Costume jewelry has been part of culture for 300 years. During the 1700s cheap jewelry made with glass started getting made. After a century, in the 1800s, costume jewelry made of semi precious material came in to the market. The use of semi precious material made the jewelry available in the hands of the common people.

Costume jewelry is usually made from cheap metals and imitations o f precious stones. That’s way it is also called fashion jewelry, junk jewelry, fake jewelry, or fallalery. Costume jewelry is the first jewelry that manufactured as ornamentation for the masses to complement a particular fashionable garment or "costume". It tends to be flashy and sometimes over the top with gaudiness, although subdued costume jewelry which is designed to imitate more upscale jewelry is also available.

As the class structure in the United States changed, so did measures of real wealth. Women in all social stations, even the working-class woman, could own a little piece of costume jewelry. The average town and country woman could acquire and wear a considerable amount of this mass-produced jewelry that was both affordable and stylish.

Lots of feel that the machine has spoilt the beauty of the hand-made costume jewelry; the truth is that the machine has made fashion jewelry more affordable and has enabled people to produce of this jewelry to fuel the interest of millions of ladies from all around the world.

Costume jewelry was further made popular by various designers in the mid twentieth century. A number of the most recalled names in costume jewelry include both the high & low priced brands: Crown Trifari, Dior, Chanel, Monet, Napier, Corocraft & Coventry.

A significant factor in the popularisation of costume jewelry was the Hollywood movie. The leading female stars of the '40s & '50s often wore & then endorsed the pieces produced by a range of designers. If you admired a necklace worn by Bette Davis in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, you could buy a copy from Joseff of Hollywood, who made the original. Stars such as Vivien Leigh, Elizabeth Taylor & Jane Russell appeared in commercials for the pieces & the availability of the collections in shops such as Woolworths made it possible for ordinary women to own & wear such jewelry.

In lots of instances, high-end fashion jewelry has achieved a "collectible" status, and increases in value over time. Today, there is a substantial secondary market for vintage fashion jewelry. The main collecting market is for 'signed pieces', that is pieces which have the maker's mark, usually stamped on the reverse. Amongst the most sought after are Miriam Haskell, Coro, Crown Trifari & Sphinx. However, there is also demand for nice quality 'unsigned' pieces, if they are of an unusual design.

Coco Chanel greatly popularized the use of faux jewelry in her years as a fashion designer, bringing costume jewelry to life with gold & faux pearls. Kenneth Jay Lane has since the 1960s been known for generating matchless pieces for Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Vreeland, & Audrey Hepburn. They is probably best-known for his three-strand faux pearl necklace worn by Barbara Bush to her husband's inaugural ball.

Costume jewelry originated on stage sets, where it was used for props. Jewelry for the stage was designed to be larger than life so that it would be visible to the audience, and it was a cheap way to make the set for a stage production more rich and lively. Actors became attached to these gaudy additions to their costumes, and started wearing costume jewelry off the stage as well. For someone of lower income, costume jewelry can be a way to dress up without spending too much money.

Costume jewelry came in to being in the 1930s as a cheap, disposable accessory meant to be worn with a specific outfit. It was supposed to be fashionable for a short period of time, outdate itself, and then be repurchased to fit with a new outfit or new fashion style. Its main use is in fashion, as opposed to "real" (fine) jewelry which may be regarded primarily as collectibles, keepsakes, or investments. Costume jewelry is made of less valuable materials including base metals, glass, plastic, and synthetic stones; in lieu of more valuable materials such as precious metals & gems.

Costume jewelry is popular among fashion and set designers, as well as people who want to have a little bit of fun with their jewelry. It can be found in vintage stores as well as retail stores specializing in fashion accessories.

Costume jewelry is not always cheap. Such as 925-sterling-silver jewelry and faux Victorian jewelry can be expensive, even if they are not made from materials of top quality. While faux jewelry can be fun, it can also be used as a serious fashion statement, and has a long history on the runway after being popularized by designers like Coco Chanel. Some jewelry designers specialize in costume jewelry which is worn by the rich and famous for a variety of reasons: fashion, security, or a sense of fun. Lots of individuals who own famous or expensive pieces of jewelry will have costume jewelry replicas made for more casual wear, so that they do not run the risk of losing an irreplaceable piece of jewelry.

Costume jewelry usually starts with a base metal such as tin. The metal is treated to resemble a more expensive metal such as gold, silver, or platinum. Traditionally, costume jewelry used fake stones made from glass or paste. However, some costume jewelry uses real gemstones that are less expensive versions of their precious counterparts. Usually, the “stones” used in costume jewelry are large and  involve flashy cuts.

Costume jewelry is made in all sorts of styles from Victorian inspired brooches to imitation pearl necklaces. Rings, necklaces, brooches, bracelets, earrings, & other jewelry accessories all come in costume as well as regular form. Costume jewelry can also be made at home by enterprising craftspeople, and can be a fun project for children as well.