Cicada began as a partnership between Patricia Thornton and Nick Orsborn in 1974. Both were from a fine art background and developed an early interest in celluloid and urea formaldehyde. They were based in Brighton and reached an international market (U.K., U.S.A., Japan and Australia). In London their outlets included Biba and Liberty's, they made buttons for Zandra Rhodes, and Bill Gibb used one of his 'bee style' brooches in his fashion show of 1975. The partnership dissolved in 1985 although Nick continued making pieces for a further four years or so.

Pat Thornton has described how their jewellery was made: a master for each design was carved out of aluminium, moulds were takin out of Poly Ethyline, and casts were made in Polyester resin. Metallic effects were achieved by setting brass dust or tin alloy dust into the resin. This made a heavier solution that would sink to the bottom of the mould and therefore show on te surface of a piece. Gold leaf was also set into te resin in some pieces, and later drawings and fabric were also embedded (including Liberty prints which were then sold through Liberty's).