#Identify #Rock #Crystal #Fine #Faux #Jewelry #WorthPoint
My introduction to rock crystal jewelry came early in my buying and selling “career” when I ran across a set in the original box at an estate sale. This set had a little insert inside that read “genuine rock crystal.” The jewelry in the set was sparkly enough to satisfy my inner magpie, and in perfect condition, so I took it home to learn more about it. Over the decades since that first rock crystal find came my way, I’ve owned many more of these lovely pieces and still relish finding them.
Until I was researching to write entries on adornment for the WorthPoint Dictionary, I didn’t realize how extensively—and beautifully—rock crystal was used in fine jewelry, too. I probably won’t ever own one of those amazing designs, but it was a treat to learn about them as I ferreted out details about some of the most revered fine jewelers. With that in mind, I’ll tell you what rock crystal is and some of the many ways it’s been used to craft gorgeous jewelry designs.
Rock Crystal: What It Is and How to Identify It
Even though rock crystal may look like glass or lead crystal at first glance, it’s actually colorless quartz. That means it’s a naturally occurring mineral—one of the most common in the world. It ranks seventh on the Mohs hardness scale, making it more durable than glass. The name rock crystal is rooted in the Greek word krystallos, which translates to ice. In ancient Greece, they believed quartz was ice that was so cold and solid that it would not dissolve.
When faceted, the edges of rock crystal usually feel sharper than those of glass, and it’s much colder to the touch. In fact, if you hold a strand of rock crystal beads enclosed in your hand, they will stay cool, whereas glass will warm up as you hold it. Furthermore, rock crystal will indicate as quartz when tested with a gem tester, but measuring the coolness is a good field test to keep in mind.
Rock Crystal in Fine Jewelry
Rock crystal used in fine jewelry runs the gamut from centuries-old selections to styles produced in the 21st century. Some of the earliest examples of fine jewelry incorporating rock crystal you might run across take the form of Stuart Crystals. They sometimes have carved portraits of King Charles I, but more often, flat tops with facets along the sides. The Georgian flat-topped versions are usually laid over gold wirework or hairwork as the forerunner to mourning jewelry. Many of the most exciting designs are held in museum collections.
Later, Victorians began to favor reverse-carved intaglios crafted of rock crystal set into jewelry made of karat gold, such as rings, pins, and pendants. Frosted rock crystal was also carved and set into filigree lavaliers and pendants, often with diamond embellishments in the center. These pieces were popular through the 1930s and were copied widely using camphor glass instead of rock crystal.
In my humble opinion, the use of rock crystal really got interesting during the 1930s. Jewelers looked for ways to incorporate lesser-value materials during the Great Depression, and rock crystal, whether frosted or transparent, worked beautifully for that purpose. It was carved and combined with diamonds and other precious gems spectacularly. Cartier made some amazing pieces during this era, but other well-known jewelers like Seaman Schepps and Suzanne Belperron did as well. These are valued for their artistry more than the sum of their parts.
Since the 1950s, jewelers like Tiffany & Co. and David Webb have marketed numerous designs featuring carved rock crystal elements, including amazing rings and cuff bracelets. Van Cleef & Arpels has also incorporated rock crystal clovers into its famed Alhambra sautoir necklaces. More recently, Boucheron employed laser etching to create contemporary rock crystal jewelry worthy of a feature in Robb Report. All these creations generally sell through high-end auction houses when they enter the secondary marketplace, but looking them up in the WorthPoint Price Guide offers some enjoyable eye candy.
Rock Crystal in Costume Jewelry
Costume jewelry pieces featuring rock crystal elements dating back to the Victorian era through the 1940s can still be found at thrift stores, flea markets, and estate sales. Victorian necklaces called “pools of light” incorporate orbs of undrilled rock crystal framed in metal, usually sterling silver. You won’t run across these often, but keep an eye out for them because they can easily sell for hundreds and even more if they’re long.
Other necklaces you may run across more readily are lavalier, lariat, and negligee styles with one to several faceted rock crystal beads suspended on delicate chains. These date to the 1920s and 1930s and usually sell in the $50–75 range. Necklaces featuring complete strands of rock crystal beads surface even more often, and those sell for less than $50 in most cases but are lovely to wear. Watch for bracelets to match and screw-back earrings, too. Many types of screw-back earrings are hard to sell, but those made with dangling rock crystal elements move more quickly.
One point to remember is that some filigree settings from this era holding frosted camphor glass are copies of earlier rock crystal pieces from the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, as mentioned above. If you see one purported to be rock crystal set in sterling or non-precious metal with a diamond simulant, there’s nothing wrong with asking the seller if it has been tested. This look was revived in the 1970s costume jewelry designs, too, so not every example you’ll run across dates to the early 1900s.
Now that you know a bit more about fine and faux rock crystal jewelry, enjoy the hunt for this cool material, both literally and figuratively.
Pamela Siegel is a freelance writer and author who has been educating collectors for more than two decades. In addition to three books on topics relating to antiques and collectibles, she frequently shares her expertise through online writing and articles for print-based publications. Pamela is also the co-founder of Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l (CJCI) and the proprietor of Chic Antiques by Pamela.
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