Guidelines for Buying Lucite jewellery by Anika Pathak jewelry designer & author
Overview After the creation of Lucite jewellery in 1928, this jewellery developed an immense popularity because of the fact that it was a fairly inexpensive collection of jewellery. The popularity of Lucite jewellery flourished throughout the 20t h century and it is still very popular. The growth of the trend of Lucite jewellery was a direct consequence of the great depression. The women, during this era, could not afford to purchase expensive jewellery and therefore found a respite in comparatively less expensive Lucite jewellery. Just like acrylic glass, Lucite too has the ability to take many forms. It has the appearance of glass when it is clear. It is also often dyed by jewellery makers to create the impression of and to imitate materials like granite and turquoise. This versatility makes it a statement material for costume and other inexpensive jewelry items even in the 21st century, and pricing for truly vintage Lucite jewellery in the early 1900’s signifies them as collectibles.
New or Vintage Lucite Jewelry During the 1940s and 1950s, Lucite jewellery had hit the pinnacle of its popularity. A number of designer firms such as listener, pam and coro created a number of vividly colored necklaces, earrings and bracelets with the use of Lucite. Signed pieces from companies such as these are often highly valuable collectibles. This also implies that pieces of vintage Lucite jewellery which became immensely popular during the yesteryears because of the fact that they were comparatively cheap and inexpensive can now fetch up to a thousand dollars in the jewellery market. A number of companies still indulge in the creation of vintage and inexpensive Lucite jewellery for those who want to own vintage Lucite jewellery but do not want to pay the price of the same. Be it Lucite pins or Lucite rings, this material is a versatile way for jewellery makers of creating affordable fashion jewellery that is also unique and fashionable. Beaded or Molded Lucite Jewelry There are a number of ways in which Lucite can be used in making jewellery. There are no two ways of making jewellery that are similar when it comes to the realm of Lucite jewellery. The first method of creating Lucite jewellery involves creating beads out of Lucite and later setting them in silver, gold or some other metal that can be used for making necklaces, bracelets, rings or earrings. There is one more immensely popular way of using Lucite in making jewellery. It involves the molding of Lucite. With the use of this method, Lucite jewellery can be created with the use of only a single piece of Lucite. This method is most specially used in the making of Lucite bracelets and rings. A number of interesting textures, contrasts with the combination of the two. How to tell if Jewelry is Lucite It is one of the most important factor that needs to be considered while buying Lucite jewelry. Lucite is a type of plastic, but it is a much higher quality plastic than other types, such as celluloid. To get the best deal, it is important to know how to tell the difference between Lucite and cheaper forms of plastic. In order to do this, you must start by first taking a close look at the Lucite being used. This Lucite should not have any signs of brittleness or cracks on it. While considering large pieces of Lucite, their flexibility should be tested. If it really is Lucite, it should not bend at all. For pieces you have already purchased, place them under hot water. There should be no odor. If there is a strong odor, then the piece is probably celluloid. Conclusion Lucite jewellery is a wonderful and unique kind of jewellery that is gaining much popularity in the jewellery market. Lucite is being used by silver cuff manufacturers in the manufacture of handmade 925 bracelets , custom 925 jewellery and more. However, it is always advisable to gain some fundamental knowledge about any kind of jewellery before purchasing it.