates, new foods that upset your stomach, and shared living arrangements (if you stay in hostels.)

 

Mentally, you’ll have to deal with language barriers, confusion over societal norms, meeting new people, feeling alone, and being afraid.

 

If you are OK with discomfort, you can handle the challenges and grow because of them.

 

• You’ll Probably Get Homesick

 

It’s natural to miss people, places, and routines from home; even if you voluntarily left them.

 

You’ll probably feel pangs of homesickness. And, you may even experience guilt, doubt, and fear that you made the wrong decision.

Daniela Castro via Unsplash

This is something that will come and go, but you’ll need to be strong enough to feel the pain, let it pass, and keep on moving.

 

After reading about all of those negatives, do you still want to change your life and travel?

 

Good. It’s worth it.

 

Here’s what to do next.

 

2.) Write Down EVERYTHING About Your Current Life Situation

 

You’ll need to take a survey of your current life situation.

 

This will include everything from finances and responsibilities to relationships and goals.

You’ll need to paint a clear picture of what your life is, so that you can change it.

 

Make sure to include:

 

• Finances

 

Make a list of all of your debt. Do you have student loans? Car payments? A mortgage? Write ALL of these things down. Include subscriptions, utilities, groceries, and gas.

Make another list of your income. How much do you bring in every month and where does the money come from?

 

Look at what you have. What’s in your bank accounts, retirement accounts, investment portfolio?

 

• Physical Assets

 

What do you own that is valuable? Do you have furniture? A paid-off vehicle? Nice clothing, books, tools, kitchen appliances?

 

• Responsibilities

 

This includes things like your job, your children, pets, plants, siblings,  elderly parents, and volunteer commitments.

 

Who and what depends on you?

 

• Relationships

 

Are you married? In a romantic relationship? Do you have any friends (I hope so)? Make note of them all.

 

• Health Issues

 

Do you suffer from any health issues?

 

Perhaps you have a disability or take prescription medication.

 

Take note of this too.

Oscar Nilsson via Unsplash

3.) Write Down All of Your Worries, Concerns, Excuses, and Fears About Making This Life Change

 

Even though you want to travel the world, you’ll probably find reasons why you can’t.

 

Self-doubt, fear, and pessimism are natural when faced with a big decision.

 

It’s best to face these issues head on.

 

Write down everything that could wrong with making this decision.

 

These could include concerns like:

 

• “I have too much debt to worry about.”

• “What if something bad happens to me while I’m out of the country?”

• “How will my children get an education?”

• “What if I can’t make money while traveling?”

• “My friends and family are going to feel abandoned.”

• “I have too many bills and responsibilities.”

• “I’m not good at traveling and I don’t know what I’m doing.”

• “What if I don’t like it?”

• “It would be too hard to leave my job.”

• “What about my house and my cat?

 

You could come up with hundreds of objections.

 

That’s fine. Let your mind work out all of those fears. Write them down, say them out loud.

 

But then, forget about them.

 

There will always be an excuse. There will always be a reason why you can’t change your life.

 

You can’t let your inner dialogue stop you from going after the life you deserve.

Redd Angelo via Unsplash

4.) Find Solutions To Problems That Are Holding You Back

 

To make this happen, you need to take everything that’s holding you back and eliminate them one-by-one.

 

Address each of your excuses. Combat every challenge.

 

For every thing that makes a life of travel seem impossible, there are multiple solutions.

Sam Beasley via Unsplash

Here are a few examples of common excuses to not change your life. And, a few of their solutions.

 

• Problem: “I have too much debt.”

 

• Solution: Start a side hustle like driving Uber, freelance writing, buying and reselling items on eBay, getting a second job, offering handyman work.

 

Here’s a great resource for finding side hustles. And, if you’re a fan of books, Side Hustle, by Chris Guillebeau, can give you a ton of ideas.

 

• Problem: “I don’t think I can afford to travel long term.”

 

• Solution: Trade work for free accommodation like at a hostel. Get a job teaching English abroad. Do volunteer programs that offer free room and board. Learn a freelance skill so that you can work from your laptop.

 

• Problem: “My boyfriend/girlfriend might leave me.”

 

• Solution: Convince them to join you. If they don’t support your decision, you may not be right for each other anyway. But, if you are willing to do long distance, plan to visit each other, send postcards, and talk over video chat.

 

• Problem: “What about all of my stuff?”

 

• Solution: Sell it. Give it away. It might be painful at first, but eventually, you’ll feel lighter and probably a lot more free. Plus, you can sell your stuff and use the money to pay off debt or buy a plane ticket.

