Vintage costume jewelry has a long and fascinating history. It is prized not only for its style, but also for the reflection of the historical period it represents. The brightness of Deco rhinestones and the shine of Bakelite cheered up the depressed 1930s. The bold, lavish 1950s jewelry expressed the mood of postwar booming economies.

In the early 1900s, working class Americans wanted to feel elegant but lacked the money to purchase precious gems and found that the sparkle of rhinestones rivals that of any precious stone.

Art Deco period (1920 - 1930s)
The Art Deco movement was an attempt to combine the harshness of mass production with the sensitivity of art and design. The Roaring Twenties was an age of prohibition, cocktail parties, flappers, and the Charleston. It was during this period that Coco Chanel introduced fake or paste jewelry (costume jewelry) to complete the costume. The Art Deco movement died with the onset of the Great Depression and the outbreak of World War II.

Some of the characteristics of the Art Deco period were:

• Free-flowing curves were replaced with a harshly geometric and symmetrical theme
  
  
• Color played an important role -- black and white were preferred, but bold colors were prominent
  
  
• Long pendants, bangle bracelets, cocktail rings, and elaborate accessory items such as cigarette cases and holders
  
  
• Ziegfield Follies showgirls used spangles, feathers, and headdresses to draw the crowds

Retro period (1935 to 1950)
In the Retro period, designers struggled with the art versus mass production dilemma. Natural materials merged with plastics. Jewelry featured produced American-made jewelry that took on the American look. With the war in Europe, many European jewelry firms were shut down and several designers immigrated to the U.S. Europe was in a deep depression and the U.S. was enjoying an economic recovery.

Some of the characteristics of the Retro period were:

• Glamour, elegance, and sophistication
  
  
• Flowers, bows, and sunburst designs with a Hollywood flair
  
  
• Moonstones, horse motifs, military influence, and ballerinas
  
  
• Bakelite and other plastic jewelry

Art Modern period (1945 to 1960)
In the Art Modern period following World War II, jewelry designs became more traditional and understated. The big, bold styles of the Retro period went out of style and were replaced by the more tailored styles of the 1950's and 60's. In the 1950s, jewelers began selling their wares to wholesalers. Jewelry was selling like hotcakes!

Some of the characteristics of the Art Modern period were:

• Bold, lavish jewelry
  
  
• Large, chunky bracelets, charm bracelets, Jade/opal, charm bracelets, citrine, topaz
  
  
• Poodle pins, Christmas tree pins, and other Christmas jewelry
  
  
• Rhinestones flew off of store shelves