Twentieth Century Ltd

I’m not sure who this store is trying to cater too, but it is certainly not for collectors of antique jewelry. Many of their antique earrings have been converted from screwbacks to posts rendering them worthless to collectors. When asked why they had been converted the woman snapped «no one would buy them otherwise.» Um, I would have…
Their Bakelite earrings have also been given the same treatment (horror) and their bangle selection consists mainly of spacers priced for $ 100. You can get them on eBay for 15 $.
Bottom line — Way overpriced with a snobby saleswoman. As a 30 year collector of vintage jewelry, I’ll never go back.

Twentieth Century Ltd. is a vintage jewelry wonderland! Located in the posh Beacon Hill, they have some amazing and truly beautiful pieces from all time periods, dating back even from the turn of the century.
I initially walked in to look at their cameos, and they had a vast selection. The sales associate was really helpful as well as insightful. He told us all about the different jewelry collections and how they go on acquiring the different pieces. The prices range, but the truly unique pieces are undoubtedly expensive.

A seriously fun place to poke around. This place is crammed to the gills with fun things to look at, but if you look carefully you can see that it is loosely organized by decade and quality. At the front are the stellar vintage pieces totally out of my price range, but farther back into the store are some great affordable pieces, and even farther back, a room with vintage jewelry boxes and prints. I described the dress I was trying to coordinate with, and the guy helping me pulled out trays from behind the counter with more necklaces organized by color. I wasn’t looking for an investment piece, just something to wear to a couple weddings this summer that had a little more soul than what I could find at the mall — success! p. s. Their website has an introductory coupon.

A nifty thing happened several months ago: 20^th Century had a 20% off sale for all of their Bakelite. Yes! I could finally go live the dream! Beacon Hill antique stores are world-​renowned for their offerings and for their high price tags, and I was finally going to be able to mitigate the second part somewhat.
The owner is a quiet guy who’s been in the business of antique jewelry for nearly forty years. He’s owned this shop in this space for about two decades. We talked about vintage plastics, and he showed me an elusive set of Haskell faux Alexandrites (in Swarovski-​style crystal). He helped me to find several Bakelite bangles that actually fit me, zomg, and he got me to try on two of the most ornate, beautiful, and serious-​business tiaras I’ve ever seen. Think Statue of Liberty meets Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Costume and fine jewelery (as well as the aforementioned gorgeous assortment of tiaras) deck out every case, every wall, very elegantly. Though there’s so many beautiful things to choose from, the shop is very well organized and doesn’t feel crowded. There’s an entire case devoted to Bakelite. Plus, when I was there for the sale, the whole front window was decked out in vintage American plastics. This automatically makes 20^th C. LTD my favorite storefront of 2011 in the city of Boston.
As another reviewer mentioned, the prices are dear, but they aren’t out of orbit for what’s being offered. Plus, remember: it’s Beacon Hill. Still, I dare you to come to Twentieth Century Limited and leave empty-​handed.

This place is really great. I came in here today just browsing, and found a piece that I’ve been looking for for months. The staff was very nice and very knowledgeable, and the jewelry was absolutely stunning. I found a 14K Gold ring with a 2K Aquamarine stone setting. Wow. It sparkles. It’s breathtaking. Yes, it was very pricy, but well worth it. Ladies, send your fiancees here, they have some of the most beautiful pieces I’ve seen. Really. The owner/​boss was a little paranoid and not very friendly, but the woman who was helping me was very very nice.

I’ve come to Twentieth Century Limited a few times to find that perfect gift for my parents, my husband, friends, and bridesmaids. Every time the owners have been exceedingly kind and patient as I scour their extensive inventory to find just the right thing.
They have the best selection of cufflinks I’ve seen anywhere, from all time periods, including those made out of watch innards.
It’s an especially good store if you’re looking for a type of jewelry that’s not in fashion at the moment — brooches, shoe clips, hat pins, etc.