 

• Problem: “I don’t have enough experience traveling.”

 

• Solution: Read travel blogs, buy guidebooks, and watch tutorials on Youtube. If you have the time, start by taking small trips to practice. Go on a weekend trip nearby, then keep traveling just a little bit further. Eventually, you’ll figure out how capable you are.

• Problem: “I own a house.”

 

• Solution: Sell it. It sounds extreme, but you’ll have to cut ties and make room for your new life. If you can’t sell it, consider renting it out while you’re gone. You can also do house swaps with people in other countries.

Jasper van der Meij via Unsplash

Write down your problems or objections. Then, spend some time brainstorming solutions.

If you can’t think of any yourself, research other travelers and see what they did.

5.)  Mentally Prepare Yourself 

 

It’s your mentality that determines whether you’ll successfully change your life.

 

Changing your life starts with you. If you don’t believe you can do it, then you won’t be able to.

Our minds are also easily convinced, tricked, and changed.

 

But, there are ways to hack your thinking.

 

Here’s how to keep yourself mentally motivated while you’re working on your life change:

Raw Pixel via Unsplash

• Stop caring what others think: Changing your life to travel the world goes against the norm. This will be confusing to many people that you love. Some of them will warn you against it. Others will get angry and offended. Let all of that go. People have a hard time accepting things they don’t understand. Don’t let the closed minds of others stop you from chasing your dreams.

 

• Find Other World Travelers: There are a ton of travel blogs, documentaries, and books about world travelers. You’ll be able to find entire communities of people who have done exactly what you want to do. Seek out their success stories, challenges, and how they overcame them. Learn from them and stay motivated by what these people have accomplished.

• Visualize Your Life: Can you picture yourself on The Great Wall of China? Can you imagine afternoons spent in a Parisian cafe? All of this can be reality. As you work towards a life of travel, keep these visualizations in mind. Pretty soon, you’ll be living them.

 

• Be Nice To Yourself: It’s easy to beat yourself up about this decision. You may fall into the habit of doubting your abilities, thinking you’re crazy, or that you don’t deserve a better life. Break that habit. Offer yourself positive affirmations and self-talk. Believe in yourself. You can change your life. You deserve it. You’re capable of making it happen.

6.) Make a Travel Plan

 

Now that you’ve identified what’s holding you back, and have brainstormed solutions, you can start planning your travel.

Ishan via Unsplash

This plan doesn’t have to be concrete. It doesn’t have to be detailed either.

 

You can write it down, build an itinerary, or just let it float around your mind.

 

It can take any shape or form.

 

Consider where you want to travel to. What experiences you want to have. And, what your travel style might be.

 

Do you want to start your new life in Asia? Europe? Africa?

 

Would you prefer backpacking and budgeting or renting apartments and trying nice restaurants?

And, do you want to spend time in the outdoors, volunteering, or living the good life in ritzy cities?

Maybe a combination?

 

It’s helpful to get clarity on your expectations.

 

But, you don’t want to plan too much. This can stress you out, send you into a spiral of worry, and put limitations on your new life.

 

Compromise by planning the particulars at the beginning of your trip. Choose a starter city, book a plane ticket, organize accommodation beforehand.

 

Once you ease into it, the next steps will come naturally as you learn more.

Scott Umstattd via Unsplash

Opportunities are always presenting themselves to travelers. If you have a strict itinerary, you may miss out.

 

7.) Take Massive Action

Changing your life and traveling the world can only happen if you take massive action.

Start by doing the most scary things first. 

Cristian Grecu via Unsplash

What will make the most impact? Selling your house? You car?

Start there.

Work off of a to-do list and put something that scares you on the top of your list every single day.

Make changes that aren’t easily reversed. This will make it harder for you to back out.

Final Thoughts:

You deserve to have a life that you love. 

You deserve all of the travel, adventure, and soul-awakening experiences.

Whatever your life is like now, it doesn’t have to stay that way. 

Take these seven steps and you can make massive change, travel the world, and live the life you’ve always wanted. 

Want to travel opportunities sent to your inbox? Join the Lives Abroad newsletter to receive notice of volunteer and work opportunities, travel deals, interesting experiences, and tales from real people who changed their life through travel.

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Eric Huang via Unsplash

What’s holding you back from living a life of travel? Let me know in the comments.

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8 of The Quirkiest Glamping Spots on The East Coast, U.S.A

Bored of hotels? Yeah, me too.

