Czech and Bohemian Costume Jewelry

Bohemia, which is now a part of the Czech Republic, played an important role in the history of costume jewelry. It was in glass center of Gablonz, at the end of the Victorian Era, that Austrian jeweler Daniel Swarovski introduced the first cut-glass crystals to successfully imitate the look of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. In 1892, Swarovski patented a mechanical glass cutter so his crystals could be mass-produced to meet the high demand.

Bohemian costume jewelers also pioneered a technique for replicating the look of pearls, which were enormously popular at the beginning of the 20th century. Instead of using glass, jewelery makers would cut mother of pearl into beads, which were then shaped and polished until they resembled the real thing...