YSL Heart Pendant Necklace with Imitation Pearls & Red Paste

• Paste / Rhinestone / Diamante - Paste (or rhinestone or diamante) is the name given to a coloured glass composition used for imitation gemstones, or to imitation gemstones made of glass.
  
  Although the technique of glassmaking had been known for thousands of years, but it wasn't until a lead glass with similar optical properties to diamonds were invented by a German jeweller working in Paris (either "Stras" or 'Strasser") in the early 18th century that "paste" gemstones became popular.
  
  There was no social stigma attached to wearing imitation stones, and they were worn in situations where highway robbery was a possibility. The 18th century settings were of very high quality, equivilent to real gemstone jewellery.
  
  In the nineteeth century the quality of paste jewellery declined and it has remained the poor cousin to genuine gemstones ever since.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• pendants and lockets, design - heart shaped 748
• pendants and lockets, gold - gold, other 3,120
• pendants and lockets, pearl - pearl, early 20th century 182
• pendants and lockets, set with - other materials 537
• St Laurent, Yves (YSL) - jewellery 57