Art Deco Crystal Earrings / Statement Drop Earrings / Antique "Something Old" Bridal Earrings

Well these dazzling beauties are just waiting for another party to sparkle in! These earrings are vintage Art Deco set with "stress crystal". The term "strass crystal" refers to a brilliant, high-quality type of lead glass that is used to imitate diamonds and other gemstones. The word "strass" (or an equivalent) is used in many European languages as a common term for rhinestones.

The material is named after the Alsatian jeweler Georg Friedrich Strass (1701–1773), who invented and popularized the technique in the 18th century. These rhinestones are old antique cuts, as they are simulate the diamond cuts that were popular when they were made. In the 1920s-1930s the approximate age of these earrings, Old European cut diamonds were popular, and one of the distinctive features of this diamond cut was a high crown. If you take a look at these earrings in profile, you will see that many of the rhinestones sit prominently higher thus simulating the real diamonds popular during that time.

The "flapper" style of the 1920s, with its short bobbed hairstyles and dropped waistlines, left the neck and ears more exposed, creating a perfect canvas for long, dangling earrings to be showcased. The movement of these earrings complemented the new dances of the Jazz Age.

Crystal earrings were popular in the Art Deco era due to their alignment with the movement's core principles of modernity, sharp geometry, and striking brilliance, as well as the social shifts of the time. They offered an elegant yet affordable way to accessorize the new, liberated fashion of the period.

The Art Deco period was marked by industrial innovation, leading to new techniques for cutting gemstones and the increased use of more accessible materials in costume jewelry. Crystal and rhinestones were an affordable alternative to precious gems and diamonds, making the glamorous Art Deco look accessible to a broader range of women who were gaining economic independence.

These earrings are not marked for silver, nor are the backings of the earrings marked. The earrings do not test as silver, and they would be made out of "Pot silver" which is not a specific type of silver; rather, it typically refers to "pot metal" that may have a silver-colored appearance or a silver plating. 

All the crystals are original and in place, one of the emerald cut crystals is cracked but it does not detract from the overall look. To be honest, these earrings almost found its way into my personal collection, but once in a while I let my husband win an argument to throw him off balance.

The earrings have a screw back closure which was typical during the time frame. This is how they would have been purchased back in the 1920s. Ear piercing was not widely accepted or common for women during much of the Victorian era, through the Art Deco period (1920s-1930s), and up until the 1960s. Pierced ears were sometimes considered "barbaric" or simply unfashionable at the time. Screw backs provided a way for all women to wear fashionable earrings without committing to a permanent piercing. 

Item Weight: 9.74g