The Golden Age of American Costume Jewellery: KJL, Judith Leiber and Coro

There's a particular confidence to mid-century American costume jewellery. It never apologised for not being "real". Instead, it out-dressed fine jewellery — bigger, bolder, and worn by the women who could have afforded diamonds but chose glamour instead.

Kenneth Jay Lane — the great pretender.

Kenneth Jay Lane founded his company in New York in the early 1960s and built his reputation on one delicious idea: fabulous fakes for fabulous women. His pieces were worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the Duchess of Windsor, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. Lane's signature is unmistakeable: sculptural gold-tone forms, glossy poured enamel, and a maharajah-meets-Park-Avenue sensibility. Hinged enamel cuffs like ours — navy and cream enamel panels edged in textured gold beading, anchored by etruscan-style rosette medallions — are quintessential KJL: architectural on the wrist, and stamped with the oval "K.J.L." cartouche that early collectors look for.

Judith Leiber — the sculptor of small things.

Judith Leiber is best known for her crystal minaudière handbags, but her jewellery is a quieter, rarer find. A Hungarian-born artisan who trained as a handbag maker in Budapest before emigrating to New York, Leiber brought the same object-as-talisman quality to her gold-plated pieces. Our 1980s pendant is a case in point: a heavy, richly plated figural piece with articulated drops that move as you do — closer to an ancient amulet than to costume jewellery. Because her jewellery output was small next to her handbags, pieces like this surface far less often.

Coro — jewellery for everyone.

No story of American costume jewellery is complete without Coro. Founded around the turn of the twentieth century, Coro became one of the largest costume jewellery manufacturers in America, spanning everything from affordable everyday pieces to the higher-end Corocraft line. Its most famous invention, the "Duette" — a brooch that splits into two dress clips — remains a collector staple. Where KJL dressed the front row and Leiber the collector, Coro dressed the country.

Why collect them now? Three reasons. Provenance — signed pieces (a KJL cartouche, a Leiber plate) are traceable and increasingly documented. Quality — poured enamel, heavy plating and hand-finished castings that fast fashion simply doesn't produce. And wearability — these were designed to be worn hard and noticed, not kept in a safe.

Both pieces featured are available now at Re:velvet — or come and try them on in person at Re:Velvet at Alfies, London SW8 8DT (find us on Google Maps).