When Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland created the first entirely synthetic plastic in 1909, it revolutionized the way many consumer goods were manufactured. Baekeland called his plastic “Bakelite” and ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover upmarket jewelry, timepieces & ethical, sustainable jewelry.

Created more than a century ago, bakelite is a completely synthetic plastic material used in industrial and commercial products. Because it doesn’t contain petroleum, it can’t be melted or recycled.

A new class of Bakelite collectors is emerging, and it’s hardly the swap-meet set. The spoils: a bangle or three with inlaid geometrics, perhaps a marbled ring with bursts of bezel-set gemstones. That ...

Simply sign up to the Style myFT Digest -- delivered directly to your inbox. Who first made Bakelite jewellery collectable? Some say Coco Chanel, after she introduced it in the 1920s. Others cite Andy ...