Rays Of Green - Vintage Signed 'Continental' Gold Plated Crystal Rhinestone Necklace (VN266)

Rays Of Green - Vintage 'Continental' Gold Plated Crystal Rhinestone Necklace. This lovely necklace is crafted from gold plate over metal, signed Continental. Featuring emerald cut, square cut, and round cut faceted crystal rhinestones, vintage styling, and high quality craftsmanship. This gorgeous necklace is expertly hand claw-set with beautiful emeralds and peridot green sparkling crystals. The necklace has a fold-over clasp, which clicks and locks into place securely. This vintage necklace is high quality, and in very fine condition, truly a beautiful special occasion piece to be cherished and enjoyed for many years to come. History: In 1943, Sam Baker and Sol Mayoff became partners and set up shop in a 500 square-foot store front in a Vieux Montreal building. There, with four employees, they sold costume jewellery, various accessories and religious articles and became the small firm, Continental Jewellery. In 1947 already well known as Continental Jewellery, the small firm began to manufacture rhinestone articles which were all the rage at the time. The ever growing demand forced them to move into a larger space on Bleury Street. In 1951, Continental Jewellery became the largest, manufacturer of mid-priced rhinestone jewellery in the country. Due to the whims of fashion, the market for rhinestones was gradually declining. To protect its market share, the firm hired a European designer to create a major line of fashion jewellery, making Continental one of the most important fashion sources for the Canadian market. It is difficult to have a discussion regarding Continental jewellery without mentioning Sherman Jewellery. Continental’s line of rhinestone jewellery was said to be the main competition for Sherman Jewellery, which was also being produced in Montreal at the time. Continental’s high end rhinestone jewellery was very similar to Sherman designs but usually had less stones. These pieces were offered as a lower priced alternative and did well as such. Many collectors of Sherman jewellery have been pleasantly surprised at the quality and beauty of Continental’s vintage rhinestone jewellery lines. The company moved to its present location at 55 du Mont-Royal Avenue West in 1963. Six years later, partners Baker and Mayoff diversified the manufacturing end of the business and developed their own gold line. This did so well that today they make 95% of their own gold jewellery, importing only 5%. Continental’s clients included large chains like The Bay, Eatons, Simpsons, Birks, People’s as well as a majority of independent jewellers and it employed a staff of 360. The firm had an annual retail business of $80 million.” Continental jewellery continued to expand the company up until 1997 when the company was sold to an interest in the Far East. Centuries ago, quartz pebbles with a high lead content were found sparkling on the banks of Europe's Rhine River. These beautiful, natural stones were highly coveted and were eventually depleted, inspiring jewelers to create an imitation, aptly named the "rhinestone." Since 1895, founder Daniel Swarovski's mastery of crystal cutting has defined the company. His enduring passion for innovation and design has made it the world's premier jewelry and accessory brand. Today, the family carries on the tradition of delivering extraordinary everyday style to women around the world. What Is Gold-plated Jewelry? Gold-plated jewelry is a type of metal jewelry covered with a very thin layer of real gold. The process was invented in 1805 by Italian chemist Luigi Brugnatelli who plated a very thin gold layer on top of silver. Measurements: Necklace 15 1/4" Stone Size: Crystal (Emerald Cut) 7.00 mm x 4.50 mm Square Cut 7.00 mm x 7.00 mm Round 4.50 mm - 3.00 mm Weight: 15.70 grams Condition: Excellent Origin: Canada, Quebec, Montreal Date: Circa 1950