A piece of costume jewelry—likely a drop earring or part of a vintage brooch. Its design style, materials, and construction are characteristic of the golden age of retro costume jewelry, spanning the 1950s through the 1980s. Starting in the 1940s and 1950s, leading designers such as Coco Chanel, Coro, and Trifari transformed costume jewelry—crafted from base metals and artificial stones—into coveted, fashionable accessories. Instead of reserving real gold and diamond jewelry solely for special occasions, women began wearing large, sparkling pieces in their daily lives to complement the suits and dresses of the era.