verna

If you’re not familiar with Miriam Haskell, let me tell you a little bit about this trailblazing young woman, in her time.  Miriam Haskell, was a celebrated American jewelry designer, business woman, and costume jewelry pioneer.  She opened her first jewelry boutique in New York City when she was 25.  She was noted for her original but affordable hand-made costume jewelry, which successfully reflected, and was sensitive to, both the economic times and historic events in America, be it the Great Depression of the 1930s or the war years of the late 1940s. Coming to the fore in America at a time when Coco Chanel had just launched her vrais bijoux en toc, or real fake jewelry, collection in Europe, Miriam was able to ride on an American obesssion with French fashion and model her early jewelry on European costume jewelry, competing directly with Chanel and Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli.  

She designed a signature glass pearl (used in my design here).  And, happily, her original, now vintage pearls can still be found and used by designers today.  

• beautiful, vintage Miriam Haskell glass pearls (circa 1940)
• with vintage MH pearl headpins (super rare)
• brass plated findings
• brass plated earwires
• all metals are nickel and lead free