Look for a jewelry mark. Most high-quality costume jewelry will have the company name or stamp. Trifari, Wiess, Coco Chanel and Monet are a few of the higher end costume jewelry makers.

Top set: Alfred Philippe for Trifari ruby crystal maple leaf brooch ... and then I’d look at vintage costume jewelry,” she says. “Back then it wasn’t such a big thing as it is now.

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo was so intrigued when a friend pinned a Trifari costume-jewellery brooch ...