A New Book by Taschen Looks at the Enduring Allure of Costume Jewelry

LONDON — With gold prices surging, and diamonds — mined and lab-grown — in decline, there’s no better time to be taking a fresh look at costume jewelry — its origins, history and position in the great cosmos of accessories.

Carol Woolton’s latest book looks at the rise of costume jewelry in the 20th century America through the vast collection of Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, the Italian contemporary art collector and founder of the Turin-based foundation that supports young Italian and foreign artists.

The book, “Costume Jewelry,” (Taschen) showcases nearly 600 pieces from the 1930s to the present day, which are on display at the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo.

“These jewels were not created to imitate, and they were not replicas that were passed off as fine jewels. They’re beautiful in their own right, and were made to be worn and celebrated as they are,” Woolton said.

A longtime jewelry editor who hosts the popular podcast “If Jewels Could Talk,” Woolton added that the costume jewels featured in the book have the “finesse of fine jewelry. They are elevated pieces with incredible detail, craftsmanship and the finest materials, such as fine-quality crystals.”

She argues that it was pre-war Europeans designers who laid the groundwork for the American boom in costume jewelry. “You can’t underestimate how radical Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli were at the time, wearing and creating costume jewelry and making it fashionable and acceptable,” she said.

In post-war America, costume jewelry quickly became popular due to the arrival of talented craftspeople fleeing Europe; the abundance of leftover war materials such as Lucite, which was made by DuPont and was originally used for aircraft canopies and windshields; demand from a new generation of working women who wanted to look smart, and a parade of Hollywood actresses showcasing their faux jewels on- and off-screen.  

In America, many women, said Woolton, “were traveling, going to resorts, to Florida, and maybe wearing little palm trees. They didn’t want to be left out of this new, fun fashion.” At home, these wealthy women — including First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy — wore faux pearls, just like their husbands’ secretaries.

The faux allure is enduring. Kennedy’s simulated pearl necklace just sold at Bonhams for more than 16,000 pounds, more than three times the estimate.

In 1996, the French fashion brand Gérard Darel bought Kennedy’s black “pearl” necklace, made from glass beads, at Sotheby’s in New York, and has used it as inspiration ever since, producing replicas in various colors.

“Costume jewelry was a great democratizer,” said Woolton, who also writes about the role of Hollywood in promoting the trend.

“Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer and Paulette Goddard had great fine jewelry collections, but they also had faux jewelry, and they would wear it on screen,” Woolton said. The studios relied on designer Joseff of Hollywood, who created special finishes for the on-screen jewelry to minimize the glare from the lights.

Crawford even modeled for the costume jewelrymaker Miriam Haskell.

As the years passed, it was Kenneth Jay Lane who took up the costume jewelry mantle, wowing royals and socialites, including Princess Margaret, with his designs. She especially liked wearing Lane’s colorful replicas while on holiday in Mustique.

Lane wasn’t the only costume jewelry expert of the late 20th century.

Woolton said Simon Wilson, cofounder of London costume jeweler Butler & Wilson — a favorite of Princess Diana‘s — remains a master of sparkling faux designs ranging from leaping lizards to twinkling Christmas trees.

She also called out the costume jeweler Vicki Sarge, cofounder of Erickson Beamon, who’s now doing collaborations with creatives including Val Garland and Stephen Jones.

Woolton believes costume jewelry can have enduring appeal, if it’s original and has been made with care.

She believes people should steer away from trendy pieces, and buy costume, “as if they’re buying fine jewelry. Plan to wear it, keep it — and don’t chuck it out,” she said.