Long out of production, highly collectible Glass Opals in mint, uncirculated condition. They were imported back in the 1950s and stored in their original wraps ever since. (Warehouses still exist in my area that are filled to the high rafters with raw materials for the once-famous jewelry industry around Providence RI — which pretty much makes it heaven for a vintage inspired designer like me.)
Every Glass Opal, like a gemstone, is unique. I have no idea why they aren’t made anymore. Everyone who has ever seen them in pieces I make has exclaimed over how amazing they are. It must have been a cost issue: these do have precious metal foils inside them, and were created one-by-one by hand in some labor-intensive way.
I set them in bezels woven with teensy glass seed beads. They are backed by intricately-detailed brass filigrees, which I had antique-plated locally — for this evocative roman bronze color yes, but mostly to protect and preserve the raw brass.
In the late Victorian period, the use of ‘en tremblant’ accents on earrings was wildly popular. For these earrings, I added trios of Swarovski crystals which are perfect accents for the Glass Opals. They are Swarovski’s ‘Pacific Opal’ with that famous Aurora Borealis coating — which you get just a hint of in my photos — very sparkly! And the movement! The crystal drops keep up a near-constant tremble and dance (so eye catching)
Unique, handcrafted, guaranteed to garner compliments!
