Rocket Man: A Sweet Vintage Necklace to Mark the 50th Year of Spaceflight

The Vintage Tin Rocket Ride necklace may not contain
diamonds, pearls, or any precious metals, but it’s rich in color and character.
The painted tin piece features two wee passengers in a carnival rocket ride—once belonging to a vintage toy that jewelry
designer, Tara Levitin, found in an antique shop in Round Rock, Texas—set on a 17-inch gunmetal chain, retailing
for $27.60. Levitin of Leviticus Jewelry, based in Spring, Texas, has
a penchant for including vintage items like this one in her broader collection
of eccentric designs, mixing precious materials and gem-set pieces with cute
costume finds. She
suspects that the piece is from the 1940s or 1950s, and fashioned it into a
necklace for its whimsical effect. “It reminds me of my childhood,” she told JCK in a phone interview today. And with today being the 50^th anniversary of human
space flight, the necklace seems like just the tribute for the occasion.