Rhinestone Jewelry

Thanks to its affordability, vintage rhinestone jewelry can be part of anyone’s collection, adding sophisticated elegance or glitz — or both.

Rhinestones have defined glamour since as far back as the 13th century, when Austrian jewelers first incorporated the sparkling quartz unique to the Rhine river (hence the name) into their designs, adding brilliance and luminescence to everything from tiaras to necklaces to rings. With their high lead content, the original Rhine stones had a diamond-like quality so alluring to the wealthy that the river was eventually depleted, leaving jewelers searching for an alternative.

Enter Alsatian jeweler Georg Friedrich Strass, who in the late 18th century began coating glass with a metal powder to refract the light (in many European languages, rhinestones are called strass). Some 50 years later, Bohemian glass blowers went even further: They found that by varying the metal backings, they could transform these glass “stones” into replicas of virtually any gem, including rubies, emeralds, morganites, sapphires and colored diamonds.

But it was legendary Bohemian gem cutter Daniel Swarovski who, nearly a half-century later, elevated rhinestones to their best and brightest, creating coated glass-crystal gems that are almost indistinguishable from diamonds. He also invented the electric cutting machine, which allowed rhinestones to be manufactured not only in the smallest, pinpoint sizes but also as cabochons.

Since then, designers have produced effects with rhinestones that would be nearly impossible with precious gems — effects that have been appreciated as much by jewelry lovers like Elizabeth Taylor, Madeline Albright and Queen Sophia of Spain as by fashion designers like Christian Dior, Givenchy, Yves St. Laurent and Coco Chanel, who loved costume jewels but couldn’t resist designing with diamonds.

To avoid damaging your rhinestone jewelry, store it carefully. Piling pieces on top of each other can scratch the metal backings or, worse, the glass itself. Clean the jewels gently with mild baby soap and water using a toothbrush or soft cloth, advises Ciner’s Kris Ciulla, adding, “If the craftsmanship and materials were worthy from the beginning, they can last forever.”

Find vintage rhinestone jewelry for your jewelry box today on 1stDibs.