Developed in the 1930s, the clear acrylic plastic branded as Lucite became a wildly popular for material for costume jewelry starting in the 1950s. Less expensive to produce than Bakelite, Galalith, and Catalin and more chemically stable than celluloid, Lucite made these earlier jewelry plastics obsolete.

In its pure form, Lucite is translucent, resembling glass or rock crystal, but it can be dyed in a wide range of colors and opacity, making it the perfect material for bold blocks of Mid-century Modern colors. Hard, water-resistant, and lightweight, Lucite can be carved and polished, and it is easy to wear.

This stunning, circa 1960, fashion necklace combines ruby red bakelite 'coral' beads along with three, rich red, translucent lucite panels, some clear, round, lucite beads and silver-tone beads to create this piece of art. The necklace measures 16" in length and has a screw barrel clasp. Great vintage condition with no damages. No makers mark. (The red shades are darker than photos represent)