Bakelite jewelry is made jewelry made from a material known as Phenolic, which is the first ever kind of plastic made by man. Phenolic, or simply Bakelite as it is more popularly referred to, was invented during the early 20th century but it was only used for making jewelry during the 1930s, which were markedly the years of the Great Depression. Jewelers back then experimented with Bakelite to create colorful and inexpensive jewelry pieces that they can sell to fashion forward if financially distressed women of the time. Today, jewelry made from Bakelite is very popular and is a favorite of a lot of collectors.
Getting to know Bakelite jewelry
Like most other types of jewelries that were made during a certain period of time, Bakelite jewelry pieces also have certain distinguishing features and characteristics. For one, most Bakelite pieces feature a characteristic shade of either butterscotch or pea green. Jewelers also used other colors but these two were the most popular because they were the least expensive to produce.
Recognizing Bakelite by color, however, is not a foolproof way of identifying vintage pieces, especially now that there are many fake Bakelite jewelries are sold flea markets and other similar sources. One surefire way to determine if jewelry is made from authentic, vintage Bakelite is the household cleaner 409 test. To conduct this test, moisten the tip of a Q-tip with the above mentioned cleaner and wipe this on any are of the jewelry that will not be seen easily. If the area turns to yellow, then the piece is made of genuine Bakelite.
Another test you can perform is the hot water test. Simply place the jewelry in hot water and smell the piece. Original authentic Bakelite jewelry would give off a strong odor as reaction to the heat of the water. This odor comes from the formaldehyde component of vintage Bakelite.
Reputable Bakelite jeweler
The best way to make sure that your Bakelite jewelry is the real thing is to buy your pieces from reputable jewelers such as Annette Brandt. Brandt has been providing Bakelite and other types of antique jewelry to the people of Philadelphia. She is a well known member of the community and also a recipient of the city's Best Antique Jewelry recognition. You can view her collection and products by browsing through this website. Remember to not take chances when it comes to antique jewelries, buy yours now from Annette Brandt.
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