This is a literal jewel box of a store, filled top to bottom with all things vintage, exquisite, shiny, costumey, jangly and sparkly. Ducking in here to browse is a treat and a trap, because you won’t be able to resist buying something. The prices aren’t cheap, but seem fair, and you can find some good deals.
I have a pair of glittery black art deco earrings from the 1960s that were $ 65 when purchased five years ago. I also have a bronze bangle and a blue glass cocktail ring that always receive compliments, costing a total of $ 10 from the discount bins. These are great if you have an eye and the time to look through all the pins, plastic bangles and earrings. Also, I recently bought 3 necklaces for a total price of $ 50: a GORGEOUS white pearl choker (1950s), a bright gold chain with an oversized yet delicate leaf pendant, and a happy blue sequin and white bead multistrand super long necklace, both 1970s.
This vintage jewelry boutique has cases lining the walls, brimming with all manner of costume jewelry, grouped by material, time period, style, and designer. One could spend hours looking at the array bijoux. Its exhilarating and breathtaking.
On a trip to drop off some jewelry for repair, I tried not to torture myself too much by looking at $ 600 necklaces and $ 300 rings, but I did stop in my tracks for a $ 200 bracelet that will now haunt my dreams. I will be going back to visit it soon and see if we are meant to be together. If you ever need a tiara, and I hope that one day i do, this is the place. They also carry smaller selections of tempting handbags, wallets, scarves, hats, gloves, cuff links, and other accouterments.
This place has been around a long time and I love frequenting it. For anyone who likes jewelry (um, who doesn’t?!), this place should be visited at least once.
This place is truly a rare gem… hey-​oh!

If you bring your jewelry here to have it restrung, I would suggest being very specific with what you expect. I had three pieces done. The first one they weren’t able to reuse the original clasp so without consulting me they replaced it with crappy cheap one (and broke the original in the process), completely devaluing the piece. The second one they restrung the pearls way too tight, totally changing the lay of the necklace. The last one, a bracelet, was originally strung with blue thread and they replaced it with yellow to match the beads, but changing the lovely contrast. For this I paid $ 50, $ 30, and $ 20 each. Not great.

This is my favorite shop on Charles Street. It is not handicap accessible as there are 4 – 5 steep steps down into the shop. They have vintage jewelry of all kinds. I think I recognized something my grandmother used to wear.

I love this store. I have gotten 3 gifts for my fiancé here and she has loved them all. You will pay a bit more than you might on ebay, but in exchange for that you get the amazing selection, you can judge the condition of the pieces in person, as well as the trust knowing that the jewelry is what they say it is (which can be a big issue for vintage jewelry online). If you consider that you never get a dud from them, you probably wind up saving money.
The experience of hunting through all of their cases for just the right thing is fun. I found the staff to be patient, helpful, and kind. I actually look forward to birthdays/​anniversaries/​Xmas so I can go back – how many dudes say that?

By far, THE worst customer service in a retail setting I’ve had to-​date.
A particular gentleman in here made me feel upset, mad, and inadequate. I went in here looking for something for my mom for Mother’s Day knowing she loves this store. Immediately when I asked for help, they asked what my price range was. When I said $ 100, I was snobbishly told there was nothing in the $ 100 price range that would satisfy her taste and instructed to buy her a $ 1000 necklace and earring set. I’m sorry, do I LOOK like i can spend $ 1000 on a gift for my mother? Once I said this was far out of my price range, it seemed as though the gentleman couldn’t care less about me. A woman stepped in and tried to show me some adjustable rings, but at this point I was beyond upset.
I’m sorry, but I’ve shopped here before and I know there are many things around the $ 100 price range. I couldn’t believe the arrogance and lack of consideration I received from this gentleman. He disappeared in the back to do who-​knows-​what… maybe get me some more $ 1000 jewelry I should buy my mom. I decided to leave as I do not want to support a store who treats their customers like crap, especially when they are trying to do something considerate and kind for their mother.
2 stars for a beautiful selection of vintage jewelry, cufflinks, and handbags. Negative for customer service.

It’s grandma’s jewelery box — ON STEROIDS.
Seriously, they have EVERY kind of jewelery throughout the decades — armloads of pearl strands, art deco broaches, portrait pendants, chandelier earrings from the 70s and even some cute vintage hats and purses. It’s not only a great place for vintage jewelry, but a great place to just get jewelry! A lot of it is costume, so it’s not crazy overpriced either!
Also, I met one of the jewelers there and we talked about redoing a pair of earrings I inherited and for a reasonable price! I definitely trust them with my goods — they know their stuff!

