Europe, late 1980s | Deadstock vintage costume jewellery
Length: 34 cm | Tasselled drop: 10 cm | Extension: 8 cm
Some pieces are designed to adorn.
Others are designed to enter before you do.
 
This dramatic necklace was created in late-1980s Europe by a revered costume jewellery manufacturer whose ateliers closed before the decade turned - leaving behind archives of extraordinary, unrealised designs.
Preserved as true deadstock, this piece never reached boutiques or showrooms. It remained untouched for decades until rediscovered within a London archive now known for supplying original vintage jewellery to theatre, television, and film productions internationally.
 
The tasselled 1980s necklace was  was notably worn by Sophie Turner in the ITV period crime drama Joan - a series celebrated for its glamorous 1980s styling, jewel-thief decadence, and unapologetic visual drama (see image). This is precisely the kind of powerful, cinematic jewellery that defined the era.
 
The silhouette is unapologetically commanding.
A sculptural Y-shaped form descends into an elongated tasselled drop composed of articulated gold-plated tubular links and brilliant rhinestone clusters that catch light with almost theatrical precision. The movement is fluid and deliberate - the tassels swaying softly with the body, creating flashes of gold and crystal with every step.
It possesses that rare quality found in exceptional late-1980s costume jewellery: boldness without heaviness. Drama without excess.
 
The design sits somewhere between high glamour and old-world seduction. One can almost imagine it emerging beneath the lights of a grand hotel ballroom, a private members’ club in Monte Carlo, or a candlelit dinner somewhere along the Riviera. It feels cinematic in the most refined sense - jewellery designed not merely to accessorise, but to create an atmosphere around the woman wearing it.
 
The Woman Who Wears It
She is self-possessed and intuitively stylish.
The sort of woman who understands that elegance is often a matter of timing, restraint, and one unforgettable detail.
She may wear it with a black silk gown and swept-back hair, allowing the tasselled drop to become the entire conversation. Or perhaps with an ivory satin shirt left slightly undone, transforming masculine tailoring into something dangerously feminine.
There is confidence in this piece.
Not loudness - presence.
 
Design & Construction Details
Late-1980s European deadstock vintage costume jewellery
Triple gold-plated articulated metal construction
Brilliant rhinestone crystal detailing throughout
Elongated tasselled Y-neck silhouette
Adjustable extension chain allowing multiple necklines and styling lengths
Designed specifically for movement and light reflection
Never pre-owned; preserved deadstock archive piece
 
Styling Notes
Wear as the sole jewel against clean necklines and open collars
Particularly striking with black, ivory, champagne, espresso, emerald, or deep burgundy tones
Beautiful for evening dinners, cocktail settings, gallery events, opera evenings, destination travel wardrobes, or winter tailoring
Equally compelling layered over silk, satin, velvet, or sharply structured blazers
Best worn with swept-back hair or minimal earrings to allow the necklace full visual authority
 
Provenance & Collectibility
Authentic deadstock vintage jewellery of this calibre has become increasingly difficult to source—particularly pieces preserved unworn from European ateliers that ceased production decades ago. Unlike contemporary reproductions, the construction possesses the unmistakable weight, articulation, and richness associated with old high craftsmanship costume jewellery from the period.
This is not simply a necklace.
It is an archival object from a vanished era of glamour - rescued from obscurity and waiting for the right woman to bring it fully back to life.
 
c.1980s; never pre-owned
Triple gold plated metal and rhinestones
In excellent vintage condition with no defect or damage
Measures: 34 cm long; extra 8 cm extension chain; tasselled drop 10 cm
Sourced from London, England.