1940's Jewelry and Retro Modern Style

During the 1940's, many materials previously used in jewelry design were required for the war effort. Pot metal, silver and platinum became not just scarce, but in some instances illegal for use for commercial purposes. So designers turned to other materials and developed new designs as the war effort continued.

Yellow gold and rose gold, set with just a few clear and colored rhinestones, which had become scarce, replaced earlier materials. Art Deco, with it's geometric designs, was replaced by the more curvilinear Retro Modern style. Large cocktail rings, oversize bracelets, snake chains and bright, bold brooches with a single massively cut rhinestone became fashionable. The bracelet above is a perfect example of retro modern style from the late 40's.

Crafters Versus History

Recently, some one purchased a beautiful pair of reverse carved lucite earrings from me with lovely red roses inside. The buyer wrote me a nice note expressing how happy she was with the earrings. And then she let me know that she planned to take the earrings apart and turn them into cuff links.

Of course, the buyer can do anything she wants with her purchase. But I couldn't help but be suffer a small pang because a another piece of vintage jewelry was once again being lost to an eager crafter.

Of course remaking and modernizing the old to make something new has always been done. I bet if one were to look carefully at the cave paintings as Lascaux, there would be traces of someone who made changes too!