Weiss Jewelry – A mixture Of Elegance And Unmistaken Beauty

Jewelry connoisseurs will easily recognize the outstanding value of Weiss jewelry, a brand that continues to delight the eye to this day and is an excellent addition to vintage collections.

Albert Weiss’s company was one of the first starting to use Aurora Borealis crystals, or “Polar Lights”, created in cooperation with the “Christian Dior” in the 1950s.

Weiss jewelry is deemed rare and precious due to the small range that exists, and because of this, its price increased to unprecedented levels in recent years.

The Beginning Of Weiss Jewelry

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.

The Rhinestones Found In Weiss Jewelry

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.

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.

Weiss Jewelry – A Walk Through The Years

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.

Weiss Jewelry In The Present

Despite the passage of time and the change in our society, Weiss's jewelry pieces are still highly valued for their vintage charm.

Although most early Weiss’s designs may be too bold and are best reserved for special occasions, later designs of this famous brand may be worn on a daily.

It can get tricky trying to spot legitimate Weiss jewelry from imitations because the marks encrypted on Weiss pieces also evolved throughout the years.

But, to ensure the legitimacy of each Weiss jewelry piece, make sure you check for the hallmark featured on the piece. Some of these correspond to the year it was crafted in.

You won't go wrong with Weiss jewelry, whether it's for an anniversary gift, a wedding gift, or ... simply to bring a smile to a loved one's face.