Flat-Out Gorgeous

By Pamela Wiggins Siegel

Back when it first ran from 1985 to 1992, I didn’t catch too many episodes of the classic television series “Golden Girls.” Now that I’m a golden girl myself, I’ll admit to watching the reruns from time to time, especially when I’m under the weather. The shows have their funny moments, no doubt, but I often find myself checking out the earrings, especially those worn by Dorothy and Blanche. The ones I admire the most—like the dangling deep blue pair Blanche donned when the girls crashed a 40-year high school reunion—are encrusted with oodles of flatback rhinestones.

What are flatback rhinestones? These stones, as the name implies, have smooth, flat backs making them perfect for gluing in a pavé fashion so that a surface is completely covered with stones. From the front, both clear and colored versions are super sparkly. They were used—along with opaque black and red flatbacks for a more dramatic look—to embellish many objects in the ’80s, including jewelry and fancy handbags. These stones look similar to Hotfix stones used to embellish clothing these days, but that type is more permanently affixed using heat. The best flatback stones were made by Swarovski, and they’re sometimes called crystals instead of rhinestones.

Richard Kerr clear flatback rhinestone earrings, 1980s, $100-$150.
Image courtesy Jay B. Siegel

I had no clue about the makers of the pretties fashioned with these stones when I first owned a pair back in the day, nor do I know which brand Blanche wore in that “Golden Girls” rerun. I have learned over time, however, that there were several designers and companies associated with the style, including the most well-known: Richard Kerr.

Richard Kerr Flatback Jewelry

First, let me say the history of Richard Kerr’s design career is sparse. We know that his firm was located in Dallas, and he marketed his jewelry beginning around 1980. One source of information, however, seems to confuse him with another Richard Kerr, who followed in his father’s footsteps with a family jewelry business in Illinois. I noticed that particular gentleman supposedly retired in 1983, however, Richard Kerr’s flatback jewelry designs appeared in magazine spreads well into the 1990s. I can only surmise that we’re looking at two different men here, and the one in Dallas is responsible for the pieces I ardently admire.

Even though we don’t know much about Kerr, his work is still important since this type of jewelry is often associated with his name. Unmarked pieces decorated in this way will inevitably be labeled as “Richard Kerr style” when sold online. And when you compare the quantities of Kerr designs that come into the secondary marketplace to others working with flatback rhinestones, the quantities available mount into the thousands compared to only hundreds marked with other brand names. He was clearly the most prolific marketer of this style of jewelry.

Richard Kerr multicolor earrings, 1980s, $100-$150.
Image courtesy Jay B. Siegel

Kerr’s designs, in my opinion, are also some of the most creative since he drew on Memphis style in form and color for some of them. He also embraced the popularity of animal print accessories prevalent during the 1980s incorporating big cat patterns into several noteworthy designs. You’ll find many more pairs of earrings than other types of jewelry marked Richard Kerr, but he produced bangle bracelets and necklaces encrusted with flatback stones popular with collectors as well.

James Arpad’s Flatback Designs

James Arpad is another designer who made jewelry using flatback rhinestones. Although collectors don’t find his work as often as Richard Kerr’s, a little more is known about his background and life. He got his start in 1987 after shifting his focus from architecture to designing fashion accessories. He was inspired by his father, Steven Arpad, who used rhinestones to decorate accessories ranging from handbags and shoes to jewelry during the mid-century era. Arpad’s dad named the technique he later replicated “pavee.” One famous example of the elder Arpad’s work is a jewel-encrusted Salvatore Ferragamo pump made for Marilyn Monroe, which is now held in the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum collection in Florence.

Jewelry by James Arpad was marketed all over the United States through upscale department stores. He also sold pieces from a New York City showroom. Many of these were similar in style to Kerr’s work, including numerous pairs of earrings, but he did add fabric tassels and filigree metal elements to some of his pieces. In 1992, he also designed red leather AIDS charity ribbons decorated with flatback stones that were worn by celebrities, including Liz Taylor and comic Richard Pryor. He retired in 1999 after his father’s death and moved to Georgia to be closer to his mom.

James Arpad dramatic black dangle earrings, 1980s, $50-$75.
Image courtesy Jay B. Siegel

Other Designers and Brands

Another name I always look for in this genre of jewelry is Barbara Groeger. Years ago, Groeger’s sister contacted me after she saw a pair of her sibling’s earrings for sale in one of my online selling venues. I remember her telling me that Groeger’s life was cut short when she succumbed to a brain tumor. This sad news led me to believe that’s why I don’t run across flatback jewelry with Groeger’s mark more often. Her pieces are usually quite bold with a decidedly ’80s look about them, including colorful earrings that resemble targets.

Barbara Groeger clip earrings, 1980s, $65-$85.
Image courtesy Jay B. Siegel

Bellini by Formart is another name to watch for this style of jewelry and evening bags. The company was started in New York in 1988 and became known for making jewelry worn by beauty pageant contestants around the world. Unlike the other businesses associated with this style, this one is still in business although the brand’s current offerings are rather ordinary beaded styles rather than the flatback rhinestone sparklers produced decades ago.

Values for ’80s Flatback Jewelry

Many vintage jewelry shoppers are not as familiar with Arpad, Groeger, and Bellini by Formart in comparison to Kerr’s work, so there are still some bargains to be had with a little shopping diligence. Snagging an eye-catching pair of earrings for $50 or less isn’t out of the question. Exceptions include more unusual designs and out-of-the-ordinary color combinations.

When seeking Kerr pieces, which generally bring the highest prices, expect to pay $100-$150 for the best earring examples and $50 and up for smaller button styles. Suites including a necklace, bracelet, and matching earrings can sell in the $200-$300 range depending on the design

PAMELA WIGGINS SIEGEL has been buying, selling, and collecting costume jewelry for more than 30 years. She is the author of Warman’s Costume Jewelry and the co-founder of Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l, an organization dedicated to hosting events and providing educational resources for collectors. Visit her online at Chic Antiques by Pamela and Costume Jewelry Collectors International.

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