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Vintage jewellery in Amsterdam: A conversation with Leonore van der Waals of Inez Stodel
Vinterior meets Leonore, third-generation antique dealer at Amsterdam's Inez Stodel, to explore what makes pre-loved jewellery worth collecting, and why quality beats novelty every time.
Following Vinterior’s recent entry into the Netherlands, we headed to Amsterdam to meet some of the city’s most cherished vintage and antique stores. We visited Leonore van der Waals, a third-generation antique dealer at Inez Stodel, whose family has been sourcing exceptional vintage jewellery since her grandfather opened his generalist shop in the mid-20th century. Her perspective on quality, rarity, and what makes a piece worth keeping around speaks to everything Vinterior stands for.
A family business that chose its focus
Leonore's path into the trade was less career choice, more inevitability. "I always travelled with my mother and was immersed in it from early on," she explains. "At some point I realised I had a passion for it, and a real eye for it." Her mother, who took over her father's generalist shop to focus on what she loved most - jewellery - eventually brought Leonore in after ten years away working in law. That was 25 years ago. In the last five years, Leonore has taken over the day-to-day running of Inez Stodel, though her mother remains deeply involved.
The shop itself is a character in the story. The interiors date back to 1964, with wood chip wallpaper and original bones that Leonore has fought to preserve whilst gradually opening up the space. "I still love the core of it," she says. "The windows are one of the nicest parts of the job. I spend time designing them as a showcase." It's a philosophy you can feel as soon as you step inside: nothing is there by accident.
The hunt never stops
When asked what draws her to certain pieces, Leonore's answer cuts through the clichés. "It's a hard question, because everybody says the same thing: taste, quality, the story, desirability. Some pieces you're not sure about. Some pieces you immediately know you desire, or know someone else will. Wearability matters too, though not everything I have is easy to wear. Some pieces are just so special, or so well made, or have such a great story, that it doesn't matter."
Her expertise comes from gemmology courses, mentorship, and decades of learning on the job. "I'm still learning daily," she says. The sourcing itself is relentless. She used to travel regularly to England, the US, and the major trade shows in Las Vegas, Miami, and New York. Now, her focus is Europe; France, Italy, vintage fairs, small markets, and wholesale dealers. "You're constantly on the hunt. It's 24/7 for everyone in this trade, I think."
Stories in miniature
The pieces Leonore tells us about reveal her eye for the unexpected and the exquisitely made.
There's a Van Cleef & Arpels piece from the 1980s that's completely flexible - linked sections that move like a silk scarf you can drape over your hand. "It's an important piece because it's VCA and expensive, but wearing it is just so much fun. It feels of its time, playful."
Then an 18th-century porcelain patch box with diamond eyes. In the 1700s, these small boxes held face patches, each placement worn at parties carrying specific meaning: passion, availability, modesty. "It's just so fun," she says of this whimsical piece.
A rebus ring - a French puzzle ring from the 18th century in octagonal gold with a glass cover. The inscription is a French pun meaning roughly "the sun shines for you." Leonore saw it at auction with a poor photo and the price went too high, so she passed. Months later, she found it again through a colleague who'd acquired it along the way. "I bought it then."
And finally, a tiny ring, barely two grams, possibly 18th-century, dug up in Friesland in the north of the Netherlands. The scroll details on the shank are characteristic of the period, but rarely carried all the way around the ring as they are here. "It's so special. I'd never seen one like it before."
What Leonore observes about all of these is worth noting: "With antique jewellery, it's very hard to find good quality. You can buy a vintage ring from the 1950s, there are lots of those, but it's hard to find really top quality antique pieces. And that makes it more expensive too."
Why vintage matters
The case for pre-loved jewellery is straightforward. "It's greener, and often, not always, better quality than new pieces," Leonore says. "It's more authentic, more original. A lot of people want to wear the same things as everyone else, but for me it's more interesting to find something with a story, something not everyone has."
It's the same philosophy that drives the furniture market. Quality from another era, designs you can't remake, and the weight of having been chosen and loved by someone before you. It's the opposite of disposable.
What happens when you walk through the door
When asked what she hopes people feel when they visit Inez Stodel, Leonore is clear: "I hope it amazes and surprises them, and makes them happy. I always hope that whoever comes in, I'll have something for them. I sell pieces from a hundred years old to a thousand years old. That's not always the case, but it's what you hope for."
That's the real business of a third-generation dealer: not just selling jewellery, but curating the possibility that somewhere in a small Amsterdam shop, there's a piece with a story waiting for you.
Inez Stodel is located in Amsterdam. You can explore vintage jewellery and antiques online and in person.
