Vintage view: Costume jewellery

Kya deLongchamps channels her inner starlet and finds much to admire in costume jewellery.

There is primal circuitry present in the head of every woman that fires instantly to life at the blaze of gemstone jewellery. Imitation is the sincerest and, in this case, the most profitable form of flattery. With rare, expensive jewels unavailable for all but the rich, royal, or dubious of character, catching the eye with lesser materials has been for centuries a lucrative, creative field for jewellers all over the world.

In the 18th century, George Friederich Strass, discovered that coating one side of clear, coloured glass in a metal powder increased its reflective and refractive properties. This simple step allowed cheap materials to glisten as enticingly as diamonds, sapphires, and rubies. In many parts of Europe, ‘strass’ is still the term used for costume jewels without expensive inclusions.