Glass, paste and gilded metal: how fake jewels became a fashion statement of their own.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 15 November 2026
What is costume jewellery?
Jewellery made from non-precious materials such as glass, crystal, resin, enamel and plated base metal. It was designed to go with clothes, the “costume”, rather than to store wealth, so it could be big, bold and changed with the season.
Who made it fashionable?
Gabrielle Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1920s and 1930s. Chanel piled ropes of faux pearls over plain jersey and mixed real and fake stones on purpose, arguing that jewellery should be about style, not money. Her glass “gems” were made by the Paris workshop Gripoix. Schiaparelli made surrealist pieces: insects, padlocks and telephone-dial brooches.
Who were the great makers?
In America, Miriam Haskell’s hand-wired seed pearls and flowers from the 1920s onward, Trifari’s crown pins and Eisenberg’s crystals. Later, Kenneth Jay Lane made glamorous copies of fine jewellery worn by Jacqueline Kennedy and the Duchess of Windsor. Today Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent and Schiaparelli all sell costume pieces at fashion prices.
Is vintage costume jewellery collectable?
Very. Signed pieces from Chanel, Schiaparelli, Haskell and Trifari can sell for hundreds or thousands at auction and on resale sites. Look for maker’s marks on the back, good weight, and stones that are set rather than glued. Since costume pieces are plated, avoid water and perfume to stop the finish wearing.
Read on Ayerhs: Coco Chanel: The Life, Legacy, and Fashion Revolution of an Icon · Schiaparelli Couture Spring 2020: Double Fantasy