The idea of wearing jewelry made with fake gems used to make me cringe.
What is tackier than plastic turquoise!?
But then I started using vintage beads and far from looking cheap I found some amazing high quality materials. Vintage costume jewelry manufacturers were wizards of chemistry! The invention of plastics beginning in the late 1800s (celluloid, Bakelite, Lucite) also allowed us women folk of average means the possibility to wear expensive-looking jewelry.
Beyond imitation, these plastic (and some glass) gems have a unique quality all their own.
If you still hold dear to the notion that it's tacky you might want to drop your mouse and slowly walk away because you might change your mind after looking at some of my favorites:)
Wood Rose Beads
These babies are from rare vintage bead supplier
EurekaEureka. I have used these Lucite beads in some of
my jewelry and they really do look and feel like hand-carved wood!
Faux Turquoise cabochons
Tiny plastic faceted cabs from
Brassgoldbeads that I am wearing at this very moment in the form of stud earrings. Some of the best faux turquoise coloring I've seen - they would cost a fortune if they were real turquoise!
Faux Elephant Ivory Beads
From vintage bead supplier
DestashWalrus these beautiful celluloid beads have incredible veining like that of real ivory!
Faux Jade Cabochons
The color in these cabochons from vintage bead supplier
yummytreasures are mouth watering! They have subtle color washes that you'd find in real Jade. Made of glass but made to look like carved Jade.
Faux Amber
These Lucite beads from
Vintagebeadnut are amazing! What's even more interesting is that they have more in common with real amber than do other faux stones with their counterparts: Amber comes from ancient plant material that has been spared the decomposition process like petroleum (hey it's organic!) from which plastics like Lucite are made.
Amber is even warm to the touch like plastic!
Faux verdigris
I purchased these beads from
blacksheepbeads and I can attest to their similarity in color and texture to a natural verdigris patina on metal but they have the added advantage of being much lighter!
Faux Rutilated Quartz
How awesome are these!? These gorgeous cabochons from
stdymphnasupplies have tiny lengths of metallic thread embedded in clear Lucite. Beautiful!
great article, and thanks for the mention! I always love to look at pics of yummy vintage beads. :)
ReplyDeletethank you for including me in your wonderful and beautiful article about vintage beads. i have already had some "traffic" for the ivory beads and a potential large order going to Hamburg, Germany!
ReplyDeleteyour mention spurred me to list the rest of the sizes in my inventory and get them out to the people who can utilize them in their gorgeous creations! thank you from Pamela DestashWalrus.etsy.com
lucite bestills my heart - great to see your favs
ReplyDeleteawesome! I'm planning on posting individual articles about celluloid, Lucite and other vintage materials. so cool!
ReplyDelete