Reja aquamarine brooch

Solomon Finkelstein, the founder of Reja, established his first retail jewelry business in New York City in 1939 under the name Deja Costume Jewelry, Inc. 

However, due to a legal dispute with Du Jay, Inc. over the similarity of their trade names, Deja was ordered by the court in October 1940 to cease using the name by April 1, 1941. In response, the company announced in January 1941 that it would change its name to Reja—a decision influenced, as noted by Brunialti in *A Tribute to America* (pg 38), by the ease of altering the “D” to an “R” in the stamped signature. Reja operated from 1941 until December 1953, when it declared bankruptcy.

Deja jewelry is known for its enamel figurals, typically crafted over pot metal. The company used marks such as Deja, Deja Original, and Deja Reg.

Reja jewelry, renowned for its exceptional quality, produced several notable collections, including the Africana and Gardenesque series. These collections featured exquisite enamel figurals on sterling silver, accented with vibrant rhinestones, moonstones, and pavé clears. Reja also created a series of enamel fruits, nuts, and vegetables, some on pot metal and others on sterling. Many of their pieces incorporated pale blue or rose pink moonstone cabochons. The marks used by Reja include Reja Reg., Reja, and eventually Reja Inc., with some pieces also marked as Sterling.