Rhinestones are forever

Insight on the News, Jan 22, 1996 by John Elvin

Today, most jewelry is equated with feminine beauty: Regard the shine and sparkle of starlets parading on Oscar night. But the origin of many adornments probably is masculine. An early version of the necklace likely protected the vulnerable throat; the bracelet prevented a bowstring from tearing skin when it twanged; rings suggest brassknuckles.

How nice, then, to consider the more serene evolution of the brooch. The decorative pin's original purpose was to keep clothing from falling off: Those who wanted to stay tightly wrapped turned to spines, quills and thorns for assistance. As more durable materials came into use--metal, for instance--natural pins gave way to a more formal device called a fibula, which in turn evolved into the brooch.

Brooches went in and out of fashion, reemerging in the 17th century courtesy of Madame de Sevigne, a French aristocrat who is credited with popularizing faux gem-studded baubles to accent plunging necklines. More recently, French designer Coco Chanel slammed the lid on the impossibly overdressed Victorian era with chic but simple fashions that work well with rhinestones. (For the record, rhinestones originated in Bohemia; but their vogue in the 1920s was strictly an American and British phenomenon, undoubtedly sparked by vaudeville, Hollywood and other elements of popular culture.) Designers and manufacturers who had been doing work imitative of high-priced jewelry joined in the frolic as the public exhibited a hearty appetite for gaudy "showstopper" stuff Looking for inspiration, designers rummaged through ancient history, geography, zoology and botany.

Among the first firms to plunge seriously into the costume market was Coro, a name derived from the last names of its founders, Cohn and Rosenberger. Launched in the early 1900s, Coro concentrated on affordability and, in its prime, produced thousands of designs each month. Coro jewelry is not difficult to find and is considered a good starting point for the beginning collector.

But the preeminent name in costume jewelry is Eisenberg, best known for the "Eisenberg Ice" line that appeared in the 1950s. The firm was founded by Jonas Eisenberg, an Austrian immigrant who settled in Chicago. He initially manufactured an exclusive line of clothing, adding a little something extra to each piece--a costume pin featuring Austrian crystals or rhinestones--which became so popular with shoppers that they frequently were stolen. Eisenberg took the hint and went into jewelry manufacturing full time. "To be able to wear an early Eisenberg jewel is tantamount to proclaiming your excellent taste and affluence," writes Maryanne Dolan in her book, Collecting Rhinestone Colored Jewelry.

There seems to be some confusion about the proper designation of a brooch--some speak of brooches, some of brooch pins, others exclusively of pins. Often, at least in popular price guides, the terms are used interchangeably. Top jewelry artisans and appraisers generally use brooch to describe any pin other than what might be found in a pincushion.

There also is some disagreement as to whether early costume jewelry is antique or "collectible." One publisher contends that anything made prior to 1950 is antique. Purists maintain that nothing made since the dawn of the machine age qualifies as antique. According to the IRS, an antique must be at least 100 years old. Costume jewelry dating to the Victorian era would be antique, but the vast majority of it simply is collectible.

What makes one brooch more valuable than another? Condition and quality are the two important factors to collectors. Significant repairs lower-the value of an object considerably. And, although the novice collector is likely to leap for any signed piece (a Miriam Haskell, say, whose hallmark was the faux pearl), it is not intrinsically valuable. Advanced collectors are more interested in the quality of design than in the name on the back of an item.

Oddly enough, costume jewelry requires a considerable amount of care. It's not uncommon to encounter an old rhinestone piece that has lost its luster, the victim of moisture that has ruined the underlying foil that gives the stones their shine. Rhinestone jewelry should not be washed, though some collectors will tell you they have never had a problem using just a bit of lukewarm water in a saucer (not in a sink, where loose stones could fall down the drain). Probably the best materials for cleaning: a cotton-tipped swab, a bit of glass polish or dish detergent and a soft cloth for buffing. Moisture also can condense in the backing when a piece is stored in plastic; most experts warn against this practice. Avoid spraying perfume while wearing the objects.

Loose and missing stones are inevitable. New stones can be obtained from a hobby shop, but matching them to old ones can be a problem. Collectors buy scrap and junk costume, appropriating stones from damaged items to restore a piece they wish to preserve.

There is an enormous amount of reproduction costume jewelry on the market. Some of it is out-and-out fake, right down to the patent numbers, and some is being reproduced from original molds by legitimate manufacturers. There are two ways to avoid getting stuck: patronize reputable dealers; study older pieces to develop an eye for authenticity.