With the ever-increasing popularity of the vintage costume jewelry people recognize as "Juliana", it is a name that has become the most misused and misrepresented in the vintage fashion market.
You will read discussions as people argue that Juliana is a style not a brand or company. It wasn't a style exclusive to Juliana as the manufacturer made the same style of jewelry available without the hang tag for all customers. The jewelry manufactured reflected the fashion trends and styles for that era. Rhinestone jewelry was available from the same manufacturer before, during and after the Juliana company closed and the tags were destroyed. The diversity of the jewelry manufactured for 2 1/2 years was not all big, glitz and opened back settings as people would have you believe.
This information is easily verified in Mr. Frank DeLizza's book, Memoirs of a Fashion Jewelry Manufacturer. If you don't own it, I urge you to buy a copy now and stop being fooled by "people in the know" or someone who writes a credible byline with their auctions.
For those that don't have the time or wish to spend $25.00 plus shipping on the book, we have assembled a few photos of the most common and gorgeous pieces of jewelry people list as Juliana or describe as attributes only found on DeLizza & Elster (aka Juliana) jewelry - e.g., open backed settings.
Please remember that for the most part, findings, settings, and rhinestones, beads, etc. were available to all manufacturers. Therefore it is entirely possible for you to find jewelry with similar findings that was not made by D&E then and/or made with vintage findings from companies or artisans today.
Educating yourself and examining pieces of jewelry that are confirmed or verified as D&E will provide you with a starting point. Buying Mr. DeLizza's book will open your eyes to the wide variety of jewelry made - perhaps even start you on a different path of D&E jewelry. Maybe jewelry from the 1980s is more to your liking!
The photos you are about to view were donated courtesy of each of our members as a way to help spread the word so you can make a more informed decision about your acquisitions.