I’m a fan of experimental travel, so glamping is pretty high on my bucket list.
Stylish camping; what could be better?

Since I’m from the east coast, U.S.A, and I’m on a mission to glamp, I decided to do some research.
Not only do I want to go glamping, but I want to find some of the quirkiest, kitschy places around.

From yurts and caravans to cabins and eco-huts, here are the most unique glamping properties on the east coast, U.S.A.

Geodesic Dome, West Virginia

Located in Harpers Ferry, this dome accommodation can fit up to 12 people.

It has two bathrooms, two bedrooms, a pullout couch, and an air mattress.

There’s a roomy bathtub for warming up on cold, winter nights and a kitchen that (sometimes) comes stocked with beer.

Guests love the spiral staircase, artwork, central fireplace, and wrap-around deck.
It’s quite close to Washington D.C, so you could check out the city by day and retreat to the woods at night.

Lakefront Safari Tents, Florida

These tents are located an hour from Panama City Beach.
The intimate setting and lake scenery make these safari tents popular with couples.

The claw foot bathtub, wooden floors, and private deck are favorite features.

Guests have access to a full kitchen, bathroom, heating/cooling, and a nearby fire pit.

Visitors also have access to the community pool and boat launch.

Tree House, Vermont

Channel your inner child with a stay in this tree house near Lake Saint Catherine, Vermont.
The house can hold up to five guests and everything inside is expertly crafted.

This tree house was built with all natural materials, and real trees are incorporated both inside and out.

Inside the house is a composting toilet, and outside is a full kitchen. Guests can enjoy the fire pit, outside shower, and the second-floor porch.

The tree is only available during the summer so guests can get in touch with nature as they’re meant to.

Up-Cycled Shipping Container, Florida

This property in Juniper can fit up to eight guests.

The home was built using three up-cycled shipping containers, making it seriously unique.

Guests have loungers in the backyard and seating on the second-story porch.
There is a full kitchen in the main house outside the shipping container property.

Visitors will also receive a complimentary kayak tour that lasts for two hours. Guests can borrow the kayaks and bicycles in their free time as well.

 

Thoreau’s Cabin, New York

While it’s not the real site of Thoreau’s cabin, this one comes pretty close.

It’s located in Saugerties, a town full of nature and art galleries.
This secluded cabin is the perfect glamping opportunity for couples.

The property is a rustic A-frame with tons of natural light, stained glass windows, and a wood burning stove.

There is a hot and cold outdoor shower, outhouses, and plenty of wooded scenery.

There is no WIFI access here, so glampers will be fully immersed in nature with no interruptions.

 

Romantic Yurt, Massachusetts

Glamping for 2? This yurt is the perfect stay.

It only accommodates two people and offers an intimate experience.

There is a king-sized bed, wood burning stove, a fully-equipped kitchen and a bathroom that is only steps away from the yurt.

The deck is a favorite place for guests to lounge during the warmer months.

 

Historic Houseboat, Florida

This houseboat is located in the Manatee River, close to Sarasota.

Unassuming from the outside, the interior of this property is nothing short of luxurious.

It used to be a floating chapel, but has been renovated and turned into a private home.
There are two bathrooms, two bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a shared pool in the marina.

Get ready for granite counter tops, state-of-the-art appliances, and a deck that features a BBQ grill.
This is one of the most luxurious spots on the list.

Bell Tent, Massachusetts

This property is located on a pond near Conway State Forest.

It sleeps up to three people and is secluded in the woods.

While there is no indoor toilet, guests have access to one nearby. There is also an outdoor shower which feels incredible during the summer months.

The tent has no electricity so guests can fully experience the natural surroundings. However, the communal farmhouse offers amenities and phone charging stations.

Glampers are advised to bring their own cooking gear to use at the fire pit or with their own camping stove. There are hiking trails, kayaking opportunities, and blueberry bushes nearby too.

There were so many quirky glamping properties on the east coast that it was hard to narrow it down.

If you’re tired of hotels and want to experience a new way to stay, give glamping a try.

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3 Things to Know About Before Remodeling Your Bathroom

Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com

Giving your bathroom a new look for the upcoming new year is a great way to indulge yourself after the busy schedule you’ve had during the holidays. But before you proceed on your plans, here are some pointers to consider:

Image Source: Flickr

Consider how long you won’t be able to use the bathroom
“How long does a bathroom renovation take?” Many people are surprised when they hear that a quality bathroom renovation takes about four weeks. Renovation shows are not reality!

