Definition: a type of figural vintage costume jewelry featuring a clear plastic cabochon "belly"; the plastic used in many Trifari jelly belly pieces came from imperfect Lucite not suitable for the manufacture of World War II era airplane windshields (confirmed by Irving Wolfe, former Trifari employee); the most sought-after 1940s jelly bellies were set in sterling silver due to war rations on other types of metals; later Jelly Belly jewelry was set in base metal rather than sterling; jelly bellies, especially sterling examples from the '40s, are coveted by collectors and have been extensively reproduced so it's wise to buy from an experienced, reputable dealer when investing in these pieces
Examples:
Jean's costume jewelry fish brooch wasn't considered to be a jelly belly since the "belly" was actually made from colored glass rather than clear Lucite.
