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Saturday, November 23, 2013

Rhinestone Necklaces And Their Place In History

By Angela Briggs


Rhinestones became popular around the thirteenth century when crystals were discovered in the Rhine River. They were hand cut and polished at that time and very time consuming to make. The stones were prized for their brilliance and were made into rhinestone necklaces and other jewelry for the upper classes.

Mass production of these stones became possible by the eighteenth century. An invention by Swarowski revolutionized the industry and made the stones available to people of all classes. The crystals were made of glass and with treatment could be made in numerous colors. In the United States eighty percent of crystals present are created by Swarovski.

In the two decades between nineteen twenty and nineteen forty when styles were more focused on femininity and bright dazzling jewelry these stones were very fashionable. Younger women purchased items that were small and sleek while the older generation was more interested in broaches and hair clips. This popularity waned after the war ended in the nineteen forties.

During the nineteen fifties and nineteen sixties they hit their lowest point because of the flower child population. The desire for a lot of dazzling sparkling jewelry was not there. They went more for the more natural fibers and look. During the nineteen seventies with the advent of the disco generation people once again became interested in them. The popularity has maintained steadily since then.

There is no better place to display beautiful jewelry than the neck. That is demonstrated by the numerous fashion styles that are available for neck wear. One of fashions most popular styles is the choker. It enhances the neck and bodice lines in a very flattering way. The collar form of necklace also serves this purpose but is worn a little higher on the neck.

The long strand styles are also versatile in that they can go to the office during the day and out to dinner later. They can be doubled or tied in knots to change the accent they offer to the wearer. Long strands can offer an answer for whatever a situation calls for.

A renewed interest has arisen in vintage jewelry. Many people are learning how to identify valuable vintage pieces and searching for them at estate sales or flea markets. Another good place to find valuable vintage pieces would be the jewelry boxes of your mother or grandmother. The eras of their youths are perfect for this type of jewelry. There was a period in time where these pieces were designed by some of the world's best jewelry designers. Some of the pieces created by these designers have become very valuable. As an act of appreciation David Swarovski created a clear fifty one pound stone for Liberace in 1982. It contained one hundred fifteen thousand carats and was valued at over fifty thousand dollars.

Rhinestone necklaces have been a part of man's history since before the thirteenth century. They have held on to their place as a preferred mode of expression for centuries and will continue to be an intricate part of societies fashion world in the future. You can look forward to these pieces being handed down from mothers to daughters for generations to come.




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