Many people don’t have a spare bathroom they can use while the renovation takes place. If that’s the case for you, plan ahead. Hire a portable toilet or shower from a reputable builder, join a nearby gym (there are often free trials you can take advantage of) or consider renting elsewhere for a month while the job is done. None of these are ideal, but if you’re going to build a bathroom to last 20 to 30 years, that month of inconvenience will quickly be forgotten when you step inside Source: Houzz

Don’t forget to update the fixtures
No renovation is complete without remodeling or repairing fixtures and features, which could very well make a separate checklist themselves: shower, bathtub, toilet, bidet, sink, faucets and shower heads. You should also update or repair your mirrors and shower doors. You can also change the look of your bathroom very easily by changing out door handles, drawer pulls and the hardware for your shower doors. If you have the budget a new set of shower doors can completely change the look of your room. Source: Freshome

Order fixtures ahead of time
Regardless of whether you are buying from a high-street store or a high-end brand, factor in delivery times. Big name manufacturers might take three or four weeks to deliver, while luxury brands can take around eight weeks. Any custom products will take longer so give yourself plenty of wriggle room to avoid having contractors twiddling their thumbs on site. Source: IdealHome

Check out the latest trends in bathroom fixtures when you visit our site today!

 

Contact:
Perfect Bath
Phone: Toll Free 1-866-843-1641
Calgary, Alberta
Email: info@perfectbath.com

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Vacationing In Dubai: The Top Reasons to Visit

Dubai is a vacation destination that gets overlooked.

With great weather and a culture that was built for visitors, this destination should be getting a lot more love.

Dubai is one of the few Middle Eastern countries that opens its doors to tourists. And, it provides all of the attractions that make vacationers want to stay.

Photo: Weheartit

Planning your next family vacation? Here’s why you might want to choose Dubai.

The Shopping Opportunities Are Incredible

Start with the souks (market in Arabic) if you want a little culture with your shopping.

These markets can be found all over Dubai and are full of spices, colorful textiles, and local snacks.
They are the place to be for souvenir shopping, people watching, and putting together a new outfit.

The top souks to visit in Dubai include:

• The Gold Souk: Real gold jewelry, including the world’s largest gold ring (according to the Guinness Book of World Records.)

• Perfume Souk: Find thousands of fragrances that are beautifully on display. You can also buy incense and crystals.

• Spice Souk: Come to see the colorful mounds of traditional spices. It smells great and the spices make great gifts for friends who love to cook back home.

• The Friday Market: Although Friday is in the name, the market is open multiple days of the week. It’s a favorite spot for tourists and has everything from plants, pots, and fruit, to textiles, rugs, and toys.

 

Aside from souks, Dubai has much more modern shopping.

There are no shortage of shopping malls and high-end stores. But, the most famous is the Dubai Mall, which is the largest shopping mall in the world.

Photo: Weheartit

It is four stories and has an ice rink, indoor waterfall, restaurants, and an aquarium. Plus, the mall houses a fountain that puts on water and lighting shows.

This is the place where you can find all of the top brands from the U.S.A and Europe. You may want to pack an empty bag so that you can fit all of your shopping on the plane back home.

The Architecture and Man-made Attractions

It’s no secret that Dubai is a wealthy country due to their oil reserves.

This wealth can be seen all over the country, especially in the buildings and attractions.
Some of the best for visitors to see include:

Photo: Weheartit

• Burj Al Arab: A skyscraper with a whopping, 202 floors. It’s considered the most luxurious hotel in the world. It even sits on its own, man-made island. Even if you don’t spend the night here, you can visit to check out the onsite restaurants.

• Burj Khalifa: This building is the largest in the world. It’s a feat of architecture and boasts a famous fountain, an observation deck, and a park.

• Miracle Garden: This is the largest, natural flower garden in the world. There are 109 million flowers here and the landscape is so beautiful that it has won awards. Guests can visit the butterfly garden here as well.

• Dubai Museum: The perfect spot for visitors who want to know more about local life and the history of Dubai. It’s located in a former fort, so even the exterior exudes history.

• Al Bastakiya: This preserved, historical town is a great place to visit if you want to see art and shop for souvenirs.

Photo: Weheartit

The Entertainment and Activities

Adrenaline junkies tend to love Dubai.

There are plenty of activities that are specially designed for tourists.

Visitors can try skydiving, which offers the most incredible views of Dubai. Hot air ballooning is making a huge comeback here too. The views of the sand dunes from above make great photo opportunities.

