Thursday, February 22, 2018

Juliana Neon Geometric Designs

Orange Neon Design missing only the square brooch
This design which was found in three colors is one of my favorites as it is such an unusual design.  It is most often called the neon geometric design but also is sometimes called art deco.  Of course it does not date from the art deco period but it does have a little bit of the feeling of designs of that time but in a much more colorful way.  They are first found in the design books in 1968.

The design was found in three colors.  The blue, the orange and the red.  These are kind of simple names for the riot of color that these designs have but it does  help to tell them apart when talking about them. 

There are a number of unusual things about these designs from a Juliana (D and E) design perspective.  The most noticeable is that the
Blue Neon Design all the pieces shown in the orange
are also found in the blue
stones are glue set in the top layer of stones due to the cast design.  Another uncommon thing is the large amount of baguettes used in the design.  Yes D and E did use baguettes in designs but it was not their go to stone, the long thin navette is probably more associated with them.  The third slightly unusual thing is the darkened gun metal colored backing.  Again yes D and E used it but it was not extensively used.

Some of you are probably saying what is a cast design.  A cast design is one that the setting is done from a mold and not as individual settings soldered together.  Cast designs always have glued in stones as their are no real prongs.  Some have little stubs as faux prongs but there are not prongs holding in the stones.
Red Neon Design all the pieces
found in the orange are also
found in the red but are extremely
hard to find

In the orange design I have shown what I think are all the different pieces available for neon geometric except for the square brooch.  In the blue I have shown just a few and in the red design which is by far the hardest to find I have shown only one brooch as that is the only one I have ever had.

Back showing the center of the brooch
is a cast design with figure 8's frame
I hope this week has opened some of your eyes to some different things D and E has done design wise.  Next week I will talk about another design that has some similarities with this design as it also has cast components but it is unusual in the use of enamel painted backs.



Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Be My Valentine - Juliana Heart Jewelry - Part II

Heart Belt Buckle
Heart Scroll Work Pink
This weeks post is about the heart scroll work that Juliana did.  The first piece I will show is a great transition piece as it has the heart shaped rhinestones that I talked about last week and heart scroll work.  I have also seen this belt buckle design done as a full belt and it was a WOW.

Heart Scroll linked Bracelet
Heart Scroll Linked Belt
Citrine Heart Scroll Parure
The next is a gorgeous demi parure of necklace and extremely long dangle earrings done all in pink and faux pearls.  

I will continue on with this gorgeous bracelet that are heart scrolls linked together.  This design actually has a full parure designed like it including a HUGE belt.  Such an incredible design.

After those two it is hard to find anything to top them.  So how about this huge parure of two necklaces, bracelet, belt and earrings.  All done with heart scrolls and citrine rhinestones.

NOT Juliana Heart Scrolls Design
These are just a few of the fabulous designs Juliana did with heart scroll work.  I could show piece after piece.  HOWEVER Juliana is not the only company to use heart scroll work.  It must have been very popular because most of the pieces you find with it are NOT Juliana.  So you really need to look for other Juliana traits to identify a heart scroll design as Juliana.  Here is one example of a piece that has heart scroll work and is often called Juliana and is not.


For more examples of heart scrollwork you can visit the IsItJulianaJewelry Database select under metal accents - Heart or S scrolls.



Next week I will be talking about the Neon Geometic designs done by Juliana (D and E).

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Be My Valentine - Juliana Heart Jewelry - Part I

Margarita Heart Demi Paure 
The topic of the day is the heart jewelry that Juliana (D and E) made.  By heart jewelry I mean both jewelry that is designed to look like a heart and jewelry that has heart shaped rhinestones.  I will not be showing the jewelry that has the metalwork that is shaped like hearts.  I will save that for next week.


Puffy Bead Heart Brooch
My first design is one that is not commonly found but is one of my favorites.  It features gorgeous pink margarita rhinestones and metal leaves.

The next one is a frame of rhinestone with puffy beads set over the top making it hard to tell that it actually is a heart.  I have also seen this design done in other colors.
Abstract Heart Brooch

Also found are some other designs that have a more abstract heart look and are also found in different colors.


Ball Chain Heart Necklace
This next design is done in ball chain with the center of the necklace shaped like a heart.  It is also not often found.


Heart Shaped Earrings
The next one is a heart shaped design that was used in different ways.  It was used as a charm on a necklace, as earrings and as a brooch.  I am showing the earrings.  This is also the first of our designs that use a heart shaped rhinestone.
Heart Shaped Flower Demi Parure

The final design is one that you see in many different colors.  It uses a heart shaped rhinestone as the center of a flower design.

There are also a few designs that use a heart shaped stone in with other stones.  I have not shown those here but they can be found in the IsItJulianaJewelry.com database by selecting heart shaped in the stone shapes drop down menu.


Next week we will talk about the metal scrollwork that looks like hearts.


More Juliana Heart Jewelry

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Juliana (D and E) Geode Jewelry

Pink Geode Set
I am not sure if all of you love the Juliana jewelry with the stones often called geodes as much as I do.  These stones are some of my favorites.  They are so dimensional and the color combinations are wonderful.  Mr DeLizza talks about the geode designs on page 117 of his book and I quote: "a new rock crystal group in colors."  This chapter is 1971-1973 so I would date that as the start of these designs.


Blue Geode Brooch
My favorite is the pink, which will come as no surprise to all that know me as pink is my favorite color.  I have also said that if I ever find the geode bib in pink no one will be able to pry it out my hands.

Black AB Geode Set
First I will show the design in pink with pink AB rhinestone accents.  You will also find this same geode stone but with pink rhinestone accents.


Topaz Geode Parure
Now we will move on to my next favorite of the colors these geode designs came in, the blue.  I have shown this photo at an angle so you can see how dimensional these stones are. You will see this one has blue AB rhinestone accents.  I have also seen this design with blue rhinestone accents.


Peach Geode Parure
Now we will show one that is really a gorgeous color.  It is sort of a black AB.  Very very striking design.  Notice on this one a different earring design compared to the pink.  I suspect all the different designs were done in all the colors but I am not 100% positive about that.  This one has again the AB accenting rhinestones.  Can you imagine how fabulous this stone would look in a bib.  WOW.


Clear AB Geode Parure
Since I have been talking about the bibs that these geodes came in maybe I should show one of them to you.  These bibs are very hard to find.  I have only ever had two of them.   So everyone here is your mission after reading this, find some geode bibs.


The  next color is very similar to the topaz geode but is a little lighter in color.  More of a peach tone.

The next color is probably the color you will find most often.  The clear AB.  It is found with many different accenting colors including clear AB, green AB, pastel, and maybe more.
Clear AB Geode Dog Collar

My final designs will be some that use the geodes in different ways than we have seen before.  The first is using the same clear AB geode but using in a dog collar design.
Purple Geode with Hard Wired Beads

The next is a very unusual design.  It uses a different color of geode in a totally different design.  I suspect this was a special order for some customer.  Notice not only does it have different colored geodes, it also has hard wired on beads which Juliana (D and E) did do, but it was not common and most designs with hard wired on beads are not Juliana.
NOT Juliana Geode Earrings

My final photo for the day will show that not all geode designs are Juliana.  These earrings are NOT Juliana even though they use the geode stone.

This finishes off the geode designs I have to show you today.  Next week we will talk about some of the heart designs since Valentines Day will be coming up.