AURORA BOREALIS Jewelry: How old is that really???

Many sellers lower the original creation years of their jewelry items in order to sell at higher prices. Don't be fooled by this technique! One simple dating method is by using the presence of the AURORA BOREALIS rhinestone.

Exactly what is Aurora Borealis?

Many people aren't sure what AB really is. It's a stone that has been coated with thin layers of metal to enhance brilliance and reflective color quality. The method of coating the stone involves vaporizing metals in a vacuum.

Sellers and Misdating AB Jewelry

Often sellers give approximate dates in their descriptions. Many sellers are not as educated on their merchandise as they should be. Even those that are knowledgeable, will lower the creation date in order to command higher prices. I've seen items that I know were manufactured in the late 1960's and early 1970's listed as 1930's!

How can you know when a seller is misrepresenting the creation date of a piece of jewelry? One key is to look for aurora borealis (AB) stones!

When was the AB stone really born?

The process of making AB coating on crystal was in experimental phases in the early 1950's by the Swarovski Company. The process progressed to some success in 1953, but not until 1955 did Manfred Swarovski perfect the glorious AB stone! He worked closely with Christian Dior, and they were the first to have access to the "rainbow" stone.

Some excellent examples of the color & fire of AB!

Being AB-Wise

When you see a piece of jewelry that has original AB stones, do NOT believe the description if it dates the piece 1930's or 1940's. Unless the stones were all replaced, the piece wasn't manufactured earlier than 1955. Some patent numbers on backs of pieces may have a patent date of earlier, but the actual assembly and creation of the piece (if using original AB stones) was not before 1955.

Even if the seller's description states they remember Grandma wearing the necklace/brooch back around the World War, be aware that their memory must not be what it used to be! In 1939, Swarovski was forced to produce/manufacture binoculars and optical products for the military. Their shipment of stones out of Austria was VERY limited, as well as difficult and dangerous. They did not return to the costume jewelry industry until *after* the War!

So look for that rainbow AB! You have just taught yourself one method of approximating the date of a piece.

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For a great book on the history of the Swarovski company and its products, as well as fabulous photographs, I recommend "SWAROVSKI: The Magic of Crystal."

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