Bakelite JewelryBuy Bakelite jewelry bargains here What is it that is so wonderful about Bakelite jewelry? 
I asked myself this question when I was recently interviewed for the local rag and they asked me this question. I came out with a rather silly answer - "It's almost good enough to eat!" Since then, I realised that this kneejerk response was possibly not so stupid. Caramel, butterscotch, applejuice, cherry amber, root beer, mustard - these are just some of the edible words I've seen to describe Bakelite jewelry, and some of my
beads
really do look and feel like toffee or caramel sweets. I was never that much into jewelry until I met Bakelite. Who would have thought that mere plastic would hold so much more fascination for me than gold or diamonds? Maybe its the colours - earthy colours like burgundy, lilac, emerald green, tortoiseshell and all shades of honey and amber, or brighter shades for summer like red, orange, brilliant yellow and grass green. Not to mention all the marbled, swirly mixtures of colours, or the transparent pieces with reverse carving and painted flowers, fish, animals and other fanciful designs that inhabit the world of Bakelite jewelry.
Or perhaps its just the beauty of bakelite, its history, its connection with that lively, elegant and sophisticated period we call
Art Deco.
If you want to be elegant, an Egyptian style collar or geometric shaped necklace will bring a touch of sophistication to any outfit. An arm full of bangles is great fun, or a big colourful ring will get you noticed when you hand over a ticket to the theatre. Whether you like to be different and make a statement, or just like to wear a gorgeous coloured necklace to blend in with your outfit, there is something for everyone. Bakelite really came of age as a material for jewelry when it was introduced in the 1920s by such prominent designers as Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli and frequently appeared in the pages of Vogue. Mind you, pieces by such designers weren't cheap, though they were among the first examples of "costume jewellery". But the use of cheap materials by great designers gave plastics a respectability that meant that everyone wanted to wear them. By the beginning of the 1930s bakelite jewelry was being mass produced and worn by everyone. Costume jewellery sets were very popular with matching necklaces, earrings, bracelets and
rings
Dress clips, bangles, brooches and pins were also worn by women of all ages. Hair ornaments finished off the effect and all these gorgeous accessories could also be stored in a wide range of jewellery boxes. In 1927 the Catalin Corporation was founded and introduced 15 new colours. In fact up to 70% of so-called bakelite jewelry around today is actually Catalin and they were especially famous for their Art Deco style radios too. Many other companies got in on the act and plastic jewelry took off around the world. America is, of course, the home of Bakelite being invented in New York by Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland and the majority of collectable bakelite jewelry these days comes from the USA. American plastic jewellery was playful and colourful, with bright and jazzy bangles with polka dots of laminated stripes, clips and pins, often with cute animals, birds or flowers. 
Art Deco
was developing in Europe throughout the 1920s and the European style of plastic jewellery was more subdued and based on design. Plastic jewellery was displayed at the Paris 1925 exhibition in the designer interiors of Paul Poiret alongside the glass of Lalique and the silver of Puiforçat. The French produced discreet, elegant designs and utilised the geometric Art Deco motifs of
Egyptian,
African and Aztec origin. While the German designers were influenced by the austere Bauhaus aesthetic. European pieces often used a combination of materials and mixed bakelite with wood or metal, creating articulated hinged bracelets of bakelite and brass evoking the grills of their beloved new streamlined motor cars and radios. Today the most collectable (and expensive pieces) are the large carved bangles, some of the rarer geometric metal and bakelite bracelets, some of the more unusual colours such as orange and blue and anything signed or rare.
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being bought together. 
