For centuries, jewelry has been the signature of great power and wealth. King Tut wore lavish crown jewels, necklaces and rings. Marie Antoinette sewed jewels into the bodices of her garments.

Jewelry has always helped define an era. The techniques and materials used in manufacturing jewelry during a particular period of time reflects that era’s market influences and world events.

Today, estate jewelry – jewelry that has been previously owned – is more popular than ever with collectors as well as consumers looking for original, high-quality designer pieces. What’s hot? Brooches – the bigger and flashier, the better – platinum and white metal, cocktail rings and watches.

“Watches from yesteryear are in high demand today because of their rarity and uniqueness,” said Tom Kowal, director of retail operations at Ross-Simons Jewelers. “Many customers seek out styles no longer in production from the famous-name watch manufacturers of today in order to stand out from the crowd.”

Ross-Simons says clients prefer estate jewelry for its versatility and excellent value. It is less expensive to buy estate jewelry than to have the same piece of equal quality recreated today. Plus, since many estate pieces are handmade and much heavier in weight, the workmanship often is superior. Finally, much of the jewelry found in an estate collection is one-of-a-kind, so wearers can be confident that their jewelry is unique.

Most estate collections contain antique jewelry (jewelry that is at least 100 years old) as well as modern-day pieces.

When shopping for estate jewelry, look for these defining characteristics of the jewelry from certain eras.

* Victorian: During the early Victorian era, women’s clothing was very modest, with no open necks and, therefore, no necklaces. Further, bonnets and hairstyles covered the ears; hence, no earrings. Instead, women wore large handcrafted brooches on their dresses, along with elaborate rings, bracelets and pendants. Ross-Simons indicates that jewelry from the Victorian era in particular is very much in vogue today.

* Edwardian: Simple and lightweight jewelry characterized this period of the early 20th century, when the Industrial Revolution was radically transforming and improving manufacturing processes. Platinum became the metal of choice in which to set diamonds.

* Art Nouveau: In this period from 1895 to 1915, jewelry moved in a drastically different direction. With prosperity on the rise around the world, old simplistic and ordinary styles became outmoded and free-form, free-flowing jewelry became the norm.

* Retro: During the years of World War II, platinum became a “strategic” metal for the government and therefore wasn’t used in jewelry. Instead, pink gold dominated this period. And as women’s lifestyles changed – they were helping the war effort by working in factories and business – jewelers started designing larger, bolder jewelry. The styles were strong and powerful, not petite and lacy as in previous years.

When it comes time to get married, you have a lot of things on your mind. In addition to all of the planning that goes into a wedding, you have big decisions to make on wedding jewelry. The engagement ring, for instance, is the first thing you have to think about. Saving for that purchase is a big deal, so you want to make sure you pick out the right one. You’ll also have to think about a wedding band, but that’s secondary to the engagement ring.

Finding the perfect diamond ring is all about the perfect fit. That’s not meant in a literal sense, but more in how the item fits your needs. Diamond rings are expensive, but they can vary in price depending upon size, cut, clarity, and a host of different factors. Before you can pick out your engagement ring, you have to know what your budget is. Diamond rings can run, typically, anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000. You can buy a bigger, more expensive ring, but that’s only for the high rollers. A good rule of thumb is to save three whole months’ worth of pay. Depending upon your salary, this could work.

When you figure out how much you’re willing to spend, you need to think about the kind of cut your future bride wants. You can usually find this out without giving away the fact that you’re going to propose. In passing, find out if she wants a princess cut, an emerald cut, or maybe just a round cut. The options are almost endless, so you need to really understand what she’s looking for. Diamond rings might carry a big price tag, but they aren’t all created equally. Some looks are more suitable for different women, depending upon their taste.

Another important “C- word is clarity. Many people like to judge diamond rings based upon their size or their price, but clarity is much more important in the grand scheme of things. A good engagement ring will really shine when the light hits it. Sometimes, people settle for cloudier rings that are less expensive. This might be good for your budget, but it won’t give you a great looking engagement ring. Make sure that you ask and find out the grade of the diamond clarity. Jewelers are required to give out this information, so make sure you take advantage of it.

Shopping for engagement rings is fun, so you need to approach it that way. You shouldn’t have to worry about things while you are doing it. You should figure out how much you are willing to spend, and don’t stress if it’s not a whole lot. You can find some great diamond rings for less than you would think. It’s important that you do all of the research and above all else, make the ring fit your future bride. She will love it pretty much not matter what you happen to spend on it, but you’d rather have a great ring than an average looking one.