Florenza Pins and Brooches
Florenza costume jewelry was founded in 1948. Along with necklaces, bracelets, and rings, Florenza also offers brooches and pins. This jewelry is full of beads and outsized cabochons of semi-precious stones or imitations that are set in wrought metals.
What materials are Florenza pins and brooches made of?- Gold-tone metal: This is a base metal that is made to look like gold. The metal usually has no gold in it. Another name for gold-tone is pinchbeck. Jewelry that is covered with a thin layer of gold alloy is called gold-plated or gold-filled. Silver-tone is metal that’s been treated to have a silvery shine.
- Rhinestone: This is faceted crystal or glass made to mimic real gems. They get their name because the originals were pieces of quartz collected from the Rhine River. Rhinestone is also called diamanté.
- Poured glass: Also called pâte de verre, this is a paste made of crushed glass that is treated with metal oxides to color it. After this, it is poured into a mold and fired.
- Aurora borealis: These are rhinestones that have a notable iridescent finish. It is created with the help of a metallic coating.
- Enamel: This is a colored, glasslike material that is fused to metal by firing. Once fired, it is permanent.
- Shell: Cameo brooches are often carved from shells.
- Lava rock: Lava rock is brimstone that comes from the depths of volcanoes. When it cools it can be polished, shaped, and used for jewelry.
- Jonquil: This is a pale yellow type of rhinestone that is named after the spring flower of the same color.
Other materials that go into making Florenza brooches and pins are art glass and imitations of pearls, amber, turquoise, moonstone, carnelian, and citrine.
How do you care for Florenza jewelry?To store these pieces of jewelry, lie them flat in their own tills or boxes, and wrap them in acid-free paper. The jewels should be cleaned with an old toothbrush with soft bristles or cotton swabs. Use distilled water, but make sure it doesn’t saturate the piece or seep into the settings. Pat the piece dry with a clean white cloth. To clean the metal, use a jeweler’s cloth. This is a two-layered cloth whose inner cloth has jewelers’ rouge to clean the metal. The outer cloth protects your hands and buffs the metal after you’ve cleaned the piece.