Turquoise Reverie | Vintage 70s Castlecliff Glass Necklace and Earring Set
A striking vintage Castlecliff parure combining luminous turquoise and green swirled glass, crisp white glass beads, and richly detailed gold-tone filigree. The necklace is arranged as a dramatic drop design, with oversized one-inch glass beads punctuated by ornate openwork stations and sculptural gold-tone spacers. A long central pendant finishes in a substantial turquoise-and-green swirled glass drop, giving the piece beautiful vertical movement.
The coordinating screw-back earrings repeat the same ornate filigree and oversized glass beads, making this an especially compelling complete set. Although only the earrings bear the Castlecliff signature, the matching construction, materials, filigree components, bead treatment, and design language strongly indicate that the necklace and earrings were created as a set.
Why We Love It
The color combination is extraordinary. The turquoise glass has a depth and translucence that almost resembles carved stone, while the flashes of green give each bead individuality. Against the opaque white glass and intricate gold-tone filigree, the effect is glamorous, exotic, and unmistakably vintage.
Details
Designer: Castlecliff
Set includes: Necklace and coordinating screw-back earrings
Materials: Gold-tone metal and glass
Beads: White glass with turquoise and green swirled glass beads
Large swirled glass beads: Approximately 1 inch
Design: Ornate openwork filigree stations with articulated pendant drop
Closure: Spring-ring clasp with chain
Earrings: Screw-back construction
Signature: Castlecliff signature present on earrings; necklace is unsigned
Measurements
Necklace: Approximately 17 inches long
Earrings: Approximately 2 1/2 inches long
Large turquoise and green glass beads: Approximately 1 inch
Condition - Good
Collector’s Notes
Castlecliff is one of the enduring names of American costume jewelry, founded in New York more than a century ago. The house became known for bold statement jewelry and the use of richly decorative metalwork, glass stones, and dramatic silhouettes. Castlecliff itself continues to celebrate its archival heritage today, including the use of vintage glass stones and components that reference its mid-century collections.
That history makes this set particularly appealing. The oversized poured-looking glass beads, elaborate filigree and strong use of color are exactly the elements that distinguish better vintage costume jewelry from mass-produced accessories. Castlecliff's surviving vintage work can be remarkably theatrical, with the company itself describing early-1970s pieces built around elaborate castings, semi-precious stones and long pendant silhouettes.
What elevates this particular piece is the survival of the coordinating earrings. Vintage sets are frequently separated over time, so finding necklace and earrings together gives the collection a sense of completeness. The result feels less like an accessory and more like an intact piece of American costume-jewelry history—bold enough to collect, but far too beautiful not to wear.