Joseph Cleary was the name of the JC jewelry company in the 1950s.
According to Dorothy Rainwater’s book, Jewelry Makers of America, JC was based in Newark, New Jersey. Jewelry made by this factory bore the JC hallmark and was produced in small editions.
Characteristics of the products:
The craftsmen often used multi-colored lucite, gold- or silver-based alloys, enamel resin, cubic zirconia, and various decorative stones.
Because of the similarity of the JC designation, Joseph Cleary’s work is often mistaken for that of Jackie Collins, but differences in the style of markings allow one to accurately identify the author.
JC jewelry is extremely rare today, but is popular with vintage jewelry lovers.