OMGZ complete awesomeness overload!
Sometimes I long for California, but an über-​Bostonian trek through Beacon Hill always does the trick. I was already flying high when I set out on this decadently lazy Sunday afternoon, autumn wind at my back. I had no idea the day was about to get infinitely better after my visit to Twentieth Century.
This is vintage accessories at their finest. A plethora of pearl necklaces for $ 20 and under, a slew of trinkets and baubles to adorn your ears, wrists, necks, and fingers — everything from plastic bangles to authentic antique Dior. And it doesn’t stop at jewelry — perfect your throwback ensemble with the perfect pillbox hat, dainty gloves, or ladylike purse. And if you’re REALLY into opulence, splurge on a tiara!
The real gem for me (no pun intended) was the $ 10 bin. Not only is $ 10 already a fantastic price for these pieces, but they also have an incremental savings system — 3 for $ 25. But I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that it doesn’t stop there — my 4-​item purchase knocked the price down even further to $ 8 each! Between the phenomenal staff, fabulous selection, and fantastic prices, I couldn’t love this place more.
And a fellow shopper of mine seemed to agree, as she exclaimed several times, «I want to just live here!»
So for the love of love, stay away from So Good, don’t even think about Claire’s, H&M, or even my beloved Anthropologie. For a bonafide treasure hunt that’s sure to end in elation, check out Twentieth Century.
(check out their website for a coupon — not that you’ll even need it!)

Cuff links, cuff links, cuff links!!! I admit I have a fetish for cuff links, and this shop is my saving grace. Twentieth Century LTD has an amazing selection of vintage and antique cuff links, from high quality stone engravings to vintage plastic links I swear came out of a cracker jack box. I could spend hours just sifting through their inventory piled in the display boxes stacked in the glass case.
Customer service is also super friendly — the shop owner and clerks never hesitate to open up a case or chit chat about the weather, and you always get a big smile and a ‘thank you’ when you leave, regardless of whether or not you bought anything.
And if cuff links aren’t you’re thing, you’ll also find a shop full of costume jewelry, antiques, vintage knick-​knacks, and a small case of high end vintage jewelry.
I’d highly recommend this shop for prop masters looking for movie or theater props.

Costume Jewelery shopping at its BEST! The selection here is better than shops I have seen in New York or LA!
Walk down the steps away from Charles Street into a room of sparkles and excitement! I have spent hours here memorized by the cases and cases of trinkets. While this is technically «vintage» stuff and not super expensive, don’t expect to walk out with necklaces for $ 5. There is a $ 10 bin, but most of the stuff is a little bit pricier, think $ 25 for an awesome pendant necklace. BUT with this selection and the quality of the items, its more than worth it.
Ladies, check out the case full of tiaras, hats and vintage purses! Head to the back of the space to find a whole wall of pearls for under $ 30!
Guys, you are not left out! The owner has the largest collection of cuff links and tie clips I have ever seen! Penguin cuff links? Maybe hot air ballons? He has it all! He even makes these special ones, from the inside of vintage clocks that my guy friend fell in love with!
The owner is SUPER knowledgeable and will tell you stories and background for every piece in the store. If you are searching for something period jewelry piece wise, or gift wise, this is 100% a stop on your journey!

I love this place!
20^th Century Ltd. has a seriously good collection of vintage costume jewelry. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and glad to educate their customers about the manufacturers represented in their store. Nice selection of trade beads and bakelite, and tons of Haskell pieces, some rarities among them. For kicks, ask to see the (enormous!) Vrba jewelry.
Great for repairs, restoration, and appraisals. They’re utterly trustworthy.
Note: Not a thrift store. Don’t haggle, you’ll offend the natives.

This store really does have a great selection of vintage jewelry from rhinestones to bakelite. I got a really cool bracelet there this week. I was tempted by some of their sterling silver cigarette cases and dance purses, too.
The clerk was pretty snotty when I asked if the price on an item was at all flexible, thus my three star rating instead of five.

Vintage costume jewelry. This is the candy shop of vintage jewelry– all decades, all gems, all prices. From the super cheap to very valuble. They also have hats, bags, and other accessories. GREAT FOR: vintage finds.