Great to hear about your designing jewelry from recycled jewelry that doesn't cost the earth!
If you don't mind me mentioning though Lauren, some pieces of Vintage Costume Jewelry are Highly collectible. The value of the original piece could be comprised if it were re-arranged in some way.
To the untrained eye some vintage costume jewelry may not look all that valuable, as the value of antique and vintage costume jewelry is not only determined by the sum of its parts. The piece could be made, for example, from moulded plastic however, to an Antique Jewelry Investor it could be priceless, perhaps the longed for piece in a jewelry collection.
Examine the vintage piece carefully Lauren, under loupe, searching for any jewelry marks, also look on the clasps, the links. If you work with cameo, examine the cameo itself, not just the mount, for example, the cameo material might be signed. If you find jewelry markings, have it appraised.
Advise clients at point of sale, how to care for cameo jewelry. Prevention is better than cure. A tactful way, could be to include 'cameo care instructions' with each cameo beauty. Conch Shell used for carving cameo, Pearls, Amber Gemstone & Opal, are all fragile gems.
If the coral color background has washed out or faded, it's most likely a synthetic cameo.
However, as Blue AGATE Cameo has been dyed, so I see no reason why you couldn't dye plastic composite material which has originally been dyed.
The agate for example, used in today's blue agate cameos is courtesy of mother nature, multiple shades of gray in color, ranging from a milky white translucent to dark gray. But the lower and softer layer is dyed to produce the highly desirable rich blue chalcedony color while the lighter colored upper layer, which is harder, does not accept dying and remains white or milky in appearance.
As to which dye/ stain used for dying composite cameo, I haven't a clue Lauren, and doubt very much those companies who do, will give up this info just for the asking. Know a stain or dye for dying composite cameo? Please help Lauren out, and leave a comment.
Happy Hunting & GOOD LUCK with your Recycled Jewelry!
