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PhrasesAt the JewellerAvete gioielli vintage o d'epoca?
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Avete gioielli vintage o d'epoca?

Do you have vintage or antique jewellery?

Pronunciation

'D'epoca' — DE-po-ca. Three syllables. Means 'of the period/era'.

When to use it

Use in antique jewellery shops or when browsing a jeweller known for period pieces. Italy has extraordinary antique and vintage jewellery due to its long goldsmithing history.

What it means

'Vintage' is used in Italian as in English (generally 20–100 years old). 'D'epoca' means of a specific historical period (antique — generally over 100 years old). 'Gioielli Art Déco', 'gioielli Liberty' (Art Nouveau), 'gioielli Vittoriani' are period descriptions you may encounter.

Variations

Avete gioielli Art Déco?

Do you have Art Deco jewellery?

Specific period — 1920s–1940s.

Vendete gioielli usati?

Do you sell second-hand jewellery?

More practical — used/pre-owned.

Questi sono pezzi originali o riproduzioni?

Are these original pieces or reproductions?

Crucial distinction for value.

Mini Dialogue

Cliente: Avete gioielli vintage o d'epoca? Gioielliere: Sì, abbiamo una piccola selezione di pezzi del dopoguerra — anni Cinquanta e Sessanta. Cliente: Ho visto una spilla in vetrina. Gioielliere: Sì, quella è una spilla in corallo e oro degli anni Cinquanta — autenticissima.

Customer: Do you have vintage or antique jewellery? Jeweller: Yes, we have a small selection of post-war pieces — 1950s and 1960s. Customer: I saw a brooch in the window. Jeweller: Yes, that is a coral and gold brooch from the 1950s — completely authentic.

Cultural Note

Neapolitan coral jewellery from the 19th and early 20th century is particularly prized — the Torre del Greco area near Naples was the world's coral carving capital. Period pieces can be found in specialist antique jewellery shops ('antiquari orafo') across Italy.