Recently Sold (VN142)

Weiss Rarity - Vintage Signed 'Weiss' Rhodium Plated Austrian Swarovski Crystal Pearl Choker Bib Necklace. This Stunning necklace is crafted from rhodium plate over metal, signed WEISS. Featuring numerous pear and round cut Austrian Swarovski crystal, numerous simulated pearls, vintage styling, and high quality craftsmanship. This gorgeous necklace is made up of layers of beautiful sparkling clear crystals and pearls. The design and quality could easily be a 'red carpet' piece. The necklace is meant to fit around the neck as a choker, which allows the layers to hang perfectly. The necklace is adjustable so it can be worn at the length you need. This vintage necklace would bring your wedding or special occasion dress to an entirely different level. Truly a wow factor, and breathtaking piece to be cherished for many years to come. 

Note: Weiss was a small company , which did not produce a lot of jewelry. Necklaces are especially difficult to find, which makes this piece exceptionally rare due to the fact that necklaces are a rarity, and the pristine condition of this magnificent necklace. Quite honestly one of the nicest Weiss necklaces I have ever seen. 

History: One of the things that separate Albert Weiss from other jewelers in the trade is the fact that he built his jewelry company on his own.

He gave up getting his accounting degree and applied to work for Coro Jewelry, one of the most popular New York jewelry producers in the 1900s. And he got accepted.

While working for Coro Jewelry, he absorbed all the tricks of the trade and acquired a very good eye for details - useful tools for the process of developing the Weiss jewelry pieces.

In 1942, Albert Weiss decided to set up his own costume-jewelry shop in the same city and employed only those who specialized in handcrafted pieces.

This meant that Albert Weiss's jewelry collection was exclusive because it took hard work, dedication, and skills to produce even just one brooch or bracelet.

It didn't take long before the Weiss jewelry pieces got the attention they deserved and lots of women started demanding more of these special jewels.

This success made Weiss open up more manufacturing facilities in Germany, France, and even Rhode Island (USA).

Although Albert Weiss would never get as big as Coro, business was good enough in the 1950s and ’60s that the company had to contract with Hollycraft to fill its orders.

Another interesting fact about Albert Weiss is that he excelled at floral and figural brooches and earrings, standing out also through the wide range of bracelets and necklaces.

Unfortunately, the success of Weiss jewelry didn't last long.

Soon after Albert Weiss handed over the business to his son Michael in 1969, the company had some financial problems and was forced to close up shop in 1971.

Weiss jewelry is perhaps best known for its use of smoky rhinestones. The master jeweler imported rhinestones from Austria and created ornaments by hand.

The design and quality of Weiss's pieces were amazing and because of it, many ladies began to transition from loud brands such as Dior, Chanel, and Haskell to Weiss jewelry. One of the Weiss advertisements said" Why buy diamonds, when you can have Weiss" 

An interesting thing about Weiss is that he incorporated many styles and designs that were subsequently copied by other jewelers.

One of the most coveted Weiss jewelry pieces by collectors is the “black diamond” series which featured a unique smoky-colored rhinestone.

Other popular pieces include those made with inverted rhinestones and series using a Christmas tree design.

Many of the Weiss jewelry designs – like beautiful insects and butterflies - are highly sought by collectors, maybe because many of the earlier pieces were undervalued.

Back in the day, Weiss jewelry was considered a breath of fresh air and a game-changer in the jewelry business.

Why? Because Weiss tended to use new materials. The company was also among the early users of Swarovski’s multicolored aurora borealis crystals in the 1950s.

Also, he used enamel expertly to create colorful, smooth, and textured pieces.

The enamel allowed the designers to create unique costume jewelry pieces that stood out from fine jewelry. Japanning is a similar technique that typically uses heavy black lacquer.

Weiss often incorporates beautiful floral elements and nature-inspired motifs in his jewelry. As you can imagine, this gives these pieces a natural style, augmented by the materials they used.

Also, Weiss is known for its use of color and they feature rich reds, blues, greens, yellows, oranges, and purples, but not limited to that.

And, of course, there are the rhinestones mentioned above.

Every jewelry maker has a process of development and it is always interesting to observe this journey.

The world of jewelry is complex and constantly changing, and the genius of jewelers is often measured by their ability to innovate their collections through time.

Well, Weiss jewelry is no exception.

Early Weiss brooches, during the 1940s, were characterized by the playful use of crystals, rhinestones, and their smokey rhinestones, called “black diamonds”, to create designs inspired by nature, particularly flowers, fruits, and insects, especially butterflies.

Later, in the 1950s, Weiss continued to feature large rhinestones in elaborate designs to fit those times.

However, the most memorable innovation of that era was the pioneering use of Aurora Borealis crystals, popularly known as ‘Polar Lights.’ Albert Weiss created these pieces in cooperation with ‘Christian Dior’.

During the 1960s, Weiss jewelry still featured metal alloys and rhinestones, although in a much more understated way than in previous decades.

In the same period, Weiss’s company released several collections of dangling synthetic diamond earrings, including a line they dubbed the ‘knock-em-dead’ collection.

The period of the 1970s was unfortunately short-lived. Weiss’s company remained open only until 1971.

Prior to closing the business, one prominent line of Weiss brooches introduced the heavy use of white enamel.