Description
Available Sizes –
- oval – 13×18 mm, 10x12mm, 5x7mm, 4×6 mm
- round – 13 mm, 7mm, 5 mm, 3 mm
Circa – 1950’s – 1970’s
Color – Jet – opaque black
Condition – fair, with signs of wear
Material – glass
Origin – West German
Reverse Side – flat, unfoiled back
Style – smooth glass cabochon (no hole)
These vintage glass cabochons were manufactured in West Germany from the 1950’s – 1970’s for the costume jewelry trade; they were meant to resemble gemstones, which is evidenced by quirky color names like “saphyr” and “topas”. Unlike most of the stones from this line, these opaque black stones are “unfoiled”; there is no coating on the back.
Glass cabochons are not drilled like beads, so they do not have holes. Their flat backs make them perfect for gluing or mounting in bezels. Since they come in standard calibrated sizes, they fit well with most vintage and contemporary stone settings (just be sure to check that you’re getting the right size stones for your project).
These affordable old jewels show a bit more wear than my other cabochons styes. They’re still beautiful and usable, but you may notice minor imperfections that are typical for glass of this age such as small nicks, “fleabites” in the foil, or foil oxidization on the back. Some are in excellent condition – and we do cull damaged stones – but you should expect a vintage “shabby chic” look as shown in the photos.
