2388.Coro Florals 1942 to 1945The 2nd World War had a powerful impact on the development of American costume jewelry. Americans, for the first time, were cut off from the influences of European fasion and materials, such as quality rhinestones, became very difficult to acquire. In late 1941 tin, nicket, zinc and copper were re-directed towards the war effort and became inaccessible to the jewelry trade. Sterling silver substituted for the base metals and was used from 1942 into the mid 50s and metalwork, accented with enamel, lucite, faux turquoise, jade and seed pearls often became imaginative substitutes for rhinestones.