In fact, the desert itself has plenty of activities for tourists. While visiting, try sand boarding, riding camels, and dune bashing.

Photo: Weheartit

If you’re traveling as a family and looking for more tame activities, there are plenty of those too.
Try visiting the Underwater Zoo, Dubai Aquarium, or the Atlantis Aquaventure Water Park. All of these can be found on The Palm, which is the largest man-made island in the world.

And, if you’re a winter sports lover, there’s some of that too. Ski Dubai is the country’s only indoor ski resort that offers real snow for an authentic experience.

Photo: The Telegraph

Final Thoughts

Dubai may not be the first place that comes to mind when planning a vacation. But, this destination was built to welcome visitors.

It has great weather, impressive architecture, and all of the excitement you could ask for.
Plus, it’s easy to plan a trip to Dubai. Etihad Airways offers convenient flights to the country and some of the world’s top notch hotels are located here for your stay.

Ready to start your planning?

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Identifying Georgian Jewelry: Fakes, Repros, and Traditional Styles

A great resource for Georgian Jewelry lovers, this book

We're back with another installment written by Lisa of Lisa Kramer Vintage, giving us an in-depth look into the Georgian Jewelry fakes that are out there in the marketplace. If you missed part one of this educational experience, you can check it out here. Take it away, Lisa:

The popularity of Georgian jewelry has resulted in the market being flooded with fakes. One way to learn to identify fake Georgian jewelry is to familiarize yourself with pieces that are being sold as “reproductions”. This jewelry quickly hits the secondary market as genuine antiques. In addition, there have been Georgian revivals in the past, so you might come across pieces in the Georgian style that are old, but not as old as genuine pieces. And finally, there are some traditional forms of jewelry that have been worn for hundreds of years and are still being made, and it’s worth familiarizing yourself with these styles.

Pinterest: For the last couple of years I’ve been creating a Pinterest board of jewelry being sold as antique reproductions. This board also includes examples of companies selling traditional forms of jewelry that often get mistaken as antique. At the time of pinning all of these items had live links to where they were being sold (although, over time, some of these links have disappeared). As I come across new sources I add them to the board so it's worth checking back periodically. If you study these pins you will begin to recognize pieces that you have seen for sale as genuine antiques.

eBay repros: Hundreds of pieces of jewelry are being sold on eBay as antique reproductions, many of which I’ve posted on my Pinterest board. However, a couple of pieces have been turning up on the market with great frequency and deserve special attention.

This “Victorian Reproduction Rose cut diamond Georgian flower brooch” was available for years on eBay for $199:

I've seen this piece for sale as a genuine Georgian piece in numerous places and always for many times its eBay price. I’ve also seen components of this brooch being sold as genuine Georgian jewelry: the leaves and flowers dangling from earwires and chains; a flower mounted on a ring shank; the central section mounted on a silver cuff. This piece is handmade in India so there are minor differences between each piece, but it is easily recognizable.

For several years these Iberian style rose-cut diamond and emerald earrings were available on eBay for $299 and they were a nice “look” for the money:

However recently they have been turning up on the secondary market as genuine 18th century pieces selling for thousands of dollars. These earrings are handmade in India and every pair seems to have minor differences, but with the same overall design and construction.

Georgian revivals: in the late 19th and early 20th century Georgian styles became popular, resulting in Georgian revival pieces that are now genuine antiques themselves, or nearly so.

What to look for: Georgian revival pieces are usually heavier than genuine Georgian pieces and the crimped settings are often cast, rather than constructed of thin sheet metal.

This Georgian revival necklace with blue enamel was made by Harold A. Lazarus who worked in England in the first half of the 20th century and did high quality reproductions of Georgian and Victorian pieces.

 

As beautiful as it is however, note how the settings are cast and much heavier than you’d find in a genuine Georgian piece.

Also look at the setting of this stick pin:

This type of crimped-look casting was used a lot in the Victorian era.

Notice the open-back settings and heavy castings of this early 20th century amethyst paste riviere:

I’ve seen many pieces with this construction, probably all by the same manufacturer. Most have accents of small clear stones between the larger colored stones.

Georgian style portrait miniatures were also revived in the late 19th century. Following the centenary of the French revolution images of Marie Antoinette (or similar 18th century fancy ladies) became popular as the subject of miniatures; they are not as finely painted as a genuine Georgian miniature and their frames are not of typical Georgian construction.

