Effy Cross Pendant
Early 2000s American Pendant Necklaces
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1930s French Brooches
Amethyst, Pearl, Quartz, Gold, Gilt Metal, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Brooches
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Unknown Modernist Cluster Rings
Emerald, Ruby, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Band Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s English Etruscan Revival Bangles
Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century Italian Etruscan Revival Link Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Spanish Art Nouveau Fashion Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s French Edwardian More Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Wrist Watches
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1910s European Retro Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century Wrist Watches
Diamond, Jade, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1850s Italian Egyptian Revival Pendant Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, Onyx, Jasper, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Danish Link Bracelets
18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Bangles
Crystal, Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Rose Gold
Finding the Right pendant-necklaces for You
Whether you’re layering multiple jewelry pieces or opting for a single strand, vintage pendant necklaces are versatile accessories that can elevate your casual wear as easily as they can add a creative flourish to your formal attire.
The earliest jewelry was less about accessorizing than it was about wearers arming themselves with amulets. In Ancient Egypt, some amulets featured a loop so that they could be strung around one’s neck. While rubies have long been one of the few gemstones that can give diamonds a run for their money, members of some ancient civilizations valued the stones from the get-go, donning ruby pendants as well as other stones with the belief that these adornments would bring protection, healing powers or strength. Today, we still wear our charm bracelets and charm pendants around our necks for good luck.
Later, pendant necklaces, like most fine jewelry, were worn strictly by royalty or the upper class and conferred wealth and prestige. This changed over time, thankfully, as wearing jewelry became more widespread, a democratized means of personal expression.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, pendant necklaces evolved from their status as spiritual amulets, but the jewels still carried deep personal significance. Victorian pendants, in particular, were part of the “mourning jewelry” tradition. Wearers would embed their pendants with locks of hair from a deceased loved one as a way of grieving in the wake of a loss. In the case of cameo jewelry, some pendants were even decorated with miniature hand-carved portraits in a detailed raised relief. Today, portraiture is still a characteristic of many of the hand-carved pendant necklaces offered by Italian jewelry house Scala Gioielli.
Luxury fine jewelry brands such as Cartier, BVLGARI and David Yurman offer their own unique interpretations of the cherished accessory, embellishing platinum or gold pendant necklaces with diamonds, sapphires and other stones.
On 1stDibs, find an extraordinary range of vintage pendant necklaces and other necklaces today.