Posts Tagged ‘Rhinestone Jewelry’
Blue Rhinestone Brooches
Blue rhinestone brooches are appropriate at any time of year. Their icy pastels are great for Spring. The deep blue jewel tones are perfect for Winter. The medium shades are like the sky on a Summer day. And for Autumn? The blue-grays are wonderful as Fall shades!
So, do you have any blue rhinestone brooches in your collection?
Signed or Unsigned?
If you don't have any in (or would like to add some to) your collection, your next question is should you buy signed or unsigned jewelry? (You can read a post I have on the pluses and minuses of unsigned costume jewelry.)
I just bought an unsigned blue rhinestone brooch the other day, but I also knew it was a Juliana / D&E piece. Normally I buy signed costume jewelry, but I've been known to buy an unsigned piece that called to me! 
Signed? By Who?
If you're going the signed route, you've got lots of costume jewelry manufacturers to choose from. Some of my favorites when it comes to rhinestones are Weiss, Eisenberg, Coro and Kramer. But certainly don't limit yourself to these manufacturers! There's a whole world of gorgeous rhinestone costume jewelry out there!
Below is a list of beautiful blue rhinestone brooches / pins for your viewing pleasure, both signed and unsigned. As always, click on a link to get more information and a larger photo.
 |
 Lot 17 Vintage BLUE RHINESTONE Necklace BRACELET BROOCH  US $225.00
|
 Vintage Stunning Silver Blue No foil Rhinestone Brooch US $155.00
|
 Vtg Juliana Blue Gunmetal Navette Rhinestone Brooch ER US $159.99
|
 Juliana Blue Art Glass Rhinestone Brooch Pin Earrings US $124.99
|
 Vintage Coro Brooch Earring Set Blue Rhinestones US $69.99
|
 Vintage Textured Bow Blue Rhinestone Brooch Earring Set US $46.99
|
 Vintage Cyan Blue Rhinestone Brooch signed Czechoslov US $60.00
|
 Vintage Brooch Matching Earrings Black Blue Rhinestone US $19.99
|
 Vintage Coro Blue Rhinestone Brooch Pendant US $9.95
|
Eisenberg Costume Jewelry
Eisenberg is one of the costume jewelry giants. From Eisenberg Originals in the early 1900s all the way through to today's Eisenberg Ice, the jewelry dazzles the senses.
Let's learn a little about the history of Eisenberg, then find out how to get some of the glorious costume jewelry.
Brief History of Eisenberg Jewelry
Eisenberg Ice Christmas Tree Pin (Click for larger image)
It all started back in 1914, when Jonas Eisenberg founded the company in Chicago. And believe it or not, the company didn't make jewelry! Instead, they made women's clothing; the jewelry was just to use for the store displays.
Soon enough, as the story goes, ladies were clamoring not for the clothes but for the jewelry. That's when the folks at Eisenberg decided that there was something to this costume jewelry business, and Sam Eisenberg (Jonas's son) ran with it. The rest is history!
Since those humble beginnings, Eisenberg has spent many years making classic costume jewelry. When other companies like Coro and Hollycraft closed their doors due to changing consumer tastes, Eisenberg hung in there. And still produces wonderful jewelry today!
Eisenberg Jewelry Marks
You need to be aware of the marks and their approximate dates, because with so many years in business it's sometimes hard to keep up with them. The most important marks to know about are the marks for Eisenberg Ice. Why?
From about 1945 through 1958, much of the jewelry was signed Eisenberg Ice in block letters. Then fast-forward to 1985, and Eisenberg Ice was used again -- only this time in script letters and having a copyright symbol.
So just because the mark says Eisenberg Ice, don't assume it's the 1945-1958 mark. Know before you bid or buy!
The various Eisenberg marks include:
- "Eisenberg Originals" 1935 through 1945.
- "E" in block or script, 1943 through 1945. This is extremely rare.
- "Eisenberg Sterling", "Eisenberg Original Sterling", 1941 through 1945.
- "Eisenberg", "Eisenberg Ice" in block letters with no copyright symbol, 1945 through 1958. "Eisenberg Ice" was occasionally also used up into the 1970s, although most jewelry in that era was marked with a hangtag.
- "Eisenberg Ice" in script letters with a copyright symbol, 1985 through to present.
This isn't all the marks, but they are the ones you will run across the most often.
What to Look for in Eisenberg Costume Jewelry
Eisenberg is famous for their "icing" -- the generous use of small rhinestones to create a cascade of shimmering light. Although Eisenberg made some relatively unadorned jewelry, it's their rhinestone costume jewelry that is so wonderful.