Traditional French jewelry: there are some French companies that sell traditional forms of jewelry – saint esprits, poissarde earrings, crosses – that sometimes get mistaken as antique. This jewelry is of good quality, and not inexpensive, but is worth studying since it can end up on the secondary market. I’ve posted many of these pieces on the Pinterest board and one of their Saint Esprit pendants in this post as an example.

Dutch rose cut diamond rings: since the late 19th century Georgian-style rose-cut diamond cluster rings have been made in the Netherlands. These rings are generally of high quality and, since they are usually hallmarked, they are not considered fakes but rather a traditional style. However, they sometimes get mistaken for Georgian rings. What to look for: the Dutch hallmark for gold is an oak leaf and even the earliest of the oak leaf marks post-date the Georgian era and the vast majority are from the 20th century. Check out the Antique Jewelry University video in the reference section below to see some of these rings and their characteristics.

Eye miniatures: reputable references estimate that only about 1000 genuine eye miniatures exist today and I’ve seen almost that many for sale in the last few years. Eye miniatures were only made for about 30 years, so they are very rare.

What to look for: since Georgian eyes were custom-made pieces, the painting of the eye should fit perfectly in its frame; there should not be gaps betweem the edge of the miniature and the setting nor should parts of the eye or eyebrow be cut off or sit too close to the edge of the frame. Faked pieces often utilize a genuine Georgian or Victorian brooch or ring with a hair compartment and insert a new eye under the crystal. Sometimes eyes are cut out of larger portrait miniatures and you may see remnants of the rest of the face. And sometimes eyes will seem cartoonish; originals were finely painted with tiny brushes and beautifully rendered.

Memorial and sentimental jewelry: for a while it seemed that the skill it took to create enamel memorial rings precluded their being faked. However, as their price has risen, a number of pieces have hit the market recently that seem “questionable”, so proceed with caution.

Also think about how easy it is for an engraver to add a date or phrase to a piece of jewelry. An engraver can easily take a plain gold band and make it into a posey ring by adding a sentimental phrase inside; since genuine posey rings sell for at least ten times that of a similar plain gold band, you can see the incentive. Look for age-appropriate wear and buy from a specialist dealer who can show you the subtleties that make the piece authentic.

Rarity: if you suddenly start to see a lot of similar, supposedly rare, items this is a clue that there may be a new source of fakes on the market. Sometimes, if the craftsmanship is unusually good, even experts can be fooled when they first hit the market and it is only after multiple examples start turning up that suspicions are aroused. Also if a dealer makes claims about the royal origins of their pieces, beware. Unless there is a paper trail showing royal provenance, this is most likely a fairy tale.

Design: While some Georgian jewelry, like cannetile (filigree) pieces, can be elaborate, in general the designs are fairly restrained. Beware of pieces that seem too “fancy” or that don’t have a harmonious design. Fakers often get creative, a little TOO creative.

Beware of motifs that are currently very popular: snakes! skulls! flaming hearts! crowned hearts! witch’s hearts! Popularity breeds fakes. I’ve seen skulls hanging from snakes, skulls surrounded by snakes, hearts floating above skulls. Fakers must figure that if one motif is good, then two must be better. So look closely at how the piece is constructed when you come across pieces with these motifs, especially if a piece contains more than one.

Also beware of “Frankenjewels” which are genuine antique pieces that have been embellished with new, popular, elements. There are infamous Bulgarian dealers on eBay that slap skulls on Victorian pieces and sell them as early memento mori jewelry (the same dealers also sell completely new fake pieces also laden with skulls).

Conclusion: if you study the genuine Georgian jewelry shown in my previous post and in the resources below, you will begin to recognize patterns in its design and construction. Some of this is subtle, but if your gut tells you that something is “off”, listen to it and look carefully. And if you add to that familiarity with the fakes, repros, and traditional styles discussed above you will be well on your way to being able to identify Georgian jewelry.

Resources:

Lisa Kramer Vintage Pinterest board of repros and fakes

Antique Jewelry University: particularly useful is this video where they evaluate three Georgian-style rings element-by-element. Scroll down to the bottom of the page in this link for the video. 

“Georgian Jewellery” by Ginny Redington Dawes and Olivia Collings. This book is the bible on the subject. It has a chapter about Georgian fakes.

“Antique Paste Jewellery” by M.D.S. Lewis. There is a chapter on reproduction paste jewelry from the early 20th century.

“World Hallmarks, Volume 1”, by William Whetstone, Danusia Niklewicz, and Lindy Mautula. This is the standard reference for European hallmarks.

from Gem Gossip http://ift.tt/2CdkTR6