Audrey Hepburn costume jewelry

1. Costume Jewelry – Origin and Evolution down the Ages Costume jewelry covers a wide range of items, from trinkets to junk jewelry, from imitated jewelry to fake jewelry primarily worn to complement a specific dress or an outfit. This is against fine or “real” jewelry made of precious metals and stones and usually seen as an investment option, collectible or family heirlooms to be passed down across generations. The term costume jewelry goes back to the early 20th century with “costume” signifying a dress or an outfit. 

2. The Early Years • Originally, for making costume jewelry, inexpensive gemstones like rhinestones or Lucite were used and set in silver, nickel, pewter or brass. However, during World War II, there was a ban on private use of most base metals. It was then that sterling silver came to be widely used in making costume jewelry and some of these historical pieces can still be found in the vintage jewelry marketplace. • The evolution of costume jewelry can be categorized into some specific periods.

3. 1920 – 1930 • In the teething years of costume jewelry, an attempt was made to combine the starkness of mass production with warmth and sensitivity of intricate patterns and designs. It was during this time that famous fashion house Coco Chanel introduced costume jewelry to complement the outfits from her home production. This period known as the Art Deco movement came to an end with the onset of the Great Depression and the start of the Second World War. The highlights of costume jewelry in this period were long pendants, cocktail rings, and bangle bracelets. 

4. 1935 – 1950 • During this period, manufacturers were caught in a bind – to focus on mass production designs or fine art forms. Europe was at war and many European manufacturers were forced to shut shop and migrate to the USA. Hence, during these years – known as the Retro period – jewelry designs had a distinctly American look. After the war, there was a sense of optimism of a good life and costume jewelry designs reflected this mindset. The focus was on bold, lavish jewelry, brightly-colored flowers, bows, moonstones, horse motifs and ballerinas with a distinct Hollywood flair.

5. 1945 – 1960 • In the 1950s and the 1960s, the bold and large pieces of jewelry of the Retro period were no longer in fashion and were replaced by more refined and tailored designs. These included chunky and charm bracelets, jade opal and pearls, citrine and topaz. Check out the Audrey Hepburn costume jewelry collection especially made famous by her iconic movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s to get an idea of what was prevalent in that period. These include 5-strand pearl necklace, pearl tiara, oval stone, and crystal earrings and crystal tiara.  • Modern costume jewelry today has high-end crystals, simulated diamonds and semi-precious stones set in gold, silver or other base metals.