Also look for their Christmas tree pins, which are also lovely (and very popular). The company has re-released some of their older designs, so check the mark to see if you're getting a recent version or the original version.
If you can find them, as they are kind of rare, look for some of the fabulous enameled jewelry they made back in the 1970s. Painstakingly created, they are exquisite examples of what enameled jewelry should really look like. (Part of the reason it's rare is that Eisenberg didn't mark a lot of their jewelry in the 1970s.)
And finally, Eisenberg is also very well known for their glorious fur clips; if you find one in good condition at a reasonable price, grab it!
Well, now it's time to take a peek at the wonderful world of Eisenberg jewelry! As always, click on the link for more details and a larger picture. Have fun!
|
 VINTAGE EISENBERG CLIP EARRINGS US $12.95
|
 BRILLIANT EISENBERG ICE CLIP BACK EARRINGS US $9.27
|
 EISENBERG ICE VINTAGE RHINESTONE FLORAL PIN BROOCH US $24.99
|
 Fabulous EISENBERG Signed Rhinestone BUTTERFLY Brooch US $11.51
|
 Estate Lot Coro Weiss Lisner Eisenberg More No Res US $51.00
|
 Vintage Eisenberg Ice Enamel Rhinestone Snowman Brooch US $12.77
|
 EISENBERG ICE VINTAGE RHINESTONE BRACELET US $39.99
|
 Eisenberg Original Vintage Rhinestone Fur Clip US $190.00
|
 EISENBERG GOLDTONE PEACH COLORED RING SIZE 6 1 2 INCH US $14.99
|
Rhinestone Costume Jewelry
Rhinestone costume jewelry is the very definition of "bling". Most of the time, anyway -- there are pieces more subdued. But oh, the sparkle of the vintage rhinestone jewelry is what keeps us coming back.
What's Your Jewelry Style?
I did mention that there were costume jewelry manufacturers that had a more subdued sparkly rhinestone look. One example is Lisner; another is BSK. Florenza tends more towards a classic Victorian look as well, with less "bling".
But if you like lots and lots of sparkle, you definitely have a large selection to choose from! Kramer, Weiss and Eisenberg are three that immediately come to mind -- fabulous pieces! And if you want rhinestone jewelry to die for, Juliana will make your heart sing.
So deciding upon what amount of sparkle you want will help you to choose a manufacturer.
Rhinestone Costume Jewelry - What to Look For
The first thing you'll be wanting to check is that the stones have plenty of sparkle, and that there are no "dead" rhinestones. (Dead means dull and/or cloudy.) While one or two at the very back of a necklace might not matter too much, you're still better off having more sparkle.
Next, are the rhinestones pasted in or seated with prongs? Either can be beautiful, but pasted in stones can come loose and fall out much easier than prong-set rhinestones.
The good news is that pasted stones are usually easy to re-set with a little jewelry glue. The bad news is that sometimes the stones drop out without you knowing, and you may have to buy a replacement stone.
Which brings me to the other thing to look for -- missing stones. Once again, you can sometimes get a great deal on a piece of rhinestone costume jewelry that is missing a stone or two. And if it's in an inconspicuous place and easy to fix, it may be a deal.
But if the missing rhinestone is "important" (one of the main stones) or would be hard to match, you may want to pass on that piece of jewelry.
Rhinestone Costume Jewelry Online
My absolute favorite place to buy costume jewelry of all kinds is ebay. You can't beat either the selection or the prices.
If you've never bought on ebay before, you may want to check out my articles on buying costume jewelry on ebay. But in reality, it's very simple.
So here's a available, as well as the list below. As always, you can click on the items to get all the details (and see a larger photo).
|
 Vintage VENDOME Rhinestone Bead Pendant US $9.99
|
 VINTAGE LEDO RHINESTONE GOLD TONE BOW BROOCH PIN US $8.00
|
 Vintage LISNER Shimmer Rhinestone Thermoset Earrings US $7.06
|
 Vintage JJ Green Enamel Rhinestone Christmas Tree Pin US $4.99
|
 VINTAGE Silver Tone Rhinestone Earrings Signed CORO US $9.49
|
 VINTAGE CROWN TRIFARI STERLING RHINESTONE FUR CLIP PIN US $75.00
|
 VINTAGE CORO PINK RHINESTONE CAB NECKLACE US $28.99
|
 VINTAGE LISNER BLUE RHINESTONE NECKLACE US $48.00
|
 signed vintage designer Schiaparelli rhinestone bracele US $36.00
|
