Bakelite Jewelry

For the women with her own fashion sense. who wants affordable costume jewelry. Unique necklaces, chains, earrings, bracelets, bangles, brooches, dress clips, rhinestones, and more.

Bakelite jewelry is not new but it still remains very popular a hundred years from its inception. Born in Belgian Dr. Leo Baeland was the scientist who discovered Bakelite. After immigrating to the United States in 1907 he accidentally discovered the compound of carbolic acid and formaldehyde which would not melt no matter how high he turned the temperature. We could say the rest was history.

There were two variations catalin and marblette there also trademarked with the original Bakelite although today they are all referred to as just Bakelite. This was the first synthetic plastic the modern world saw.

It was durable, affordable, and beautiful. That’s a lot of value and it could be used for an endless number of projects. Within 15 years it was the most demanded product on the market. It was used for electrical plugs, lamps, kitchen items, the dashboards in the Mercedes Benz car, and ornate jewelry which was its most popular use.

White, red, green, and brown were common colors but there were plenty of other colors. One of the neatest things about Bakelite is that over time it develops a fine patina. White will turn to butterscotch, light blue will turn to forest green, and pink turns to orange - now that’s a stretch.

Bakelite is sometimes confused with other materials. Some practice and you’ll become a pro at identifying Bakelite. There are a couple of easier tests that can help. If you heat Bakelite it has a very strong odor. Sometimes you can release that odor just by rubbing really hard on the material to create a little heat or you can place it in hot water. This is a very distinct odor.

When you tap two pieces of Bakelite together they will make a very deep clunking sound. It does not sound anything like the clack that Lucite or acrylic makes. Of course this isn’t a real reliable test.

The hot pin test is the most common test used. Because Bakelite is a thermo set plastic it cannot be heated and remolded. To test for Bakelite take a very very hot pink that has been under an open flame and try to penetrate the Bakelite. If it penetrates then you do not have Bakelite. It can leave a small burn mark and an acid smell if it is Bakelite. Always test on a spot that isn’t conspicuous.

The best way to recognize Bakelite comes with experience. After you’ve seen enough pieces you will easily recognize it. There are also some excellent books on the market that you might find helpful.

Bakelite has more than 1000 uses and today not only is Bakelite Jewelry highly collectible so are other items like vanity items. In 1927 the Bakelite patent expired and was purchased by Catlin who mass produced Bakelite under their company name.

Just when you thought you saw the most beautiful Bakelite jewelry along comes another piece that you just can’t resist. So what are you waiting for? Why not see what your favorite piece turns out to be?

Bakelite Jewelry Online