Elizabeth Gage Gold Ring

Jewelry designer and goldsmith Elizabeth Gage has been creating luxurious gold statement jewelry for more than half a century, attracting attention from enthusiastic lovers of personal adornment all over the world. For their boldness and sophistication, Gage’s ornate necklaces, rings and other accessories have earned her a place among the most influential gold jewelry designers of our day.

Gage’s love of creating beautiful things started at an early age. Born in England in 1937, Gage would often create her own toys to play with. She frequently made houses for her dolls and clothing for them to wear, working with her hands and developing skills that would become integral to the flourishing career she would have one day.

Gage went on to study design and goldsmithing at the Chelsea School of Art and Sir John Cass College. She began designing under her own name in 1965 and received her first major commission from Cartier. The New York branch of the prestigious French luxury house invited Gage in 1968 to create a collection for their new catalog, where her eye-catching statement jewelry made a huge splash. (A year later, designer Aldo Cipullo would create his transformational Love bracelet for the brand after Tiffany & Co. reportedly passed on his now-iconic cuff.)

Gage’s cocktail rings, clip-on earrings and pendants — with their baroque ornamentation and intricate raised carvings — look to historical eras and design movements. Gage is internationally acclaimed as a leader in her field and she is a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in recognition of her contributions to art and design. She was awarded the De Beers International Diamond Award in 1972, and the Queen's Award for Export Achievement in 1989. In 2008, Retail Jeweller awarded her their Lifetime Achievement Award.

Gage’s collections have been exhibited in notable museums including the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut. Famed Hollywood actress Lauren Bacall famously fell in love with Gage’s work, striking up a personal friendship with the designer and ultimately ordering more than 20 pieces of jewelry from her over the actress’s lifetime.

Today, Gage continues to design pieces that are crafted by her expert goldsmiths, which she sells at her boutique in Belgravia, London.

Find authentic Elizabeth Gage earrings, brooches and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.

No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.

Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.

Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings. 

The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry. 

The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.

Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.