What is Bakelite jewelry?

Bakelite jewelry is made from lightweight, fire-resistant plastic. It is a blend of phenol and formaldehyde and some collectors say they can smell Bakelite when it is immersed in hot water. This plastic jewelry was hot in the 1920’s to the 1940’s but was replaced with jewelry made from cheaper plastics. Designs on this jewelry are hand-carved. Many consider Bakelite  more organic looking than modern plastic.

Today vintage Bakelite is in demand. It can shatter when dropped so there are limited amounts of this jewelry around. Prices vary for a simple bracelet to Vintage jewelry pieces that can go for thousands of dollars.

Designers such as Chanel and Valentino offered Bakelite jewelry and accessories in their collections, making it collectable. Today some jewelry designers are creating new pieces out of larger pieces of vintage Bakelite, such as radios,

If you are interested in jewelry made from Bakelite visit: Etsy and Istdibs.com.

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