Little girls might have plastic bracelets in their
jewelry boxes, but we big girls aren't content with just any ol' plastic. No, we want the real deal and that means vintage
Bakelite. Bakelite, like many scientific finds, was discovered by accident in 1907 and it soon became known as "the material of a thousand uses." It wasn't long, however, before designers discovered that this fire-resistant plastic, originally created for industrial purposes, was also perfect for bracelets, necklaces, earrings and pins. These stunning items are now highly collectible and can be quite addictive. But a word of warning: some of them carry very big girl price tags. Just click the SLIDESHOW to see the selection.