Sometimes the most tempting piece of jewelry is not the most elaborate or the most expensive.
Sometimes it is the one with the story.
This long clear rhinestone necktie necklace is one of those pieces.
Its design is dramatic enough on its own. A narrow rhinestone neckline leads into a geometric tie-shaped drop that measures approximately 11 inches long, giving the necklace a wonderfully exaggerated silhouette.
But what makes this one especially interesting to me is that I had seen it before.
I Had Seen This Necklace Before
Among the original DeLizza & Elster material I have photographed is one of Mr. DeLizza’s design boards.
And there it was.
The same long rhinestone necktie design.
These boards were working material from DeLizza & Elster, preserving jewelry designs and components used by the company. Being able to compare an actual piece of jewelry directly with one of those boards gives us a very different kind of connection to its history.
It is no longer simply a necklace that looks like Juliana.
We can see the design in material that came directly from the company.
From the Board to the Finished Necklace
The finished necklace follows that same distinctive shape — the narrow rhinestone neckline, the triangular upper section and the exceptionally long openwork tie.
The wearable portion of the necklace measures approximately 15 inches, while the tie itself drops approximately 11 inches and reaches about 2.5 inches wide at its broadest point.
Clear rhinestones and silver-tone metal keep the color simple, allowing the unusual construction and scale to become the entire design.
The Part I Love Most
For me, this is one of the most enjoyable parts of studying DeLizza & Elster jewelry.
Every once in a while, a piece turns up that can be connected directly to a photograph, advertisement, design board or another piece of original company material.
Finding that connection changes the piece.
You are no longer looking only at the finished jewelry. You are seeing a small part of the process behind it — and a direct link back to the people who made it.
This necklace is documented in the IsItJulianaJewelry database as IIJJ#9334.
And that original design board?
That may be the part that tempts me most.
Can I tempt you? The documented rhinestone necktie necklace from Mr. D’s design board is available in the shop.